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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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 PRODUCT REVIEW 
3

Kindle 2 Worth It for 'Serious Book Readers'

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(Newser) – Amazon’s new Kindle e-reader offers vast improvement over the previous model, writes Walter Mossberg in the Wall Street Journal, and “is finally a pleasure to use.” Faster page-flipping, sleeker design, tons more memory, and a digital audio feature are just some of the advances. But hardware is only one part of the company’s plan; the upgrades, “while admirable, may pale beside Amazon’s next move.”

Amazon plans to make its e-books available on other devices, Mossberg writes, and “this makes perfect sense.” Comparisons to the iPod are misguided: “Apple offers content to sell hardware,” Mossberg continues. “Amazon offers the Kindle to sell content.” Still, don’t write off the reader: Improved battery, screen image, and other changes, including a dictionary, have finally made the Kindle a viable choice for “serious book readers.”

The new Kindle 2 electronic reader is shown at an Amazon.com news conference.
The new Kindle 2 electronic reader is shown at an Amazon.com news conference.   (AP Photo)
The new Kindle 2.
The new Kindle 2.   (AP Photo)
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There are some drawbacks. You still can't organize your books into groups of your choice. Amazon now charges $29 for the cover, which was formerly free. And the Kindle still doesn't work with some of the open e-book formats that other devices support. -

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3 comments
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AClotfelter
Feb 26, 09 7:18 PM CST
I think Congress should issue a kindle to all members and curtail the mountains of paper it uses to distribute hard copies of pending bills... Reply
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anchower
Feb 26, 09 11:42 PM CST
Book readers read books, not gadgets. Reply
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Mjoh3
Feb 27, 09 9:19 AM CST
But with the Kindle I am never more than 60 seconds from a new book. It's expensive, but convenient. In life, you pay for convenience. Reply
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