The Amazon Kindle rules the eBook reading world, but which model should you purchase? Make sure you read our comprehensive guide before you buy.
Amazon’s Kindles have relatively little competition in the e-reading space, with only stalwart competitors Kobo offering the same kinds of features at most of the same price points.
Kindles are perfect for reading: the standard model is small and light and reads like real paper without glare even from the sun. They also have the advantage of low power consumption, allowing you to read for up to a month on a single charge—based on half hour of reading per day.
Kindle Features
- Read anywhere. The lightweight nature of the Kindle means you can carry more than 1,000 books in a device that weighs as little as little as 131 grams, depending on model.
- Adjustable text sizes. We’ve all got different eyesight and different ways of holding a book -- even an electronic one. It’s incredibly simple to adjust the text size and even font of every standard book you read on a Kindle.
- International language support. If your reading choices include content not presented in Latin characters, you’re covered with a range of additional character -- and therefore literature -- options.
- Organise your library. You can organise your Kindle into custom collections or categories, depending on how you want to sort your reading material.
- Built-in dictionary. The New Oxford American Dictionary is included into your Kindle so can look up the definition of any word.
How to compare Kindles
- Price. Amazon sells a wide variety of Kindles, although not every single model is specifically shipped to Australia by Amazon specifically. Local pricing starts at $109 for the entry level Kindle, up to $449 for the very swish Kindle Oasis.
- Screen quality. For the Kindle variants that use an e-ink display, you’ve got a single choice of a 6 inch (15.24cm) display. Not all Kindles are made equal, however, with the screen resolution of the entry level Kindle measuring in at 167 ppi compared to the 300ppi display on the Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Voyage and Kindle Oasis.
- Built in light. If lighting is an issue for you, or if you have sensitive eyes it may be worthwhile to purchase one that has inbuilt lighting so you can read easier. Only the entry level Kindle lacks a light, but the quality and number of lights expands the further up the current Kindle e-ink range you go.
- Connectivity. Amazon sells its e-ink Kindles with Wi-Fi connectivity as standard, while some units also offer 3G connectivity. While a limited web browser is provided, this is primarily to allow you to access Amazon’s Kindle store to purchase more books, which could be compelling if you like to read extensively when you travel.
- Battery life. The battery in the Kindle can last multiple weeks even with regular reading, and on high-end models that can stretch into a month in-between charges.
- E-Ink or full tablet? What most people think of with the Kindle brand are the e-ink based readers, but Amazon still also sells a number of tablet products under the Kindle Fire brand. These offer full Kindle connectivity for reading as well as a curated store for Kindle Fire apps. As full tablets they are significantly more flexible devices, but with full LCD displays you do lose the exceptional battery life of the e-ink Kindle readers. The Kindle Fire tablets are essentially Android tablets, but rather than source your apps through Google Play, you do so through Amazon. The downside here is that if you’ve got existing Android apps, you can’t transfer your Google account without jailbreaking a Kindle Fire.
Where should you buy a Kindle from?
In Australia, Amazon’s primary method for Kindle sales is through its own online store, and that’s generally also the best place to buy one from, simply because it’s usually a little cheaper that way, even taking Australian shipping into consideration. The Kindle Store on Amazon has comparison charts and a full list of features. If you want full customer service support, then Amazon is probably the best place to purchase your Kindle as they have trained staff available to help. Amazon also has a forum where you can find support from community members, or help others. When your Kindle arrives, it will already be set up with any ebooks that you've purchased.
Which Kindle should I buy?
The choice is relatively wide, but it essentially boils down to your budget and particular mania for reading. The entry level Kindle is a decent way to ease into the Kindle ecosystem, but if you do intend to spend a lot of time reading, or you’re replacing an existing Kindle then one of the more advanced models such as the Paperwhite could be a good buy. Here’s how the individual Kindles compare from a technology standpoint:
| Amazon | Kindle | Kindle Paperwhite | Kindle Voyage | Kindle Oasis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen Size | 6" | 6" | 6" | 6" |
| Resolution | 167 ppi | 300 ppi | 300 ppi | 300 ppi |
| Battery Life | Weeks | Weeks | Weeks | Months |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi+3G | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi+3G |
| Built-in Light | No | Yes | Yes + adaptive light sensor | Yes 10 LEDs for enhanced page consistency |
| Inputs | Touchscreen | Touchscreen | Touchscreen + PagePress | Touchscreen + page turn buttons |
| Dimensions | 169 x 119 x 10.2 mm | 169 x 117 x 9.1 mm | 162 x 115 x 7.6 mm | 143 x 122 x 3.4-8.5 mm |
| Weight | 191g | 205g (Wi-Fi) 217g (Wi-Fi+3G) | 180g | 131g (Wi-Fi) 133g (Wi-Fi+3G) (without cover) |
Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablets as shipped to Australia currently come in two varieties; the Kindle Fire HD6 and Kindle Fire HD7. Here’s how the two compare:
| Amazon | Kindle Fire HD6 | Kindle Fire HD7 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen Size | 6" | 7" |
| Resolution | 1280 x 800 (252 ppi) | 1280 x 800 (216 ppi) |
| Processor | Quad-core up to 1.5 GHz | Quad-core up to 1.5 GHz |
| Audio | Mono speaker, Built-in microphone | Dual stereo speakers, Built-in microphone |
| Storage | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Camera | Front-facing VGA camera + 2 MP rear-facing camera with 720p HD video recording | Front-facing VGA camera + 2 MP rear-facing camera with 720p HD video recording |
| Connectivity | Single-band Wi-Fi b/g/n | Single-band Wi-Fi b/g/n |
| Battery Life | Up to 8 hours of reading, surfing the web, watching video, and listening to music | Up to 8 hours of reading, surfing the web, watching video, and listening to music |
| Weight | 290 g | 337 g |
| Dimensions | 169 x 103 x 10.7 mm | 191 x 128 x 10.6 mm |
Buying a Kindle from Amazon
Buying a Kindle is quite easy, because Amazon walks you through the steps on its order page. When browsing through the Kindle range, you'll see that Amazon provides a video or a 'product tour' so you can preview the product before you purchase it. There is also a description of the Kindle on the page, so you know what you're paying for.
Click here if you're ready to buy
After choosing which country the Kindle is being shipped to, Amazon also displays important information about shipping to your country. This include things like warranty, custom duties and how to charge your Kindle.
On the left hand side of the page, you'll also see a blue box that allows you to add the item into your shopping basket. You can choose to sign into your Amazon account, or check out as a guest by choosing '1-Click ordering'.
There is also the option of adding accessories to your order if you wish to add chargers or covers. After this stage, if you're happy with your purchase and want to pay for it, clicking 'proceed to checkout' will take to the next stage.
Enter in your email address if you're a new customer, or if you're a returning customer all you need to do is type in your password.
If you're a new customer, you will need to enter in some personal details and create a password to proceed to checkout.
After that, all you need to do is enter your shipping and payment details to finalise your order. Always remember to pre register your Kindle because it'll make it easier to get started. If you wish, you can start adding books into your Kindle at this stage, so when you receive your Kindle all the books will already be uploaded, ready to read.
