I have owned every Kindle e-reader and currently use a Paperwhite (2012 model) which I find to have the best screen (which is really the most important part of an e-reader) however I much prefer the physical buttons on the regular Kindle. I find the touch screen annoying. The only time the touch screen was a nice to have was the initial setup when I connected it to my wifi.<p>I still jump back and forth between the Paperwhite and my older model with the physical page turn buttons. What I would really like is a non-touch screen Paperwhite. I would also like to be able to totally disable the backlight rather than just put it to the lowest setting (which is still actually on and more than good enough to read in a pitch black room).
Nice to see an example of a title ending in a question where the answer is a non-cynical "absolutely." :)<p>And my answer is exactly the same. It actually quite surprised me how much I've more I've appreciated and used the Paperwhite after upgrading recently from a Kindle Keyboard. You simply never have to worry about the lighting, whether too bright or too dim.
Paperwhite is the first Kindle I ever owned, and I like it.<p>I do not like Amazon's DRM encumbered walled garden though, especially the fact that it doesn't acknowledge anything not bought through Amazon as "books". In general the software and online service, with the exception of Whispernet, is shit.<p>My next eReader will definitely be something neutral, like a Kobo, and I'll just un-DRM stuff from Amazon via Calibre.
I've owned every Kindle (except the DX) and while the Paperwhite is my favorite, I really wish they would remove the touch screen page turning and add the physical buttons on the side. The touch screen works great for searching Amazon or even making short notes, but I find that I accidentally turn the pages way too much.
You can also get a Nook Glowlight in the UK for £49, less than half the price of the Paperwhite.<p>Spec isn't as good but it does support standard epub books.<p><a href="http://www.nook.com/gb/tablets/nook-simple-touch-glowlight" rel="nofollow">http://www.nook.com/gb/tablets/nook-simple-touch-glowlight</a>
> I use it more than my smartphone in an everyday basis.<p>Once i found out that there's an Android Kindle app * my Kindle use has gotten much less over my cellphone use. I'll still use the Kindle when i don't want to have my phone around, but where my phone is, i have all my Kindle stuff, so i don't need the physical device.<p>* <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.amazon.kindle" rel="nofollow">https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.amazon.kin...</a>
I love my Paperwhite. My <i>only</i> complaint is that converting PDFs of programming books (or any books with text formatting or tables) results in some pretty unreadable code snippets.
I have a Kindle Paperwhite, and while it's great and I use it all the time, I feel like there are a couple issues with it that I never see mentioned:<p>(1) The front light is a really weird ghostly blue. Wit the light, the kindle looks blue; without it, gray. There's nothing "white" about it in my opinion.<p>(2) Because of the presence of the touch screen (and maybe the light?), the text is pretty recessed under the screen, and you can quite easily see glare that highlights the depth the text is recessed. When I use my kid sisters base-level kindle, I'm always struck by how much more "book like" it is, because the text sits closer to the surface.<p>The touch is a wash-up -- it makes navigating and looking up text much easier, but it can be annoying for turning pages. Also the overall responsiveness of the system is light-years behind something like an iPad (which is to be expected with an e-ink display, but I also feel like I'm waiting a lot for the Kindle itself).<p>If it weren't for the super-duper convenience of being able to read in the dark, I would prefer the baseline kindle. (If you're thinking about a kindle vs no ereader at all, the answer is GET AN EREADER -- overall they are amazing devices.)<p>Postscript:<p>A couple other small gripes that may be deal-breakers for you, depending on how OCD you are:<p>(1) Sometimes the screen doesn't turn off for a long time, even after you've 'locked' the kindle, emitting an annoying glow.<p>(2) You can never turn the light <i>completely</i> off, which can be annoying when the faint glow is distracting while reading in a low-light (but not low enough to want kindle-light) environment.
I don't have either, but have been thinking of getting one. When I compare the original Kindle to the Paperwhite in the store, the Paperwhite contrast seems almost too high; I think I would find it hard to look at that brilliant white background for very long. The original is easier on the eyes.<p>Is the Paperwhite contrast adjustable?
I've used a Paperwhite, but for most of my reading I'm switching to an iPad Retina mini. The battery life is suitable, the screen is gorgeous (326 PPI vs 212: more than double the number of pixels per glyph) and I hope it will be easier to take notes (possibly even with voice dictation) and fire off emails and TODOs inspired by what I am reading. Most of all, though, I want fast PDF and Pocket/Instapaper in full color.<p>EDIT: I have not yet tried the Retina mini as a Paperwhite replacement except for an hour in the Apple Store. It's on the way. The in-store experience satisfied me sufficiently, but there is a chance I will come across a deal breaker.
Does anyone know if the new Kindles are more rugged? My classic Kindle was in a protective cover when it dropped a short distance from a table to a wood floor. The screen did not crack but the e-ink display was permanently frozen.
The paperwhite is lovely. The screen is a delight to use, and doesn't annoy anyone next to you even in low light conditions. It's also really easy to read in the sun.<p>I have the one generation back paperwhite, and it's the best ereader I've ever had. My only critique of the new version (and it's a minor critique) is I've heard it's really hard to hack, which is a pity because I love having the jailbreak on my paperwhite that lets me add my own screensavers.
I have a Kindle paperwhite and my partner has an older Kindle touch.<p>I love my paperwihte and it is much better than the previous generation. I read about two hours every day on it on my commute in the train. Resolution and display lightning are great for readability and I always find something to read in the shop for fair prices (some of the self-published books on Amazon are amazing and the rating system shows where to look).
I still have an original Kindle, but would like to upgrade to the Paperwhite at some point. Normally I would say that a full tablet like a Nexus 7 or Nexus 10 is more worthwhile, since Android has a perfectly capable Kindle app. But in my case, the Nexus 10 gives me terrible headaches. So I still carry a Kindle around for extended reading.
Just checked amazon.co.uk and it says "Usually dispatched within 13 to 14 days.", for the wifi only model. Huh? Does that mean they are selling them as hot cupcakes or what?<p>And I don't understand how the old model is only 10 quid cheaper? Surely everyone will go for the newer one at that price?
The answer to the question is YES, but the article is inaccurate on the main features of the Paperwhite. Unlike smartphones and tablets like the iPad, the Kindle Paperwhite isn't back-lit, but front-lit, which make all the difference in the world for your eyes.
Seems inaccurate. He says it is backlit, but it is front-lit according to amazon:
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Paperwhite-Touch-light/dp/B007OZNZG0" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Paperwhite-Touch-light/dp/B007O...</a>
I am loathe to upgrade from my trusty Kindle Keyboard, just because of the free worldwide internet access. Although recently, it has failed in a few countries that I've been to. Perhaps Amazon won't support it for much longer?
The main question is do you need the the back light. For me it is essential, i tend to wake around 3 am every morning and read for an hour, without interrupting my wife, which is worth the extra money.
Most people are answering the question "is it better?", but the question is "is it worth it?"<p>i.e. "Is it worth 2.5x the price of the standard Kindle?"
The best discontinued feature is the experimental browser on 3G. Traveling abroad and being able to pull up nyt or gmail is like a permanent tether to home.
mediocre for programming books - you have to be in landscape mode and still code snippets will wrap often. Books with terse code (like functional programming books) work mostly well, but books with less terse code are unreadable even with smallest font in landscape mode. EmberJS in Action comes to mind as totally unreadable on my paperwhite.<p>A++++ for regular books of all types.