The Kindle Keyboard 3G was one of the earliest models in Amazon’s Kindle lineup. Released in 2010, it quickly became a popular choice for avid readers who appreciated its long battery life, e-ink display, and built-in 3G connectivity that allowed them to download new books from almost anywhere in the world without needing a Wi-Fi connection.
In this Kindle Keyboard 3G review, we’ll take a closer look at the Kindle Keyboard 3G’s features and performance, and help you decide if this e-reader is still worth considering in today’s market.
Kindle Keyboard 3G: Standout Features
The Kindle Keyboard 3G, also known as the Kindle 3, is a device that revolutionized the way we read books. With its sleek design and impressive features, it quickly became a favorite among avid readers. One of the standout features of the Kindle Keyboard 3G is its 3G connectivity, which allows you to download books and documents from anywhere, without needing to connect to a Wi-Fi network. This means that you can easily access your favorite books and reading materials on the go, making it an ideal device for frequent travelers and those always on the move.
Another standout feature of the Kindle Keyboard 3G is its E Ink display, which provides an experience that’s as close to reading a physical book as possible. The display is easy on the eyes and can be read in bright sunlight, making it perfect for beach vacations or reading by the pool. Additionally, the device has a long battery life that can last for weeks on a single charge, allowing you to read for hours without worrying about running out of power.
The Kindle Keyboard 3G also comes with a built-in dictionary and thesaurus, allowing you to easily look up words as you read. This feature is especially helpful for readers who are trying to expand their vocabulary or who are reading books in a foreign language.
Overall, the Kindle Keyboard 3G is a great choice for anyone looking for a reliable, feature-packed e-reader. Its 3G connectivity, E Ink display, long battery life, and built-in dictionary and thesaurus make it a standout device in the world of e-readers.
[amazon box=”B004HZYA6E” title=”Kindle Keyboard”]
Kindle Keyboard 3G review
What to expect from the Kindle Keyboard?
The device Kindle Keyboard 3G has received some fantastic feedback. It is a huge seller on Amazon and has been reviewed over 32,000 times. 72% of its reviewers have given it a five-star rating. This product provides all the great features that are associated with the Kindle Paperwhite series with the addition of a keyboard.
Design and Features:
The Kindle Keyboard 3G has a classic e-reader design, with a 6-inch e-ink display and a physical keyboard at the bottom of the device. The keyboard is one of the standout features of this device, as it allows for easy navigation and typing, making it great for taking notes or writing long-form content.
The device has a built-in 3G wireless connectivity, which allows users to download books and other content from anywhere, without needing to connect to a Wi-Fi network. This feature was a major selling point when the device was released, as it made it easy for users to access their content no matter where they were.
The device also has a long battery life, with up to a month of battery life on a single charge with wireless off, or up to 10 days with wireless on. This is an impressive feat, considering the amount of use that most avid readers will get out of the device.
Performance:
The Kindle Keyboard 3G performs well for its age, with a 600 MHz processor and 4GB of internal storage. It can hold up to 3,500 books, which should be more than enough for most users. The e-ink display is easy on the eyes and provides a comfortable reading experience, even for extended periods.
One of the downsides of this device is that it does not have a built-in light, which means it can be difficult to read in low light conditions. However, there are a variety of clip-on lights and cases with built-in lights that can be purchased separately to mitigate this issue.
Another downside is that the device does not have a touch screen, which may be a deal breaker for some users who are used to the convenience of touch screens on their mobile devices. However, the physical keyboard and easy-to-use navigation buttons more than make up for this limitation.
Screen and Display:
When it comes to e-readers, the screen and display are some of the most important features. And the Kindle Keyboard 3G definitely doesn’t disappoint in this aspect.
The device features a 6-inch E Ink display, which is a technology that is specifically designed to mimic the look of ink on paper. This means that the screen is not backlit, so you won’t experience any glare or eye strain, even if you read for hours on end. The screen resolution is 600 x 800 pixels, which is not as high as some newer models, but it still provides a sharp and clear reading experience.
One of the standout features of the Kindle Keyboard 3G’s display is the fact that it has a built-in light source, which illuminates the screen so that you can read comfortably in low light conditions. The light is integrated into the device’s body, so you don’t need an external light source to use it. The light can be adjusted to suit your preference, so you can make it brighter or dimmer depending on the lighting conditions.
