Today Amazon offer to enrich your e-books collection by The Siege of Washington: The Untold Story of the Twelve Days That Shook the Union written by John Lockwood and Charles Lockwood just for $1.99.

On April 14, 1861, following the surrender of Fort Sumter, Washington was “put into the condition of a siege,” declared Abraham Lincoln. Located sixty miles south of the Mason-Dixon Line, the nation’s capital was surrounded by the slave states of Maryland and Virginia. With no fortifications and only a handful of trained soldiers, Washington was an ideal target for the Confederacy. The South echoed with cries of “On to Washington!” and Jefferson Davis’s wife sent out cards inviting her friends to a reception at the White House on May 1.

Lincoln issued an emergency proclamation on April 15, calling for 75,000 troops to suppress the rebellion and protect the capital. One question now transfixed the nation: Whose forces would reach Washington first: Northern defenders or Southern attackers?

For 12 days, the city’s fate hung in the balance. Washington was entirely isolated from the North–without trains, telegraph, or mail. Sandbags were stacked around major landmarks, and the unfinished Capitol was transformed into a barracks, with volunteer troops camping out in the House and Senate chambers. Meanwhile, Maryland secessionists blocked the passage of Union reinforcements trying to reach Washington, and a rumored force of 20,000 Confederate soldiers lay in wait just across the Potomac River.

Drawing on firsthand accounts, The Siege of Washington tells this story from the perspective of leading officials, residents trapped inside the city, Confederates plotting to seize it, and Union troops racing to save it, capturing with brilliance and immediacy the precarious first days of the Civil War.

Flick Kick Field Goal is a game for your Kindle Fire which could attract your kids and free your time for a while. One of advantages of this game is that you can get it free. But only today. Tomorrow it’s price will be different. So, do not lose your opportunity – click here.

Bring the fun and accessibility of flick football to your Android device with this casual sports title from PikPok Games. Try to make kicks from different angles and distances, and even take into account shifting wind speeds and directions. Choose from Sudden Death, Arcade, Time Attack, and Practice modes, then use the intuitive flick controls to begin playing right away. Easy to pick up but hard to put down, this classic time-killer is sure to appeal to casual gamers and die-hard football fans alike.

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The e-ink Kindles already have an impressive battery life that holds charge for up to two months.  Battery life depends on several factors though.  First off, avid readers will obviously use up battery more quickly than those who don’t read as often.  Kindle games also take up a chunk of battery life, and so does browsing the Kindle Store.

The reserve battery that is built into the cover charges in sunlight.  The amount of time it takes to charge depends on the strength of the sunlight that it catches.  It reaches full charge after 8 hours, and provides up to three days of reading per hour of charge according to the product’s website.

The protective nature of the cover and the built in light are what wins me over.  I travel a lot at night, and would like to find a cover the includes as much functionality as possible for the most reasonable price.  The Solar powered Kindle cover is $79.  As far as cases go, it is on the higher side, but I think it is a really good value for what it does.

This is the first portable solar powered charging device that I’ve seen hit the major tech news.  I hope that the future will bring more solar powered and other energy friendly charging options.  It would be cool to have a multipurpose docking station to charge all of my gadgets.  What a great way to save money and help the environment at the same time.

Thinking even further ahead, electronic devices will most likely include their own solar panels so that they can charge themselves.  Because of cost, this is still a few years off at least.

From what it looks like now, the SolarKindle Cover is only available on the SolarFocus website.  I’m sure it will be offered on Amazon at some point soon.

Related Posts

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• July 31, 2010 -- New Kindle 3 Reading Light Cover (13)

Essentially this cover is meant to serve as recharging station, backup battery, and book light all in addition to the normal screen protection function.  Certainly not a bad thing.  The case’s internal battery carries a charge sufficient to add an additional three months of battery life to the Kindle 4 and can be recharged over the course of eight hours of direct sunlight exposure if you don’t have access to a powered USB port or adapter.  Even one hour is supposedly sufficient for as much as three days worth of reading time.

Sadly, there are any number of drawbacks.  In terms of basic use, there are a few obvious problems.  The addition of this cover more than doubles the weight of your Kindle, along with doubling its thickness and increasing the size of its footprint to slightly larger than the Kindle Keyboard.  The added size and weight remove a great deal of the appeal that the $79 Kindle carries.  The SolarKindle case itself also appears fairly unappealing, though some might disagree with me if they find solar panels and white plastic pleasant.  Perhaps the most striking thing about this case, however, is the pricing.  At $79 itself, it will double the cost of owning a Kindle.

