![Amazon Kindle can be used in the app form on a tablet/phone/PC, or through the company’s physical e-reader. Which is right for you? [File]](https://th-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/xiupr0/article68409517.ece/alternates/LANDSCAPE_1200/XPrize_Childrens_Literacy_18875.jpg-66948.jpg "Amazon Kindle can be used in the app form on a tablet/phone/PC, or through the company’s physical e-reader. Which is right for you? [File]")
If you have managed to cross the great paper-digital divide and can enjoy e-books, then buying Amazon’s Kindle e-reader to store your digital library might seem like the next natural step.
However, there is more to the e-commerce giant’s Kindle product than what meets the eye. While the e-reader is a match made in heaven for numerous bookworms worldwide, others might be better off buying a budget-grade tablet, or using their own phone.
Why is this the case? And what is the best choice for you? Let’s look at some factors to help you decide.
For a short list of pros and cons, see the following Kindle vs Apple iPad breakdown, or the summary at the end.
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| Kindle Oasis (10th Generation) | Apple iPad (10th Generation, no cellular) | |
| Price | ₹28,999 | ₹39,900 |
| Storage | 8 or 32 GB; can hold thousands of books | 64GB, 256GB |
| Battery | Up to 6 weeks on one charge | Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‑Fi or watching videos |
| Warranty | 1-year limited warranty and service included | Apple 1-year limited warranty |
| Screen | 7-inch screen with E Ink Carta™ and built-in light; 300 ppi | 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone |
*Details taken from the devices’ respective Amazon.in pages
Cost
Amazon’s Kindle e-readers have certainly evolved over the years—and their prices have spiked.
From slow, basic tablets with small viewing windows and only a few lights for illumination when they were first launched in 2007, the Kindle e-reading device has come a long way with the Champagne Gold variant of the Kindle Oasis (10th Gen), which retails at ₹24,999.
This brings us to the question of whether allocating cash to buy an e-reader is worth it. While older and cheaper Kindle e-readers might be floating around on e-commerce websites, the newer models cost almost as much as a basic tablet—but have far fewer features, less memory, and lower processing speeds.
On the flip side, a Kindle e-reader has a longer battery life when its LED lights are not overused, and the device can go for weeks between charges.
But remember that Amazon also makes its Kindle app available for free through its website, so that you can download it on the phone, tablet, or laptop you already own and start buying/reading your e-books in a matter of minutes.
So, if you wish to spend about ₹10,000 to ₹25,000 on an e-reader, consider whether you want an Amazon Kindle device in specific, or a budget tablet or smartphone in the same range that will come with more advanced specs.
Screen and eye health
For many bookworms, the top reason for choosing an Amazon Kindle e-reader–as opposed to a tablet or a phone–is the unique structure of the screen.
![Amazon’s Kindle Oasis is visible on the extreme right, compared against older Kindle models [File]](https://www.thehindu.com/theme/images/th-online/1x1_spacer.png "Amazon’s Kindle Oasis is visible on the extreme right, compared against older Kindle models [File]")
Amazon’s Kindle Oasis is visible on the extreme right, compared against older Kindle models [File] | Photo Credit: AP
Made with e-ink technology that prevents glare, a Kindle e-reader generally results in less eye strain. This is crucial if you are reading for hours on end, reading in moving vehicles, reading in the dark, or if you just want to cut down the time you spend staring into brightly lit laptop and phone screens.
E-ink technology, on the other hand, uses electro-chemical reactions to make microcapsules lighten or darken parts of the glare-free base to create black text against a neutral background in a way that mimics ink on paper. While it sounds complex, the result is a reading experience that feels organic and minimalistic.
More advanced e-readers come with a higher number of LED lights embedded in the device to support reading in low-light locations. They can even change their shade to give the screen a warm yellow tint. However, using this feature extensively can drain the battery.
Reader’s age
A busy professional on the move who keeps their work and personal media on just one or two devices might find it inconvenient to have a separate Kindle e-reader just for their books. For such people, downloading the Kindle app on their preferred device could be one workaround, to reduce the number of devices they are carrying during travel.
However, if the user is a child or a young person who is building a reading habit, a Kindle e-reader could be a good way to keep them focused on their book–and away from distracting notifications, text messages, social media apps, or the allure of colourful videos.
For elderly readers or those who are less mobile, a Kindle e-reader makes it easy to browse, buy, and read books without moving around too much or straining their wrists with heavy tomes. Some Kindle e-reader models offer both touchscreen and button options to turn the pages easily.
Furthermore, Kindle e-readers allow users to change typefaces, font sizes, page colours, letter spacing, etc. There is also a typeface that caters to readers with dyslexia. However, these features are available on most e-reader apps for mobile and PC devices as well.
Amazon e-readers can be a good fit for users such as students who enjoy highlighting content and compiling notes, so that they can review the material later.
Audiobooks
Readers who enjoy both e-books and audiobooks might be drawn to Amazon’s most recent Kindle e-readers as they support both audiobooks from Amazon’s Audible, as well as e-books. This can be a great option for those who want more diverse reading experiences that are not limited to paper.
However, some Indian reviews for the Kindle Oasis (10th Gen) on Amazon have complained that the audiobook streaming feature and Audible integration features are not available in the country, due to geographical restrictions. Others noted being disappointed by the lack of support for Bluetooth earphones. Users who want to experience audio books through their Kindle e-reader may need to use workarounds such as alternative Amazon accounts or false locations, but this does not guarantee success.
Repair and sustainability
Most Kindle e-readers come with a limited one-year warranty and service.
Getting a Kindle e-reader serviced or repaired in India by an Amazon-affiliated provider may be challenging, or requires the user to mail in their device and wait. Kindle accessories can also cost a lot and are mostly only available online in India.
Available books
Remember that after you buy an Amazon Kindle e-reader, you will still have to spend money on each of the Amazon e-books that you download for reading. Most of these books will have to come from the Amazon Kindle platform that corresponds to your location, so you may not always be able to benefit from discounts that apply to buyers in other countries, or even buy such books.
Also, keep in mind that not all published books have digital or audio versions, so they may not be available through your Kindle e-reader.
It is worth noting that you do not own the e-books that you have downloaded on your Amazon Kindle e-reader. You are only licensed to store the content on your device, and Amazon still controls the digital product. This means e-books can be changed, updated, removed, replaced, etc. over time.
It is possible to read other documents—such as your own work or downloaded PDFs—in your Kindle e-reader. To do this, however, you will need to convert the document to a compatible format and then send it to your device.
When it comes to e-books published on other online platforms, they may have Digital Rights Management (DRM) applied to prevent them from being read on other platforms’ e-readers.
