The Kindle has long been a stalwart in the e-reader market, setting high standards for other competitors. The Kindle 2022 Standard Edition continues this legacy with several impressive features designed to enhance the digital reading experience. This review will unpack the attributes of the Kindle 2022, exploring its unique qualities, strengths, and areas that might benefit from further refinement.
Priced at a modest £94.99, the Kindle 2022 positions itself as a budget-friendly option, making it accessible to a broad audience of e-book enthusiasts. Its availability in both Black and Blue offers users the option to choose according to their aesthetic preferences.
Design & Build
The Kindle 2022 presents a simple yet practical design, embodying a form that serves the function of extended comfortable reading. With a weight of 158g and a thickness of 8mm, the device boasts portable convenience, making it easy to carry during commutes or travels. While the device is not waterproof, its sturdy build should withstand daily wear and tear.
Display & Readability
The 6″ screen of the Kindle 2022, coupled with a resolution of 300ppi, provides a reading experience that closely mirrors that of physical books. This screen size is well-suited to a broad spectrum of reading materials, from novels to magazines and academic papers.
The device features a frontlight but lacks the warmlight and auto-brightness features of more premium Kindles, such as the Oasis and Paperwhite (Signature Edition). While the frontlight ensures readability under various lighting conditions, the absence of the other two features means that users may need to manually adjust the lighting for optimal comfort. Unlike some e-readers, the screen is not flush with the device; however, this doesn’t detract from the overall reading experience.
Operating System & Compatibility
The Kindle 2022 runs on KindleOS, a proprietary operating system designed to offer a user-friendly interface and a seamless reading experience. While the OS doesn’t provide access to the Google Play Store, it does allow for direct downloads from Amazon’s extensive library of e-books, periodicals, and more.
When it comes to file format compatibility, the Kindle 2022 supports a wide array, including KFX, EPUB, PDF, AZW, AZW3, MOBI, DOC, DOCX, HTML, RTF, TXT, and various image formats. However, users may need to convert some non-Amazon e-book formats to the Kindle’s preferred format for optimal performance.
Storage & Connectivity
With a storage capacity of 16GB, the Kindle 2022 offers ample space for a sizeable e-book collection. However, it lacks a Micro-SD slot, limiting expansion possibilities. While the device doesn’t feature mobile connectivity, Bluetooth is available, enabling connections with wireless headphones or speakers, which can be particularly useful when using the text-to-speech feature.
Additional Features
The Kindle 2022 lacks certain features like physical page-turn buttons, wireless charging, auto-rotation, and a colour screen. However, given its budget-friendly price, these omissions are not surprising. The device does come with a responsive touchscreen, facilitating easy navigation and reading.
One noteworthy feature is the text-to-speech functionality, which can read out content, turning the device into an impromptu audiobook player. However, given the absence of built-in speakers, this feature would require the use of headphones or external speakers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Kindle 2022 Standard Edition, with its user-friendly interface, vast e-book compatibility, and an array of features, positions itself as a solid contender in the budget e-reader market. It demonstrates that a satisfying e-reading experience doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag.
While certain features like waterproofing, auto-brightness, and a Micro-SD slot are missing, the Kindle 2022’s overall offering aligns well with its price point. It’s a testament to Amazon’s commitment to providing quality e-readers to suit a variety of budgets. For those seeking an entry-level e-reader that delivers beyond its price, the Kindle 2022 is a worthy contender.
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Full Specs
| Product The name of the product/model | Kindle 2022 |
|---|---|
| Version The version of the product | Standard |
| Buy Click on the button to buy | |
| Image A picture of the product |  |
| Price The price of the product (in USD) | $119.99 |
| Brand The brand/manufacturer of the product | Kindle |
| Screen size The size of the screen (measured diagonally) | 6" |
| PPI The number of pixels per inch (PPI) NOTE: on colour devices, this is the monochrome PPI | 300ppi |
| Storage capacity The storage space of the e-reader | 16Gb |
| Operating System Which O/S the device runs by default | KindleOS |
| Writing Whether the e-reader has writing/note-taking capabilities | ⨯ |
| Frontlight Whether the product has a frontlight | ✓ |
| Warmlight Whether there is temperature control for the frontlight | ⨯ |
| Auto brightness Whether the brightness of the e-reader changes automatically based on the exterior ambient light | ⨯ |
| Bluetooth Whether the e-reader support audio via Bluetooth headphones/speaker | ✓ |
| Speakers Whether the e-reader support audio via an onboard speaker | ⨯ |
| Touchscreen Whether the e-reader has a capacitive touchscreen | ✓ |
| Waterproof Whether the e-reader is waterproof to IPX8 rating | ⨯ |
| Play store Whether you can install apps from the Google Play Store (e.g. Kindle, Koreader etc.) | ⨯ |
| Flush screen Whether the screen is flush with the casing of the e-reader | ⨯ |
| Page-turn buttons Whether the e-reader has physical buttons for turning pages | ⨯ |
| Auto-rotation Whether the e-reader automatically changes the screen orientation | ⨯ |
| Text-to-speech Whether the e-reader can convert text to speech | ✓ |
| Micro-SD slot Whether the e-reader has a slot for a MicroSD card | ⨯ |
| Colour screen Whether the e-reader has a colour screen | ⨯ |
| Ads Whether the e-reader shows ads on the sleep screen | ⨯ |
| Wireless charging Whether the e-reader supports wireless charging | ⨯ |
| Mobile connectivity Whether the e-reader can connect to the cloud over the cellular network | ⨯ |
| Weight The weight of the product | 158g |
| Thickness The thickness of the e-reader | 8mm |
| Height The height of the e-reader | 157.8mm |
| Width The width of the e-reader | 108.6mm |
| File formats The file formats that are supported | KFX, EPUB, PDF, AZW, AZW3, MOBI, DOC, DOCX, HTML, RTF, TXT, JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP, TIFF, AAX |
| Colours Which colours this e-reader is available in | Black, Blue |
| Buy Click on the button to buy |