The Kindle is an iconic device not because it’s the most popular eBook reader around, but because it single-handedly introduced books to a large number of people who might have not taken up reading as a hobby. Reading as an interest has its benefits – it’s soothing, entertaining, thought-provoking and educating. The Kindle is more than 10 years old now. One of the products that stood out was the Paperwhite line of Kindles. It catered to people like some of us who liked to read in the dark, after getting into bed. That’s where many of us find time. The Paperwhite has been a solid recommendation to many, and it has been well worth the money spent.
Amazon has now launched a new Kindle Paperwhite. This isn’t the second, but the fourth. The last major refresh came way back in 2015. This fourth Paperwhite (also part of the 10th generation Kindle) has things to excite any Kindle user. For one, it isn’t much more expensive than the oldest Paperwhite so it may be worth upgrading your existing Kindle. It’s faster, so you don’t need to wait those moments more for the E-ink screen to refresh. There are the same two versions with this new model, one with WiFi and the other that uses 4G LTE. 
There is an 8GB model as well as a 32GB variant. This means, you can store more books but that was never really an issue, considering all your books were stored online on the cloud. You could choose which ones to download. You could still store thousands on books in that space. That 32GB model is more essential to the new feature of being able to play audio books from Audible, the brand that Amazon owns. There is no headphone jack, but there is Bluetooth support for your wireless earphones. Other older elements such as the microUSB still exist but we’re not complaining. Like other Kindles of the past, this one too should last weeks on a single charge. Amazon claims it will do 6 weeks on a single charge as long as you keep usage to under 30 minutes at low brightness and with features such as Bluetooth and WiFi off. That’s very impressive.
The 6-inch screen is said to be superior, sporting a 300 ppi density. The E-ink displays from the early generations have all been mighty impressive and small evolutionary changes are still pleasantly surprising. What is more than surprising is the waterproof feature. This is the first Paperwhite model to get an IPX8 rating. This means you can get into a pool, and use the Kindle for 60 minutes under 2 metres of water. What is more likely to be popular with this feature, is having that peace of mind that spilling some water on your Paperwhite won’t destroy it. This design means that the screen is also better flushed with the body, so it gives a more premium look and feel. All these changes haven’t done much to the weight (182g for the WiFi model), although existing cases may not fit with them.
The new Paperwhite also has nifty tricks you might like when you’re reading. One really interesting feature is having inverted colours, where the text is now white and the background, black. This should be particularly useful when you’re reading in the dark. For those who haven’t used a Kindle before, the screen looks and feels like paper. It doesn’t shine light at you like other gizmos. This is a very different experience than reading on a phone or tablet. There is no eye strain, like a book and the text has the characteristics of printed text, rather than a LCD screen. Long reading sessions are way more enjoyable. This is better experienced than read.
The Kindle Paperwhite has never been only about reading but also about how you enjoy the hobby with your friends. Regardless of whether you use an eBook reader or not, Goodreads.com has been a great community that recommends books, has a listing of practically every book known to mankind. If you own a Kindle, it becomes that much simpler to find books on it, find recommendations and buy them. You can join groups and add friends on there. It’s a wonderful place to get going with the hobby, and to grow it.
The Kindle experience goes well beyond that. If you use a Kindle, you can add a bookmark on it and when you switch to your laptop, tablet or phone, you can continue reading where you left off. Adding notes and sharing them is also incredibly simple. There is so much more to it!
So what are you waiting for? It’s time to get a Kindle and get reading to see what it’s all about. If you want to know what the new Paperwhite looks like, simply head over to our stores. You can also find more information on it and order it. Pre-orders have begun, and deliveries will start soon so make sure you get one. It’s one of those investments you make, not just the money but for your time that you’ll spend on reading but you’ll rarely regret.
