Kindle 3 First Impressions

I wasn't planning to upgrade to the Kindle 3, but someone I helped out earlier this year gifted me the 3G+WiFi version, and it arrived today, just before the lost coast weekend.

From Kindle 3 Unboxing

I'll let others do the full review. Here are the salient points for me:

• The charging indicator is red/green, but unlike charging indicators designed by other companies that don't have color-blind males on staff (I'm looking at you, Garmin!), the Kindle's charging indicator is distinguishable by me. This is a basic usability thing and I'm always annoyed when companies get it wrong.
• It's slimmer than before, but not really all that much smaller.
• Page turns are much faster than the K1. This is a very nice feature.
• Wow, the screen has improved dramatically! The picture below looks like the text and diagram is written on the plastic, but it actually is the Kindle's display!
• It's lighter. Significantly lighter. Very nice for cycling and backpacking trips.
• Global 3G coverage. No more airport bookstores. Enough said.
• Categories are nice. I could spend weeks categorizing my books.

From Kindle 3 Unboxing

All in all, if you have a K1 and skipped the K2 "upgrade" because of the battery issue and the lack of SD card, I think this is the one to jump to. The increased battery life and storage means that the battery and SD card is no longer something of concern.

Recommended!