Is it worth buying a kindle?

I assume you are not inquiring about the Kindle Fire, the line of kindles that are just your run-of-the-mill tablets, and what you want to know about is how the vanilla Kindle line compares to regular tablets.

There is very little overlap between a Kindle and other tablets, so the first thing you need to do when looking at both is forget about the notion that you are comparing similar products, because the only things a Kindle has in common with an iPad is the form factor and the fact that you can read in both (without factoring in the actual quality of the reading experience). That's it. From there on out, there is a whole world of difference between the two since they are fundamentally different products that don't belong in the same category.

A kindle is an e-reader, and as such it's priority lies in bridging the gap between paperback and electronics, borrowing from both to give you the closest possible experience to reading paperback without all the limitations and hindrances that come with it. On the other hand, a "tablet," the way we have come to popularize it, is simply an oversized smartphone. The reasons why you would consider getting an e-reader do not overlap with the reasons for getting a regular tablet, since what you can do in a regular tablet you most likely can't replicate in a kindle, and vice-versa.

If what you need is something to read and replace (for the most part) the need to carry around and/or store physical books, you should be looking into e-readers. If what you need is an oversized smartphone in which to occasionally read an article or do some light reading, well, I would still say you are better served with an actual smartphone or a laptop, but sure, look into tablets.

With that out of the way, why what makes the reading experience in a kindle so vastly superior to what you would get in a tablet that warrants it having it's own separate category? For starters, and this was the biggest game-changer for me, no glare. I repeat, not a single reflection to be seen here. None of this:

Of course vampires would favor fancy cameras​

You will finally be able to read on a screen during the day with the same ease as when you read on paper. I can't overstate how big of a draw this is. Zero eye-strain, no more having to look for a shadowy corner to be able to see past the reflections on the screen, nothing but the words on the page (screen*) perfectly readable regardless of the lighting in your environment. That's because kindles use an e-ink screen (as opposed to an LCD screen), which essentially means it is the closest replication of reading ink on paper you will get in an electronic device; with the added bonuses of being able to change the size of the text, being able to tap on words to know their definition, light up the screen to read in the dark, instant translations, etc.

On top of all that, one charge will last you weeks—I only ever needed to charge my Kindle once or twice a month (before I broke it :/). As long as you can get a wi-fi connection, you can purchase books at any time, with a few taps; books that btw are significantly cheaper in digital form than their physical counterparts (I've never done this but you can also borrow digital books from your public library). I don't know the exact storage capacity, but theoretically a single kindle can store thousands of books.

Anyway, there are a multitude of other advantages you can look up for yourself, but these were the most important to me when I got a Kindle Paperwhite, which I recommend over the cheapest Kindle model since that one doesn't have a backlit screen. I don't much care about this, but others also praise the fact that, since the Kindle isn't trying to double as a smartphone/bare-bones computer, you don't get distracted with notifications and the myriad other things interrupting your reading in other devices.

Bottom line, if what you need is something to do some serious reading with, consider the kindle. If, however, what you are looking for is apps, games, video-streaming, browsing, yada yada yada, look elsewhere; you won't find that in an e-reader.

Hope that helped.

 

If you already have a tablet then I would recommend downloading the app (it is free) I would recommend doing this as opposed to just buying the e-reader as it will have more functions.

 

So true! The Kindle app is available on Android and iOS! A tablet can do so much more than a standard e-reader.

 

Okay. My first tablet was a Kindle and let me tell you, It is a lot better to get ios or android.

You see with a Kindle it let's you read books digitally but so does ios/android. They even have a Kindle app.

Also if you are thinking about the Kindle closer to a tablet then a book then here is something to think about. Kindle's can't download any google apps such as youtube, gmail, google drive, etc. Also some apps in general just aren't on the Kindle app store.

---------- Post added 27th Mar 2016 at 03:26 PM ----------

Also if you are going to get a Kindle then you should get a Kindle fire because considering the price of the normal kindle vs the fires you might as well get a fire as the prices are very close.

 

If you already have a tablet, or an old phone - or hell, just a phone, I would recommend that instead. As the others have said, you can do more with a phone, and besides if you set the brightness setting really low, it comes across sort of like a kindle. I do all of my reading on my phone and I love it. Physical books seem so outdated lol.

 

A proper kindle ereader is fantastic. I've had the same one for around five years and out still works beautifully for me. Definitely worth the investment, if only for sheer practicality, economics, and ease of use.

The $50 Fire (7 inch) is the best damn "cheap tablet" money can buy. Of all the companies I've bought from, Amazon and Sony have been the ever-reliable ones. Amazon's Fire works beautifully for what it's worth. Not to mention tough as nails (I've dropped mine several dozen times and it still works perfect). For a bullet list, though, I'll lay out pros and cons:

Pro's:
> inexpensive
> tough
> streamlined
> good software
> decent appstore which has the major apps (like Netflix, Spotify, google, amazon, etc)
> has a camera

Cons:
> a bit clunky compared with $200+ tablets (obviously)
> no customization options (like you can move much around or choose new wallpapers)
> adverts are annoying as hell, but thankfully confined to the lock screen only
> not the best appstore

For me, it has worked flawlessly since I purchased it for a measly $50 after my multi-hundred dollar Nexus 7 had an inexplicable software malfunction and off and bricked itself. So yeah, it does what I want (internet, streaming, and music) efficiently. Not the fanciest pants on the market, but good, simple, and reliable.

 

Totally agree! You can download it for free from freepps.top . It's so comfy to have over a million books at your fingertips. This app is perfect for every reader. Enjoy reading!

 

One of the reasons I have not gotten a Kindle yet and prefer to use my iPad to read e-books is the fact that I use multiple e-book platforms: Kindle, Nook, iBooks, and epubs that come from my library's website. Only a tablet can read all of these in one. Otherwise, as RawringSnake pointed out, a Kindle has no glare and the charge lasts much longer, which are clear benefits over a tablet.

 

I have a kindle. I hate it! It seriously needs to get dunked on. I much rather read a real book.

 

Kindles started off as a good device but over the years has just become crammed with so much stuff that it's not even for reading anymore really