In the following lines we will therefore talk about the best protective cases and covers available right now for the new Kindle 4 and Kindle Touch.

Before getting down to the actual list, you should know that there are many cases and covers that actually fit both e-book readers, giving that they have roughly the same product dimensions, but there also a couple of accessories that only work on one of the two.

We will therefore firstly review the few covers that can be fitted on only one of the two new generation e-readers and after that we will take a quick look at the most interesting accessories for both the Kindle 4 and the Kindle Touch.

Official Kindle 4 Leather Cover

Available in black, brown, green and purple, this cover is sleek, light and very elegant. Being designed especially to fit the new Kindle 4, the accessory offers a high level of protection against scratches and contact with hard surfaces, but also versatility and functionality. The cover is designed to fold back, meaning that you can easily read on your device without taking it out of the cover.

This leather cover is elegant, functional, versatile, but also pretty expensive.

The Kindle Leather Cover is temporarily out of stock, but that should change soon enough. In terms of pricing, it is not extremely affordable, but you can’t say it is expensive either (39.99 dollars on Amazon).

Official Kindle Lighted Leather Cover

Extremely similar to the cover mentioned above in terms of design and materials used, this Kindle 4 cover comes with built-in LED light for comfortably reading anytime and anywhere. The high-quality light adds brightness to the Kindle’s eInk Display, but not glare, which means that you will have no trouble in using the e-book reader at night. It also has to be mentioned that the cover doesn’t require any batteries, being able to draw power directly from the Kindle.

As you might expect, this very functional and elegant cover is not very cheap, being available right now for 59.99 bucks. It is also pretty bulky, weighing in at 4.8 ounces, which will almost double the total weight of your device.

This cover comes with LED light for reading at night and is available for either the Kindle 4 or the Touch.

Official Kindle Touch Lighted Leather Cover

Basically the same cover as the Kindle Lighted Leather Cover, this is especially designed for the Kindle Touch and is a bit lighter than the other similar accessory. It also comes with built-in LED reading light, it doesn’t require any batteries and is just as elegant and sleek as the other cover.

The Touch Lighted Leather Cover is available in black, brown, green and purple and goes for 59.99 dollars.

Belkin Verve Tab Folio for Kindle Touch

This ‘’made for Kindle Touch’’ folio impresses in terms of dimensions, being consistently lighter and thinner than the covers already mentioned in this post. While it is stylish and also pretty functional, coming with a very nice magnetic enclosure, you can’t help but fear it will not provide the same protection level as the covers made from real leather. The cover is available in black and purple and can be pre-ordered for $29.99.

This folio from Belkin is made specially to fit the Kindle Touch.

Built Kindle and Kindle Touch Neoprene Envelope Case

The first case that can fit both the e-book readers and the first one that is actually shipping right now is this very stylish and playful accessory from Built. Available in black, but also in an original ‘’scatter dot’’ design, the case features a nice sleeve made out of neoprene and a front flap with Velcro closure. While not as elegant and as distinguished as the other covers so far, this case should come with a high level of protection, both in terms of screen scratches and contacts with hard surfaces.

The case can be opened and closed extremely fast, but it is pretty heavy, weighing four ounces. In terms of pricing, Built’s accessory is available right now for $29.99.

This envelope case comes with a playful design.

Marware Atlas Kindle and Kindle Touch Cover

This stylish cover is extremely light and thin and comes with a very soft and nice exterior lined with microsuede. The cover features corner straps for holding your device in place, but also a built-in interior hand strap for improved grip and hold during usage.

Available in black and charcoal for you guys and pink and beige for you gals, the cover goes for the pretty affordable price tag of 29.99 dollars.

The Marware cover comes with a nice design and a good quality-price ratio.

Timbuk2 Kindle and Kindle Touch Slim Sleeve

With a very slim profile, but not a very sophisticated design, this Slim Sleeve from Timbuk2 is made out of foam and should provide a decent level of protection for your e-book reader of choice. Being TSA (Transportation Security Administration) friendly, the Timbuk2 accessory is available in two color schemes, with a black, gunmetal and red combination or only black and gunmetal. In terms of pricing, it is pretty much as cheap as it gets, with a $24.99 price tag.

The Slim Sleeve from Timbuk2 is light, but not very fashionable.

Marware Eco-Flip for Kindle and Kindle Touch Cover

If you want a more premium cover for your e-reader or tablet today, you probably already know that the Marware accessories should be on top of your shopping list. With an eco-friendly leather exterior and a soft microsuede interior, the Eco-Flip looks and feels very nice, but also offers a high level of protection.

The cover is functional as well, featuring a built-in interior hand strap for improved grip and hold, but also a couple of thin pockets for storing ID or credit cards. While being a bit bulky, at a 4.5 ounces weight, this cover is classy and elegant, but also pretty affordable (available for 34.99 dollars at Amazon).

The Marware Eco-Flip is probably the ''most premium'' cover for Kindle and Kindle Touch right now.

Belkin Portfolio Sleeve for Kindle and Kindle Touch

The last protective accessory we are going to review in this article is actually the cheapest of them all.Available for only 19.99 dollars, the Belkin Portfolio Sleeve is not very light, nor extremely elegant, but should be durable nevertheless.

With a neoprene exterior especially designed for extra protection and gripability, the cover is unfortunately only available in black. However, Belkin’s accessory offers plenty of space for holding notes, receipts or other small pieces of paper and also comes with a dual zipper closure system, which is at the same time functional and easy to use.

The Belkin sleeve is clearly the most affordable Kindle and Kindle Touch cover.

Wrap-up

While choosing an e-book reader has become more difficult than ever after Amazon’s new Kindle 4 and Kindle Touch’s releases, you may also find yourselves pretty puzzled when trying to choose the perfect cover or case for your device.

With excellent quality-price ratios, functionality, elegance and versatility, all the protective accessories mentioned above could be great choices for any technology enthusiast. All of them will practically make your e-book reader unbreakable and ‘’unscratcheable’’ and the difference between these covers and cases will probably be made by the small and subtle details and touches of originality.

And whether you will go for one of the lighted covers, the slimmest or lightest of them all or simply the most affordable of these, one thing is clear nevertheless. You will not regret your choice and you will make your e-reader better, stronger and more fashionable! 

©2012 Mike's Quarter - technology and cool gadgets blog. All Rights Reserved.

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While there is still some time before the Fire will actually start shipping, there are probably many of you who have already pre-ordered the tablet and think about how to ‘’treat’’ it. In the following lines we will take a look at some of the most interesting covers, sleeves and folios especially designed to make your precious Kindle Fire more fashionable, but also safer against scratches or bumps.

The list is far from being complete and we expect more and more similar accessories to be made available by mid-November, when the Fire will start shipping, but these should remain nevertheless on top of your shopping lists, along with the actual tablet.

Official Kindle Fire Zip Sleeve

It is a known fact that the best and most reliable accessories for tablets are the ones dubbed ‘’official’’ and this zip sleeve is no exception from that rule. Available in five different colors, coral, blue, charcoal, graphite and lime, the Zip Sleeve is simple, stylish and lightweight. The zipper makes for a clean and very convenient closure system, which is a thing we like, but on the other hand the accessory is pretty basic forits price ($29.99).

The Zip Sleeve is basic, but functional and elegant.

