Kindle Paperwhite (2012) 6" 3G E-Reader

_______________________________________________________[0:00] - day.. - Kindle, Paperwhite, Keyboard, Touch - side by side[0:17] - day.. - Paperwhite - brightness control, page turning[0:47] - night - Touch, Paperwhite, Keyboard - side by side[1:00] - night - Paperwhite - zoom to bottom of screen[1:18] - night - Paperwhite, Keyboard - side by side[1:22] - night - Paperwhite, Touch - side by side[1:28] - night - Paperwhite - zoom in, zoom outNOTE 1: This is not a stand-alone video review. I added the video to illustrate some of the answers in the FAQ section below. References are made by providing the time where the video illustrates a particular answer.NOTE 2: My initial rating was a 5 stars but I am changing it at least temporarily to 3 stars because some of my friends who bought Paperwhites had to return or are returning theirs for a replacement due to display quality issues ranging from minor to serious or seriously annoying. I suspect and I hope that it's only a temporary quality control slip due to the rush to mass-produce in order to meet the initial high demand. If it turns out to be so and everyone who received a not-so-good product receives a good quality replacement then my rating goes back up to where it started but only time will tell.NOTE 3: I noticed several comments to this reviews, complaining that I arrived at my current 3-stars rating based on hearsay. This is not the case - see next paragraph which has been there since the very beginning "after seeing what some of my friends received". I had the opportunity to use their devices myself and compare my unit with theirs and found that they had good reasons to ask for replacements. Another complaint is that 3 stars is a 'negative' rating. It is not. Amazon suggests that '3 stars' stands for "It's Okay". I can't see how "Okay" could be viewed as a negative. According to Merriam-Webster online, OK stands for: approval, endorsement.Meanwhile, my Paperwhite continues to be a fantastic reader and, certain marketing exaggerations and embellishments notwithstanding, I am unaware of a better product in this category. I would still rate my unit a 5 stars but I can't bury my head in the sand and ignore that fact that not everyone is happy with what they got because I actually saw their Kindles, not pictures or videos, and they don't look nearly as good as mine. I only hope and wish that 'luck' doesn't play a big part in getting a great product. Knowing what I know now and after seeing what some of my friends received I would still gamble and order a Paperwhite if I wanted a new reader because Amazon is very good at replacing defective products quickly and returns of defective products are free - no restocking fees - so the risk of paying for and then being stuck with a bad product or a product you don't like is practically nil._______________________________________________________The Kindle readers, not the Fire tablets are in my view Amazon's truly innovative product. The Paperwhite extraordinary display ensures that Amazon will continue to lead when it comes to readers. We've been using Kindles ever since the Kindle 3 a.k.a. the Kindle Keyboard. Besides the Keyboard model we also own a Kindle Touch and a 'plain' Kindle (no keyboard, no touch). When compared to the previous models the Paperwhite is a big leap forward not only because it eliminates the need of a lamp when reading at night but the display is brighter with a better contrast during the day and it's significantly sharper always.The Paperwhite incorporates and improves on the best features of its predecessors. It's lighter, the touch controls are more responsive, the battery life I am told is still measured in 'weeks' or even months rather than 'hours' and, with one exception, all of the Kindle's e-reader frills are supported: borrowing, all the social features, Whispersync and the new X-Ray.One notable missing capability is 'speakers'. I am not trying to be an Amazon apologist but I actually don't mind 'no speakers'. Not only because I've only used them once on my Kindle Keyboard but their absence allows for the e-reader to be smaller and lighter and it probably allows Amazon to sell the Paperwhite for a lower price. Besides, there are so many alternative ways to have your book read to you from any of the Kindle apps available for phones and tablets. After all, Paperwhite's strength is its screen and throwing in 2 little speakers would not have added much value. I use the Kindle readers, the Paperwhite included as 'books' and most books (some children books maybe the exception) don't read themselves.I put together this FAQ to record my experience with Amazon's new reader. I will add to it if there is sufficient interest and expanded with answer to whatever questions may be asked in the Comments section.[By the way, this may very well be my first 5-star review of a Kindle product (see NOTE 2). I remember rating the Kindle Fire as a 3 stars and the Kindle Keyboard as a 4 stars.]