I have nothing against a desire to be environmentally friendly, but this doesn’t make sense to me.  Given the fact that the Kindle 4 already runs for a minimum of three weeks at a time between charges (based on regular personal use on my part), how could it possibly be worth the inconvenience of the bulk and weight just to avoid having it find a wall outlet?

As of the Kindle 2, we already have analysis indicating that eReaders become environmentally friendlier than buying new books as of the 50th title or so.  Probably safe to assume that things have gotten even better by now, but even ignoring that entirely we have to assume that the impact of manufacturing these covers will be sufficient to increase the numbers.  How quickly can saving $0.25 or less per month in electricity help this case start to pay for itself under any metric?

Despite the hype surrounding the CES reveal, it seems unlikely that the SolarKindle will take off.  The price is too high and the benefits too few.  It isn’t as if you were adding months of battery life to a tablet or smartphone.  If you spend months at a time without access to power, this might be the case for you.  For anybody else it is not much better than an ostentatious nod toward “Going Green” that the Kindle, despite having numbers to support such a claim, fails to advertise on its own.

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There is one case currently on sale for $29.99 called the Kindle Fire Lightweight MicroShell Folio Cover.  It comes in four colors and it props the tablet up for hands free viewing.

Reviewers describe this case as the “most bang for your buck.”  The part I like the most about it is that it props the Kindle Fire up fairly high, which makes it so much easier to use.  It also provides much sturdier support than just propping it on a stack of books.

The colors available are black, graphite, pink, and white.  I hope more will be added soon, especially blue, since that is my favorite color.

Product Features

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Lee Goldberg & William Rabkin on The Dead Man series

We grew up loving those “men’s action adventure” paperback novels of the 60s, 70s, and 80s…series like The Destroyer, The Ninja Master, Nick Carter, and The Death Merchant. You could find them in finer supermarkets, gas stations, 7-11s and bookstores everywhere. They were the male equivalent of Harlequin romances,though the only romance was often between a man and his AK-47.

The books were short and tightly-written, with hard-boiled heroes, outrageously sexy women, and gleefully over-the-top plots. Nobody would ever mistake them for great literature, but they were enormous fun to read…and to write (we know, because Lee broke into publishing in the mid-1980s writing one of those series—.357 Vigilante aka The Jury Series under the pen name “Ian Ludlow”–while he was still in college).

Sadly, the “men’s action adventure” series novels are virtually extinct now, early victims of the narrowing of the paperback marketplace.

But the Kindle offers the perfect medium for the revival of the genre, which is why we’ve teamed up with over a dozen other writers on The Dead Man, an original series that we hope recaptures the spirit and pure escapism of the thousands of books written during the heyday of “men’s action adventure.”

The series is about Matthew Cahill, an ordinary man leading a simple life…until a shocking accident changes everything. Now he can see a nightmarish netherworld that nobody else does, making each day a journey…and an adventure.

New books in The Dead Man series will appear every month or so, just like they used to in paperback in the old days. Our other experienced Dead Man authors come from a wide cross-section of genres – mystery, westerns, horror, science fiction, thrillers, and cozies. And some of them also lead double-lives as Emmy award winning writer/producers of hit network TV series.

The Dead Man gives us the thrilling opportunity to indulge our great affection for the genre and hopefully get you hooked on it, too.  – Lee Goldberg & William Rabkin

Question: How did The Dead Man series come about?

William Rabkin: It started with a TV pilot script and 12 storylines that Lee and I wrote twenty years ago. The TV series didn’t sell, but we never stopped thinking about Matt Cahill… about what happened to him and what sorts of adventures he’d face. Finally we got sick of thinking about it and decided we’d write it ourselves as a series of books. Shortly after that, we had the idea of inviting some of the wildly creative, brilliant authors and screenwriters that we know to write books in the series as well…

Question: You are both avid fans of the “men’s action adventure” genre. What made you think The Dead Man could revive the genre?

Lee Goldberg: It has all the elements of the classic men’s action-adventure series….a rugged hero, an open-ended mission, a clear enemy and the potential for lots of violence … but with an occult edge that allows us to imbue a dated genre with more surprising twists and darker humor. We felt by embracing the supernatural, and the traditional elements of the men’s action adventure genre, we opened the door to story- telling that would push the envelope a bit. More importantly, though, we adopted a voice, and an approach to the material, that we think is more character-based, more self-aware, and perhaps more wise-ass than most of those series were back in the day (with the possible exception of “The Destroyer”).