Another feature that is worth mentioning is the device’s ability to display images and graphics. While e-readers are primarily designed for reading books, it’s still nice to be able to view images and diagrams in greater detail. The Kindle Keyboard 3G allows you to zoom in and out of images, and you can even view them in landscape mode if you prefer.
The Kindle Keyboard 3G also comes with some advanced screen customization options. For example, you can choose from eight different font sizes, and you can even change the font type to suit your reading preferences. You can also adjust the line spacing, margins, and justification to make the text appear exactly how you like it.
In terms of touch functionality, the Kindle Keyboard 3G uses physical buttons to navigate through the device’s interface, which can take some getting used to if you’re used to touchscreens. However, the buttons are easy to use and provide a tactile response, so you always know when you’ve pressed them.
Battery life:
The Kindle Keyboard 3G has long been renowned for its impressive battery life, making it a popular choice for avid readers on-the-go.
The device is powered by a 3.7-volt, 1750mAh lithium polymer battery that can last up to two months on a single charge. Of course, battery life may vary depending on usage, but it’s safe to say that you can read for weeks without needing to recharge.
The Kindle Keyboard 3G also has a unique feature called “experimental web browsing.” This feature allows users to browse the web using the device’s built-in browser. However, it’s important to note that web browsing will significantly reduce the device’s battery life.
Charging the device is easy and convenient. You can either charge it through the USB port on your computer or use the included power adapter to plug it into a wall socket. The device usually takes around three hours to fully charge.
Another impressive feature of the Kindle Keyboard 3G is its standby mode. When the device is not in use, it enters a low-power standby mode, which helps to conserve battery life. The device automatically enters standby mode after ten minutes of inactivity, but you can adjust this time to your preference in the settings menu.
Kindle Keyboard 3G Pros and Cons
- Pros
Let’s start with the pros. One of the standout features of the Kindle Keyboard 3G is its built-in 3G wireless connectivity. This means that you can download books, newspapers, and magazines from anywhere with a cellular signal, without having to connect to Wi-Fi. This is particularly useful if you’re traveling and don’t have access to Wi-Fi, or if you live in an area with limited Wi-Fi coverage.
Another advantage of the Kindle Keyboard 3G is its long battery life. With up to two months of battery life on a single charge, you can go for weeks without having to worry about running out of juice. This makes it a great option for frequent travelers or anyone who wants an e-reader that they can use for extended periods of time without having to constantly recharge.
In terms of display, the Kindle Keyboard 3G has a 6-inch E Ink display that’s easy on the eyes and mimics the look of ink on paper. This makes it a comfortable reading experience for extended periods of time, and the lack of glare means you can read in bright sunlight without any issues.
- Cons
Moving on to the cons, one of the biggest drawbacks of the Kindle Keyboard 3G is its lack of a touchscreen. While it does have physical buttons for navigation, this can make it a bit more difficult to use for some people, particularly those who are used to using touchscreen devices.
Another potential downside of the Kindle Keyboard 3G is its limited storage capacity. With only 4GB of onboard storage, you may find yourself running out of space quickly if you’re an avid reader with a large library of books.
Lastly, while the Kindle Keyboard 3G does have a web browser, it’s quite basic and not ideal for browsing the web for extended periods of time. If you’re looking for an e-reader that can double as a tablet for web browsing, you may want to consider other options on the market.
Overall, the Kindle Keyboard 3G is a reliable e-reader with some great features, particularly its built-in 3G connectivity and long battery life. However, its lack of a touchscreen and limited storage capacity may be a dealbreaker for some users. It’s worth weighing the pros and cons to decide if the Kindle Keyboard 3G is the right e-reader for your needs.
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Verdict
After the review, would we recommend this device to our customers?
Absolutely, and here’s why:
It’s a shame that there have been a few complaints about the keyboard, but we really like that the customers are impressed with the unit’s size and how comfortable it is to hold while reading. We also like that the display is clear and we think our readers will really enjoy reading books on this.
Our recommendation pales in comparison to the persuasion offered by 23,700 five-star ratings so you should definitely have a look at these reviews if you are unsure about purchasing this product.
