The perfect case!

 

Belkin Grip Neoprene Kindle Keyboard Sleeve , Midnight Blue

By Scott Becker

 

When I bought my Kindle 3, I also bought the Kindle leather case (the standard black one with the slide-out reading lamp). Nice product, but I now regret the (rather costly) purchase. 

Sure, it's nice to have the lamp on board, but I found the case a bit too heavy for carrying around just for an occasional read on the run, and even a bit too 

heavy/cumbersome for longish reading sessions in bed or lying on the couch. I'd prefer to make sure I have a proper reading lamp wherever I am (like I would have to when reading a printed book, anyway) than to schlep the heavy case around just in case I might need a bit of light. And I discovered I wanted to feel just the sleek and light Kindle in my hands when reading.

Trying to find the right case was not easy, but the Belkin is definitely it! Here's what I was after:
- light weight
- close fit, but not so close that closing/opening it would be difficult
- easy-pull zippers
- no major issues with pulling zippers around corners
- non-flashy but pleasing design (didn't want it to stick out like a sore thumb on my desk at work, or in the canteen when reading at lunch)

- protective enough for carrying the kindle in my backpack, which means protective against scratches, somewhat padded and closable all the way around (against sliding out or getting dirt or dust in it if open on one side like some of the nifty but - for me - impractical - pouches)

- offering a bit of rainy weather (drizzle) protection when I carry my Kindle outside a few paces on my daily path to the canteen
- NO AWFUL SMELL
- not too terribly expensive

Well folks, this is exactly what the Belkin Grip Kindle Sleep delivers - and I am definitely not a Belkin rep or a paid reviewer! Yes, it does have a very slight neoprene smell to it (heck, it IS made of neoprene, and that's the material I wanted), but I am very picky about such smells and a big hater, for example, of those awful mousepads with gel cushions that stink to high heaven. This case does not stink at all like that. Just a whiff of neoprene, and even that gets less over time. Don't conciously notice it at all, even when the case is lying next to me on my nightstand.

At the start of my search, I had also considered those funky, curvy-shaped, neoprene Kindle pouches by BUILT Neoprene Kindle Sleeve (Fits 6" Display, Latest Generation Kindle), Scatter Dot, but the gaudy colors/designs turned me off. Also, one reviewer raised the issue of dirt possibly getting in the open end when carrying the Kindle in a bag/backpack, and I regard that as important since my backpack is know to have a few cookie crumbs or worse things in it, not to mention the occasional shoved-in item which might squeeze its way into an open pouch and harm the Kindle. 

After all, opening and closing the Belkin zippers is quick and easy, so why sacrifice the all-round protection? Ajd if you're ever in a big hurry or feeling lazy, you can just slide the Kindle in and stick the cover in your bag sideways, left edge down, without even zipping it up. This works because the zippers only go part way around, so there's a bit of "closed" sleeve even with the zippers open. 

I have done this from time to time, but usually prefer to zip it all up, which is zero frustration thanks to the well-designed dimensions and good zippers.

I had also looked at several other zippered neoprene cases and read virtually every review on Amazon in the U.S. and the U.K. up though October, and none of them seemed to pan out in terms of zippers, smell and protection. There were always issues, and these were confirmed by several people. Then there are those stand-up types, which might be really nice for reading on a table (e.g. while eating), but those also involve surplus weight, and I prefer to just prop my Kindle up on the unzipped case for a slight angle.

An added plus: The firmer bit in the middle (with the design on it) is indeed good for grabbing the case when carrying your Kindle around. I was glad that not about this non-neoprene accent when I once picked the case up without realizing at I had chocolate on my hand. Getting chocolate out of neoprene can be a bit messy.

In short: I'd highly recommend this case for anyone looking for a no-frills, well-designed, lightweight solution for Kindle 3!

Excellent but expensive

Belkin Pleated Neoprene Kindle Keyboard Sleeve Black/White

By Mrs L.C

When I first decided to buy the fantastic Kindle3 I thought it was only right to get the cover designed for it.

