Amazon Kindle Keyboard- details, features and prices(video)

Usually, when a tablet, a smartphone or an e-reader is upgraded, the older version of the device is pulled out of the market to leave room for the new gadget. That is what most of you would have probably expected to happen with the old Amazon Kindle recently, especially considering the fact that the e-reader is now available in not one, but two upgraded versions.

However, the old Amazon Kindle is still available for sale and is actually expected to continue selling, being rebranded as the Kindle Keyboard. The third generation e-reader should still appeal to some of you technology enthusiasts for a couple of reasons I am going to detail in the following lines.

We will therefore take a look at the things that still make the Kindle Keyboard special and competitive, but also at the prices and the full features of the e-reader. Finally, you will have the opportunity to check out an exclusive video, where you can take a better look at this very popular gadget.

Design and build

The Keyboard’s biggest problem, compared with the new Kindle 4 and the Kindle Touch, is probably the design, which is pretty old-fashioned. The Keyboard is also quite heavy in comparison with the new e-readers, weighing in at about 8.5 ounces.

The Kindle Keyboard is still a good and reliable gagdet.

In terms of product dimensions, things are still pretty competitive nevertheless. The Keyboard measures 7.5 x 4.8 x 0.34 inches and is fairly compact and portable overall. The e-reader is also fairly sturdy, giving an impression of durability and reliability.

Display, hardware and features

The Kindle Keyboard sports a 6-inch E Ink display with proprietary waveform, font technology, 800 x 600 pixels resolution and 16 shades of gray. This is pretty much identical to the screens featured by the new Kindles and is still the quality standard for e-book readers nowadays. The Kindle cannot display colors and can only support static content, but when it comes to reading, no matter what the lighting conditions should be, you can expect a clear and crisp image.

In terms of on-device storage, the Keyboard comes with 4 GB of internal memory, which should be enough for holding up to 3,500 books. You also get free cloud storage for all Amazon content, meaning that if you delete something from your device, you can have easy access to it again.

Other features include Wireless connectivity and optional 3G, but also audio support, which is nowhere to be found on the new Kindle 4. Therefore, aside from reading e-books, you can also have access to audiobooks and other mp3 files on the Keyboard.

Software and battery life

The Kindle Keyboard comes with access to literally millions of books, newspapers, audiobooks, magazines and docs, including public library books, which you can borrow directly on your e-reader. For most of the books you will have to pay a fee, which varies from case to case, but there are also over two million free, out-of-copyright, classical books.

The Kindle Keyboard is heavier and bulkier than the new Kindle 4, but it is also more functional than the new generation e-reader.

The e-reader also features a pretty basic, but functional experimental browser and a Qwerty keyboard, which is actually the biggest difference between it and the new-generation Kindles. On one hand, this makes the device bulky and heavy, but on another hand, it makes it better for writing text and browsing.

As for the battery life, this is probably as good as it could get on a gagdet of this kind. The Kindle Keyboard is therefore able to run for up to two months between charges, based on a low use, or for about three weeks, based on average use and with wireless permanently on.

Pricing

While in terms of features, quality and reliability, things have stayed the same for the Kindle Keyboard, its price has actually dropped in order to attract customers. The third generation e-reader now starts at 99 dollars, for the wireless version which includes Amazon’s ‘’special offers’’ and ads.

If you don’t want to be bugged by ads, however, you can go for a more expensive, 139 dollars version, which also features only wireless connectivity, but ships Internationally, to more than 100 countries.

If you also want 3G on your device, you will either pay 139 bucks (with ads) or $189 (without special offers – International version).

Wrap-up

While the Amazon Kindle Keyboard is not a wine and it doesn’t get better over time, we can’t say that it gets worse either. The basic e-reader is still the same reliable, portable and functional device as a year ago and, with a more affordable price tag than ever, should still attract some customers.

It is not as light and compact as the new Kindle 4 or as stylish as the Kindle Touch, but it is probably the best of the three when it comes to the interface and typing and it also comes with audio support.

All in all, if you have it, we don’t see any reason of giving it up or replacing it, while if you don’t have it and you decide to buy it, you will probably not regret your investment.

Don’t forget to also check out the following exclusive video clip presenting the Amazon Kindle Keyboard:

Tags: Amazon, digital readers, ebook, Kindle