2021 Kindle Paperwhite

[Hozz 1020]

I initially was not keen on the Kindle/E-reader concept because I really loved the tactile experience you get with reading a nice new hard cover book.  Somehow I was convinced to give one a try and bought a 1st gen in 2008.  Quite quickly the convenience of essentially being able to carry anything you'd ever want to read along with you virtually anywhere was too much to ignore and I have been hooked ever since.  Since that first one I have owned a 3rd gen Kindle, a 2nd gen Paperwhite, a Voyage (bought in 2014) and now a 5th gen Paperwhite.  

I'm not sure why the Voyage ended up being a dead end product line as it was by far my favorite Kindle and the one I got the most mileage out of.  The Oasis line is great and I guess technically replaced the Voyage.  IMO, the Oasis are just too much for what they are and not a big enough improvement over a Voyage or a Paperwhite to warrant the expense.  Anyway, this new Paperwhite is finally a clear upgrade from the Voyage and mine was pretty beat to shit after seven years so I went with it.

I got the 8g version with no ads.  It was $160.  In retrospect I wish I would have sprung for the 32g signature edition because its only $30 more and offers 4x the storage (though I currently only have a downloaded library of less than 2Gs), wireless charging and auto-adjusting LEDs.

It's a very well made product and the screen is fantastic.  Any Kindle owner that doesn't have an Oasis, its probably worth upgrading to this (or waiting on gen4 Oasis).  It seems unlikely I will go another 7 years without replacing it but who knows.  No page turn buttons which a lot of people might not like the but the touch screen is very good and its very easy to turn a page intentionally and not very easy to turn one unintentionally, which is what I like.  Has both brightness and warmth adjustments so you can dial it in for day/night reading exactly to your liking.  The gate between Paperwhite and Oasis is pretty much just form factor and cellular option, there is no cellular option at all on any new Paperwhite.

[atomheartbevo 89854]

I've got a 6th Generation Paperwhite, and fuck me it's from 2013. 

I desperately want to get a 2021 Paperwhite, I've seen them in the Amazon store here in Austin, and I stopped yearning for an Oasis.

But lately I'm checking out digital stuff through my library system, and it seems like a lot more stuff is using fucking Hoopla, which cannot be loaded on Paperwhite, which makes me want to.......not get stuff through the library.

 

[Deej 76981]

Love my Oasis. The back not being flat really adds something, giving your hand some purchase to hold. Really like the page turn buttons, too.

I thought the same originally on books vs. ebooks, but never going back. 

I also love being able to check out ebooks from the library

 

Edited October 31, 2021 by Deej

[CycleTex87 2981]

I started with a Kindle in 2009 when I was traveling to Africa several times a year, for weeks at a time.  I was carrying a stack of paperbacks for each trip, and got tired of the bulk, so went with a Kindle.  I'm on my 3rd Kindle now, Oasis which I got last summer, 2021.  I have hundreds of books on it.  I recommend it highly.  I don't use all the features of book marks, highlights, search function etc. as I just read for pleasure, but it's got a lot of power for these type of things.  Still prefer a hard copy from time to time if I'm needing to leaf through the book, but I suspect the Kindle search function is superior to the "leaf through it" method.  Can't comment on the library lend program.

[MillerEP 30501]

You can get a great deal on used ones from the unclaimed baggage store: https://www.unclaimedbaggage.com/collections/e-readers

You ever wonder what happens to your lost luggage once the airline settles it with you? They auction it off and it ends up on that site.

[Hozz 1020]

I've had my 2021 Paperwhite for almost 3 months reading on average 20 minutes a day in airplane mode unless I am downloading something new.  I am on my first charge and still have 43% left.  Crazy shit.

[Gil Bang 26057]

On 1/19/2022 at 1:57 PM, Hozz said:

I've had my 2021 Paperwhite for almost 3 months reading on average 20 minutes a day in airplane mode unless I am downloading something new.  I am on my first charge and still have 43% left.  Crazy shit.

Fuck, it never occurred to me to use airplane mode.  Thanks for that. 

[The Original Greaser Bob 2852]

Hey guys, any advice on Kindles and eye health/strain?  I'm on the laptop so much that I tend to like to get away from screens when reading outside of work, but I've got some more difficulty in finding the right light for comfortable reading as I get older -- I'm wondering if an ereader makes sense.  And if so, which are the kindest to your eyes.

[TwiceHorn 31618]

2 hours ago, The Original Greaser Bob said:

Hey guys, any advice on Kindles and eye health/strain?  I'm on the laptop so much that I tend to like to get away from screens when reading outside of work, but I've got some more difficulty in finding the right light for comfortable reading as I get older -- I'm wondering if an ereader makes sense.  And if so, which are the kindest to your eyes.

Can't opine on the latest and greatest, but I would say that any of the "e-ink" type screens are easier on the eyes than the typical RGB led screen.

The question then becomes whether you read in the dark or really poor light and want illumination, which is probably standard these days.  The "paperwhite" screens are all illuminated from the side or bottom, rather than backlit like an RGB screen, and that helps a lot.

The two things that contribute to eyestrain are, AFAIK, contrast and brightness.  E-ink displays solve the contrast problem by only basically making shades of black and white, instead of the full spectrum of colors like regular LED (think bad blacks and whites on a cheap tv).  And they are reflective of ambient light, which conventional LED screens are not (except at the surface on a glossy one). And with the higher contrast, you need less illumination.  And the "side" lighting keeps light from shining into your eyes.

Edited February 6, 2022 by TwiceHorn

[brownboy 45]

One alternative to Kindle is Kobo.  Great battery life, no ads, and overdrive integration which makes checking out most (except stupid Hoopla) books from the library easy.

You can sideload (bye bye DRM) books with Calibre (e-book management software for your computer).  

As with all e-ink readers it works great in bright sun and also has adjustable color temp so you don't get blue light at night.

I like reading paper books but my waterproof Kobo Aura One is so convenient.  I never want to read at length on an LCD screen  #Olds 

[MC Fresh Breath 4074]

On 10/30/2021 at 2:20 PM, Hozz said:

I'm not sure why the Voyage ended up being a dead end product line as it was by far my favorite Kindle and the one I got the most mileage out of.

I bought a refurbed Voyage in 2017.  Still on it.  Bought an 'origami' cover for it in 2018.  It absolutely meets my needs, and I prefer it to the paperwhites I've seen.  Think I've become used to the way it 'fits' for me. 

 

On 1/19/2022 at 9:52 AM, MillerEP said:

You can get a great deal on used ones from the unclaimed baggage store: https://www.unclaimedbaggage.com/collections/e-readers

 

Never knew of this site, what handy link.  Thanks for that head's up.  Looks like they have a Voyage on there for $55.  Tempted to buy it as a 'back up.'

Edited April 24, 2022 by MC Fresh Breath