How is it to hold?

I find it pretty nice to hold. I got pair of them for Kristin and me.

It's much better than the first one.

You can access Wikipedia from it? What other internetty things can it access?

According to xkcd, wikitravel.

Kindle

It makes sense they'd limit internetty things, because you're getting it via free G3 cellphone access.

I thought you could access the whole internet on the Kindle, just text-only.

Sorry, I was responding to Jessica's xkcd link. I was wondering if there was anything else it could connect to.

I thought you could access the whole internet on the Kindle, just text-only.

Ahh! Interesting! So you could maybe get google maps directions without the maps (for example)?

Huh. Maybe I'll get one.

Amazon downplays use of the Kindle for web-browsing; the browser is listed under “experimental” in the device’s main menu. There is a warning that the browser is most suited to viewing web sites which are mainly text.

But there is a huge attraction to using this browser despite its limitations: reasonably fast Internet access using it is free anywhere that Sprint’s EVDO network is available. Pretty useless outside the US but very useful at many places domestically including most airports and urban areas.

Moreover, turning on the Kindle and checking it for flight delays or travel directions is much easier than turning on a computer. Because it uses cellular technology for access, Kindle works well in moving cars and trains. Of course, you’re supposed to turn its radio off (which is easy to do) while on a commercial flight.

Kindle – Web Browsing Reviewed

eta:

Google Maps: The mobile version of the site is great for getting text directions; doesn’t support maps in a meaningful way. You can use Kindle to display a map from the standard Google site but the black and white map is hard to see and can’t be scrolled or zoomed. Looking up restaurants etc. in a neighborhood works well.

eta²:

Bottom line is that Kindle browsing is both cheaper and in many cases better than browsing on a mobile phone. If you’re already carrying the Kindle to read books (and carrying less books), you haven’t added to the load in your equipment bag.

It is inferior to browsing on a computer and useless when much typing is required – don’t think you can blog with or answer your email it but you can twitter. Using to get specific information in a hurry from mobile-formatted sites is helpful both because it powers up quickly and the browsing is free.

Great link, Tommy. Thanks.