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By Alun Taylor (via eghardware.co.uk)

Review It was Amazon’s Kindle that really turned the idea of an e-book reader into a true mass-market proposition. Well, in the States, at least, because the first Kindle was only ever available to US-based buyers. Now, however, you can get an “international version” of the Kindle 2 in Blighty. More accurately, you can buy it from Amazon in the US and have it shipped to you in the UK.

Amazon’s Kindle: now over here

Look up the Kindle 2 on Amazon.com and you’ll find a headline price of $259 and since that’s about £155 in real money, you’re probably thinking it’s a bargain compared to the iRiver Story and Sony Reader Touch Edition, both priced on the wrong side of £200. But by the time you add shipping and import duty, the price of the Kindle is actually £207. Still cheaper than the competition, but not by as much.

Something else worth keeping in mind is that the International Kindle is not the latest version. In the US you can order the Kindle DX, which boasts a 9.7in screen in place of the standard edition’s 6in panel.

Before we dive in to the hardware, let’s deal with Amazon’s Big Idea: buying and downloading content over the air. Buy a Kindle and you get 3G or GPRS access to Amazon’s e-book store. There’s no up-front charge – the cost is built into the price of the book – and it means you no longer need to download books to computer then copy them over to the reader. Read the rest of this entry »

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By Register Hardware (via reghardware.co.uk)

Kit of the Year E-book viewers prompted plenty of Register Hardware reader interest during 2009, a year in which market stalwarts Sony and Amazon finally saw some notable rivals, iRiver in particular. In response, perhaps, Amazon started offering the US-centric Kindle to overseas buyers – will ours arrive in time to change the selection here? But Brits will have to wait longer for Sony’s US-only wireless Reader Daily Edition.

iRiver Story

With its speedy menus, decent built-in music player, strong battery life and handy ancillary features, the Story looks a winner – provided you’re running the latest firmware. If you want Santa to stick an e-book reader under the Christmas tree this year, then the iRiver Story is a sound choice – literally.

Rating 80%
Price £229 Read the rest of this entry »