Why the Kindle Paperwhite is one of my favourite objects

Until a few years ago I hardly ever picked up a book. I had no interest in them because reading didn’t seem like a fun thing to do in your free time. Maybe it was because I had to read many books during my studies I thought I could finally escape from them now.

But then I noticed I enjoyed reading various articles online about topics I was actually interested in. Surely that would translate to another medium, wouldn’t it?

One day I decided to get a Kindle Paperwhite on a whim and ended up reading almost 30 books that year. It’s amazing how a small device can have such a big impact.

Here’s why the Kindle has become of my favourite pieces of tech:

• I can take my entire library with me and it’s always available. This also makes moving house that much easier.
• Buying a book is just one tap away. This is especially useful if it’s difficult to get specific books where you live.
• I can customise the look of my reading experience with things like layout, typeface or font size. I’ve been using Bookerly on size 6 since the beginning.
• My eyes are so used to reading Bookerly that I focus entirely on the content. As a designer one of the first things I comment on in books is type size and line height. Ugh.
• I can read in bed at night without damaging my eyesight (too much at least) or disturbing my partner thanks to the backlit screen.
• The built-in Amazon store is a great way to discover new books as the suggestions often relate to books I read previously.
• Goodreads integration that prompts you after each finished book. I linked my account only to keep track of my reading history. Sure my data may belong to them but I can’t be bothered using another service or doing it manually myself.
• Great battery life. It seems to last several months with daily use before I have to charge it.

Now I thought I would miss turning pages of a physical book or staring at the cover but that’s not the case. Why would I want to carry a heavy book around when I don’t have to?

As for the cover image, a recent update allows you to display the cover on your lock screen which is nice if you’re not using a protective case.

These days I’m embracing digital and don’t plan on going back anytime soon.