Not the perfect "do-it-all" device, but very close to being the perfect e-reading device!

Kindle Wireless Reader Wifi Graphite

I'll begin this review with the important caveat that I've only had my K3 for a day, so it's possible in a week, it will explode, leaving scorch marks on my hands and tears in my eyes. That being said, apocalyptic scenarios aside, this thing is amazing!

The "feature" that will strike you first is how small it is, especially if you're a K2 user. The width is perfect for a "man's hands," being easily held between the thumb and middle finger. This isn't necessarily the most comfortable way, but it's a good sign of the size. Even my wife with "woman's hands" thinks it's far easier to hold than the K2 (not that the K2 was difficult, mind you). It HAS taken some time figuring out how best to hold it, since some of the K2 real estate is missing, but it's definitely nice to have something this small.

The weight is what'll hit you next. Or rather, it WON'T hit you. In fact, if you looked away, you might wonder if you were actually holding it. The K3 gives new definition to the word "featherweight," and is a delight to hold for longer reading sessions. The K2 is like a brick compared to this.

The screen and/or speed are the "last" of the first impressions. From a faster boot up to richer blacks to snappier page turning to faster highlighting, the K3 does not disappoint. Text is sharp and crisp, and the screen refresh when turning a page is EASILY "20% faster" (I'd say twice that). The new fonts are an added benefit.

After these three "first impressions," other things strike you at various intervals. The new 5-way navigation device is amazing! It's not as tactilely "present" as the K2, but defintely responsive and far less likely to break off. The "rubberized" back feels nicer than the K2 metal back and isn't slick or sticky, just the perfect amount of grip. The power button is larger and easier to slide (though it's on the bottom, which has resulted in a few "tummy sleeps") . The Keyboard is easier to "thumb-type" on. The graphite color only serves to further enhance the text. And there's a "Back" button at the left AND right!!!! PDF reading is much faster now, thought the 6" screen is still the limiting factor.

The absence of numbers is a bit of a drawback, and I'm disappointed that Amazon didn't at least stencil in the numbers above the letters.

Overall, I've VERY impressed by the K3. The loss of the row of number buttons is a bit of a miss, but they're far less important than the letters and the smaller size. (Sure, you can hold down ALT and press the buttons along the top for numbers, but it can get annoying when you're counting in to make sure you hit 6, not 7) Amazon really got it right this time, and at a price of $139, I can't see much reason NOT to spring for this one.

Happy Kindling!!!!

EDIT: One VERY important caveat on the Wi-Fi only version: it does NOT handle WPA Enterprise (as noted in Amazon's product description). For college students, this could be a deal-breaker. I'm lucky that my campus has an unsecured network, but if it didn't, I'd have no wi-fi options aside from home and the random Starbucks. I'm a bit frustrated by this (hopefully Amazon will address it with a future software update). WEP, WPA/WPA2 personal networks work fine.

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