Three
years ago, we set out to design
and build an entirely new class
of device—a convenient, portable
reading device with the ability
to wirelessly download books,
blogs, magazines, and
newspapers. The result is
"Amazon Kindle".
We designed Kindle to provide
an exceptional reading
experience. Thanks to
electronic paper, a
revolutionary new display
technology, reading Kindle’s
screen is as sharp and natural
as reading ink on paper—and
nothing like the strain and
glare of a computer screen.
Kindle is also easy on the
fingertips. It never becomes hot
and is designed for ambidextrous
use so both "lefties" and "righties"
can read comfortably at any
angle for long periods of time.
We wanted Kindle to be completely mobile and
simple to use for everyone, so we made it
wireless. No PC and no syncing needed. Using
the same 3G network as advanced cell phones,
we deliver your content using our own
wireless delivery system, Amazon
Whispernet. Unlike WiFi, you’ll never
need to locate a hotspot. There are no
confusing service plans, yearly contracts,
or monthly wireless bills—we take care of
the hassles so you can just read.
With Whispernet, you can be anywhere,
think of a book, and get it in one minute.
Similarly, your content automatically comes
to you, wherever you are. Newspaper
subscriptions are delivered wirelessly each
morning. Most magazines arrive before they
hit newsstands. Haven’t read the book for
tomorrow night’s book club? Get it in a
minute. Finished your book in the airport?
Download the sequel while you board the
plane. Whether you’re in the mood for
something serious or hilarious, lighthearted
or studious, Kindle delivers your
spontaneous reading choices on demand.
And because we know you can't judge a book
by its cover, Kindle lets you download and
read the beginning of books for free. This
way, you can try it out—if you like it,
simply buy and download with 1-Click, right
from your Kindle, and continue reading. Want
to try a newspaper as well? All newspaper
subscriptions start with a risk-free
two-week trial.
Kindle’s paperback size and expandable
memory let you travel light with your
library. With the freedom to download what
you want, when you want, we hope you’ll
never again find yourself stuck without a
great read.
We're very proud to introduce Amazon Kindle
and we hope you like it as much as we do.
- The Amazon Kindle Team
Amazon Kindle
is a revolutionary portable reader that
wirelessly downloads books, newspapers,
magazines and blogs to a crisp,
high-resolution electronic paper display
that looks and reads like real paper, even
in bright sunlight.
Kindle customers, no matter where they are
in the U.S., can wirelessly shop the Kindle
Store and download new content — all without
a PC or a WiFi hot spot. Amazon pays for
Kindle’s wireless connectivity so there are
no monthly wireless bills and no service
commitments for customers. The Kindle Store
contains over 90,000 books that can be
purchased and delivered wirelessly to
Kindle, each in less than a minute.
Customers can choose from hundreds of top
newspapers, magazines and blogs and have
their subscriptions auto-delivered
wirelessly. All New York Times Best Sellers
and New Releases are $9.99, unless marked
otherwise.
At 10.3 ounces, Kindle is lighter and
thinner than a paperback book, carries two
hundred books, and includes built-in access
to The New Oxford American Dictionary and
wireless access to the Earth’s biggest
encyclopedia, Wikipedia.org.
Paper-like Screen
Utilizing a new high-resolution display
technology called electronic paper,
Kindle provides a crisp black-and-white
screen that resembles the appearance and
readability of printed paper. The screen
works using ink, just like books and
newspapers, but displays the ink particles
electronically. It reflects light like
ordinary paper and uses no backlighting,
eliminating the glare associated with other
electronic displays. As a result, Kindle can
be read as easily in bright sunlight as in
your living room.The screen never gets hot
so you can comfortably read as long as you
like.
See what others are saying about the Kindle
screen:
James Patterson, author of You've
Been Warned, "The screen is fabulous.
You would expect that, with a screen, there
would be a glare, it would be hard to read
but it's not. There’s no glare. It's not
backlit, which is kind of magical. I think
people are going to be very, very surprised
and delighted. This is a lot easier to read
than a lot of books are these days."
Michael Lewis, author of Moneyball,
"I'm telling you, after five minutes I've
ceased to think I'm looking at a screen.
It's not like reading a computer screen.
It's more like reading a piece of paper. I
think it's actually clearer, easier on the
eye than the printed word."
Neil Gaiman, author of Stardust,
"It's like paper and it’s very interesting.
It’s very, very crisp. Very functional. Very
readable."
Wireless Access with
Whispernet™
Whispernet utilizes Amazon's
optimized technology plus Sprint's national
high-speed (EVDO) data network to enable you
to wirelessly search, discover, download,
and read content on the go.
Unlike WiFi, you don't have to find a
hotspot. Amazon pays for Kindle's wireless
connectivity so you will never see a monthly
wireless bill for shopping the Kindle Store.
There is no wireless setup—you are ready to
shop, purchase and read right out of the
box.
Wireless connectivity
enables you to shop the
Kindle Store directly
from your Kindle—whether
you’re in the back of a
taxi, at the airport, or
in bed.
Carry Your Library in
10.3 Ounces
At 10.3 ounces, Kindle is
lighter and thinner than
typical paperbacks, and fits
easily in one hand. Its
built-in memory stores
hundreds of titles. An
optional SD memory card lets
you hold even more. From
Melville to Morrison, your
favorite authors can always
be with you.