Kindle Fire MicroShell Folio Cover

While the Zip Sleeve promises to protect your device from scratches first and foremost, this folio cover is perfect for any kind of impact that your tablet should encounter. Made from hard polycarbonate, the Marware cover is practically unbreakable. Surprisingly, this accessory is not very heavy, weighing only 3.7 ounces, and is extremely functional, being able to also work as a stand for viewing. The Kindle Fire MicroShell Folio Cover is available in three different colors (grey, pink and white) and goes for 39.99 bucks.

The MicroShell Folio Cover is made from a very strong material.

Verso Kindle Fire Cover

If you want a cover that will make your tablet fashionable, distinguished and sophisticated, the Verso Kindle Fire Cover should be the ideal choice. With a sturdy and solid exterior, but a soft, microfiber interior, Verso’s cover protects your device while making it look like an ancient and mysterious book. You also get a full pocket inside the cover for holding receipts or other documents. The Verso Kindle Fire protective accessory is pretty light and sleek, but also expensive, going for 39.99 dollars.

The Verso Cover is by far the most distinguished and elegant of them all.

Marware Eco-Vue for Kindle Fire Cover

While being considerably heavier than the other accessories so far, this cover is probably the most ‘’complete’’ of the four. Sturdy and solid, yet elegant and fashionable, this Kindle Fire cover comes with a pretty convenient elastic strap, designed to hold the lid open or closed. The eco-friendly leather exterior is smooth, but also durable, while the soft microsuede interior adds protection, but has a premium look and feel as well.

Even though the cover is not very affordable,going for 34.99 dollars on Amazon, it feels like it deserves your utmost attention, offering at the same time build quality, convenience and sustainability. Also, it is supposed to be made from recycled and recyclable materials, which we know is a very important thing for some of you.

The Marware Eco-Vue cover is eco-friendly and functional.

Timbuk2 Kindle Fire Slim Sleeve

While it may not be as elegant or fashionable as some of the other covers, the Timbuk2 Slim Sleeve is extremely light (only one pound) and easy to transport. The design is playful and ingenious and the black-gunmetal-red color scheme will probably attract interest from teenagers and kids. Despite its lightweight, the sleeve should be pretty good in protection terms as well, being made out of high density foam and therefore resistant to contact with hard surfaces.

And if these details don’t make you interested in Timbuk2’s accessory, you should also know that the sleeve is pretty affordable, going for 24.99 dollars on Amazon.

The Timbuk2 Sleeve is not very elegant, but light and affordable nevertheless.

Belkin Verve Tab Folio For Kindle Fire

Available in purple, black and ‘’sunset pink’’, this elegant folio is pretty sturdy and strong, but also kind of heavy. On the other hand, the faux leather finish should provide you with probably the highest durability level possible for your Kindle Fire. The magnetic enclosure is pretty nice and functional and you also have integrated holes for the two speakers on top and the connectors at the bottom, meaning that you can charge your tablet, but also listen to music while the 7-incher sits protected and peaceful in the folio cover.

The Tab Folio, which features a secure inner pocket as well, can be pre-ordered from Amazon for 29.99 dollars, a pretty fair price if you take a look at the accessory’s functionality and design.

This folio comes with a very good quality-price ratio.

Timbuk2 Kindle Fire Envelope Sleeve

Pretty much similar to the Timbuk2 Slim Sleeve in terms of materials used and functionality, this cover comes with a unique envelope design. While for some the overall look might be a bit tacky or uninspired, the sleeve offers easy access to your tablet at all times, but also a very high protection level, with an original seam construction for better impact absorption.

The all-black exterior makes this accessory more elegant and classical-looking than the previous slim sleeve, but the lightweight is still there, with the accessory weighing only one pound. This Timbuk2 sleeve is pretty affordable as well,being available for only 24.99 dollars.

This Timbuk2 sleeve comes with a unique design and at a great price.

Marware C.E.O. Hybrid for Kindle Fire Cover

We saved for last probably the most impressive Kindle Fire cover available right now. With a nice and elegant agenda design, this C.E.O. Hybrid from Marware is clearly the strongest protective accessory you could get for your Kindle Fire at the moment, but also a functional stand.

Available in four different colors (black, brown, green and pink), Marware’s cover is pretty heavy, weighing in at 6.1 ounces, but somehow is not at all bulky. The built-in interior hand strap improves significantly the grip when actually using the tablet, while the high-grade elastic strap is designed to hold the lid open or closed during transportation.

This cover is not very eco-friendly, being made out of genuine leather, but on the other hand is as strong and resistant as it could get. It should also support your Kindle Fire in two different angles when used as a stand and all in all it is the perfect accessory for increasing your tablet’s functionality and versatility.

As you might expect, Marware’s hybrid is not very affordable, but you couldn’t say that it is expensive either, being available for 44.99 dollars.

The Marware C.E.O. is the strongest, heaviest and most versatile Kindle Fire cover.

Wrap-up

These are pretty much all the affordable, functional and/or good-looking cases, covers and folios for Amazon Kindle Fire available on the market right now and you must say that this is a pretty tight and impressive list.

There are accessories for every taste and need out there, whether you appreciate original design, elegance, functionality or versatility. Neither of the covers and folios presented here is dirt cheap, but on the other hand all come with pretty decent quality-price ratios.

All in all, it would be extremely difficult to recommend only one of the products mentioned above, giving that all of them come with their own list of advantages and disadvantages and pretty much each of them is targeted towards different people with different needs. Therefore, you should first consider what you actually expect from an accessory of this kind and only after that should you decide to go for one or the other.

©2012 Mike's Quarter - technology and cool gadgets blog. All Rights Reserved.

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Lacking most of the features that make tablets so great, but impressing in terms of portability and price, it is no wonder that so many technology enthusiasts right now own or plan to own an e-reader.

And after the latest generation Kindle’s release, it is no longer a problem of whether to get an e-reader or not, but rather which one to choose. You have the old Kindle 3, which has been discounted and is still extremely functional, the new Kindle 4, the cheapest and lightest e-reader right now, and the Kindle Touch, with an exciting new interface.

In the following lines we will take a short comparative look at the old Kindle 3, now marketed as the Kindle Keyboard, and the Kindle 4, trying to find out which one of the two is actually better and more suitable for your needs. Stay tuned for the written article, but also for an exclusive video comparison at the end of the post.

Design and display

The biggest difference between the new and the old Kindle is probably the design. While the Keyboard comes with a pretty old-fashioned and classical look, the new Kindle 4 is more elegant, more classy and, most importantly, lighter and more compact.

The Kindle 4 (on the left) and the Kindle Keyboard (on the right)

And if you thought the Keyboard was portable, at a 8.5 ounces weight, the new Kindle, weighing in at 5.98 ounces, is light as a feather and will become your perfect travel companion. The new Kindle is also shorter, lacking the keyboard and featuring instead a cool and nice 5-way controller.

In terms of display, we can’t seem to notice any difference between the two, both devices sporting the same 6-inch E Ink screen with 800 x 600 pixels resolution and a 16-level gray scale.

Hardware and features

While both these gadgets are basically intended for the same purpose, reading e-books, there are a couple of subtle, but important differences in terms of features. First of all, the Kindle 4 lacks the speakers and the microphone jack that are featured by the Kindle Keyboard, meaning that you don’t have audio support anymore and you can’t play music or audiobooks on the new generation e-reader.

The Kindle Keyboard is the only one of the two with audio support.

Secondly, while you can browse on both the Kindles through wireless connection, only the Keyboard comes with optional 3G. There is also the problem of the battery life, which is satisfactory on both devices, but is clearly better on the old Keyboard.

The third generation e-reader could go for up to two months with light use and wireless off, while the new Kindle 4 can only last up to a month between charges.

