How does amazons kindle work

Yes, there is a day free trial available to all customers interested. Just click on Amazon. All titles and audiobooks available through Kindle Unlimited are accessible across a range of devices and platforms. You can, of course, read or listen with a Kindle or Fire device, but you could also simply install the free Kindle Reading App on a separate compatible smartphone or tablet. As mentioned above, once you've subscribed to the Kindle Unlimited service, any ebook or audiobook that is Kindle Unlimited-eligible will have the Kindle Unlimited logo on it.

It weighs 6. The largest model in the lineup, the Kindle Oasis , is 6. It weighs about 6. The software is the same in both and the ads are fairly unobtrusive. The Paperwhite 3G was released in October , and the Paperwhite itself is in its 10th generation as of it was released in It measures 6. The central feature on all the Kindle models with the exception of the Kindle Fire tablets is the electronic paper screen. The Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite have 6-inch centimeter screens and the Kindle Oasis has a 7-inch centimeter screen.

The Paperwhite gets its name from its display, which is whiter than the base Kindle display. The lighter screen gives more contrast with the text, making it easier to read than the light gray color of the Kindle's screen.

The Oasis also has more contrast than the base Kindle. There is a Kindle Kids Edition, but it is technologically identical to the regular Kindle. Their screen resolution is pixels per inch ppi.

The Paperwhite and Oasis have almost twice that, with ppi. All Kindle screens can display images in 16 levels of gray using electronic ink technology. Unlike LCD screens, the Kindle e-reader's screens aren't backlit. The crispness of the electronic ink screens makes them much easier to read in direct sunlight than devices with color LCD screens. The earliest Kindles required you to use a flashlight if you wanted to read in the dark, but now all of Amazon's e-readers have front-lit screens.

A thin sheet of nano-imprinted flattened fiber optic cable distributes the light uniformly over the entire screen, giving the illusion that it is backlit. But since the light is directed toward the screen and not toward your eyes, the Kindle retains its electronic ink advantage of being easy to read. Despite the addition of light, which is usually a big power drain, Kindles keep battery usage at a minimum by using low-powered LEDs as the light source.

Early Kindle models had physical keyboards, but Amazon's current Kindle models use virtual keyboards on their touch-sensitive screens. In fact, the Oasis is the only current Kindle with physical buttons on its face, and it only has two — one to turn the page forward, the other to turn the page back. There is one button on all Kindle models — the power button. Without physical buttons, many of the devices' features are hidden while you read.

To find the controls, tap at the top of the touch-screen. From there you can go back to your library, change settings such as brightness and font size, and the book's table of contents. Although Amazon has done away with headphone jacks on its Kindle readers, you can pair them with Bluetooth headphones and speakers. That means if you want to use the Kindles' text-to-speech option or download audiobooks, you'll need to go wireless.

With the loss of the headphone jack, the only open port on Amazon's e-readers is a USB port, which you use to charge the device. You can also use it to hook up to a computer. Although you don't technically require one to use your Kindle, you can use a computer to load books and audio files from other sources and to manage the Kindle's library.

The Kindles come with a USB cable and a power adapter. The original Kindle also came with a protective book cover, which has a padded section that protects the screen and an elastic band that holds it closed. The Kindle Kids Edition is currently the only Kindle that comes with a cover, but Amazon also has a large selection of accessories for the Kindle, including leather covers and adapters for non-U. At its most basic level, the Kindle is just a specialized portable computer.

It has many of the bits and pieces you'd expect to find in any computing system. It also has a couple of elements that set it apart from your average computer. Most of the Kindle's components attach directly to a circuit board.

The circuit board acts as the foundation for electronic circuits in the Kindle. Most of the components are inseparable from the board. The various chips on the board include the processor, memory, USB connector and touch-screen interface. The Kindle draws its power from a rechargeable lithium-polymer battery. According to Amazon, the battery in the base Kindle can last up to four weeks without recharging, and the batteries in the Paperwhite and Oasis may last up to six weeks.

Actual battery life depends on how much you use the light, wireless and Bluetooth. All versions of the Kindle use a Linux -based operating system. Skochinsky experimented with a Kindle and discovered several interesting commands, shortcuts and hidden applications within the Kindle's OS.

For example, he discovered that if you press the Alt key, Shift key and M key while in the Home menu, the original Kindle will open up a game of Minesweeper. Above the circuit board on most Kindle models, you'll find the Kindle's electronic paper screen. We'll take a closer look at this screen in the next section.

One complaint some people had about early e-book readers was that they found it difficult to read words on an LCD display. Some users complained that longer reading sessions put too much strain on their eyes.

Amazon's solution to this problem was to use electronic ink technology. The Kindle's electronic ink screen looks more like paper than an LCD screen. It reflects light in much the same way that paper does. A company called E Ink in Cambridge, Massachusetts, developed the technology the Kindle relies upon to display text and images. Rather than use the liquid crystals you'd find in an LCD or the ionized gas you'd find in a plasma display , electronic ink actually uses millions of microcapsules, only a few microns wide.

Each microcapsule contains a clear fluid and thousands of white and black particles. The white particles carry a positive magnetic charge, and the black particles have a negative charge. It's a good idea to grab a case for your Kindle to prevent scratches on the screen and damage from drops. Amazon's Kindle case selection is wide — you can choose from fabric or genuine leather cases that fit every model of the Kindle.

We've used both the leather and fabric Kindle cases from Amazon over the years and we love them. They're sturdy and they protect the Kindle's screen and back cover. There's also a nice magnetic closure to ensure that the screen stays covered and your case doesn't pop open in your bag.

The cases may be a bit expensive, but they will truly protect your Kindle from daily wear and tear so that your ereader lasts for years. You can also choose to buy Amazon's Kindle bundles, which net you the case and the Kindle for a good price. If you don't already have a wall charger and a Micro-USB cable, you'll want to buy a set for your Kindle.

Kindles don't come with the wall charger — you only get the Micro-USB cable in the box. Subscribe to our newsletter. You can purchase syndication rights to this story here. Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Reviews team.

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Black Friday. Cyber Monday. Malarie Gokey. Amazon's Kindle ebook readers are among the best you can buy because they are so easy to use. To get the most out of your Kindle, it helps to know a few tips and tricks. We've broken down the basics of using your Kindle, how to download ebooks, how to get free ebooks on your Kindle, and much more in this guide. I also recommend getting a protective case — Amazon has its own covers that are quite nice, but third-party options offer built-in stands and more colorful designs.

The higher-end Kindle Oasis is twice the price of the Paperwhite, but comes fully loaded with a premium aluminum build and all the features you could ever want in a Kindle. The screen is slightly bigger at 7 inches.

And actual buttons on the right allow for easier one-handed reading, too, a big plus for readers who prefer a tactile design. The Oasis is undoubtedly a nice e-reader, and ideal if you do most of your reading at home. If you want something portable you can toss around without worry, the lower-cost Kindle and Paperwhite might be better options. Catch up on Select's in-depth coverage of personal finance , tech and tools , wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date.