Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

And so it had to happen. After 4 years, my 4th gen Kindle eReader got to the point where it couldn't quite hold up as well as it once did. I had been lamenting the day this would come, but to be honest, I had worn it out. I read a lot, somewhere approaching 150-200 books a year. That's a lot of mileage to put on a Kindle, and it performed admirably. Still, there was a permanent silver flecked thumbprint in the lower left corner where I held it so often (to the point where I had worn off the finish), and it couldn't hold a charge as long, while charging took twice as long. So it was time to upgrade. I saw the Kindle 8th Gen eReader and considered my options. Would I buy the paperwhite or go classic? Well, I went classic because I don't have a lot of money. It's not that the paperwhite is unreasonably priced, just that I had to stay within my budget. So I bought the Kindle 8th Gen with special offers, because ads on my screensaver do not bother me. When I received it, I was surprised how light it was. It's a very lightweight reader. That's a nice feature, because I read for hours, and my hands do get tired. It is also a touch screen. That almost kept me from buying it. You might think "why would you avoid a touch screen?" To that I say, I have big fingers. Also, I'm very lazy. I'm used to the rocker switches on the older Kindles, and got used to holding it in one hand, and using the joint between my thumb and forefinger to push the "forward" rocker switch. Thus, I could eat a sandwich while reading. It is important that readers eat sandwiches while reading. Still, it wasn't a deal breaker, though I'm still getting used to "tap" and "slide" rather than "click," but I imagine I will adjust. So that aside, everything else about the new Kindle is terrific. Double the storage of my old Kindle, a little smaller so it fits easier into my back pocket (that's what the cool kids do), and a UI that works a little more smoothly than the old 4th gen. So yes, this is a worthwhile replacement for those of us who have been holding out, just be ready to adjust to a few new things. As for everything else, it's classic Kindle quality, and I highly recommend buying one. As for the old one, well I gave it to my 11 year old niece, who now uses it to read books on Egyptology and biology. I have never been so proud. 3 stars. (Updated) EDIT: I have to take away a star. After using this Kindle for a little over a week, I have found the battery life is terrible. Even with Airplane mode on, and reading an hour or two a day, the battery is on fumes after only 3 days. This has happened several times. My previous Kindle lasted weeks without needing a recharge. I'd also like to note that the touch screen is far too sensitive. I will lightly tap the right side of the screen to move the page forward, and it will jump anywhere from 10 to 20 pages at a time. I have spent 15-20 minutes trying to get back to my last known page. There are also times when items in my library will no longer be in my library, and I have to go searching for them again. Between this, and the other issues, I'm taking away a total of 2 stars. While still a decent e-reader, this Kindle does not hold up to its predecessors. I cannot recommend it as an upgrade if you have a 4th or 5th gen Kindle e-reader. Maybe try and wait until the next generation. Hopefully they won't cut corners like they seem to have with this one. :( EDIT: I have now charged this Kindle fully two times in a row inside of 4 days. I have Airplane mode on, refresh every page turned off, and have cut every power save corner I can, and moderate use (2-3 hours a day) means the battery is depleted in less than two days. TWO DAYS. That's ridiculous for a Kindle. It isn't a Paperwhite, and it isn't anything beyond a basic Kindle, and yet it's draining power like nobody's business. So I'm returning it, and knocking the review down to one star. This review only applies to the Kindle 8th Gen e-reader. I miss my old Kindle. Now, that said, I might try again with a new Kindle, or I might just switch to Nook as I'd rather not spend days and weeks at a time exchanging e-readers hoping to find one that's half the quality my old Kindle was. Maybe B&N they can make e-readers that don't cut corners so drastically. One star.