Kindle Information
Released in November 2007, the Kindle is a tablet reading device for electronic books, or ebooks, developed by Amazon.com subsidiary Lab126. Equipped with wireless, or Wi-Fi, technology that uses its own Whispernet data network, the Kindle connects to Amazon.com's ebook store, enabling users to purchase and download ebooks. By using the Whispernet network, the Kindle works independently of any personal computer connectivity. As of March 2011, the current version of the ebook reader is the Kindle 3G.
Other People Are Reading
-
Specifications
-
Released in August 2010, the Amazon Kindle 3G measures 4.8 inches wide, 7.5 inches tall and 0.3 inches thick and weighs 8.7 oz. Its 6-inch screen uses electronic ink, or e-ink, technology and displays 16 gray-level colors at 600-by-800 pixels of resolution. The device is powered by an alternating current, or AC, adapter that provides up to a month's worth of power after a 4.5-hour charging period. As of 2011, the Kindle 3G sells directly from Amazon.com for $189.
Internal and External Components
-
The Kindle 3G is equipped with 3 gigabytes of internal memory, enough to hold up to 3,500 ebooks. A preinstalled dictionary and a paper-like display on a glare-free screen are part of the device's features. Data is entered to the Kindle through a 38-key QWERTY keypad, which includes a five-way navigation button. The Kindle 3G supports MP3 digital audio files and delivers them through two built-in speakers or through headphones connected to the output jack. The device is also equipped to accommodate universal serial bus, or USB, connectivity.
-
Reader Features
-
Amazon's Kindle 3G supports several types of text formats, including Amazon Whispernet (AZW), hyper-text markup language (HTML), portable document format (PDF) and Microsoft Word document (DOC). The device also supports multiple still image formats, including joint photographic experts group (JPEG), graphics interchange format (GIF) and portable network graphics (PNG). A built-in text-to-speech capability makes it possible for the Kindle to read English content out loud. With the Kindle's Whispersync cross-platform ability, you can read Kindle ebooks on other mobile devices, such as an iPhone, BlackBerry or PC.
Connectivity
-
Like wireless smartphones, the Kindle 3G uses 3G wireless technology to connect to the Amazon ebook store. It also uses Wi-Fi wireless technology through an 802.11b/g connection, enabling users to connect from Wi-Fi hot spots at home or other places, such as a restaurant or other public place. With more than 850,000 ebooks to choose from, Amazon's eBook store also sells audiobooks and periodicals in electronic form. More than 600,000 of the store's selections are priced at $9.99 or less.
-
