Amazon Kindle. Getting Ready, Getting Organized.

Hello Readers! ~ ★

It's getting closer to the time that I return to Korea!

I've been getting everything together and investing in a couple of things that will be super helpful.

First of all, I bought an Amazon Kindle.

I initially invested in the Kindle Wi-Fi, but decided (after speaking to a Kindle rep.) that the 3G would be better for me since I'll be out of the country. The Kindle 3-G connectivity is available pretty much all over South Korea, so it'll be worth the extra money.

Want more information on the Amazon Kindle? Just follow the link below and read the information provided by Amazon. There's also a comparison chart at the bottom that will help you make the decision in regards to which Kindle is best for you.

KINDLE INFORMATION

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE NOOK

For those of you living in Korea, or planning to live or travel abroad. If you're considering an e-reader, I bet you've thought about purchasing the NOOK from Barns and Noble. It's gotten some pretty hyped up review recently. Unfortunately the NOOK does not work outside of the U.S. All of your book purchases must be made in the States. While you're abroad, you can still use the NOOK to read the books you've already downloaded, but you won't be able to purchase anything new until you're back in America.

ALSO, if you're someone who likes access to TECHNICAL books (like exam study books, language books, and guides/informational books) you'll find a much wider selection on Amazon.

I think that the NOOK is a great product, but not if you're considering leaving the States for any lengthy period of time, and not if you think you'll be downloading a lot of language/test/technical books.

KINDLE COMPETITORS

What I've found through reviews and internet browsing is that there seems to be a lot of Kindle 'competition' out there. Numerous people consider the Kindle to be outranked by items like the 'iPad' and other tablet devices that, while allowing you to read e-books, also function as mini-computer.

The purpose of Kindle is NOT to be a hand-held computer. The Kindle was created to be, and is focused on being, an e-reader. It's an easier way to purchase and read books! That's it's main purpose, and according to founder Jeff Bezos, that's not going to change anytime soon.

I personally love the fact that Kindle isn't overly complicated with millions of computer options. Not to mention it's inexpensive! In comparison to the iPad (the boasted features are stuff that I already have on my laptop) it's hundreds of dollars cheaper, it's smaller in size, lighter in weight (lighter than most paper-back books!), and also has a NO GLARE screen with zero backlight.

Not to mention there's a 1 month battery life on the Kindle, AND no heating up.

Personally I prefer that the Kindle doesn't have a touch screen. Touch screens drive me a little bananas. I can't type or use the keyboard nearly as quickly with a touchscreen (which is why I haven't purchased a smart phone). Some people might prefer the NOOK because there's a color screen at the bottom (beneath the reader screen). As for me, I don't care if I see the book covers in color or not. They print books in black ink, and very rarely are there any pictures drawn into books (non-children books) that have any color. So, what's the real point behind having a color display? I have color display on my laptop, and when reading a book I'm not concerned about the cover.

I love the feeling you get when you read a book, and the Kindle allows me to maintain the feel of having a book in my hand, rather than a small computer.

The Kindle is also going to give me a much better option to carrying around a bunch of books. I can't take too many with me on the plane (just weighs everything down) and the books that I buy in Korea will just end up being a hassle for me when it comes time to move again. Having an e-reader like Kindle simplifies! Yay!

I buy so many books every year. So, I know that this will really help me money wise in the long run. However, I do still maintain that dream of having my own library someday, so I will still be purchasing those paperback books. I'll just be more selective about what I'm purchasing. Sounds like a good idea to me!

IN OTHER NEWS

I wanted to make a pretty long blog post that included a lot of my news and what not, but now that I've reached this point, I'm kind of tired. So, it'll have to wait for another blog. There's still a lot to chat about, though! So, don't you worry. Blogging will be picking up again soon.

Until next blog,

~A.