Amazon Kindle Paperwhite A new chapter in ebook readers?

Still the first choice in ebook readers?

Last time we reviewed Amazon’s mid-range ebook reader (Issue 458) it had had a major upgrade, sharpening the screen from 212 to 300 pixels per inch (ppi). Since then, the hardware hasn’t changed, but if you buy the Paperwhite today you’ll get a very different e-reader, because last year Amazon made a big upgrade to the software. Having recently tested the rival new-model Kobo Aura H2O (£150 from www.snipca.com/24473, see Issue 503), we went back and tried the Paperwhite again.

The changes start at the home screen, which is clearly laid out and gives you quick access to settings as well as your books. Open a book and the benefits of Amazon’s new typesetting engine are obvious – improved justification and hyphenation help to avoid awkward spacing. The attractive new Bookerly font (see screenshot below left) avoids the distracting angularity of Caecilia. Also new is the Opendyslexic, which is designed to help people with dyslexia read more easily.

Choices are still limited, though, as are the size options. There are just eight, 32 fewer than on the Kobo Aura. Very few people like tiny or huge print, but you want to get it just right to read comfortably. Kobo’s software is more flexible, and with a device made purely to do one thing well, that really matters.

The Paperwhite is about the same size and weight as the Kobo Aura H2O – both seem slightly larger than they need to be – but lacks the waterproofing, a reassuring feature for anyone who reads in the bath or likes to lounge by the pool on holiday, which is why you pay £40 more for the H20. The cheaper Aura Edition 2 (£100 from www.snipca.com/ 25131) gives you the same screen size in a smaller case, with Kobo’s superior software and Comfortlight (to adjust brightness), but at 212ppi it’s visibly less sharp.

In short, none of these ebook readers is perfect, but it’s the H2O that gets closest. Users who’ve already bought Kindle books, however, have no choice but to stick with Amazon.

Watches and bracelets that track your steps and heart rate are often aimed at people who see themselves as ‘sporty’. But they’re just as useful to those of us who never go to a gym but would like to pay a little more attention to our fitness and try to maximise the benefits of everyday activities, such as walking.

So we’re glad to see the Charge 2 has a plain design, with a decent-sized screen that works fine as a digital watch too. It has a choice of wristbands available. If you want motivation, the Charge 2 sets you targets and even lets you compete with friends. If that sounds like a nightmare, it’s all optional. You can just go about your normal day and check your stats later, finding out how far you walked and what happened to your heart rate. The info is all stored in the phone app, so you can keep tabs over time. Just use your phone as a pe pedometer – they all have this fu function now. Heart-rate tracking is a significant addition. The Charge 2 also gives you an instantly visible display and one-button control, which is simpler than fishing out a touchscreen phone.