Is Amazon Kindle the right thing for you?

Amazon Kindle is absolutely amazing. Hands down, it is the best gadget for all your reading needs. A decent Kindle costs about Rs. 10,000. And although Amazon tempts you with discounts and brings down the cost by three grands, you’re not sure if you should spend that hard-earned money on the device. I have owned a Kindle for five years. And I have decided on these 9 questions that will help you decide if you should buy the gadget.

1. Do you love showing off your book collection?
   Yes – The Kindle is not for you. All your books are digital. However expensive, beautiful or show-off worthy, they’re inside your device. So you cannot really sport a wonderful teak bookshelf.
   No – Buy the damn thing. If you’re someone who doesn’t care about who sees what you’re reading, then the Kindle is for you.
2. Do you lend your books to others and love sharing the experience of reading?
   Yes – If you’re a lender and like it when people read your books and enjoy it, then the Kindle is not for you. Kindle does not allow sharing books, at least in India. They do offer this in the US, but not in India.  
   No – If you hate people taking your books or even touching them, the Kindle is for you. Your books stay yours, now and forever. You just don’t share because you can’t. Yay!
3. Do you wear spectacles?
   Yes – I wear specs myself, and half the time, I forget them on my bed post, or my side table, or in the pocket of a coat. I am often seen squinting to read something. And when I don’t have my specs, reading a book can be a nightmare. A paper book, that is. But my dear Kindle lets me set the font size. Specs or no specs, I can read my books with minimal stress. If you can totally relate to this, you need a Kindle.   
   No – But, do you often find text to be too small, or the size being a problem when you’re on a bus because it all gets so shaky? A kindle can solve this problem. It can adjust font size and font face. Which is absolutely great.
4.  Do you travel a lot and read a lot during those travels?
   Yes –  I haven’t met a person who likes to travel heavy. And a Kindle weights about 200 grams. That’s feather light. And in 200 grams, you can carry hundreds of books without the weight! And what if you’ve finished your book and need a new one? Well, just download a new one! All you need is the internet. 
   No – Well, if you don’t travel a lot, you could probably do without a Kindle. But that is when you don’t travel to work as well. Because reading on a Kindle is a hundred times better when you’re on a bus or are crushing between people in the metro. Sometimes in the rush, your book falls, you have to shut it because there is no space, people go tugging at your bookmark etc. But in a Kindle, one button and there you go. You’ve closed your book, put the bookmark, and what’s more, the size lets you slide it into your bag, or jacket pocket with utter ease. Your books wont crease!
5. Do you read many books at once?
   Yes- Buy the Kindle. One, because it can carry thousands of books on the device without any ‘space’ problem. Two, it bookmarks your last page read on every book without you having to remember where you stopped. You can read many books with absolute ease, without even having to carry the load.
   No- You don’t need a Kindle just for its feature of holding a thousand books at once.
6. Are you forgetful?
   Yes- So, you forget your book at home, at office, on the metro, in the car? Buy a Kindle. You will remember carrying it just as you remember carrying your phone. And you’ll never be without a book again.
   No- You mean you’ve never forgotten to carry your book with you? Well. Okay.
7. Do your devices always show ‘low battery’?
   Yes- Relax, you need to charge your Kindle only once a fortnight. And that’s when you’re reading all day. And if you’re also reading all night, probably a recharge once a week will do it. I’m serious. The battery life of the device is killer.
   No- Then you have one less device to charge! A Kindle needs to be charged only once in a fortnight! Isn’t it a dream device?
8. Do you read at night?
   Yes- And if you have someone sleeping next to you, you can turn those lights off and turn on your Kindle. No, it does not strain your eyes. The lights in the Kindle don’t work like a mobile phone’s, it is soft and adjustable. Which is pretty cool.
   No- Then you can probably do with the cheapest Kindle. It does not have backlight, but has all the other perks.
9. Do you really want to read the books but find them way too expensive?
   Yes- You’d be glad to know, Kindle versions of books are often very cheap, or they are available at considerable discounts. So that’s a plus.
   No- But who minds cheaper, yet legal, books?

So there you go. decide for yourself if you really need it. As for me, I love the device. It is awesome to own one. Even if you don’t use it everyday, you can always read on it sometimes. Some books are way too expensive, and Kindle comes to the rescue. Some books are hard to find or are not available in your country, use Kindle versions. A Kindle is a beautiful gadget, to own and to gift.