The Amazon Kindle is a portable e-book reader. More precisely, it is a software, hardware and network platform developed by Amazon.com subsidiary Lab126 that utilizes wireless connectivity to enable users to shop for, download, browse, and read e-books, newspapers, magazines, blogs, and other digital media in some countries.
Several hardware devices support this platform, including a main "Kindle" line and a parallel "Kindle DX" line. The most recent Kindle device is the third incarnation of the main line, officially named "Kindle", but usually referred to as "Kindle 3". Kindle 3 was released on August 27, 2010. User reports indicate that the new display on the Kindle 3, with E Ink Pearl technology, is noticeably superior to previous generations.
The Kindle DX line features larger screens than the main Kindle line. It is marketed as more suitable for displaying newspaper and textbook content; however, no Kindle model preserves the print edition page numbers used when citing sources in school papers and scholarly research. Amazon has also introduced Kindle software for use on various devices and platforms, including Microsoft Windows, iOS, BlackBerry, Mac OS X (10.5 onwards), Android and Windows Phone 7.
The Kindle hardware devices use an e-ink electronic paper display that features 16 shades of grey. This allows for a long battery life and easy readability. Content for the Kindle can be purchased online and downloaded wirelessly in some countries, using either standard Wi-Fi or Amazon's 3G "Whispernet" network. Whispernet is accessible without any monthly fee or wireless subscription, although fees can be incurred for the delivery of periodicals and other content when roaming internationally beyond the customer's home country. Through a service called "Whispersync", customers can synchronize reading progress, bookmarks and other information across Kindle hardware devices and other mobile devices.
