Kindle Fire love...


Have you jumped on the Kindle/Nook bandwagon yet?

(courtesy of amazon.com)

(This post contains some affiliate links which were added to make it easier for you to find the items. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you). You are free to use the links or not - if you do, I thank you!)

The "craze" started a few years ago, but I easily resisted. I love to read, but couldn't justify spending $300 for an e-reader (the price a few years ago) when e-books are just as much (if not more) than the paperback versions.

But then, the Kindle Fire hit the scene. An e-reader that also uses wi-fi to access the internet, has apps, can play Netflix movies and all sorts of cool things? All for a price of $199? (The price is now $159 for the basic model.) Hmmm, I might use this...I went back & forth between a Kindle Fire and a Nook, reading a ton of reviews, and finally decided that the Kindle better fit my needs.

When Gus insisted upon buying me one last December. I was still a little skeptical. I hoped I would use it enough to justify the price. But let me tell you, I have used my Kindle Fire every day since I got it. Every. Single. Day. Definitely one of the best things Gus ever got for me.

I do think that most of the e-books out there are outrageously priced. IMO, if music you download is cheaper than buying a CD, then e-books should be cheaper than buying a paperback. To this day, I haven't purchased an e-book that was more than $2.99 - I just refuse to do it.

Where I get books:
  1. search amazon.com for "free Kindle e-books"
  2. my local library - most of the books I read on my Kindle are either free downloads, or borrowed from my local library
  3. look on Kindle Buffet - they have daily lists of free books found on Amazon
  4. "like" my favorite authors on Facebook - sometimes they offer free or reduced price downloads!
Accessories I have:
  1. cover that converts into a stand 
  2. USB cord (Do not go to Best Buy!! I paid $20 there, & the cords are only $10 on Amazon!!) to connect the Kindle to my computer (for downloads that require a USB connection). 
But there are a ton of accessories out there!

Pros:
  1. Compact, light-weight, easy to transport
  2. Lots of free e-books & apps (like Facebook, Pinterest, Google Reader, etc.)
  3. You can access your email
  4. You can watch movies on Netflix (with an account) or Amazon (by purchasing or having an Amazon Prime membership)
  5. A lot of magazines offer free downloads for current subscribers (I love that I can read my Southern Living without carrying the magazine around!)
  6. You can listen to music in your Amazon Cloud 
  7. You can store your books in your Cloud so they don't use up the Kindle's storage space, then just tap them to download when you want to read them. (I usually keep the ones I haven't read on the Kindle, then put them in the Cloud when I'm finished.)

Cons:
  1. Can't see the screen in bright sunlight
  2. Most new books are $7.99+

As you can see, for me, the pros far outweigh the cons!
I keep my Kindle in my bedroom. I usually lay down a couple of hours before I go to sleep - just to relax (and put the heating pad on my aching back!). This is my quiet time. I read all the blogs in my Google reader, check out Pinterest, and read all or part of a book. It's awesome.

I've also traveled with my Kindle. It fits easily in my purse or a tote bag, so I can read on the plane or in the car. I used to pack 8-10 paperbacks when I went to Florida, but now I just take a couple (for the beach since I can't use the Kindle there), and use my Kindle for the rest. Much easier! Gus likes to play games on it when he waits for me in the doctor's office or at the hair salon. :-)

And yes, I still buy paperbacks - but only for the series/authors that I love and have already started reading. Any new series/authors wait until I can borrow them from the library.

So if you haven't checked the Kindle (or Nook) out, do it today! There are a lot of different models (and prices). I love mine!!

(Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Amazon, Kindle, Kindle Buffet, my local library, or any other company mentioned in this post. I do not receive any sort of compensation for my review, and my opinions are my own.)
Kim
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