Finally, in terms of storage space, the Keyboard is yet again superior, featuring 4 GB of internal memory. The new Kindle 4 only comes with 2 GB, but this is actually more than enough, giving that you will still be able to store around 1,400 books on your device.

The Kindle 4 is more compact, but the Kindle Keyboard is more functional.

Software and interface

While in terms of hardware the differences are subtle, when it comes to the interface things are pretty far apart. As I already mentioned, the Kindle 4 lacks the keyboard, which is a good thing in terms of design and weight, but a pretty bad thing when it comes to the device’s functionality.

The virtual keyboard of the Kindle 4 is far from being perfect for a 21st century gadget.

While on the Keyboard you could surf the web pretty easily and post comments on websites and blogs, the new Kindle 4 is an e-reader and that is pretty much all. It is true, the 5-way controller allows you to write in theory, but the actual writing process is difficult and annoying. You have to select each letter individually from an on-screen keyboard, which is far from ideal.

In terms of apps supported on the e-readers, you get access to millions of books, newspapers and docs on both devices (including PDF files), but only the Keyboard also allows you access to music and audiobooks.

Pricing

While the Keyboard comes with more features and with extra functionality, the new Kindle 4 has its own ace up its sleeve, the price. The fourth-generation e-reader starts at 79 dollars (the ad-supported version) and is also available for 109 bucks, without ads, in an internationally available version.

The Kindle Keyboard is itself pretty affordable, starting at 99 dollars (the Wi-Fi only version with ads), but that’s the US version. The International version goes for $139, and if you want the 3G enabled Kindle, prices for those go for between $139 to $189, based on where you need it delivered.

Check out the links above for more details about each tablet, plus pictures, reviews for buyers and the option to buy them yourself.

It is pretty difficult to state which one of the two devices is actually better.

Wrap-up

Without beating it around the bush, it is very clear that both these devices have their strong, but also their weak points. The old Keyboard is far better for browsing, offers audio support, optional 3G and more storage. On the other hand, the Kindle 4 is lighter and more compact than ever before and also comes at the best price possible.

All in all, it is almost impossible to say which one of the two is the better overall device because they are both great and also because they pretty much have different targets. If you only want to read e-books and you are looking for the best deal on the market, the Kindle 4 is clearly the perfect device for you, but if you also want to type on your device, listen to music and you don’t have a problem in spending an extra buck, the Keyboard remains the ideal choice.

If you want to compare the Kindle with some other good ebook readers, also check my Kindle vs Nook vs Sony Reader post here on the site.

For more details about the two, don’t forget to check out the following video:

©2012 Mike's Quarter - technology and cool gadgets blog. All Rights Reserved.

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However, the old Amazon Kindle is still available for sale and is actually expected to continue selling, being rebranded as the Kindle Keyboard. The third generation e-reader should still appeal to some of you technology enthusiasts for a couple of reasons I am going to detail in the following lines.

We will therefore take a look at the things that still make the Kindle Keyboard special and competitive, but also at the prices and the full features of the e-reader. Finally, you will have the opportunity to check out an exclusive video, where you can take a better look at this very popular gadget.

Design and build

The Keyboard’s biggest problem, compared with the new Kindle 4 and the Kindle Touch, is probably the design, which is pretty old-fashioned. The Keyboard is also quite heavy in comparison with the new e-readers, weighing in at about 8.5 ounces.

The Kindle Keyboard is still a good and reliable gagdet.

In terms of product dimensions, things are still pretty competitive nevertheless. The Keyboard measures 7.5 x 4.8 x 0.34 inches and is fairly compact and portable overall. The e-reader is also fairly sturdy, giving an impression of durability and reliability.

Display, hardware and features

The Kindle Keyboard sports a 6-inch E Ink display with proprietary waveform, font technology, 800 x 600 pixels resolution and 16 shades of gray. This is pretty much identical to the screens featured by the new Kindles and is still the quality standard for e-book readers nowadays. The Kindle cannot display colors and can only support static content, but when it comes to reading, no matter what the lighting conditions should be, you can expect a clear and crisp image.

In terms of on-device storage, the Keyboard comes with 4 GB of internal memory, which should be enough for holding up to 3,500 books. You also get free cloud storage for all Amazon content, meaning that if you delete something from your device, you can have easy access to it again.

Other features include Wireless connectivity and optional 3G, but also audio support, which is nowhere to be found on the new Kindle 4. Therefore, aside from reading e-books, you can also have access to audiobooks and other mp3 files on the Keyboard.

Software and battery life

The Kindle Keyboard comes with access to literally millions of books, newspapers, audiobooks, magazines and docs, including public library books, which you can borrow directly on your e-reader. For most of the books you will have to pay a fee, which varies from case to case, but there are also over two million free, out-of-copyright, classical books.

The Kindle Keyboard is heavier and bulkier than the new Kindle 4, but it is also more functional than the new generation e-reader.

The e-reader also features a pretty basic, but functional experimental browser and a Qwerty keyboard, which is actually the biggest difference between it and the new-generation Kindles. On one hand, this makes the device bulky and heavy, but on another hand, it makes it better for writing text and browsing.

As for the battery life, this is probably as good as it could get on a gagdet of this kind. The Kindle Keyboard is therefore able to run for up to two months between charges, based on a low use, or for about three weeks, based on average use and with wireless permanently on.

Pricing

While in terms of features, quality and reliability, things have stayed the same for the Kindle Keyboard, its price has actually dropped in order to attract customers. The third generation e-reader now starts at 99 dollars, for the wireless version which includes Amazon’s ‘’special offers’’ and ads.

If you don’t want to be bugged by ads, however, you can go for a more expensive, 139 dollars version, which also features only wireless connectivity, but ships Internationally, to more than 100 countries.

If you also want 3G on your device, you will either pay 139 bucks (with ads) or $189 (without special offers – International version).

Wrap-up

While the Amazon Kindle Keyboard is not a wine and it doesn’t get better over time, we can’t say that it gets worse either. The basic e-reader is still the same reliable, portable and functional device as a year ago and, with a more affordable price tag than ever, should still attract some customers.

It is not as light and compact as the new Kindle 4 or as stylish as the Kindle Touch, but it is probably the best of the three when it comes to the interface and typing and it also comes with audio support.

All in all, if you have it, we don’t see any reason of giving it up or replacing it, while if you don’t have it and you decide to buy it, you will probably not regret your investment.

Don’t forget to also check out the following exclusive video clip presenting the Amazon Kindle Keyboard:

©2012 Mike's Quarter - technology and cool gadgets blog. All Rights Reserved.

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The new Kindle and Kindle Touch joined the old Kindle, renamed ‘’ Kindle Keyboard’’, and together they form a very strong, united and interesting family of e-book readers. All three products have their strong and weak points, but considering the competition you will probably be pretty satisfied with any of the three devices right now.

In the following lines we will take a quick look at these e-readers’ features, prices and technical specs, in order to establish each one’s advantages and disadvantages, but also to determine, if possible, which one of the three is the better choice for technology geeks at the moment.

Amazon Kindle reader

The new Amazon Kindle is the 4^th generation of the popular ebook reader and, while it comes with some not very impressive features, it has a great advantage. Scratch that, because it actually has two advantages, come to think of it.

First of all, the new e-reader is considerably lighter and more compact than the old one, weighing 5.98 ounces (170 grams) and measuring 6.5 x 4.5 x 0.34 inches. The second strong point is of course the price tag of only 79 dollars. This is however for the ‘’special offers’’ version of the new Kindle, but you can also get the model without ads at 109 bucks.

