Some might be rolling their eyes at the “Kinder Joy” pun I just made on the title, but it would’ve been a crime for me NOT to have used it. Especially when we are talking about the joys of having a Kindle.

Now, imagine having your entire book shelf compressed into the dimensions of a mini notebook. That is what a Kindle is. This e-reader was introduced by Amazon.com back in 2007 and has come a long way since. We are now into the 7th generation of the Kindle e-reader, much like other popular electronic devices such as iPhones. This genius device was built under the premises of portability, convenience and space saving possibilities for all you book lovers out there. Me being one of them.

 

 

Behold the Kindle Paperwhite (3rd Generation)!

 

 

This baby is slim and tiny as it can be without compromising your reading experience. It’s smaller than an iPad Mini 4 with a 6 inch screen and certainly lighter in weight as well. The ‘Paperwhite’ edition is the version that has a low-power LED light built into the screen to allow the reader to control the contrast and brightness when reading. A regular Kindle would just have a non-glare ‘E-ink‘ display that would still require a night light, if you would like to read in the dark. This is probably the main reason I would pick the ‘Papaerwhite‘ over others in the Kindle family. The font is also customisable in terms of size and style, so readers can make them larger if preferred.

At first, I have to admit, I was not a big fan of readers. Somehow the idea of making reading a “tech” experience made every cell in my body cringe. As an avid reader, I enjoy the experience of reading in its entirety. I love browsing through shelves and shelves of books in a bookstore. Feeling the cover of the book, physically flipping through the pages and we all know that “new book” scent. It brings me such happiness, as it does many others. Hence why I was so aghast by the idea of e-readers. With more and more local bookstores closing down (RIP Borders, you were my jam) , I was worried that buying physical books were becoming less of a norm and more of a novelty. And that they would eventually be treated like CDs. Not so much a necessity as it is for collectors purposes.

As a more rational adult, I have opened my mind to the inevitability of technology being integrated in every aspect of our daily lives. Also, I am open to the many pros of having an e-reader. Not only will it help declutter your house, e-books are an eco-friendly option with zero trees being chopped down for our reading pleasure. Furthermore, I’m sure every Harry Potter fan understands the struggle of carrying their 1000-paged “Order of the Phoenix” around. That beast can be used as weights for very nerdy bicep curls.

 

 

The Kindle is all about minimalism.

With built in wifi, you can easily browse the Amazon bookstore website, purchase and download an e-book instantly at very reasonable prices, much lower than physical books. So not only do you save space in your bag and home, you also save money in the long run. Furthermore, if you are a jet-setter and often find yourself travelling a lot, you will appreciate the lightness of a Kindle so much more. You might need more than one reading material during a long haul flight, and this Kindle is able to provide that without costing you the luggage weight limit.

Safe to say I am a major fan of my new Kindle and I find myself more excited to read books after being in a major reading rut. I rejoice at the fact that I am still able to read my books as I commute, whilst carrying a smaller cross-body bag. I also enjoy the highlight and note function as I am someone who loves quotes. With the Kindle, I’m able to highlight freely without the fear of damaging my book and I’m able to revisit these highlighted portions easily at a touch of a button. It also has a dictionary function that tells you the meaning of a word just by highlighting it. Wizardry I tell you!

At the end of the day, I will still be visiting Kinokuniya regularly to see new arrivals and purchase a book or two, especially if they are by my favourite authors. But the Kindle is a great addition to my reading arsenal.

 

And it’s worth every penny!