Kindle consideration

Although eleven days isn't sufficient time as a Kindle owner for evaluating the device, I've used it enough to have developed some solid opinions.

Since I no longer subscribe to the newspaper, I've been in need of something to read during lunch. I brought the Kindle with me to work each day with the idea that spending thirty to sixty minutes reading it would relieve some of the stress while on the clock. (I have a bad habit of not leaving the office some days, which is compounded because that means I don't get and rarely see outside.)

I did find the Kindle to be a good way of taking a break rather than surfing the internet at my desk or on my iPhone. During a meal it's much easier to read because you don't need to hold it open, which is important if you have utensils or food in your hands. That may seem like an insignificant benefit, but the potential hands-free option is something I like about it for precisely such circumstances.

Obviously the fact that the Kindle can store a lot of books but weigh less than one--or about as much as a small one if put in a case--is a selling point. Yes, it is another electronic device to tote, but it doesn't take up much space and fits in the hand pretty well.

Having it has boosted the amount I'm reading on a daily basis. I was swamped this week, yet I made an effort to read every day, whether at lunch or before going to sleep. I suppose that's not a creditable quality of the Kindle, although I do find it to be more convenient.

I haven't used the other features so far. No highlighting or anything like that. I briefly tested the text-to-speech function but decided that I wanted to read rather than listen to it. That's something to play with some other time, perhaps while making a long drive.

I do see it increasing the amount I read, especially when it comes to catching up on freely available classics. I've nearly finished The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and have a couple other books loaded up and ready to go. I'll still buy books from my favorite authors, but I'm more inclined to get electronic versions now than I once would have been.