2007 marked a milestone moment with the invention and release of the Amazon Kindle. For book lovers like myself, it was a way to carry our favorite books around wherever we went. We no longer had to worry about bulkiness or the weight of the book.
Since then, Kindle has come a long way, with many different styles, including the Kindle Fire, which mimics many features of a regular computer.
Initially, I was excited about this concept, and only after becoming acquainted with the Kindle did I find features that made it even more appealing!
While I love holding a regular paperback book in my hands and toggling between reading books on Kindle and a good old paperback, there are many benefits of a Kindle that you can’t find with a regular book!
The Benefits of a Kindle
Without delving into the benefits of a Kindle Fire, the basic Kindle has features that make reading more enjoyable.
A Built-In Dictionary
Have you ever read a book with a few words that weren’t currently in your vocabulary? Many will use the sentence structure to determine what they mean. However, some inquiring minds are left with a nagging curiosity to understand the definition in depth.
Of course, you can pull out a Webster’s Dictionary or ask Google to give you the answer. However, if you’re immersed in a good story, you might not want to be distracted by dog-earing the page and conducting a search.
That’s where Kindle shines. With its built-in dictionary, you can just highlight the word, and voila! You have the definition at your fingertips. You may not realize how often this comes in handy until you frequently use the Kindle and then switch to a paperback book. I usually get a little frustrated when I have to take that break and look up a word!
Notes and Highlights
I’ll frequently find passages in a book that are like a bouquet of words strung together. Either the story hits home, or the words are poetic. If reading a “how to” or “Self-help” book, I’ll find strategies I want to embellish upon. You only need to highlight those words or paragraphs on a Kindle. Not only can you retrieve them from your Kindle, but you can also have them appear on your Goodreads account to access any time you wish!
You can also take notes if what you’ve read sparked an idea. All you need to do to access these notes is either search for your annotations on the Kindle or log into your Goodreads account and click on Kindle Notes and Highlights!
What a convenient way to record your thoughts!
Bookmarks
While it is easy enough to place a traditional bookmark in a paperback or hardcover, there are times when you don’t have anything to keep your place. Again, Kindle makes it easy to click on its bookmark icon so that you never lose your place! In addition, if you’ve accidentally closed the book on Kindle or started reading the same book on another device, you can sync to the furthest page read on a Kindle so that you never have to read the same chapter twice!
Font Size
Years ago, I had 20/20 vision. I couldn’t understand why others would ask me to make the font bigger after typing up a document at work. Wasn’t font size eight big enough?
Now, years later, I’ve entered the world of reading glasses. Font 8 is nothing more than a blur to me. I’ve gone as far as to reformat my previous books so that you don’t need a magnifying glass to read them! Sorry, folks! Now I understand!
With Kindle, those problems disappear. With a swipe of a finger, you can enlarge any book to as small or as big as you need! What a relief! No more squinting or turning on every light in the room just to read a page! You can’t do that with a paperback! What you see is what you get!
Color Images
As an independent author, I know that paperbacks and hardcovers are sometimes printed in color. However, we also have the option to print in black and white to lower printing costs which then enables us to sell our books at a lower price to our readers. Since I’m cognizant of the economy, I try to sell my books at a fair price.
The only downfall is that pictures in black and white don’t come out as vibrant as they do in color. Kindle eliminates this issue, as all photographs are in color!
Less Expensive
While we’re on the topic of price, most Kindle books are less expensive than paperbacks or hardcovers. This is because there are no printing costs! If you love to read, you can load up your Kindle with more books than you have on your bookshelf for a fraction of the price! (Sometimes, Kindle books are free)!
Portability
Just as you can take your music library with you on your phone, you can also bring your books with you wherever you go. While the Kindle isn’t free, the app is! You only need to download the app, and your digital library will sync automatically! Have to wait at the doctor’s office? Not to worry, you have something to read! Are you planning a long trip? Why not have your Kindle books handy with the touch of a button? There’s no longer a reason to break your back carrying a suitcase of books! Your entire library can fit inside of your pocket!
Updates
As an indie author, I spend countless hours editing my books before publishing them. However, suppose you’ve ever written a book or even a lengthy document. In that case, you’ll understand how easy it is to bypass mistakes—sometimes, typing too fast or reading the same sentence multiple times leaves room for error. Or, sometimes, one of my dogs throws a ball on the keyboard, and I miss the illegible words they’ve thoughtfully added! Whatever the case may be, errors happen. If I catch them after publishing my book, I fix and re-upload them. Unfortunately, with paperbacks and hardcovers, older copies won’t get this update unless a new book is purchased. With Kindle, updates are downloaded and synced automatically! (If your app isn’t set to sync, just go to settings, Book updates, and retrieve any listed updates).
You’ll always have the latest edition of any Kindle!
Reviews
If you like to leave reviews, the Kindle has got you covered! At the end of each book, a screen pops up enabling you to leave an instant review on both Amazon and Goodreads! Easy peasy!
More Benefits to Kindle Fire!
If you find that you enjoy a regular Kindle or Kindle app, the Kindle Fire adds even more delightful features and acts as a mini-computer. With Kindle Fire, you have Internet, Music, Email, Games, Word, Excel, and even Netflix or Prime! For those who live life on the go, you can stay connected easily, for as long as you like!
If you're looking for a Kindle, click here to purchase! (Or download the app for free)!
If you're looking for a Kindle Fire, click here to purchase!
*Note: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Labels: Kindle, Kindle Fire, Benefits of a Kindle
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