The 4th generation Amazon Kindle is cheaper than ever before.

In terms of storage space, it comes with 2 GB of internal memory, as well as unlimited cloud storage for Amazon content. The display is the same old 6-inch E Ink Pearl (slightly improved, though, according to Amazon), but the keyboard has disappeared. Instead of it, you have a 5-way controller, which, while being good-looking, is not very functional and will make typing on this device a pretty complicated procedure.

Amazon Kindle Touch

The second freshly released Amazon e-reader is the Kindle Touch, which also comes with a 6-inch E Ink display with 600 x 800 pixels resolution. However, this is actually a touchscreen, which cancels the Classic Kindle’s biggest problem (typing). The Touch also comes with access to audiobooks, a feature that, unfortunately, is nowhere to be found on the new Classic Kindle.

When it comes to product dimensions and weight, the Touch is pretty light and compact, even though not as light and compact as the Classic Kindle. It weighs 7.5 ounces and measures 6.8 x 4.7 x 0.4 inches.

The Kindle Touch is heavier, but features a better screen and interface than the classic Kindle.

The interface is nice and responsive and the browsing experience is slightly better than that of its lower end sibling. In terms of storage space, the Touch comes with 4 GB of internal memory, which is double than what the Kindle has to offer, while when it comes to battery life, things are as productive as they can possible be.

The Touch can therefore last up until two months based on light use and with wireless off. And because we have mentioned the wireless connectivity, let’s also say that the Touch is also available with optional 3G.

In terms of pricing, the Touch is, as you might expect, more expensive than the Classic Kindle, but overall it’s itself a bargain. You can get the touchscreen e-reader in two different versions, one that offers Wi-Fi and starts at $99, and the other that also adds 3G on top and starts at $149. The listed prices are for ad-supported versions, so you’ll have to deal with some ads, not that many and not intrusive. If you don’t like ads, you can buy the standard versions that will cost your around 40 bucks extra in both cases.

However, you should know that the Touch Kindle will only sell in the US for the time being.

Amazon Kindle Keyboard

Even though Amazon has released two new and very nice e-book readers, that doesn’t mean you can’t get the old Kindle version as well, if you get nostalgic. This older model, which is now known as ‘’Amazon Keyboard’’ is basically identical with the new Kindle, except for the keyboard.

The older Kindle Keyboard can most definitely still draw some attention.

Of course, the old Amazon Keyboard is heavier and bulkier too, but on the other hand it does come with 4 GB of internal storage space, a better battery and audio support. In terms of pricing, this has been recently discounted and goes right now for between 99 dollars (the Wi-Fi with special offers version) and 189 bucks (the 3G model with no included ads). The standard versions, those without the ads, also ship internationally.

Wrap-up

No matter how you look at it and how critical and skeptical you want to be, the new and refreshed line of Amazon Kindles is extremely competitive and is bound to be a great success. The classic Kindle is the most affordable gadget you can get on the market right now and, while it offers less features than its siblings, I am sure that technology enthusiasts on a budget will love it.

The Touch offers a better all-around experience and probably the maximum you would hope to get from a basic device like an e-reader, while the old Amazon Keyboard, even though it could be considered an old-fashioned and obsolete gadget, has the perfect quality-price ratio to get its fair share of customers.

All in all, it’s pretty difficult to state which one of the three e-book readers from Amazon is better right now. However, the winner of a theoretical battle between the Kindle Classic, Touch and Keyboard is not one of the three devices, but us the technology fans which will have trouble picking up one or the other because they are oh so similar and oh so great.

For further details about the Kindle eReaders, you can check out the following video preview:

©2012 Mike's Quarter - technology and cool gadgets blog. All Rights Reserved.

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However, if you want a decent slate, with good technical specs, a nice look, but you are on a tighter budget, you almost can’t find anything satisfying on the market right now. This status quo is set to change in less than two months, though, after Amazon has officially announced a couple of days ago the release of their first-ever high-end tablet, the Kindle Fire.

The Fire, while not being as powerful as some of the gadgets I named above, comes at a great price and in fact doesn’t sacrifice that much in terms of performance. In the following lines we will take a quick look at what does the Fire bring to the table and how it compares with some of its strongest competitors.

Design and build

Even though you can’t say that the Fire is highly original when it comes to its look, you can’t actually say that it’s ugly either. It pretty much lacks curves, but the lines are pretty straightforward and give the overall design a touch of elegance and class.

The new Kindle Fire is good-looking, decent in terms of performance and very affordable.

The all-black color scheme is itself pretty elegant and nice, while the product dimensions and weight are not ideal, but competitive nevertheless. The Fire weighs 14.6 ounces (413 grams), which is an ounce over HTC Flyer’s weight, but is a little under what the Galaxy Tab 7 and the Acer Iconia Tab A100 go for. The exact dimensions of the Fire are 7.5 x 4.7 x 0.45 inches, which is about what you will get from other 7-inch tablets as well.

Screen, hardware and performance

The Fire features a 7-inch multi-touch display with IPS technology, anti-reflective treatment and 1024 x 600 pixels resolution. This is extremely nice in terms of viewing angles, but should do a pretty good job when it comes to colors and brightness as well.

In terms of hardware, the Fire is not exactly on-par with some of the other 7-inch tablets on the market, but is satisfactory nevertheless. Amazon’s new gadget is powered by a 1 GHz dual-core TI OMAP 4 processor with 512 MB of RAM and comes with 8 GB of internal storage space.

Software, battery life and others

While in terms of hardware the Kindle Fire is only a satisfactory device, when it comes to the software this is a great product. The 7-incher runs a modified and customized version of Android 2.3 and the number of integrated apps is almost overwhelming. You have access to books, games, multimedia content and all kinds of nice and useful apps. Furthermore, if you though that the poor internal storage space will give you headaches, you should think again, because you have unlimited cloud storage for all Amazon content.

The Fire comes with an ultra fast Silk cloud-accelerated browser, which should provide the snappiest internet experience available, but also with some nice and original apps, as the built-in email app that allows you to get all your webmail from different providers into a single inbox.

In terms of battery life, the Fire should provide an autonomy of about seven or eight hours and when it comes to other features, connectivity and ports you should know that the 7-incher only features WiFi, stereo speakers and a headphone jack.

The price is clearly Fire's number one strong point.

Pricing and availability

The Kindle Fire is already up for pre-orders on Amazon.com, but it will only start shipping in mid-November. The price is great and, if you ask me, it is the best deal you can get right now on the tablet market. The Fire is therefore available for 199 bucks, but will only sell in the United States for the time being.

Competition

We have already said a couple of words about how the Fire compares with some of its competitors in terms of design. When it comes to the hardware, Amazon’s product is pretty much on-par with the Galaxy Tab 7, featuring a 1 GHz A8 Cortex processor with 1 GB of RAM, the HTC Flyer, powered by a 1.5 GHz single-core processor with 1 GB of RAM, but slightly inferior than the Iconia Tab A100, which features an NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core processor with 1 GB of memory.

In terms of connectivity and ports, the Kindle Fire is easily surpassed by most of its 7-inch competitors, while when it comes to software Amazon’s tablet is clearly better than the Galaxy Tab 7, but can’t compare with the Iconia Tab A100 running Android Honeycomb.

As for the pricing, the Fire is by far the most affordable 7-incher out there, going for 100 bucks less than the Galaxy Tab 7 and almost 130 dollars under Iconia Tab A100’s price.

