MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
A bit confused by the variety.
Not wanting the Fire, just one to use for reading.
pros and cons if possible.
Ta
Kindle specifically or e-reader?
I've just jumped from a mk2 kindle to a 3g paperwhite and i like the improved clarity of the new screens, especially with the backlight. 3g on the paperwhite isn't as useful as on the old model, as it only gives you access to the amazon store now rather than internet access. (saying that the inernet function on the mk2 was terribly slow and practicaly useless.
Went for the base model, completely fine. Dubious about the backlit one with battery life etc.
The touch screen ones seemed a bit clunky and slow.
I'd recommend mine. Very good bits of kit, especially when you can get free books if you know where to look 🙂
turtle,
battery life is as good as the mk2, only charged it twice since christmas.
paperwhite if you want to read in bed (in the dark)
Turn the light on...like you would with a book?
not it the missus has decided she is going to sleep and has decreed that it is lights out.
or like last night, when I couldn't sleep and read a couple of chapters about 1am.
Dave
Did the same dithering and very glad i went for the paperwhite for the low light reading ie other half has gone to sleep or is not yet awake. Battery life doesn't seem a problem to me. For the difference in price its a no brainer to me.
battery life is pretty damn good on my paperwhite - i charged it a christmas, and I've read about 4 books since then with the light on about medium. I think it still has about half the battery left!
Dave
I went with the Paperwhite too- it seems to do almost everything slightly better than the standard Kindle, and the light's been an advantage at times. Better for tired eyes or for imperfect light. Also it's a useful emergency light if you wake up confused in a hotel room and can't find the lightswitch 
(it's not backlit incidentally, not that it really makes much difference)
To be fair I reckon I could be perfectly happy with a standard one, or a Kobo or a Nook or whatever other option. But I had a play with them all and it seems like the best currently