My first thought on which cover to get was that both the standard and the lighted one were brilliant but about a third too expensive. Looking at the prices I decided that I should economise so I bought the standard cover without the light thinking that I already have a simple clip on light that would do the job fine.

Both the covers (excepting the light) are the same so the following review applies to both models.

The cover arrived (before the Kindle) and it is very very good. It fits the Kindle perfectly and in so doing gives protection. I really like the way that it is styled, the leather is gorgeous, the colours lovely (I bought the burnt orange) and it is so easy to use. It attaches to the Kindle in a matter of seconds, and in use is simplicity. I really like the elastic closure band, no fuss, just does the job. I also really like the way I can fold the cover back, fix it with the band and then either hold the Kindle with one hand or rest it on a cushion or in a book stand for 'hands free' use. The inside of the cover has a lovely 'felty' feel to it, so not only does it completely protect the screen and buttons of the Kindle, but it is also non slip so rests very easily on an angled surface.

Attaching my clip on light was ok, but after only a few days the battery was going down (because I was using the Kindle so much!) so I decided to think again about the lighted cover!

Having initially disregarded the lighted cover due to its cost I began to see the advantages over having a separate light. The light is always there! After kicking myself a bit over having wasted money on buying the standard cover I ordered the burgundy red lighted cover. It is brilliant! It is so clever just having the light there all the time, safely tucked away when not needed, but instantly available in low light. I thought the light would be uneven and therefore annoying but it is a very gentle natural light and becomes unnoticeable once absorbed in the reading - which is very very easy to do.

I don't understand why anyone having bought the best e-reader on the market will want to buy a cover which slips off or is just a stick-on cover. Don't hesitate about buying the best cover designed for the Kindle which does the job so brilliantly. Yes it is expensive but it will last, is a quality product and makes my Kindle look an even more amazing piece of kit than it already is in its own right. If you want to buy and like it , click to>>>>>  Kindle Touch.

Kindle e-Reader with Wi-Fi, 6" Display

Kindle, Wi-Fi, 6" E Ink Display

On the latest Kindle the screen remains unchanged and is excellent, most significantly in sunlight. The most striking difference is the size of the Kindle - significantly smaller than the keyboard version and now looking more like the Sony eReader range. I don't need a keyboard - although you have access to a virtual one on the Kindle screen but only can only slooooowly select keys using the 5-way control on the front of the Kindle. I much prefer this compact, very light, form. The finish is also better in my opinion. I prefer the silver casing to black, and certainly the white available in US earlier-generation Kindles. Another flagged improvement is the speed of `virtually' turning the page. There is a minimal improvement but it's still not possible to repeatedly press the next page button without the Kindle quickly falling behind.

Lower specs, excluding the keyboard which I think is a plus, is the anticipated time before the Kindle needs to be recharged - one month instead of two. One month is fine for me. The storage is also reduced but Amazon archives all your purchases in the Cloud so when you have Wi-Fi access you can download them just in case you're running out of storage space. As the Kindle will hold more than 1,000 books this is not likely to be an issue. Further, listening to music and audio books is no longer an option on the Kindle (which has no speaker) so the storage won't be clogged with large sound files. Storage space is not critical therefore. I also find that with Wi-Fi pretty ubiquitous these days that the loss of a 3G is fine. Where you're likely to struggle finding a Wi-Fi access point you're also likely not to be in a 3G area but can still rely on a slower GPRS or Edge mobile download. It is possible to connect the Kindle to a PC and move e-books to it via the USB cable so the Wi-Fi less have a work around (but you need Wi-Fi at least once to activate it on receipt).

Overall this is a refreshing update of the Kindle focussed on the key features of an e-reader - a good screen/size ratio, lightweight form, ease of downloading new books, and an excellent screen. And thanks to the focus on core features it's cheaper than earlier versions. Recommended.

Update: If you're considering investing in a new Kindle the Kindle Touch which, as the name suggests, comes with a touch screen might be worth a look. This adds the functionality of a touch screen, innovative searching of content in addition to a standard dictionary, more storage space and a longer battery life. It's currently £20 more than the standard Kindle and available late April 2012. Check out the Amazon Kindle comparison page.

Click to >>>>Kindle Store