Wrap-up

While the Amazon Kindle Fire can’t be considered as serious competition for the iPad 2 or other very strong and fast tablets available on the market right now, it will most likely attract great attention due to its very competitive price and large number of pre-loaded and available apps.

The Fire is definitely not an ‘’iPad killer’’, with decent, but not impressive technical specifications and it is after all a 7-inch tablet, which for some of you may be too little. On the other hand, it could be the perfect device for those of you who look for the best quality-price ratio.

If you would like to take a closer look at Kindle Fire’s features and specs, you can check out this video preview right here:

©2012 Mike's Quarter - technology and cool gadgets blog. All Rights Reserved.

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• 2011 Kindle readers: Kindle Classic, Touch and Keyboard

• Amazon’s Kindles – most popular digital readers in the entire world, the Kindle’s come with good features, excellent prices and access to a vast collection of content. They are available in a couple of different versions, with different screen sizes.
• Sony’s eBook readers – some of the pioneers in this domain and available in a couple of different forms, they do not offer the features or the build quality of the Kindle’s, but compensate with more affordable prices
• Barnes and Nobble’s Nook – a popular device in the US, is sold via the B&N libraries and also offers access to tons of content. Comes with a very good price and some extra features over the other readers, like a small touchscreen.

In the last years I’ve been able to come in contact with all these gadgets above, mostly because of my job as an editor for a big online IT magazine (ever since 2004). Thus I was able to form a good idea on the pros and cons of each of the readers presented above. In the next rows I’m going to share my knowledge about them with you, so keep reading below. Once again, most opinions are based on my personal experience with these gadgets, but also one reviews available online from regular customers who own these products.

Amazon Kindle digital readers – Kindle 4, Keyboard and Touch

Amazon is probably the biggest and most notorious webstore in the world. They now sell pretty much everything for nearly unbeatable prices, but back in their young years, they were mere an online bookstore. They still are, and in order to help people get easier access to all of their books, newspapers, magazines and other types of content, they’ve also invented the Amazon Kindle reader, the one device that revolutionized the electronic readers’ market back when it was launched.

Years have passed and now the Kindle reader has reached its 4th generation, launched in September 2011.

Alongside the new Kindle 4 (which now costs only $79, with Shipping included), Amazon also offers now two different readers: the Kindle Keyboard, which is in fact the rebranded version of the 3rd generation (but with a price cut, as it starts at only $99 now) and the Kindle Touch, which is the first touch-based ebook reader from Amazon and also starts at only $99. We’ll talk about all of these in the post below.

In order to meet the demanding need for books and cope with the facts that classic paper novels are a burden to carry around, Amazon invented the Kindle: a compact electronic gadget that can store hundreds of books, newspapers, magazines or images/songs and can provide the same reading experience as on a regular book.

As you know, regular displays may cause headaches and watery eyes when used for a longer period of time. Also, when used outside in strong light conditions, you’ll barely be able to distinguish anything on them.

A new complete Kindle family for 2011

That’s why digital readers use a different technology: e-ink displays. Shortly, these screens mimic a regular page from a hardcopy book. Thus, reading od these devices is almost the same as reading from a printed piece of paper, but you get some bonuses: you can adjust the levels of darkness desired for the texts, you can re-size fonts, you can search inside books, can made annotations and others.

The Kindles have been the most popular ebook readers in the world for the last several years, and Amazon kept improving them e each year with new versions that meet the demands of more and more potential buyers. I too consider them the best pick you could make right now if looking for an eletronic ebook reader, and here’s why:

• they are nicely designed, compact and light, but also sturdy and reliable;
• they come with top features for such devices: adjustable perspective (portrait or landscape), high quality e-ink displays, QWERTY keyboards, free 3G, speakers, decent amount of memory, text-to-speech , etc;
• they provide access to Amazon’s collection of content, one of the biggest in the world. And also one of the cheapest, where popular books cost just around $9.99 (including bestsellers), where you can also find over 1.500.000 free titles and where you can get many US and International newspapers, magazines, audiobooks, games and podcasts;
• they can read PDF files and also support a bunch of popular file formats, like TXT, DOC, MP3, JPG, etc (some through conversion)
• come with a basic browser that will work OK with static pages and applications for your favorite social services, like Facebook and Twitter
• you get battery life of 2 to 6 weeks on every charge
• they are darn cheap (most go for under $100 these days)

And those are some of the things people enjoy on their Kindles.

Up until 2009, you could only buy a Kindle in the US. These days though, most of the Amazon readers are now available internationally in more than 100 countries in the world. Amazon ships them directly to your door, but be aware that shipping fees will apply (you’ll be informed about those when placing an order). Also, you should know that using a Kindle outside of the US, you won’t get access to all the content US customers get, as you’ll still get most of the books, newspapers and magazines, but won’t get the audiobooks and the games.

As of 2011, there are three different Kindle readers available on the market, and you can read about each of those below,

The Kindle 4, the new generation reader launched in 2011

This is the latest and the cheapest Amazon readers of all times. With it, Amazon cut off some of the fancy stuff and offers a compact and ultra-light device for an unbeatable price. Compared to the previous generation, the 4th Kindle is now smaller, lighter and no longer offers a physical keyboard, speakers, 3G or a headphone slot.

The new compact Kindle 4

You still get Wi-Fi for browsing and buying books, but the new Kindle is as basic as it can be, while being perfect at its task: display books. The screen is the same as before, a 6 inch e-ink display with good contrast and crisp images, plus Amazon improved the way it refreshes pages (you no longer get a flush-to-black effect on every refresh, but once every 6-7 page turns).

You can read more about the 4th Kindle in my review here on the blog and also see my comparison between the Kindle 3 and the Kindle 4.

Dealing with prices, the new Kindle starts at $79 in the US, with Shipping included. That’s for the add supported version, but you only get a small commercial on the bottom of your homescreen and when turning ON the screen, so by all means, those are not intrusive. The standard version of the new Kindle goes for $109, and this one also ships Internationally in around 100 countries (outside of the US though, shipping costs will apply), and it will only take about one week to have it in your home once you’ve ordered it. If you happen to live in the UK, the same Kindle 4 goes for 89 pounds there (yea, it’s more expensive, sry guys).

Oh, and you should also check out my video review for the Kindle 4 below (yea, that’s my review made for another site of mine, tabletbite.com).

The Kindle Keyboard, the previous generation, now with a discount

The Kindle Keyboard is in fact the Kindle 3, rebranded and cheaper than it was before.

The Kindle Keyboard - the older generation, rebranded and cheaper

You get the same 6 inch screen that you have on the newer Kindle 4, plus the physical keyboard, 3G and speakers, all in a bigger and slightly heavier body. All these are extremely useful if you plan to use your reader for more than reading books, and will come in handy if you want to browse or listen to music. You do get that free Internet connectivity on the 3G version and it works with all kinds of websites, plus the keyboard is awesome for typing, commenting and going on social services.

More about the Kindle keyboard in my other post, or in my detailed Kindle 3 review; but basically, the Keyboard is the reader to get if you plan to do more with your device than reading and don’t mind the extra bulk.

The Keyboard Kindle is available now in two different versions, with or without 3G. The Wi-Fi only model starts at $99 in the US and is an add-supported version, while the international version goes for $139. Details about these two are available via this link. The 3G models go for $139 (with ads) or $189 (without ads/ships internationally) and you can find out more about them here.