_______________________________________________________Q: How does the Paperwhite compare with previous models?A: The Papwerwhite is a one button, touch screen, keyboardless, speakerless e-reader featuring Amazon's new and quite spectacular Paperwhite display. The video shows [0:00] from left to right the Kindle, the Paperwhite, the Kindle Keyboard and the Kindle Touch next to each other.Q: What exactly is 'paperwhite'?A: From what I've seen so far, the technology allows for LED-produced light to distribute almost evenly across the reading surface. This makes the display brighter during the day and eliminates the need of a lamp at night.Q: How bright is Paperwhite?A: It's just about as bright as you want it to be [0:17]. There is a sliding scale that allows you to easily select your preferred level from almost 'off' to a level of brightness that hurt my eyes with 24 levels in-between.Q: In what way is 'paperwhite' better than a tablet's hi-res display?A: Tablets screens are backlit. Backlit screens are generally difficult to read outdoors and tend to cause eyestrain if read at night. The Paperwhite display reflects daylight and the light generated by Kindle's 4 LEDs the same way paper does and this is good for reading. Books can be read without difficulty outdoors even during a bright sunny day as well as at night.Q: Is the Paperwhite display better than the previous Kindles?A: Yes. The resolution is higher, the background can be set to your preferred level of white and the text appears to be darker [0:17].Q: Is the light evenly distributed on the screen?A: By and large yes and it's a significant improvement over what you get off an LED reading light [0:47]. At night or when reading in a dark room, 4 small, slightly darker spots - invisible under daylight - can be noticed at the very bottom of the screen [1:00].Q: Is the Paperwhite display larger than that of previous Kindles?A: No. Paperwhite's display is the exact same 6" size as that of previous Kindle e-readers.Q: Is Paperwhite's page turning faster than on previous models?A: Yes, page turning is significantly faster [0:30].Q: Does the Kindle Paperwhite come with speakers or an audio out port?A: No.Q: How much storage (memory) is available on the Paperwhite?A: 2 GB but only 1.25 GB are available for storing content.Q: Is there a MicroSD slot or any other memory expansion?A: No.Q: Is a charger included?A: No, but like all Kindle e-readers, the Paperwhite can be easily and quickly charged off a laptop or most generic or branded USB chargers.Q: Is a charging/data cable included?A: Yes, a white Type A to Micro-B USB cable is in the box.Q: Can you confirm Amazon's claim that the battery life on the Paperwhite is "8 weeks" if Wi-Fi is off.A: It depends. If you go by Amazon's definition: use it for half an hour daily at brightness level 10, then probably 'yes'. In practice, on full charge lasted 23 days with the Paperwhite on for 1-2 hours daily and a brightness level of 12 and with the Wi-Fi off for all but 30 minutes.Q: How easy/difficult was it to set up the Wi-Fi connection? And how do you turn it off?A: Individual experiences may vary but my Kindle immediately detected our home network, prompted me for a password and once I entered it it connected. You turn Wi-Fi off by turning on "Airplane mode".Q: Does it come with a manual?A: No but there is a very good interactive tutorial that shows you everything this Kindle can do, from setting up the level of brightness to shopping or borrowing to X-Ray.Q: Are there any physical buttons?A: There is only one On/Off button. All other controls, including page turning are through touch.Q: How much does it weigh?A: Less than 8 ounces.Q: I don't like touching the screen with my fingers. Can I use a stylus?A: Yes, the new screen can be used with a capacitive stylus.Q: Is the Kindle Paperwhite confined to Amazon's content?A: No. You can upload non-DRMed content, including MOBI book files. Kindle does not support EPUB but there are very good free EPUB to MOBI converter apps. See the first comment to this review on how to get Calibre, the best free EPUB to MOBI converter.Q: How is content delivered to the Paperwhite?A: Content can be uploaded either through Wi-Fi (or 3G) or or through the USB port.Q: Do I need to backup my Kindle?A: In the event of a disaster all Amazon-purchased content can be retrieved from Amazon's cloud but if you uploaded non-Amazon content to your Kindle it's your responsibility to back it up.Q: What new features are supported by the Kindle Paperwhite.A: One new feature supported by this model is X-Ray which helps tracking a book's characters. This model also can estimate how long it would take you to finish the book you are reading.Q: Should I buy a cover for my Paperwhite?A: I did. Amazon sells its own Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Leather Cover and it's far from 'cheap' but my past experience with covers for our other 3 Kindle readers is that Amazon's is a well designed, functional, quality product that will protect your Kindle and will most likely outlive it.Q: Should I pay a little extra for an 'ads free' model?A: I personally would not. The Kindle never shows ads while in the process of reading a book. Ads only appear as the 'screen saver' when the Kindle goes to sleep or on a narrow strip at the bottom on the screen when not actually reading a book.Q: Should I pay more for a 3G model?A: Only if you can easily afford it. I've never bought a 3G Kindle and I never missed it. Wi-Fi is good enough because books are rarely impulse buys and a Wi-Fi hot spot or a laptop with an USB port tend to be only minutes or at worst hours away.Q: Should I consider buying the Keyboard model?A: The Keyboard model does not have the Paperwhite display. I've been using a Kindle Keyboard reader ever since its launch date a couple of years ago and I don't believe I used the keyboard more than half a dozen times. A keyboard is a nice thing to have but a on-screen keyboard is good enough for me.Q: What if the Paperwhite does not meet my expectations. Can I return it?A: Yes. You may return it within 30 days of delivery date for a full refund. Amazon pays for shipping it back if you are returning a defective item but you will pay if you return it because you changed your mind or didn't like it. Last time I returned a small gadget about the size of a Kindle the shipping charge was about $3. I received the refund 2 or 3 days after Amazon received the package.______________________________________________________