LOVE/HATE Amazon Kindle Voyage

Here we are again with our LOVE/HATE column and today the device that we will be scrutinizing is the Amazon Kindle Voyage.

Is this device for you? Read on to find out!

LOVE

Design
I love the design on this device. My last Kindle was the 2nd edition of the Kindle Keyboard 3G, this device is way lighter, feels great. I love the fact that the screen is flush and it is a lot easier to hold with one hand.

Text
Text on this device is perfect! 100%! It is basically a retina display for e-readers. There is no pixelation whatsoever, looks like a real book!

Battery Life
I have only had to charge this device when I first received it. Battery life works great and I do not notice the backlight depleting the battery faster. With that said, the entire Kindle line has great battery life.

Backlight
I was quite skeptical of the adaptive front light, but I do notice the difference that when I read for long periods at night the display gets dimmer, to accommodate for my longer reading time. Quite impressive!

HATE

Price
The Voyage comes in 4 configurations. The base model without 3G with special offers will cost $199, without the offers $219. The 3G version will cost $70 more, which will run you $269 with offers, and $289 without offers.

EPUB
Considering that Kindle has dominated the e-reader space, it is still quite sad that it does not support EPUB directly. While there are workarounds (Calibre), it should be a more seamless experience.

Sensors
On this device, sometimes the sensors do not work for one-handed reading. I find myself having to swipe on the touchscreen more often than I should. A small light, or indentation would perhaps help to know where you can press to turn the page. If you’re reading in the dark with the backlight on, it can be quite frustrating trying to find the perfect place to press to turn the page.

RECOMMENDED FOR:
Avid readers
If you read a 1-2 books a week, you will notice the weight between the regular Kindle Touch and the Voyage. However, it is hard to recommend this version of the Kindle – unless you READ A LOT. I would only recommend this version of the Kindle for the top 5% of readers.

For occasional readers, the Kindle would be sufficient, currently on sale on Amazon for $49! If you want the backlit version, the paperwhite, that is running $99 (for a limited time).

The Voyage is a premium device, with a premium price. If you an book fanatic, then this device is for you.