The Kindle Touch, the new 2011 touchscreen Kindle

Alas, we finally have a touchscreen on a Kindle. While the Nook and the Sony Reader had this feature for a while, the Kindle was the only one to miss the trend.

The Kindle Touch is the first Kindle with a touchscreen

You should see the Touch Kindle as a more functional Kindle 4. It’s pretty much the same in terms of size, although it’s a bit thicker and heavier than the basic 2011 Kindle. It doesn’t offer speakers or a headphone jack, but has a touch-display and a new interface that replace all the buttons. The touchscreen should be useful for navigating, browsing and typing (with that virtual keyboard), still, don’t expect an iPad like experience. There’s still an e-ink screen on the Kindle Touch and it will take a bit to respond to your commands and refresh the content.

Of course, besides the pros, having a touch-screen also means smudges, fingerprints and some extra glare (as cleaning those smudges on standard matte displays is a complete pain). So it’s up to you to decide if the good parts compensate for the trade-offs.

The Touch Kindle starts at $99 dollars for the Wi-Fi only add-supported version. There’s also a 3G model that starts at $149. However, unlike the Kindle Keyboard, you won’t be able to use 3G for browsing, but only for shopping in the Kindle Store and visiting Wikipedia. Plus, the Touch edition of the Amazon reader is now available Internationally, as it only ships in the US for the time being.

As a wrap up, the Kindle readers are right now probably the best picks if you’re shopping for a digital ebook reader. You get three different ones to choose from (four actually, as there’s also the Kindle DX, which is basically a 9.7 inch version of the Kindle Keyboard, but it’s also very expensive when compared to these new versions launched in 2011), based on what you really need: a simple reader, like the Kindle 4, or a more functional and complete device like the others.

Out of all, the Kindle Touch is the only one that can be put side by side with the Nook 2 and the Sony Reader, as it’s the only one to boost a touchscreen. But since I’m confident many of you don’t need or want a touchscreen on their reader, I’m sure the Kindle 4 and the Kindle Keyboard will still be extremely popular in the months to come.

THe Kindle Keyboard and the New Kindle 4 are your best picks if you want a cheap reader

Still, there is one major drawback on all these devices: you can only get content from the Amazon Kindle Store and not from others, plus they don’t offer native support for some of the standard file formats. So, the Kindles don’t work with ePUB content. The new Kindle 4 does allow you to borrow content from public libraries, but the process is a bit complicated: you have to send that piece of content to Amazon and they’ll then send you a properly formated version for your device, which is in fact the same with other types of popular files (like .DOCs for instance). Also, there’s one problem with lending books on Kindles: you can’t lend any book, but only some “selected” ones, and you can’t do it straight from your device, you’ll have to login to your account on Amazon’s website for that. But all in all, I for one can live with these minor inconveniences.

Barnes & Noble Nook 2 digital reader

Advertised as a Kindle Killer, the Nook is a digital ebook reader produced by Barnes & Noble. You’ll only going to get this one if you live in the US, and if you do, you probably already know that B&N is one of the biggest library chains in the country. So the Nook has a strong backup.

New Nook 2, with a touchscreen

The Nook has now reached its second generation, as the Nook 2 was launched earlier in 2011. It does come with a couple of improvements over the first Nook and it does have some nice strong-points, including the well built chassis, the touch display and access to B&Ns content library, which seems to be now even bigger than Amazon’s one, with access to nearly 2 million pieces of content.

Having a touchscreen, it’s only fair to compare the Nook 2 with the Kindle Touch and when having a quick look at them, they are pretty much on par. There’s a similar 6 inch e-ink touch display on both, they both weigh around 7.5 ounces and offer enough battery life for weeks of reading (up to 2 months in both cases, but you won’t get that much) and enough storage space (the Nook does support microSD cards to expand memory, but how much space will you actually need on an ebook reader anyway?).

There are though some details that set the two tablets apart though. The Nook wins when dealing with standard written content, as it supports B&Ns proprietary file format, but also ePub content. You can also easily lend and borrow any of your purchased books and the whole process is quite simple.

The Kindle on the other hand does offer you the browser and a 3G option, while the Nook does not. For the moment, neither of the two ships outside of the US, but I expect Amazon to fix that quite soon, as they are already shipping some of their other Kindles overseas. Still, if you’re living outside the US and can get one of these two, on the Kindle you’ll actually have no problem getting content from the Kindle Store, while on the Nook 2 you will. That’s because you need a valid US Shipping address added to your account to shop for content. This can be faked from a computer if you’re adding a fake US dress, your own Credit Card info (you don’t need an US CC for that) and use some kind of proxy service that would make the B&N site think you’re browsing from the States. But how many of you know how to do that or are willing to put up the effort?

In the end, there’s also the price matter. The Nook sells for $139 and is only available in the US like I said. If you think about it, that’s on par with the Kindle Touch, but the Kindle also has the add-supported version that sells for only $99. Plus, without access to audio content and a browser, the Nook 2 is basically just a reader with a touchscreen, so unless you really want that touch-display, there’s no reason why you wouldn’t pick the basic Kindle 4 and get the same basic functionality for half the price.

The Nook 2 is solid and sleek, but is a bit overpriced

Now, I’m not saying the Nook 2 is a bad pick. No, it’s an excellent reader and offers you access to all sort of content, as long as you’re living in the US. But I do find it too expensive for what it has to offer when compared to the new Amazon Kindles.

The Sony Reader Wi-Fi

Last but not least in our list is the Sony Reader, and over the year there have been many different ebook readers from Sony.

For 2011, their most popular model is the Sony Reader Wi-Fi, a compact and sleek reader with a 6 inch touch-based e-ink display.

Basically, the Sony Reader is on par with the Kindle Touch and the Nook, as least of a first look. However, there are once again those details that make the difference.

The Sony Reader is the only one to offer a pen

First, the Sony is the slimmest and the lightest of the three, weighing around 6 ounces, while the others weigh around 7.5. Not much, but on a portable device like this one, every fraction of an ounce makes a difference. The Sony Reader will give you access to ePUB content and content from Sony’s store and you can access this content internationally.

Second, the reader does offer a headset jack, so you can add in music (and there’s enough space for that, thanks to the microSD card support), while the others do not. And third, more importantly, it comes with a stylus and allows you to make hand-written annotations to your documents, which is something many of you would actually like.

On the other hand, you don’t get 3G on this reader and you’ll have to settle for Wi-Fi, just like on the Nook. And you don’t get a browser either.

Last but not least, there’s the price matter, as the Sony Reader Wi-Fi is the most expensive of the three readers compared in here. It starts at $149 and can be bought in three different color options (red, black and white) and can be found in online stores or on Sony’s website. The Reader will eventually be available all around the globe, but availability differs right now from country to country.

All in all, the Sony Reader does offers a couple of extras over the Kindle Touch or the Nook 2, with music and the bundled pen for note taking. It is also slim, compact and awesome looking, but it is expensive, especially when compared to those 2011 Kindles.

The Sony Reader does offer some extras, but it is also the most expensive of all

Wrap-up and conclusions

All in all, choosing one device over another is not that simple. You can’t really say one is better than the rest, each has its strong and poor points.

If you already have a reader and already own a collection of content for it, it’s easier for you: stick with that brand, otherwise you will have compatibility problems when trying to migrate all your content to another platform.

