![Kindle Paperwhite, 6" High Resolution Display with Built-in Light, Wi-Fi [Previous Generation]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81fFQJNigJL._AC_SX300_SY300_QL70_ML2_.jpg)
My only e-reader before the Kindle Paperwhite was the Kindle Keyboard. I have only looked at a friend's Nook before buying the Kindle Keyboard. In fact, I had ordered the Nook before the Kindle because of my good relationship with Barnes & Noble before when ordering books. My friend had one and it looked like a good e-reader. But for some reason, getting the Nook, its cover and external light was such a disaster, I finally cancelled it and ordered the Kindle which I had in several days. For me, having this first Kindle resulted in me reading more--no more carrying multiple books around. And the Kindle Paperwhite has resulted in me reading even more due to its portability. Before the Kindle Paperwhite was bought, reviews of it were read off the internet. Reading how some people were concerned over the uneven lighting with the scalloping of whiter and darker areas at the bottom of the screen where the LED lights resided had me concerned. Also, there were comments about how there were bluish versus pink tinted areas which also caused me some concern. However, after buying the Kindle Paperwhite, to me, all those comments were much to do about nothing. None of these issues interfered with me enjoying the Kindle Paperwhite. The lighter and darker areas at the bottom of the screen are not a big deal in my assessment. They were not distracting to me at all. My Kindle Keyboard was lit up at night by getting the special Kindle case which had the pull-out LED light at the upper right corner of the case. This pull-out light was strong enough that is could light up the opposite side of the room. Despite this, the bottom part of the reading screen was a strain to read. But, the Kindle Paperwhite has a much more even distribution of the light and is no strain to read in a darkened area at all. The Kindle Paperwhite is lighter and smaller (though the reading screen is the same size as my Kindle Keyboard) which makes it easy to carry--it even fits in my fanny pack and therefore I always have it with me because I never know when I will want to read (during my lunch break, while enjoying a drink at Starbucks, going to the gym and wanting to read something while on the elliptical machine, etc.). From my experience, the battery life is good despite the LED lights always being on. This was a concern of mine. But, the battery life is good. I am very satisfied with this product and would highly recommend it to anyone wanting an e-reader.
Misnamed "Paperwhite", still far better than Kkb (K3) with light
OLD REVIEW: I just got my so-called "Paperwhite", and while I'm giving it 4 stars (EDIT: A replacement Kpw changed me to 5 stars) as an excellent e-reader, it is not well-named. First, without the light on it is no whiter than my old Kindle keyboard (Kkb or K3), so you have to use the light most everywhere as revealed in the Guide. Instructions say to use bright light in bright conditions, dim light in darker ones, but on my first Kpw, by the time the effect of the light was visible at all in *any* ambient conditions it was unevenly blotched with a large extra-bright spot on the screen, so it will take some getting used to if I don't ask for a replacement. The overbrightness appeared to result from the way the third light from the left looking down is installed, so a very uneven appearance is created whenever the lights are on, NOT AT ALL LIKE THE PICTURES FEATURED ON THE Kpw SALES PAGES, NOR IS IT WHITE LIKE PAPER, even though it is legible everywhere and actually pretty nice over 7/8ths of the screen. If you look at "all customer images", near the sales page top, the picture I uploaded is on page 4 of images & has a note titled "area of much-too-brightness" near the bottom right. EDIT: I returned the 1st Kpw due to the unevenly lit display, and the CS experience was flawless. The second one arrived in less than 48 hours(!) after my call and has a MUCH BETTER display, much more evenly lit, like the best "real" pics, and while I still feel it's misnamed, it is a far better experience than any other reader I've seen or owned. Thanks to Amazon for making this a great purchasing experience. If you don't like your paperwhite, I suggest you tell them it doesn't work right. My four lights are very evenly installed and apertured now, with only the slight and very even smudging at the bottom of the screen. All that said, the operating system is much faster than my K3, I like being able to enter "go to" locations more easily, and go to actual page numbers too. I also like the speed better, tho it still takes too long to flip thru pages like a real book. Using the integrated light should be not much worse than getting used to and managing other uneven-coverage booklights, even though it is quite disappointing, and NOT Paperwhite like in their pictures. The Kpw's small form is great in the hand and it seems very sturdy. I've been using the "sportscar-finish-like" Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Leather Cover for several hours now and I like it better and better all the time, so I'm changing my previous review on it to 5 stars, also. My hands are finding good one-hand-holding comfort now. Also, I stupidly took days to figure out it stands perfectly when flipped open if you switch to landscape mode, even on uneven surfaces, as long as it's not too smooth or it has something to back it up. The Kpw fits into it beautifully and is absolutely armored inside this cover, and it displays the Kpw so well. My last wish is that it weighed less. So let all that I wrote before be a lesson to me about how first impressions can evolve with experience. Also, back to the Kpw, I've read the owners manual, and I can't find what the official method is for moving thru the pages of books while you're on the home pages where the titles are listed when in list-view. Tapping the "page forward" area selects a title. Swiping works, but I'd prefer a button or a spot to tap. I don't know how it supposed to work. Owner's guide doesn't seem to differentiate between paging around in a book or in your pages listing your dozens of book titles. Also, sometimes when I mean to flip rapidly thru book pages, I accidentally jump back or forward a chapter, or find myself at the table of contents, and these movements aren't covered in the manual. With the K3, I could press the five-way to move thru the chapters, and I hear the Touch can be swiped up or down to jump chapters, but Kpw apparently doesn't do that. So anyone who knows how these tricks work feel free to comment....I keep having to use the back "button" when I accidentally go to the TOC, just to find my way back to where I was, which could be confusing and distressing for the less "tech savvy", but only takes a second to implement. Bottom line: If someone had shown me the first Kpw I had without telling me the name, and the screen were just a bit more evenly lit, I'd probably still have bought it to replace my K3, for convenience, speed, build quality. Now that it's been replaced, it's a 5 star pleasure to use. But in the interest of truth in advertising, Amazon should ditch the totally misleading "Paperwhite" name in favor of something like "Glow" or "Lumi" or something and replace the still VERY MISLEADING PICTURES with actual ones of real "Paperwhites". C'mon, Amazon, get real!
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- Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2012
