Amazon Kindle Keyboard Review

Amazon's Kindle has been revered by reviewers since its debut, and the current version of the Kindle Keyboard is no exception. Kindle Keyboard reviews say the display is the best yet, with the E Ink Pearl technology delivering sharper detail (letters pop) and faster page turns with less flicker than previous Kindles. Indeed, PC World's Kindle Keyboard review considers the improvements "striking." The redesigned and reorganized buttons also garner compliments from the experts, although a Kindle Keyboard review on CNET cautions that users with big fingers could wind up pushing the wrong button. The physical keyboard was also spiffed up and is now more compact and easier to type on. Additionally, Kindle Keyboard reviews like the text-to-speech functionality, which lets you hear menu options and content listings, and the ability to change the line spacing and font. The smaller, lighter design claims fans, as well, with one expert noting this is the first Kindle that's actually comfortable to hold in one hand.

But the Kindle Keyboard is far from perfect. Expert Kindle Keyboard reviews critique this third generation Kindle on several counts. First, the Kindle Keyboard still doesn't support the EPUB format, and as Wired points out, this locks you into sticking with the Amazon platform across your digital reading material, apps, and hardware. Also, there's no support for external storage, although this is only a minor issue given the 4GB onboard storage. And finally, with the new touchscreen Kindles about to debut, the Keyboard model seems a bit like yesterday's device.

The Kindle Keyboard sports a six-inch E Ink Pearl display and weighs just a bit more than half a pound. There's Wi-Fi connectivity that lets you buy books online, as well as a USB 2.0 connector. The Kindle Keyboard supports Amazon's AZW format, TXT, MOBI, DOC, JPEG, MP3, and audible files. This version of the Kindle is the first that allows you to lend books to fellow Kindle readers (only once, for two weeks, with publisher approval), a feature similarly found on the Barnes & Noble Nook.

This is another solid product from Amazon, but with the $99 ad-supported Kindle Touch just around the corner, it may be worth holding off. Having said that, if you prefer an ereader with a physical keyboard and button navigation, the Kindle Keyboard could be the one for you.