Thus my conclusions are mainly for those of you planing to get their first ebook reader. So, if you’re in need of a basic ebook reader and don’t expect to use it for anything else than reading written content, than you should definitely go for the new Kindle 4. It’s cheap, it’s light and gives you access to hordes of books, newspapers and magazines. And is shipped in more than 100 countries. Of course, you won’t get ePUB in there and you won’t be able to lend and borrow books that easily, but if you can live with those, the 4th Kindle is your top pick.

On the other hand, if you need more from your reader, it will be more difficult to choose between all the other options left. The Kindle Keyboard is great for websurfing, as it comes with Free 3G and physical keyboard. The Kindle Touch and the Nook do offer touchscreens. Now, the Touch Kindle also has a 3G option, but unlike Keyboard, 3G use has been limited to only access the Kindle Store and Wikipedia, so you can’t use it for browsing anymore, which kind of defeats the whole purpose. Last but not least, the Sony Reader does offer music and the pen, but it is 50% more expensive than the Kindle Touch and does not have a browser. As for the Nook 2, it’s expensive and it doesn’t offer anything over a basic reader, except for the touchscreen (but still, why pay for a touchscreen if you have no use for it?)

So, my advice: go for the Kindle 4 if you’re looking for something cheap and basic. Or pick between the subsidized Kindle Touch/Keyboard or the Sony Reader if you want some extras. As for the Nook 2, I’m sorry, but I consider it last in my list right now, mainly cause it’s too expensive for what it has to offer, when compared to these main competitors.

This pretty much concludes my comparison of the 2011 Kindles, Nook 2 and the latest Sony Reader. This post was last major updated on October 10 2011 and if you have something to add or need to ask some questions, please submit your comments below.

©2012 Mike's Quarter - technology and cool gadgets blog. All Rights Reserved.

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In the following lines we will quickly review the new Asus N55SF, trying to determine how good of a job has the Taiwanese computer manufacturer done when it comes to the design, the features and the performance offered by their latest laptop.

More details are available over at gamingrig.com , where you can read a more thorough review of the Asus N55SF notebook.

Design, ports and features

While the previous generation Asus multimedia laptops were made out of aluminum, the N55SF is made out of glossy plastic, which is pretty uninspired, to say the least. Aside from the fact that the laptop is pretty unaesthetic( so as not to say ugly), the plastic makes the case easy to scratch and smudge with fingerprints.

The rectangular body with sharp edges is another thing we don’t like very much at Asus’s new laptop, even though the chromed stripe around the screen gives the notebook some sense of style. The number of ports, on the other hand, is extremely generous, the N55SF featuring two USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, HDMI, as well as a microphone and a headphone jack and a VGA port. The built-in speakers and the microphone are also top of the notch.

The N55SF is a looker, but some of you might not like the glossy exterior

Actually, the audio system on this baby is far superior from anything you might find on the 15-inch laptop market right now, the two 32mm speakers offering great sound quality for a portable computer.

More about these in the clip below:

Keyboard, touchpad and screen

The keyboard on the new N55 is a classic one, with proper sized flat keys that offer decent spacing and a pretty high level of comfort. The travel is great, there isn’t much flex and the keys also look pretty good, being covered in a silver coating. In addition to that, you have an extra column of multimedia keys on the left side of the keyboard.

The touchpad, made from soft plastic, feels comfortable and is at the same time proper sized and responsive. On the other hand, this is a bit imprecise on occasions, which is a weak point, but not a very important one.

As far as the display is concerned, we almost have nothing to object here, giving that the 15.6-inch screen with 1600×900 pixels resolution offers great contrast, sharp colors, good brightness and excellent viewing angles.

You won't find better audio on a 15.6 inch laptop these days

Performance, graphics and battery life

The Asus N55SF will come in a few different versions when it will officially hit stores, with no less than six processors from which you can choose. You will have the i3 2350M, 2330M and 2310M, the i5 2430M and 2410M and the i7 2670QM and 2630QM. All these are produced by Intel and they will all probably offer pretty high performance levels. You will also have 2 GB of dedicated memory, plus 4 GB of RAM and the possibility of expanding your memory up to 16 GB.

The graphics card is an Nvidia GeForce GT555M and, while the N55SF is not a laptop for gaming per se, it will allow you to run most of the modern games available right now at a more than decent quality level.

In terms of battery life, the 6 Cell 56Wh 5200 mAh battery does a pretty decent job if you think about the hardware under the new N55’s hood. It should thus provide you with an autonomy of about three, three and a half hours at a medium power usage or well above four hours if you turn off the wireless and activate the Power Saver mode. On the other hand, when playing games you shouldn’t expect more than an hour, an hour and a half of autonomy.

And here’s another clip with details on performances and gaming:

Pricing and availability

The Asus N55SF hasn’t been officially released on the laptop market, but is expected to be available by the end of September. We have no details regarding the official pricing of the notebook, even though the rumors state that the N55SF should start at about 700 or 800 dollars, for the lower versions, and should cost even 1000 or 1200 bucks, when talking about the high-end configurations.

Asus multimedia laptop, with gaming abilities: the Asus N55SF

If these suppositions prove to be true, the upcoming Asus laptop could become a selling success, looking at its excellent quality-price ratio, a thing that is almost traditional when talking about Asus products.

Wrap-up

While the new Asus N55SF fails to impress in terms of design and looks, it is a pretty solid, powerful and reliable laptop overall. The screen is great, the performance level is at heights, the audio quality is probably the best on the notebook market right now, and these are things that should make Asus’s new laptop a good piece of computer equipment.

Whether you are looking for a multimedia notebook, a gaming laptop with a decent price tag or just an overall solid and reliable portable computer, the Asus N55SF could be the perfect device for you!

©2012 Mike's Quarter - technology and cool gadgets blog. All Rights Reserved.

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A new ROG member

The Asus G74 is the latest addition to this family, a new 17.3 inch monster meant to replace the popular G73 series and fix some of the problems users complaint about on it.

This laptop is yet to be available on the market, but early review units already started popping out, just enough to see if this new laptop is worthy of out attention or not. And based on them, it really seems so.

The guys at gamingrig.com got their hands on one of these units and gave it a proper spin, as you will be able to read in their thorough Asus G74SX 3D review . The 3D appendix means the laptop came with a 3D screen.

Asus G74 - the new ROG laptop for gamers

As you can see via that link, the new unit does not bring a lot of changes in terms of specs over the previous generation, the Asus G73SW. There’s a quad-core Intel 2nd generation Core i7-2630QM processor, 16 GB of memory, dual storage drives and an Nvidia GTX 560M, the latest being the novelty here.

Overall, the G74 is a little bit faster than its predecessor, the faster graphic chip allowing slight 5-10% performance improvements, especially in games and some other graphic intense apps.

Biggest changes don’t affect the hardware though. Asus tried to solve the problems users had with the G73s, thus they redesigned:

• the cooling system so the laptop no longer overheats
• the keyboard, making keys slightly bigger, better spaced and emphasizing the arrow keys we usually use a lot in games
• the trackpad and made it bigger and more ergonomic
• the screen’s hinge, making it more massive and reliable
• the bottom part, allowing now easier access to hard-drives and memory modules

The screen also seems improved, and according to the testers, it’s the best display they ever encountered on a laptop so far.

All the changes will probably come with a price increase as well, but for the moment we know anything on this. We should wait thus for the official price release from Asus which should happen soon, as they announced the G74 will hit the stores by July.

Update: The G74Sx is now available on the market in various stores. The best prices seem to be offered online by Amazon, with price tags going between 1500 and 2000 bucks based on features and equipment levels. See the link for more details.

