I have a Kindle and wrote about it in one of my posts a while back, but I have to confess that I was really torn between which one to buy. They both had great features. The Nook, at that time, was the only one that had color, but the Kindle won out in my case because it was just a little cheaper. Another nice feature of both the Nook and Kindle is that you can easily adjust the size of the print, and, for older eyes like mine, that was a definite plus.
If you are wondering what to get Mom, and have some siblings you can share the cost with, go for a Nook or Kindle. Either one would make a great gift, and your Mom will enjoy it for years to come. Remember, Mothers' Day this year is May 13th so you don't have a lot of time left.
Below is a repeat of my earlier review of the Kindle, followed by one of a comparable model of the Nook. Read them both and see what you think.
The $69 Kindle is well worth the money. (Click on the picture to learn more.)
Sure, you can find a higher priced Kindle with more bells and whistles, but if you, like me, just want to read books, the $69 model will do the job just fine.For several years, I have toyed with the idea of getting a Kindle, but couldn't quite bring myself to part with the money. The new, $69 version changed my mind.
After all, I would have to pay that much for one night at a motel, I told myself--or a month of cable at our house--or enough gas to visit my sister across the state. And, what about taking the whole family to a nice restaurant for just one meal? Surely a Kindle was at least as important to me as any of these other things.
I finally convinced myself, bought the Kindle, and haven't regretted it for a minute.
True, the $69 version lacks the frills of some of the higher priced Kindles, but I really wasn't looking for frills. I just wanted a simple e-reader that held lots of books, that was light-weight to hold, and had adjustable font sizes so I could enlarge the print if I wanted. My $69 Kindle met all those qualifications and more.
After a couple of weeks, I decided to buy a cover for my Kindle to make sure the screen didn't get something spilled on it, or scratched to pieces by our curious cat, so that was an expense I hadn't counted on, but it has been well worth it, too. Now I can toss it into my purse without worrying about something sharp, like a comb or my ball-point pen rubbing against it. I bought a black cover, but it is available in 4 different colors. It fits the Kindle perfectly.
In the short time I have had my Kindle, I have not only purchased a few titles I really wanted, but have also found many free titles at Amazon.com. Just go there and type in, "free Kindle books," and you should find a number that appeal to you. One free one I downloaded was, Transfer of Power," by Vince Flynn, which I highly recommend if you like adventure novels.
My first real purchase was a Bible, for only $2.99.
Now I do my daily Bible reading on my Kindle. The next day, even if I have been reading other books in between, I just turn to the index page where all my titles are listed, click on my Bible, and it opens at the exact place where I left off reading the day before. Another button takes you to a keyboard where you can type in a different place in the Bible if you wish, and that spot will appear.
If you want to order a new book, use the same keyboard to search for the title or author, and then go click on, go online, in the index to order it. Like magic, it is quickly added to your collection, and you can open it with a click and start reading.
Many public libraries also loan books for use on your Kindle, but I have only ordered one that way so far. You search the list of available books and, if there is a waiting list for a particular title, you add your name to the list, and they will notify you by e-mail when it is available. If not, you simply order the book, sign in to your Kindle, and the book is there.
The book I borrowed was loaned to me for 7 days. After 5 days, I got an e-mail reminding me that the loan period would expire in 2 more days. Then, at the end of 2 days, the book no longer opened, but I had finished reading it, so I deleted it.
Another thing I really, really love about my $69 Kindle is that I can move text documents from my computer to the Kindle and read them there. As someone who never passes up an opportunity to download free e-books online, I am well-stocked, and have many I haven't even open, yet. Now they reside on my Kindle, and when we go traveling, my lawnchair by the river, my can of soda, my Kindle, and I will while away the hours with those e-books I always meant to read, but haven't gotten around to yet.
If you have been putting off purchasing an e-reader, you can't lose with the $69 Kindle. It is worth every penny. Check it out below and see if you don't agree.
Kindle, 6" E Ink Display, Wi-Fi - Includes Special Offers (Black)
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE NOOK?
The Nook, "Simple Touch," shown above is pretty much the equivilent to the $69 Kindle I reviewed earlier except that it sells for $79 rather than $69.
I haven't personally used any of the Nook readers, but have heard very good reports from those who have. The ink used in this model is new on the market and is said to be much crisper looking and easier to read, even in bright sunlight. The battery last for up to two months based on an hour a day of reading. (I find my new e-reader so much fun to read that I often put in two to three hours and haven't had to charge the battery more than once a month so time between charges isn't really a problem with either the Kindle or the Nook.
This small Nook will hold over 2 and a half million books, any of which can be downloaded using its built-in wi-fi so you shouldn't worry about running out of reading material any time soon, either.
As is the case with the Kindle, you can also download ebooks through your public library. I love getting books this way because they cost absolutely nothing at all. Unfortunately, there are other readers who wish to download the same book so you may have to put your name on a waiting list, but that is no problem. Just this week, I received an e-mail telling me that a book I had put my name in for was now available and I had 48 hours to download it or it would go to the next person on the list. Of course I grabbed it and have already read the first few chapters.
Nook's earliest models came out with color capabilities so Nook outsold Kindle for quite a while. I'll admit that I almost went with Nook instead of Kindle for that reason, but being a bit of a tightwad, the $69 price won out and I haven't been sorry yet.
ALL-NEW NOOK: The Simple Touch Reader
You know you want one for your mom, (and maybe another one for yourself,) so don't wait another minute to get some of those good buys on books that I've been telling you about.
Happy reading.
And if you do pick up the Nook, don't forget to protect it with a cover. Here's one in hot pink for your mom. She will absolutely love it.
Lautner Cover in Vivid Pink
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