I've noticed that like myself customers have been concerned primarily with two things regarding the new lighted case from amazon. These are: 1)The weight and 2) The uneven lighting. My review will briefly discuss these two things.
1)The Weight - The lighted leather case is a nice weight, sturdy and comfortable to hold. In ounces it is about the weight of the kindle itself however don't let that concern you. With the case on it feels like a medium sized paperback, however it is far much more comfortable to hold. It's easy to hold the case open like a book (nice for couch and table type reading) or to fold the front back and close it with the bungee so that the bungee doesn't hang around (this is good for bedtime reading).Closing the front back with bungee keeps the case folded in position and you don't have to worry about it bothering you. BTW THIS CASE FOLDS BACK 100% - Very comfortable. In sum very comfortable to read with the case and very sturdy.
2) The uneven lighting - Amazon's pictures don't do this case justice. The light hits the ENTIRE screen. Yes if you look closely it's brighter in the top right corner then in the bottom left but Amazon's pics make it look the top is lighted while the bottom is dark. There is good light all over the screen. Trust me I'm fussy about these things - the lighting will not bother you, your entire screen will be lighted and it is extremely pleasant to read in the dark.
*Final Thoughts - Great case, good quality, works well, kindle feels very secure and protected (I would feel comfortable slipping this case into my backpack or suitcase and I think it would sustain some mild impact). Lastly hinges are a non-issue, casing of the kindle will not get damaged with normal or even slightly aggressive use. You could damage the kindle by trying to pull the back of the case but you'd have to really force it to cause any sort of damage to your kindle. The hinges work fine and should not be a concern to any case user.
Update 1st December 2010:
Have now been using the case for 3 months. Leather still looks impeccable. Some people expressed concern that the bungee cord might loosen with use. I have not experienced any loosening so far. Quality of the product has proven outstanding. I've occasionally spilled or messed the cover, just a wipe with a damp cloth has cleaned it up, and the case looks like new. Have to admit I enjoy the feel of the case in my hand, there's just something great about taking your kindle to a coffee shop in this case, it just looks and feels so classy. Also with regard to the hinges: I have had no scratches on my kindle or any other issues, so I remain convinced that the hinges are a non issue. Kindle Lighted Leather Cover, Black (Fits 6" Display, Latest Generation Kindle)
I was hesitant to buy this cover mostly due to the pictures in its listing, which seem to show a light that doesn't even extend to the opposite corner. The fact that I have not been impressed with the Amazon's Kindle covers in the past didn't help. I went ahead and purchased it because the cover I wanted isn't available yet and I don't like to take my Kindle out and about without a cover. Now I am glad that I went ahead and bought it.
PROS:
1. The light is much better than I thought it would be. Using it in a darkened room I found that the light did the job very well. In a pitch black room, it performs even better. While the screen corner opposite the light is a bit dimmer than other areas, there is no problem reading the page at all.
2. The light gets its power from the Kindle itself, through the gold-plated hinges which attach it to the cover, so batteries are a thing of the past. When your Kindle goes to sleep, the light will go out as well. It will also turn off when you slide it back into the case.
3. The cover is slim, well-fitted and very easy to attach and detach using the hinges. The inside has good padding. The leather outer surface has a nice pebbled texture with the exception of a smooth area along the edge of the front. While stiff enough to protect the reader, the cover is slight flexible and the front easily folds behind when reading so you can hold your Kindle with one hand if you like.
4. A great plus is that the cover has an elastic cord that fits into a groove on the front of it. This holds your cover closed (unlike the original Kindle 2 cover that would flop open in your purse & let things slide into it) and easily distinguishes the front from the back--important as many owners of the Kindle 2 cover accidentally opened it from the back, which could cause cracking along the Kindle's spine.
CONS:
I haven't found any, really. The light Is a bit hard (stiff) to pull out of the cover, but then you wouldn't want it to be flopping out when you don't want to use it so that is more of a Pro than a Con.
The one concern I do have is about pulling the light in and out--I wonder if whatever wiring or conductor that is used to get the power from the hinges to the light will eventually break. But that is something to find out down the road. Right now, the more I use this cover, the more I like it.
I've been an avid Kindle user since Kindle 1, and I take my lights VERY seriously.
The problem is that the new Kindle 3 cover+light does not evenly light the screen. This results in a very bright top right corner, including the top right of the frame of the Kindle 3. And while the light doesn't glare off the screen, it does glare off my graphite Kindle 3's top right corner, making for constant distraction while reading. The light then gets fainter and fainter in a diagonal line from the top right to bottom left. It's not very fun, unfortunately.
Now, for convenience, this new cover is fantastic. I have the non-lighted one and the one with the light, and the weight difference isn't very much, and the bulk difference is truly negligible, so kudos to Amazon for this.
That said, I simply cannot recommend this cover unless you don't mind an incredibly uneven light. I will stick to my Mighty Bright. Yes, it's an addition to the Kindle, but I know that when I sit down to read, I want the pages to "disappear" as I become immersed in my reading. It's very hard for them to do so when the light is so incredibly awkward and uneven, constantly distracting. I'm happy to spend a few extra seconds clipping my light to the back of my Kindle so I can spend hours enjoying my book. That simply wasn't possible with the Kindle Lighted Leather Cover.
3 stars out of 5. - Book Light - Kindle Lighted Cover - Kindle Accessory - Kindle 3 Covers'
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