The Complete 2012 User's Guide to the Amazing Amazon Kindle: Covers All Current Kindles Including the Kindle Fire, Kindle Touch, Kindle Keyboard, and Kindle (8 page)

Although we’ve slightly exaggerated the proposition here, in fact there’s a good chance you will outlive your Kindle -- but you get the idea.

Information in this guide covers both the 3G and Wi-Fi versions of the Kindles, both with and without special offers.

Don't agonize too much over your choice, especially between the Kindle Touch and the Kindle Keyboard. Take the plunge and give a Kindle a try--
and remember that you have 30 days to return the Kindle for any reason
--you’ll pay only for shipping to return it to Amazon.

But if you are waiting for the perfect moment to acquire a Kindle, that need not keep you from beginning to build a Kindle library, because you do not need to own a Kindle to read Kindle books.
Amazon makes available
Free Kindle Reading Apps
for nearly any computer or computer-based device, including personal computers running Windows or Mac, iPad, iPhone, the iPod Touch, and Android, Blackberry and Windows phone devices.

What's more, you can read the same book on more than one Kindle or Free Kindle Reading App at the same time.

For more information, see the
Free Kindle Reading Apps chapter.

There are a number of accessories available to protect the Kindle and increase its usefulness. A cover or case is the most popular accessory. As is true of any electronic device, the Kindle is susceptible to damage, especially the screen. Some readers also like to place a transparent screen protector on the display. Some Kindles come with a USB cable, some come with a power adapter, and some come with both, so you may need to buy a cable or power adapter depending on where and how you use your Kindle. Headphones or ear buds are also useful for all the Kindles except the Kindle basic.

We only have room to highlight a few products, but for up-to-date links to the best values in accessories, Kindle warranties, Kindle devices and Kindle content check out
this page at Kindle Nation Daily
:
http://bit.ly/KDEALS-KND
.

Covers

The advantage of a cover over a case is that you don't have to remove it to use the Kindle and many readers find the Kindle is easier to hold in your hand when in a cover. On the other hand, covers don't provide all complete enclosure that a case does. Some covers fit more than one Kindle model, others are model-specific. Check before your order, but remember, you have 30 days to return a cover or any other accessory if you don't like it. Some covers:

Amazon's official cover for the Kindle Basic (
http://amzn.to/uJjmvw
) and Kindle Touch (
http://amzn.to/v7lGzQ
) is elegant in its simplicity. The Kindle just pops into the back and is held securely by all four edges while keeping all controls accessible. A hard cover protects the screen, but there is nothing to secure the cover.

A different design is available for the Kindle Keyboard (
http://amzn.to/u6ZcHN
) and Kindle DX (
http://amzn.to/uBl41v
) that holds the Kindle in place with tabs that fit into slots on the left edge of the Kindle. An elastic strap holds the cover closed and also helps hold the Kindle with the cover open.

A cover that fits both the Kindle basic and Touch (
http://amzn.to/td7qsS
), it zips closed, combining the protection of a case with the convenience of a cover. A version is also available for the Kindle Fire (
http://amzn.to/vIyjrA
).

This cover for the Kindle basic (
http://amzn.to/tfJAwP
) and Kindle Touch (
http://amzn.to/uG3NZb
) is similar to the Leather Cover but adds a built in reading light that is powered by the Kindle itself. The light flips up from the top of the cover and shines down from the top center of the screen. The cover is a bit expensive but not when you consider that it replaces an unlighted cover and a reading light. A lighted cover of a different design is available for the Kindle Keyboard (
http://amzn.to/s4GdE1
).

When open, this cover (
http://amzn.to/tv69m
) holds the Fire at a convenient angle for watching videos. It also has a hand strap for hand-holding the Fire and securing the cover when closed.

Like the Marware Leather Cover, this cover (
http://amzn.to/vi77
) as also props the Fire in viewing position, but is much lighter. It also has a hand strap that secures the cover when closed.

Kindle sleeves generally use a flap or zipper closure to protect the Kindle on all sides. Since the Kindle must be removed for reading, sleeves work better for readers who prefer to use their Kindle without a cover.

This simple sleeve (
http://amzn.to/t9AWux
) fits both the Kindle basic and Touch. It zips closed on two sides to completely enclose the Kindle. Interior padding protects the Kindle on both sides. A larger model (
http://amzn.to/vrv1Gw
) fits the Fire.

This sleeve (
http://amzn.to/vfpSN2
) fits the Kindle Keyboard, zips closed, and has space for small accessories.

A simple and clean design, this sleeve (
http://amzn.to/uXhA1U
) has an hourglass shape that securely grips the Kindle basic or Touch and protects it on all sides without a need for a closure.

