Anyone looking for an Amazon Kindle, whether for themselves or as a gift, is spoiled for choice these days. In fact, there are so many different models to choose from that you may find yourself a bit confused.

The Kindle range starts with the entry-level Kindle reader – for just $69 – and goes all the way up to the top-of-the-line Kindle Fire HD 8.9″ with 4G connectivity and 63GB of memory for $614. price difference of an order of magnitude across the range.

Part of the reason is the fact that the Kindle family now includes both e-readers and tablets. While these two devices are often compared side by side, they are very different.

Electronic readers use screens with electronic ink technology. These are great for reading – after you’ve been using an e-reader for a short time, you won’t notice that you’re reading from a screen instead of reading printed text on paper. Another nice thing about e-ink screens is the fact that they only use power when the screen is changed. That means they have battery life that is measured in weeks instead of hours.

The downside of e-readers and e-ink displays is the fact that they can’t handle video and, at least for now, are available only in monochrome. Color screens are in development, but seem a bit far off at the moment.

That’s where tablets come in. These have color touch screens that are ideal for browsing the web and watching videos. They can be used to read eBooks, but because the screen is backlit, this can cause eye strain if you read for too long. However, if you only want to read for short periods at a time, or if your normal reading material is color-based and image-heavy, a tablet might still be a good option for you.

The other disadvantage of tablets is the fact that the beautiful color screen is very power hungry. Battery life is measured in hours instead of weeks.

At the end of the day, both devices serve a purpose, and which one you choose will depend on your personal circumstances and requirements.

Choose an e-reader (such as a Kindle, Paperwhite, or Keyboard) if you primarily want to read books. Choose a tablet (like Kindle Fire, Fire HD, or Fire HD 8.9″) if you want to browse the web and watch videos.

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