The-future-mrs-rogg wants a Kindle.
Is it worth shelling out for one of the more expensive models or is the basic £59 version enough?
My reasoning for going for the basic one is that she’ll never use it in total darkness so doesn’t need a backlight version, and I’ve used the 3G facility on my old Kindle 3 maybe twice in three years. Plus she’ll probably drop it in the bath anyway.
Or am I just being a tightwad?

You’re being a tightwad.

Nothing says ‘I’m holding out for a better offer’ than a slightly disappointing gift.

Go for the Paperwhite, I’m sure she’s worth it. 🙂

If its book reading she wants, get a normal one with a nice leather case.

paperwhite is great in daylight too. Not to mention the newest one’s integration with goodreads. The 3g bit can be take it or leave it though.

MIL has the cheaper one and she reads A LOT. She also digs my Paperwhite and agrees it’s a better experience all round.

get the paperwhite, it’s much nicer and easier to navigate.

I was bought the cheapo version when that was all you could get.
See no point replacing it, cos it’s great. (Maybe a touchscreen to turn the pages..? nah. Definitely don’t want Paperwhite.)
Get her the cheapo. 🙂

+1 paperwhite – my OH loves his.

Love my paperwhite, the backlight is useful even during the day and reduces eye strain

Sounds like she has a lifetime of treats to look forward too…
🙂

Sounds like she has a lifetime of treats to look forward too…

OK, OK, you’ve shamed me into buying the expensive one. But just for the record I was going to buy her other presents AS WELL!!!!!

I still think she’ll drop it in the bath though.

I have the basic Kindle. At the end of the day, it is no different from reading an actual book, so I wouldn’t get too caught up in the reading experience thing. It’s 100% just fine. Get her a voucher for some books and a nice leather case with the change left over.

Unless you think she’ll want a paperwhite. We don’t all need carbon bikes really, but that doesn’t mean we don’t want them.

We’ve got three Kindles in the family. An original one with a keyboard, a Kindle Touch 3G and a Paperwhite. The Paperwhite is the nicest one, and the one I would buy now for myself.

Does anyone with a Paperwhite find that it sometimes jumps forward multiple pages when you only want to turn one?

I love my basic one, and i could’t think of a single way to make it better.

Until i began to covet thyne wife’s paperwhite… If i was to buy one now, it’d be a paperwhite, no question.

ditto paperwhite, worth it, don’t skimp

Not sure I would bother with the 3G, when I bought the OH hers it was only a choice of basic, touch, and touch 3G. I went for the touch one as if she is out and desperately needs a book she can just use tethering on her mobile.

The only reason I can see the 3G is of a real benefit is if you want to download books and papers etc abroad. As she doesnt even have a passport then that was not really going to be a likely situation!

But given the choice now it would be the paperwhite every time.

Paper white, forget the 3G.

How does the battery life compare on the paperwhite version…?
My std original one lasts weeks & weeks, but I’m always getting moaned at for having the light on when she’s trying to sleep.

I bought my wife a paperwhite for her birthday last August, I can only remember seeing her charge it up 3 or 4 times since then, and she’s always on it.

How does the battery life compare on the paperwhite version…?

It still weeks and weeks or rather books and books, perhaps not as long as the original but one charge still gets you through a few books.

I bought my wife a Nook (Glowlight I think), as she specifically didn’t want an ‘expensive’ e-reader. It’s great – and Barnes & Noble have a huge bookstore

I’d go for the standard one. When you look at it from the point of view of double the price to for a light up screen , suddenly the paperwhite looks very expensive.

I was in the same situation as you by the way, and I actually asked which would be preferred. A kindle and a bottle of perfume beats a kindle with a light…