Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

Freddy I'm a physical paper person also and last year went to a Kindle 10" Fire. Why? Only because a periodical I've had for decades went digital due to the price of paper publishing. I'm not going to say that digital is as good as paper, but I can live with it. With mine I also have the option of downloading movies (amazon prime) to it and watching them wherever and at night I shut off the higher current draw big flatscreen and speakers and turn on the Kindle. Same resolution at arms length distance and much less juice used, maybe not the same sound experience, but the wife can sleep. FWIW I had Best Buy sell me a "last years" model rather than buying the '18 version (or was it '17?) anyway, Amazon neutered the version whose reviews I read and didn't want their latest and greatest resolution neutered version. I have no idea if that has changed. But when I go for an appointment and have to wait I bring my Kindle most often. I don't know if I love it but I definitely like it a lot. But unless amazon brings back the resolution I presently have in mine we'll probably not do business again. Mine is great for movies at arms length. I almost never support it with my arms, but with crossed legs or the arm of a chair; it's a bit heavier than I'd like for hand holding for a long time.

My Fire also does black background and white text and I find that much easier on the eyes. I suspect that might be available with the paperwhite also but I don't know

One good thing to note is that you can turn down (or off) the backlighting in the settings, and read it under your normal lamp.

It doesn’t emit the same level of blue light that other devices do anyway. I’ve heard the blue light significantly impacts sleep patterns, so this is a nice option.

Freddy I'm a physical paper person also and last year went to a Kindle 10" Fire. Why? Only because a periodical I've had for decades went digital due to the price of paper publishing. I'm not going to say that digital is as good as paper, but I can live with it. With mine I also have the option of downloading movies  (amazon prime) to it and watching them wherever and at night I shut off the higher current draw big flatscreen and speakers and turn on the Kindle. Same resolution at arms length distance and much less juice used, maybe not the same sound experience, but the wife can sleep. FWIW I had Best Buy sell me a "last years" model rather than buying the '18 version (or was it '17?) anyway, Amazon neutered the version whose reviews I read and didn't want their latest and greatest resolution neutered version. I have no idea if that has changed. But when I go for an appointment and have to wait I bring my Kindle most often. I don't know if I love it but I definitely like it a lot. But unless amazon brings back the resolution I presently have in mine we'll probably not do business again. Mine is great for movies at arms length. I almost never support it with my arms, but with crossed legs or the arm of a chair; it's a bit heavier than I'd like for hand holding for a long time.

My Fire also does black background and white text and I find that much easier on the eyes. I suspect that might be available with the paperwhite also but I don't know

Brian, I have a few tablets, including a Fire, and while I like them for various things, including watching video on them occasionally, I was interested in the Kindle for it's more paperback book like experience.  I have mine charging now and I'll take it through it's paces either later today or tomorrow.

I must say, I generally do not care for white text on black backgrounds or dark themes on web sites because, wait for it, I find them much harder on my eyes.  Go figure.  

One good thing to note is that you can turn down (or off) the backlighting in the settings, and read it under your normal lamp.

It doesn’t emit the same level of blue light that other devices do anyway. I’ve heard the blue light significantly impacts sleep patterns, so this is a nice option.

That is one of the first things I shall be experimenting with, that is turning off the backlight or keeping it very dim, and reading by my bedside lamp.  I think if it works it will prove to be much easier on the eyes.

Back in the day of batch programming I liked hi intensity cyan on black. Go figure. I guess we're all different.

Let us know how you make out with it.

That is one of the first things I shall be experimenting with, that is turning off the backlight or keeping it very dim, and reading by my bedside lamp.  I think if it works it will prove to be much easier on the eyes.

It's pretty easy to turn on/off the backlight on the Kindle (or to adjust the intensity). I've never found it to be tiring on my eyes, even though I do find a regular tablet or computer screen to be tiring. As Watson mentioned, the Kindle does not have the same intensity of blue light as a Kindle Fire would, for example, so it's better (though still not good, from what I've read).

Honestly, I couldn't tell the difference on my sleep from when I use the Kindle/Nook ereader backlight or when I don't. There may be some effect on sleep quality, but it's not obvious enough to me. I just try not to use the backlight because it's not a big deal to have my reading light on as long as my wife is awake and is not going to be disturbed.

Freddy,
ML has one and loves it. She has neurological degeneration of her eyesight. In short since it is not a physical eye problem corrective lenses won't fix it. Pleasure reading was going to be a thing of the past for her unfortunately.  



Enter the Kindle. She can make the print size as large as she needs. She can control text and background contrast and color. She can continue to read. She is very grateful for this technology.

Though it looks like she speed reads as she flicks her finger to turn the page. She has the print so large there is only a paragraph or two on each page

Enjoy yours.

Thank you everyone.  I played with it a bit ago and it took me a while to figure out how to change from location number, which means nothing to me, to page number, which does.  However, it gives me the page number and the percentage of the book I have read.  On the Kindle app on my phone I get the page I'm on and the total number of pages in the book, rather than the percent read.  I prefer having the page I'm on and total pages in the book.  Does anyone know if that is possible on the actual Kindle or is it just the page I'm on and the percent of the book read.  It's obviously a small thing so not the end of the world but if I could change it to my preference I would.

PhilNH5, I understand how something like a Kindle would be great for ML.  My Dad had incredibly poor eyesight and he was considered legally blind.  He was able to read large print books for a while but even that had to give way to books on tape and then books on CD.  A Kindle would have given him a few more years of the actual pleasure of reading, rather than listening.

TDoes anyone know if that is possible on the actual Kindle or is it just the page I'm on and the percent of the book read.  It's obviously a small thing so not the end of the world but if I could change it to my preference I would.

I'm not sure that can be done. It depends on the way the ebook is formatted. Some books allow the page number to be shown (as you found out), but I've not found a way to show both the page number and total number of pages.

TDoes anyone know if that is possible on the actual Kindle or is it just the page I'm on and the percent of the book read.  It's obviously a small thing so not the end of the world but if I could change it to my preference I would.

I'm not sure that can be done. It depends on the way the ebook is formatted. Some books allow the page number to be shown (as you found out), but I've not found a way to show both the page number and total number of pages.

Thanks, Yohann.  At least I won't be driving myself crazy thinking that I missed a way to do it.  I'll get used to it, I'm sure.