Respected female bloggers ("The Viewpoints Blogger Reviews Panel") recommend Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite after a unique reviews project in which they tested the eReader at the same time, wrote reviews on Viewpoints, discussed it in video chat, then blogged about it.
CHICAGO – The Kindle Paperwhite eReader, with its patented built-in light, shines on many levels, according to The Viewpoints Blogger Reviews Panel. Viewpoints, a leading consumer reviews and product rankings website, recruited the writers to review “the world’s most advanced eReader” for Viewpoints and their own websites. The bloggers praised the Kindle Paperwhite’s battery life, book selection, readability and design, while also noting drawbacks.
Battery life
Kathy Zucker is founder of Metro Moms Network, based in Hoboken, New Jersey, hard-hit by Hurricane Sandy: “I didn’t expect to conduct the majority of my testing under disaster conditions … 1 week without power during Hurricane Sandy + extensive reading = 50% battery life. It outlasted all my other devices, even the ones with backup batteries.”
After a month, none of the bloggers has yet re-charged the eReader, and for that reason, they highly recommend the Paperwhite for family vacations (it stores 1,100 books) or for any reader who travels regularly.
Book selection
The bloggers were just as impressed by Amazon’s book selection, with some titles free. Sheila Hill, who blogs about motherhood at Pieces of a Mom, found a title on the Paperwhite she couldn’t find on her Nook. “Let’s be honest. Nothing compares to the vast Amazon library. I was surprised at the number of children’s books that were available.”
Readability
The Paperwhite display reduces glare in direct sun and allows reading in total darkness.
“My husband is an “early to bed, early to rise” sorta guy; I’m a “night owl.” I’ve always loved the ritual of reading a book before I fade out to dreamland, but I hated to turn on a light when the hubster was already sleeping. Enter Kindle Paperwhite, problem solved! Happy ritual restored!” says Jill Nystul of One Good Thing by Jillee, whose colorful site shares helpful, “how to” information.
In fact, all eight blogs give high marks to the Paperwhite’s readability. Parenting expert Lian Dolan of the Chaos Chronicles notes, “… if you love to read on the run, in the carpool line while waiting, on the sidelines during kids’ practice, this is a good little device.”
Design
Another exclusive feature of the Kindle Paperwhite is “Whispersync,” which synchronizes your last page location, bookmarks, and annotations across all your devices.
Money-saving mom Sarah Mock, of How I Pinch a Penny, likes this convenience. “This was great because I could be reading a book on my kindle app on my iPad and then when I plugged in the iPad to charge at night I grabbed the Kindle Paperwhite and took it to bed with me. I was able to open to the page I had just left off on the other device.”
And because the Paperwhite is so small and thin (6.7″ x 4.6″ x .36″), the bloggers liked the fact they could throw it in their “mom bag” along with their cell phone and go.
Extras
Randi Chapnik Myers and Mara Shapiro blog about teen issues at momfaze. Mara likes the “X-ray” feature that gives character profiles, historical references, places or topics of interest and more. “If you’re like me and have trouble keeping track of characters, this is for you. Time to read lets you see how much longer you’ve got till you finish the chapter, or book. It adjusts to your reading speed,” which she adds is “both neat and creepy.”
Touchscreen gets mixed reviews
For anyone trying to be the perfect parent, Amy Bradley-Hole of Freaky Perfect knows the feeling. She describes her “love-hate” relationship with the Paperwhite. “I found myself poking the screen pretty hard in order to get it to respond sometimes. Losing all the external buttons and the keyboard makes this Kindle a much lighter and smaller device, but I’d gladly trade that to have my buttons back because they actually worked.”
Kindle fan Marci Rich, who is The Midlife Second Wife, considers the touchscreen an upgrade. “Reading with the Paperwhite is, I imagine, like driving James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5. Reading with my old Kindle is like driving the first car I ever owned: my grandfather’s 1964 Chevrolet Biscayne. The differences are that substantial … The button keyboard on my old Kindle feels incredibly clunky to me now.”
The Paperwhite as a gift
While it’s not perfect, due to its price, the Paperwhite does several things well. Who would love it?
- Travelers, commuters – for the long battery life
- Avid readers, all ages – for the variety of books
- Beach or bedroom readers – for the backlit screen
“After receiving this rich feedback, I can’t imagine there’s a more thorough analysis anywhere of how the Kindle Paperwhite performs in real world conditions,” says Viewpoints General Manager Denise Chudy. “I invite you to check out the consumer reviews like these on Viewpoints before finalizing your holiday gift list.”
(SOURCE: Viewpoints)
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