There is also a cheaper versions sold by BestBuy, going for around $1300, but you should be ware that that one comes with less memory, smaller hard-drive, and most importantly, a poorer graphic chip (it’s still an Nvidia GTX 560M, but it’s a 128 bit version, not )

All in all though, the G74SX looks impressive. The guys at Asus really listened to the pleas of their ROG device owners and managed to fix pretty much all their complaints. That’s why expect the G74 to be quite popular, and for a good reason: you’ll hardly find a better gaming laptop in its price range.

©2012 Mike's Quarter - technology and cool gadgets blog. All Rights Reserved.

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You can read more about this reader in my Kindle 3 review post, also here on this site. We’re not going to get into too many details about the device in this post, because we’re going to talk about Kindle 3 covers, cases and protection accessories.

Proper protection is a must for your Kindle 3

First, you should know that, if you were a Kindle reader owner before and owned a case for the first or the second generation, you won’t be able to use those on the 3rd generation. Since this one is now redesigned and both thinner and more compact than before, those covers will be loose for the new device.

So, you will need some proper Kindle 3 covers. Of course, the best picks are those Kindle 3 leather cases, which are stylish enough to match the fancy looks of the reader and also allow decent protection. However, if you plan using it in rougher conditions, like when traveling into the wild or during trips, you might want something tougher: perhaps a silicone casing, a neoprene sleeve or even some waterproof Kindle 3 covers, great when going to the pool or at the beach.

Below you’ll find a couple of details about all these protection accessories, with recommendations on the best options available in stores these days.

Leather Kindle 3 covers and cases

Like I’ve said, leather cases should be your first choice. This is in fact what I had on my old Kindle (the first generation) and what I plan getting for this 3rd version, which I absolutely love and plan to buy.

Official Kindle 3 leather cover

There are a couple of different options for high quality leather cases for the Kindle 3. Of course, most of you will go for the official Kindle 3 case, sold by Amazon together with the product. Notice however than it doesn’t come included with the reader, you will have to pay extra for it.

Pebble-granined leather Official Amazon Kindle 3 cover

This one is made from pebble-grain leather and is available in 7 different colors. It perfectly firs the device and it’s very easy to attach the Kindle reader and the cover together. As you can see in the pictures, this case is a leather folio, with a flippable front screen cover that folds on the back when you want to use the device. Interior is padded with a smoother material to keep the device safe from scratches and i particularly like the grip on that grained leather.

What’s also cool with this case is that you can get it with an integrated and retractable night-light, which connects to the Kindle and drains its power for it. An accessory you’ll absolutely need if you plan reading during the night or in poorer light conditions, although I’m not sure on its impact on autonomy.

The case itself sells for $34.99 , which ain’t cheap, but considering the quality, is a fair price. More details are available via this link, along with more pics and reviews from buyers.

If you want the version with that integrated night-light, it sells for $59.99. That’s pricey, but i know from my experience with my old Kindle that a night-light accessory is very useful, as you can read without having to have the light ON in the room. For instance, you can read while in bed with your better half, while he/she sleeps and without bothering it.

You can see this combo in action via this link, and also get more details, pics and the option to buy it.

And the option with a built-in light

Other leather cases

The new Kindle 3 Cole Haan case ain't as good as before, although kept its amazing design

At the moment there aren’t any other leather covers for the Kindle 3 worth mentioning available on the market, as this product is yet so new. However, for the previous generation there were some amazing products, including leather folios with stands, so I expect those to become available for the new Kindle as well.

What really bothers me is that one of the best covers for the previous device, the one made by Cole Haan, is not so great on its new version.

Quality is the same and the leather used for it looks and feel amazing. However, the new cover is somewhat floppy and just too big for the Kindle 3. Looks like producers didn’t actually consider the reduced size of the new reader when designing it. You can find more about the case via this link, but the common believe of reviewers is that, while the Cole Haan for Kindle 3 looks good, is just not worth paying $99 for it (which is nearly 3 time more expensive than the standard case).

For other options, just look for updates of this post in the next weeks.

Kindle 3 sleeves and envelopes

While those leather covers above do look stylish, they don’t actually provide the protection the device would need when traveling. Thus, I do recommend also getting a tougher Kindle 3 sleeve and that’s exactly what we have here. Like in the case above, there aren’t too many to choose from yet, but there are a couple of impressive versions, based on features, build quality and reviews scored with those whom already bought them.

Timbuk2 nylon envelope

This is a very simple case, an envelope that holds snug you Kindle 3 in place, protecting it from scratches and shocks when traveling. Exterior is made from nylon, hence reliable and easy to clean, while the interior is padded with a smooth material to prevent any damage to your gadget.

Since this is an envelope, it will only protect the Kindle when not using it, as you’ll have to get it out when you plan to read or something. But that’s how it was a designed: a solid sleeve, not too big and not to bulky, that could hold properly the device inside. Thus, you can feel safe trow it inside your bag when going to school or to work, your Kindle will be completely safe inside this Timbuk2 envelope.

It’s cool that you can get it in a couple of different colors and is quite affordable, at $25 with Shipping Included. More details, reviews and the option to buy it, via this link.

Timbuk2 Kindle 3 envelope

Belkin Kindle 3 Grip Sleeve

Belkin Grip Sleeve

This is a reliable sleeve from Belkin, one of the biggest producers of cases and accessories for electronic devices. And that kind of says it all.

Made from neoprene and silicone, this one is even better at keeping the Kindle Safe from shocks and drops than the one before. The gadget is kept inside safely by the zipper enclosure and interior is covered with a softer lining to keep away any potential scratches.Also, this sleeve comes with a harder and textured area on the exterior, that allows better grip.

Like the envelope above, it goes for around $25 and is available in a couple of different colors.

And that’s about it with the available Sleeves right now, but more will be added in further updates.

Other Kindle 3 cases

There are some other interesting covers for the Kindle 3 that can’t really be part of the categories above.

For instance, LeSportsac has a nice case, for those looking for more funky protection accessories, with weird designs. In terms of design, they are in fact identical to the official Kindle casing, with the same folio layout. However, exterior is not made from leather, but from more durable nylon, easier to clean. Prices are around $35 and you can see more details via this link.

LeSportsac nylon Kindle Cover with stylish designs

Also, if you’re looking for a way to protect the display on your Kindle, there are some cheap and overall good quality screen protectors, like this pack from BoxWave, that goes for only 3 bucks a piece.

I’m also looking to add some waterproof covers like I promised, but there aren’t any available yet. Plus some rougher silicone bodies for everyday use. Those and others will come in further updates, as I reckon they should get in stores in the next weeks.

Final words

Don’t know what you think, but I for one consider proper protection a must for every electronic device i own. In this case, the Kindle might not be very expensive, but still, why not keep it safe and in proper condition? Especially since a good case will only cost you around 30-40 bucks?

Right now I’m leaning towards that official Burgundy Red leather cover with integrated night-light. It is quite expensive, but based on the reviews available at Amazon’s site, all from those who already own one, seems like a good investment. I might change my mind in time though, as other Kindle 3 covers enter the market.

Like most my posts, this is not a top, but a list of products i consider worthy, based on my experience with them, features and mainly reviews from regular users like me and you, who bought them and posted their opinions online. Prices and availability might vary in time, so be sure to check those links on each accessory for up to date details at the moment you’re reading this post.

Now, stay tuned for updates, and as always, comments and feedback is greatly appreciated, so don’t hesitate to share your views via the form below.

©2012 Mike's Quarter - technology and cool gadgets blog. All Rights Reserved.

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