In addition, a copy of every
book you purchase is backed
up online in Your Media
Library in case you ever
need to download it again.
This allows you to make room
for new titles on your
device, knowing that Amazon
is storing your personal
library, which can always be
re-downloaded wirelessly. If
you are out of wireless
coverage, such as traveling
overseas, you can download
books to your computer from
Your Media Library and
transfer via USB to your
Kindle. Think of it as a
bookshelf in your attic—even
though you don't see it, you
know your books are there.
Ergonomic Design
We wanted Kindle to be as
easy to hold and use as a
book, so we designed it with
long-form reading in mind.
When reading for long
periods of time, people
naturally shift positions
often. Kindle's full-length,
vertical page-turning
buttons are located on
either side, allowing you to
read and turn pages
comfortably from any
position. Navigation on both
sides means both "lefties"
and "righties" can easily
use Kindle with one hand.
And at only 10.3 ounces,
Kindle is lighter and
thinner than a typical
paperback.
Shop the Kindle Store
Right from Your Device
You can shop the Kindle
Store wirelessly right from
your device, allowing you to
click, buy, and start
reading your purchases
within a minute. The Kindle
Store offers the same great
Amazon.com customer
experience you're used to,
including customer reviews,
personalized
recommendations, and low
prices. Simply search for
the title or author you're
interested in reading, or
browse the store to discover
titles and download your
reading choices. We
auto-deliver your selections
wirelessly, so the next time
you hear about a great book,
just click, buy, and read.
Search
Kindle makes it easy to
search across your library.
To use the Search feature,
simply type in a word or
phrase you’re looking for,
and Kindle will find every
instance across your Kindle
library. Looking for an
article you read a couple of
days ago about hybrid cars
but can’t remember where?
Simply type in hybrid
and Kindle will search your
library for each reference,
making it easy to jump
directly to what you’re
looking for. You can extend
your search to the Kindle
Store to find related titles
you may be interested in.
Explore even further by
searching Wikipedia.
Keyboard
Kindle's QWERTY keyboard
puts the Kindle Store at
your fingertips. Simply type
in a title, author, or
keyword to find the book,
newspaper, or magazine you
are looking for. From there,
click to buy, and begin
reading your selection in
under a minute.
The keyboard also enables
you to do a full text search
across your entire library
or within a specific title.
To find the article you read
last week on globalization,
simply type in
globalization to locate
each relevant reference. You
can then jump to Wikipedia
to learn more about it. The
keyboard also means you can
annotate text and utilize
Kindle’s built-in dictionary
without interrupting your
reading.
Bookmarks and Annotation
By using the keyboard, you
can add annotations to text,
just like you might write in
the margins of a book. And
because it is digital, you
can edit, delete, and export
your notes, highlight and
clip key passages, and
bookmark pages for future
use. You'll never need to
bookmark your last place in
the book, because Kindle
remembers for you and always
opens to the last page you
read.
Built-in Dictionary
Never get caught without a
dictionary. Kindle includes
The New Oxford American
Dictionary with over
250,000 entries and
definitions, so you can
seamlessly look up the
meanings of words without
interrupting your reading.
Never fear a sesquipedalian
word again—simply look it up
as you go.
Wireless Access to
Wikipedia
Kindle also includes free
built-in access to the
world's most exhaustive and
up-to-date encyclopedia—Wikipedia.org.
With Kindle in hand, looking
up people, places, events
and more has never been
easier. It gives whole new
meaning to the phrase
walking encyclopedia.
Adjustable Text Size
Because one size doesn’t fit
all, you can increase the
text size of your favorite
book or periodical with the
push of a button. If your
eyes tire, simply increase
the font size and continue
reading comfortably. Kindle
has six adjustable font
sizes to suit your reading
preference.
Long Battery Life
Leave wireless on and
recharge approximately every
other day. Turn wireless off
and read for a week or more
before recharging. Battery
life will vary based on
wireless usage, such as
shopping the Kindle Store
and downloading content. In
low coverage areas or in
1xRTT only coverage,
wireless usage will consume
battery power more quickly.
Kindle fully recharges in
two hours.
What's included in the
box?
Kindle Electronic Reader
Book cover
Power adapter
USB 2.0 cable
Books,
Newspapers, and More
The Kindle Store currently
carries more than 110,000
books plus newspapers,
magazines, and blogs. For
your convenience, you can
shop the Kindle Store
directly on Kindle or on
your PC via Amazon.com.
Either way, all titles are
wirelessly delivered right
to your Kindle for free. We
pay for the wireless
delivery charges so you
don’t have to. Buy a book
and we auto-deliver it to
you wirelessly in one
minute.
The Kindle Store provides
the same Amazon shopping
experience you're used to,
including customer reviews,
personalized
recommendations, 1-Click
purchasing, and everyday low
prices. Check the store
often; we're adding new
titles every day.
Whether you prefer
biographies, classics,
investment guides,
thrillers, or sci-fi,
thousands of your favorite
books are available. The
Kindle Store offers more
than 90 of 112 books
currently found on the
New York Times® Best
Seller list and we’re adding
more all the time. New
York Times Best Sellers
are $9.99, and you'll find
many books for less. Can't
decide what to buy? Kindle
lets you download and read
the beginning of any book
for free. This way, you can
try it out—if you like it,
simply buy and download with
1-Click, right from your
Kindle, and continue
reading.