Certified Refurbished Kindle Paperwhite E-reader, 6" High Resolution Display with Next-Gen Built-in Light, Wi-Fi - Includes Special Offers (Previous Generation - 6th)

After a few years, I finally decided to upgrade from my 4th gen Kindle. While a part of me will always love that Kindle (it was the first design in which I thought Amazon got it right), I decided that the Paperwhite was a large enough upgrade to warrant a purchase. Sorry Voyage, you're out of my price range. With ebook readers it's not about faster processors or new tech, it's about new ways in which you can enjoy your books. And in that way, the Paperwhite is a top reader in my opinion. When I purchased my 4th gen Kindle, I was single. Now, I'm engaged, and I've learned how easy it is to affect someone else's sleep. And when I'm deeply invested in a book, I stay up later than my fiance... with my bedside table lamp on... and it's bright as all heck. So something as simple as a front-light on the Kindle Paperwhite was a HUGE deal to me. You might not see it as a reason to upgrade your Kindle, and that's fine, but I'm sure there are many people besides myself that feel the addition an essential one. The light is great. When the lights are off, and the Kindle's brightness is set at a comfortable level, it's shocking how little ambient light the Kindle emits. It makes reading at night a joy. In the past, I've tried using my iPad to read Kindle books at night, but the device is always too heavy, too bright, and my eyes feel fatigued afterwards. The Paperwhite eliminates all of these problems, and that's reason enough to go out and purchase it. Of course, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that a front-light wasn't the only great addition to the Paperwhite. The touchscreen is great for typing (unlike the directional controls of the 4th gen Kindle), the Goodreads integration works well, and the definition/flashcards are AWESOME. I showed this feature off to my fiance, and she said "That's such a great idea for kids!" But despite being 29, I find myself using it all the time. The screen has also received a resolution bump, making words clearer. I didn't think this would make much of a difference, as I was always perfectly fine with the 4th gen Kindle's screen, but the new crispness to words, added to the better contrast, makes it very noticeable when you go between the two devices. It's just a much more pleasant reading experience. And that says it all. The Paperwhite makes reading easier. I can read it in bed, in direct sunlight, while out camping, and virtually anywhere else. It's the first Kindle that feels easier to read than a physical book. Plus, you can store a ton of books, the battery life is insanely good (you'll never find yourself caught with a low battery), and Amazon's Daily Deals are a great value. There's no reason to not get a Kindle.

So, I've actually had quite a bit of experience with ebook readers and tablets. Not an expert by any means, but personal experience I've had. My favorite way to get books is from Overdrive Media Console library books. I started out on Sony e-readers. I had to use book lights with them because they didn't have back lights. I then started using my Samsung Galaxy Tablet to read books, and I liked it, but it was hard on my eyes and is no good in sunlight. I've actually been reading with my tablet for a couple years now. When I saw this deal on the Paperwhite and realized it had integrated lighting, I knew I had to try it. And I love it. It's taken me a few to get used to using it, but I do love it! I love the backlighting. I love that I can borrow library books in the Kindle format and send them directly to the Paperwhite (although I do have to do that on my computer or phone, wish library book borrowing was available directly on the Paperwhite). I love that it's much easier on my eyes, and that I can easily change the brightness of the lighting. There are so many good things about the Paperwhite. I'm very pleased with this purchase! Oh, and, I ADORE the Whispersync technology. It's so nice because I still use my tablet when reading in water (bath, hot tub, etc) because it's older and if I accidentally ruin it I'm ok with that, or if I am out and only have my phone and I'm bored, I can read on it...so I love that the Whispersync allows all my devices to seamlessly sync when I go to read my current book! Edit to add: I absolutely love my Paperwhite. I use it everyday and it keeps getting better and better. One of the recent upgrades includes "translation". I read the Pendergast Series by Preston and Child and quite often there is some foreign language in the books that, although you are sort of able figure it out to a point through context, it is still nice to get the actual translation right there and then. I love that. I love being able to look up references through Wikipedia...without having to use a separate devise. I love the backlight and how much easier it is on your eyes than a tablet. The only thing I wish, is that there was another type size setting between the largest and second largest sizes. My eyes are getting older and the only way I can read is with reading glasses or large type size. The second largest is a bit too small without my glasses and the largest is just GIGANTIC, giving you only about 10 words on a page! lol! It's silly large! So I tend to go down in size and use my glasses still, but would love to be able to read without them. Still, that is my only true complaint! Super happy with the Kindle Paperwhite! It's a must have for me!