Certified Refurbished Kindle Paperwhite E-reader, 6" High Resolution Display with Next-Gen Built-in Light, Wi-Fi - Includes Special Offers (Previous Generation - 6th)

I received my Paperwhite as a Mother's Day gift, but wanted to give the device a "workout" before writing a review. This Paperwhite is the first dedicated e-reader I have had, although I have had the Kindle app for iPad and iPhone installed on those devices for a while, and have the app for my laptop installed as well. Functionally, the software on the various devices is similar, but there are some features of the Paperwhite that make it worthy of purchase. There are a couple of things I wish it did better. The first thing I would like to address is the "Special Offers" vs. "No Special Offers". Having used the Paperwhite with Special Offers for several months now, I can assure you that they are so NON-intrusive, they are hardly noticeable. When you put the Paperwhite into "sleep" mode, the screen is taken over by a possible recommendation for you based upon your reading choices, and when you are on the home page, there is a small banner at the bottom with a recommendation. Other than that, unless you go into the Special Offers page to examine in depth all the recommendations that are being made for you, they are not noticeable at all. It is well worth the few dollars savings to purchase the version with the Special Offers. The size of the Paperwhite is about perfect. It is smaller and lighter than my tablet, more portable than the laptop, but still large enough to make it more readable than the software on my phone. It is smaller than the average paperback book, but has a large enough screen that it is as easy, if not easier, to read than a paperback book. The e-ink technology has been THOROUGHLY reviewed by others, many of whom are far more technically savvy than me, so I will not try and duplicate their findings here. Suffice to say, the technology, combined with the backlighting, makes the Paperwhite easy to read under any conditions, whether it is in direct sun or late at night in bed when you want to read without disturbing your partner. The adaptability of the Paperwhite for a variety of readers is wonderful. Over the past few months, both my husband and my 7-year-old son have taken time with the Paperwhite and have had no issues with it. Each has been able to make the settings changes they wanted to to make reading easier with little difficulty. One feature of the Paperwhite (and, I would assume, other Kindle versions) is the "Kindle Free Time" application. Free Time allows me to choose which books are in my son's library, so that when he is using the Kindle, only those titles appear for him. Additionally, he is able to earn "achievements" while he is reading. For the younger gamer generation, earning achievements is a great incentive. The more they earn, the more they want to earn, until they have earned all of them. Free Time also allows me to track which books he is reading as well as how much time he has spent reading them. This, in turn, helps me to find additional titles that may be of similar interest to him. As far as title selection goes, I have yet to find a title that I wanted that is NOT available as an e-book. Many of the "classics" are available for free or for as little as a dollar or two. I have gotten several of the free titles, but have also found on a few of them that there were a few issues. One title, in particular, omitted all the quotations from other works, as that edition did not have copyright license for the other works. Paying for the $1 version eliminated that issue. That being said, there are several websites that will direct you to Amazon deals, based on your self-described reading interests. I have found several enjoyable titles using these services. Also, the more titles you select from Amazon, the more information Amazon has about your reading interests, and it can focus recommendations on titles you may be more interested in. As I mentioned in the beginning, there are a couple of things I wish the Paperwhite did better. As an e-reader, it is mostly perfect, but it is solely a black-and-white device. If you are reading a title with illustrations or photos, you will not be able to enjoy it properly on the Paperwhite. If there was one thing I could change, that would be it - especially considering the titles that my son enjoys reading. Many of the titles for his age have illustrations, and he gets a little more pleasure reading them on another device so that he can see the colors. Additionally, there have been a few titles that we have purchased for him that will ONLY work on the other devices, as they are not formatted for the Paperwhite. He can read them on the tablet, but not here. Worth a mention if you are thinking of sharing your device with a child. Overall, I have been highly pleased with my Paperwhite. Given all the technology already at our disposal in our family, my husband thought I was crazy when I told him I was interested in getting a Kindle, but since having gotten it, he has enjoyed using it as much as I have. If you are thinking of getting an e-reader, I would definitely recommend the Paperwhite!

