1. You can read PDF reports and ebooks on the Kindle- You probably download a lot of information from the web via PDF ebooks or reports. Now getting to actually READING them might be another story. Enter the Kindle. In addition to books and information from the Kindle store, you can also easily load those PDFs on to your Kindle and read them on the go.
2. It’s easier to just focus on reading- I download a lot of information on the web via PDF ebooks and reports. While I love all of the information that you can get from easily downloaded PDF reports, one of the problems I often encounter is that I often don’t get to read them all that often. One reason is that I tend to get really ADD on when I’m on my laptop. While I’m reading a report or an ebook, there are always other tasks that are there just waiting to take my attention away from reading. Maybe an alert from my email indicating an email from a client, or a notification from Tweetdeck letting me know that I got a message from Facebook or Twitter…or maybe there’s a project file sitting on my desktop begging to be worked on. Because the Kindle is a portable, dedicated reader, you can just concentrate on reading instead of the 3 million other things you could be doing if you were reading on your laptop.
3. It encourages me to read more- From free samples and free classic books from the Kindle store, blog subscriptions, to my own PDF documents, I’m reading more than ever. And far from steering me away from print books, it’s got me tackling the pile of print books I hadn’t read yet. So now I’m reading more and keeping up with more than ever.
4. It’s easier than carrying an actual book- The Kindle I have is slightly bigger than a regular paperback and a lot smaller and a lot lighter than a hardback book. So it’s perfect for throwing into a purse, laptop bag, or backpack. And it’s a heck of a lot easier than carrying my laptop to read books or documents. Stuck in line at the bank or the post office? Waiting for a doctor’s appointment? You can pull out your Kindle and catch up on reading while you wait. Plus instead of just having access to one book, you literally have an entire library available to you in one lightweight device.
5. I get to share what I’m reading- Kindle allows you to share snippets and excerpts from what you’re reading with your friends on Facebook and Twitter. In addition to sharing, you can also annotate and store clippings of what you read, add notes, and store them on your account on Amazon.com.
6. You can get a new book…NOW…if not sooner- Those free samples of Kindle books that Amazon offers for your Kindle are really diabolical. They’re like crack for the book addict. I bought my first Kindle book after reading a sample of The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. Now I’ve been meaning to read this book for sometime, but somehow hadn’t gotten around to ordering it and I hadn’t found it available at my local bookstore or library when it crossed my mind to look for it. So I decided to download a free sample for my Kindle. I found the sample so interesting that I ordered the full book within an hour after reading the sample. Not having to drive to the bookstore or library or wait several days to get a print book in the mail is one of the things I like best about my Kindle. You can literally purchase a book and be reading it on your Kindle in 5 minutes or less. If you love to read, that will be your favorite feature too!
Of course the Kindle isn’t perfect. My biggest gripe is that it doesn’t give you the option to backlight your screen so that read your Kindle in low light or in the dark. I know the Kindle is supposed to be visually as close to reading on paper as possible, but as someone who likes to read a bit before I sleep, it would be great to the have the option so I don’t have to disturb hubby while he’s trying to sleep. Using an old fashioned book light solves that problem for the most part, but it would be nice not to have to use it.
And the marketer in me wishes that there’s a way to attach my affiliate link to the highlights and notes I share of the books I’m reading. So when I share a passage from a Kindle book I can attach my Amazon associates link to the product link. (You hear that Amazon?).
So those are the reasons why the Kindle is my new favorite toy. If you have a book or an ebook or a report, you should strongly think about making it available in the Amazon Kindle store so you can capture other Kindle lovers like me! If you’re curious as to how to go about it, let me know!
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
I totally agree with you. I feel in love with my Kindle and have read more since I’ve had it than I have in years. Also agree with the need to have a backlight so you can read it in low light or dark. I just took it with me on my vacation and read 4 books and didn’t have to lug all the paperbacks my hubby did because he doesn’t have one. Maybe I will upgrade to a new Kindle (with a light – when they get it) and give him my old one.