Big News - Kindle DX Huge Price Drop

After all of our Thanksgiving festivities quieted down I wanted to do a little shopping on Amazon and got on the computer. The first thing on their home page is a big announcement on a temporary price drop on the Kindle DX.

Normally around Christmas you'll see a price drop of maybe $20 - but this one is huge. Amazon is offering it for a whopping $120 less than the normal price of $379. Until Monday, November 28th, the Kindle DX will be on sale for $259.

If you are thinking of getting one for yourself or a loved one, now is the time to do.

Screen Size

The two most important features in an ebook reader for those with macular degeneration is going to be the screen size and glare.

The Kindle DX has one of the largest viewing screens of all the popular electronic book readers - 9.7" while the Kindle 2 or Barnes and Noble Nook have a 6" screen.

The more one magnifies the font size, the less words one will see on the screen. Having a larger screen means that you will get to read more words per page than one would on a smaller screen.

No Glare

The biggest advantage of the Kindle DX over the Apple iPad, which has about the same size screen, is the lack of glare.

Reading books on the anti-glare screen is much more soothing on the eyes and results in less eye strain. It is not like reading on a computer screen.

You can take the Kindle DX outside to read or sit by a sunny window - it reads just like a real book.

Font Magnification and Great Contrast

There are 6 font sizes to choose from. By simply pressing a button one can adjust the font size to a larger more readable font.

The e-ink technology of the Kindle DX offers some of the best contrast with sharp, crisp letters. Contrast sensitivity is one of the vision losses with macular degeneration, so the better the contrast the easier it is to read.

International

I was at a conference last weekend with a young woman from South Africa. She had ordered her Kindle reader from Amazon - and just like in the U.S. she had it in 3 days.

Amazon offers wireless coverage in 100 countries and ships internationally.

Audiobooks

I recently downloaded The Help audio book on my Kindle. Using the headset from my iPod, I enjoyed listening to The Help on a recent 4 hour flight.

So you can use your Kindle for more than just reading.

Kindle readers are shipped free. Here is their return policy if you find that it doesn't work for you:

"You can return any Kindle you purchased directly from Amazon.com for a full refund within 30 days of the day you received it as long as it is in new condition and in accordance with our return policy. Your Kindle is not eligible for return and refund after the 30-day return period has expired."

I'm not sure if it is a marketing ploy, but the Amazon website said they will offer the Kindle DX for $259 until Monday, November 28 or "until supplies last."

Go to Amazon:

Kindle DX, Free 3G, 9.7" E Ink Display, 3G Works Globally

Thanks so much for subscribing to Macular Degeneration News.

Leslie Degner, RN, BSN

Better Health for Better Vision

www.WebRN-MacularDegeneration.com

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