I am a relatively new user of the Kindle Paperwhite, so I won't bore you with the technical details.....especially since they have all been mentioned so many times before. I will stay in line with my perceptions as a new user and why I feel the way I do. First, let me say that I have been looking at (and using..) a Paperwhite off and on since they first arrived on scene. Initially, I was NOT impressed...not because of the device itself, but because I was a confirmed BOOK reader who found it difficult to transition to an e-reader. I was one of the ones who had decided to stay with real books...paper ones. Over the ensuing months I gradually got used to the format and found myself picking it up more and more frequently. I am very tech savvy, and I found the idea of a digital format an intriguing one. Getting used to it...that was a different matter!! After using one and handling one and "playing" with one for all of these ensuing months, I finally decided that I could afford to take the risk. Not that I NEEDED one, you understand!! I was perfectly content to read my books with two hands and physically turn the pages and smell the paper and ink....you know, the old-time way. I guess I just came to realize (somewhat slowly, I admit..) that the future of reading and assimilation of knowledge through the printed word had finally come to the digital age and I was in danger of being left behind...as a fossil of what used to be. The decision came after much gnashing of teeth and rending of spirit. I finally just closed my eyes and pushed the button and the NEW IMPROVED Kindle Paperwhite was on its way to me. Of course, Amazon knows me very well because I am such a devoted customer...!!! :-) so they had no difficulty getting the product out to me in record time. It arrived in its own small dedicated package in a mere two days and in just moments I was hooking it up to a USB port to charge the little rascal. As it was charging (really just "sitting there.."...that's all it was doing !!...) I was constantly sneaking a peek at the screen to determine what if any progress was being made...nothing visibly apparent...oh boy, now I'm worried. But, my concern was ill-founded and the little digital representation of paper was in fact doing exactly what it was supposed to do. After 24 hours I removed it from its electrical tether and proceeded to bring it to life. What did I find?? Well, almost exactly the same thing I had been using for the past many moons. Except, this one was mine!! And I was proud!!! I walked around holding it, admiring it, examining it, and wiping it clean any time a perceived spot appeared, real or not. Then it struck me that maybe I should attempt to use it..??!!?? Uhh, well, Okaay, I guess..!? Now the object of my intense scrutiny must pass final muster. Will it perform?? After all, you can say it many ways..."beauty is in the eyes of the beholder", or "pretty is as pretty does". or "form follows function..". But the bottom line says that this item MUST do what it is supposed to do. So, I pressed the "GO!!" button and it sprang to life, instantly presenting me with some of the ads that I had elected to allow to stay resident on my new device. I glanced through them quickly and then moved on noting how quickly the ads were banished from the screen as I proceeded to move through the features and note the location of the "instruction manual" as I call it. I figured that I would need that, so I was pleased to locate it without any difficulty. As I started to push buttons I realized that this Paperwhite was in fact VERY similar to the one I had been using...so similar in fact that I couldn't tell any difference. I was relying on Amazon's statement that this model was "new" and "improved" although I really couldn't tell any difference. But I was still proud!! Imagine me jumping around to the tune of the Ken-L-Ration commercial saying "My dog's better than your dog..." only substituting "Kindle" for "dog".!! I quickly went to the "cloud" button and located some of my already purchased stuff that I had been reading on my PC and the borrowed Kindle and proceeded to download it to my new Paperwhite. Very smoooooth. So easy... A few seconds later the content was dutifully installed on my new Paperwhite and I was in business. So,.....While I couldn't really tell much difference in the two models, I did notice a few things. The screen was noticeably "cleaner".....that is to say, the lighting was much more even. The text appeared to be a little sharper to these weary eyes, although that is strictly a subjective thing and I can't guarantee that you would see things the same way. The pages turn easier and almost every time without fail...something the older Paperwhite had a little problem with. I noticed a couple of things that surprised me too. The one that initially "got me" was a pop-up that showed up in the middle of a printed page. I wasn't certain at first how it happened, but of course I now realize that it was a designed "improvement" which allowed me to page back and forth in the text without losing my current page. Cool idea!! I am certain that I will continue to find things that I like as I become more familiar with this product. There is always the possibility that there may be things I don't like as well!! Time will tell. So, has Amazon and the Paperwhite managed to change my mind about how reading material is "served up" to the buyer?? Hmm....Well, maybe... I like the weight of the e-reader and the size. I like the capacity, as many titles can be downloaded and available with no additional overhead in space or weight. While traveling, the e-reader is definitely easier to handle and use. And, it can be used late at night with little or no disturbance to other persons....Good reasons, all, to say "yes". OTOH, I still love the weight and feel and smell of real paper and ink. I doubt that the Kindle will take the place of my "heavy" reading while at home....unless or until technology forces me to change. I used to say that I would change when I WANTED TO..!! But, unfortunately, I found out that is not always the case. The advent of the digital age has literally forced me to change the way I take photographs...and I never thought that would happen either. This review has not been a technical one, nor laced with all of the fashionable buzz-words. It is intended for the new buyer, who has been struggling with the same issues as I did. I am giving the NEW Paperwhite 5 stars because it represents the current cutting-edge in this technology. With Amazon firmly ensconced in digital delivery and publishing, I think the Kindles represent the absolute best value in e-readers....and I think the Paperwhite is the best value in the Kindle line...for READING.