This sleeve (
http://amzn.to/u4iDot
) is made of ballistic cloth with a Tricot lining for maximum protection, and is TSA-approved so you can leave it in the sleeve at airport security.

Grips enclose the Kindle in a soft layer of plastic which improves your grip while leaving the screen visible and the controls accessible. A grip plus a zip sleeve may be a good choice if you like your Kindle bare but find it a bit slippery and thin to hold.

This grip is available for the Kindle Touch (
http://amzn.to/ukbbL5
) and Keyboard (
http://amzn.to/sPA6Dr
).

We should also note that the above are official made-for-Kindle cover, cases, and sleeves. If you search on Amazon for “Kindle covers”, for example, you’ll find a vast selection of additional covers, many at lower cost than the “official” covers.

Since the Kindle E Ink readers are not back-lit, you'll need a bright reading light or daylight to comfortably read the screen. When good light is not available, a book light is useful. Most are clip-on lights that attach to the top or side of the Kindle. One advantage of clip-on lights is that they can be used with print books as well as different Kindle models. They also can be positioned to give the most even light for the conditions.

Most reading lights use throwaway, single-use batteries. Check that the batteries required are either commonly available or rechargeable.

The Kindle Fire, with its backlit LCD screen, becomes more readable in dim light and does not need a reading light.

This small, lightweight light (
http://amzn.to/sx4pe5
) clips onto the top or side of the Kindle. The light itself is mounted on a flexible neck so it can be easily adjusted.

The Kindle basic does not come with an AC power adapter, only a USB cable, so you must plug into a USB port on a computer or elsewhere to charge it. USB ports are popping up everywhere- in cars, laptop surge suppressors, and portable solar chargers, so the lack of an AC adapter may not be a problem. If it is, you can buy one from Amazon (
http://amzn.to/uLNEYn
). This power adapter works with all E Ink Kindles.

Replacement power adapters and cables are available in the Kindle Accessories listings (
http://amzn.to/rslDyo
). You can also buy power adapters for other countries. Kindles can be charged by connecting it to a computer with a micro-USB cable (
http://amzn.to/vysJcG
), but charging from a computer takes longer than charging from an AC adapter.

If you travel with a laptop computer, you might want to buy a surge suppressor with USB charging ports (
http://amzn.to/tRLdIl
). That gives you clean, filtered power not only for your computer but also provides a way to charge the Kindle. You could also buy car accessory chargers with USB ports (
http://amzn.to/sT5OKC
), allowing you to charge the Kindle as you drive.

Yet another option, for those in remote locations without AC or vehicle power, is a solar charger. Chargers with the capacity to charge the Fire are not cheap but invaluable where there is no other option-
http://amzn.to/ufjZvP
.

A set of earphones (
http://amzn.to/sZ962W
) is almost a must if you want to use the text-to-speech feature of the Kindle Keyboard and Touch, listen to music and audio with the Kindle Fire, or listen to audiobooks from Audible.com. Although the Kindle does have built-in speakers, they are necessarily tiny. Headphones enhance the audio function by letting you hear full quality of the Kindle sound, and by giving you the option of listening to your Kindle even in noisy places - such as cars and airplanes, and in places such as libraries and coffee shops, where you don't want to disturb other people.

You may also want a headphone splitter (
http://amzn.to/vm9qYH
), so that two people can listen.

Note that the Kindle basic has no audio capability, so you won't need headphones for it.

These plans extend the one-year Amazon warranty on the Kindles (
http://amzn.to/vAbXP9
) to two years. Unlike the Amazon warranty which primarily covers defects, the protection plans include accidents such as dropping the Kindle in water or stepping on it. They also cover batteries that fail to hold at least a 50% charge. Up to three replacements can be made during the two year term.

Each Kindle has a different plan, currently available for U.S. Customers only:

Kindle basic:
http://amzn.to/tgl71b

Kindle Touch:
http://amzn.to/v5X5lF

Kindle Touch 3G:
http://amzn.to/tc8yZo

Kindle Fire:
http://amzn.to/uXI3pp

Kindle Keyboard:
http://amzn.to/sIvSaA

Kindle Keyboard 3G:
http://amzn.to/ttzIlK

Kindle DX:
http://amzn.to/tDbvtX

The Kindle is much easier to learn to use than multi-purpose devices such as computers. Even the multi-media Kindle Fire has a simple reading interface.

That said, in order to buy books and other content from Amazon and have it delivered wirelessly to your Kindle, you have to register it with Amazon and also set up One Click purchasing. If you bought an E Ink Kindle, it is already registered with Amazon. If you bought a Kindle Fire tablet or a used Kindle, or received a Kindle as a gift, you will have to register it. See
Registering Your Kindle
.