Look what Santa brought me! I'm very pleased with my new Kindle. I got the 6 inch one, which feels just right. It's 10.2 ounces but feels even lighter. The screen is easy to see. I've used the dictionary and search features and found them helpful. I like the "screen saver": a photo of a different author displays each time you turn off the Kindle. I can store 1500 books and use the Kindle for up to a week on a single charge. The 3G Wireless is fast, letting me download books in seconds. I can also put books (and PDFs) onto it via USB.
The only negatives for me are that the Next Page button is a little hard to push (it's a physical button that needs a considerable push from my wimpy thumb) and the flash that occurs when you go to the next page is annoying. The built-in Kindle User's Guide says the flash is part of the electronic ink replacement process. OK, but I still think it's (if not a bug) at least the opposite of a feature. The Text-to-Speech sounds artificial, no surprise there, and mangles foreign words. But that's OK. I want to read, not listen.
The first book I got, Midnight in Madrid, was free! I like the book. I don't typically read crime novels, but this one is engaging with a cool female protagonist who could be me if I kept my forensics career going and could still wear a red bikini.
In general, the Kindle works for me. It will keep me from buying more bookcases, which will make Santa (my husband) happy. It will let me engage in my favorite hobby (reading) without killing more trees. And of most importance, it passes the "Sunday afternoon test," whereby I doze on the couch while "reading" when Santa is busy watching football.