Question: You both love horror novels. Is there an author that you particularly admire?

William Rabkin: Stephen King, of course. He marries the human and the horrible so brilliantly that he transformed the genre forever.  In terms of writers who can carry a single character over a long and constantly exciting set of adventures, I’d love to see us compared to Lee Child.

Question: How do you two write your books together?

Lee Goldberg:  So far, the way we’ve done it is that one of us writes the first draft and the other one does the revisions (or suggests revisions that the other writer does). But we talk to one another throughout the process. I won’t tell you who wrote the first draft of which book…you’ll have to figure that one out for yourselves. But it won’t be easy. Bill and I have written together in television for so many years that we’re very good at creating and maintaining a shared voice, though this is the first time we’ve collaborated on books.

Here are some reviews:

The story races by at a brisk rate of knots, each twist and turn, and shift in time providing another revelation [...] I was enjoying it so much, I didn’t want it to end. –Permission to Kill Blog

The Dead Man: Face of Evil is a tight, well written, supernatural thriller [that] satisfies all on it’s own, while being a terrific opener that promises an epic tale to come. I’m excited for the next book. –Man Eating  Bookworm Blog

A Charlie Brown Christmas, the beloved Peanuts classic by Charles M. Schulz, is now available as a spectacular interactive storybook optimized for your Android device. Sit back and enjoy original dialogue, digitally remastered illustrations, animation, music, and narration by Peter Robbins, the original voice of Charlie Brown.

Only Charlie Brown can turn the magic of Christmas into a problem. Even though the snowflakes are falling softly, carols are ringing sweetly, and people are gathering merrily, Charlie Brown is feeling down. He just doesn’t understand Christmas. Join him, along with Snoopy and the entire Peanuts gang as they struggle to find the true meaning of Christmas. It’s all accompanied by a charming soundtrack featuring music and sound effects from the original show.

This version of A Charlie Brown Christmas is bursting with fun interactivities that will delight children and adults alike. Go caroling with the Peanuts choir, finger-paint with the gang, and participate in the Spectacular Super-Colossal Neighborhood Christmas Lights and Display Contest to unlock decorations for your very own Charlie Brown Christmas Tree. You can even play Schroeder’s piano (to the tune of “Linus and Lucy”, of course). Note highlighting helps to introduce and improve musical skills.

Little readers will love turning pages with the swipe of a finger. They can also watch text highlighting as they listen to the story narration, hear individual words spoken with a single tap, touch and drag objects to make them spring to life or tilt to watch them slide and move, and much more. With something to discover on every page, this is one interactive Peanuts adventure you won’t want to miss this holiday season!

“A beautifully designed app, and one that will tug at the heartstrings of anyone with fond memories of the animated specials.” – Wired

“Pitch-perfect app tribute to the holiday TV classic.” – Common Sense Media

“Well conceived, well executed, charming, fun, and educational.” – MacObserver

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“An addictive and side-splitting read . . .  the underlying relationship between parent and teen is simultaneously touching and hysterical. This should be a best seller–it is a total moment-in-time classic. Enthusiastically recommended.” —-Library Journal (starred review)

In case you haven’t heard, the Bird is the Word. And now it’s also an entertaining game for your Android device.

In Bird’s the Word, the goal is to make as many words as you can, as fast as you can. Highlight the letters in the word and then enter it–the Submit button turns green as soon as you’ve created a legitimate word of three letters or more. When you do, the letters disappear and different ones take their places. The longer the word, the more points you get, and there are lots of special bonus letters that pop up as you go.

There is a catch: Make sure that all the letters in the word are touching each other. If not, a sneaky bird will fill one of the spaces rather than a new letter. The more birds that perch on the board, the harder it will be make new words. Don’t let the winged menaces thwart you!

With this game you can create a flap three different ways. In Classic mode, you must fill up the score bar as quickly as possible to advance to the next level. To make it to the top of the pecking order, score more points at each new level within the same amount of time.

The game tracks stats such as longest word, average word length, time per word, and high scores for each game mode. The more you play and the higher you score, the more achievements you pile up: Word Warrior, Nesting Instincts, Squabble, Pest, Stunner, etc. As you go further into the game, you’ll be able to unlock special birds and other features.

Since birds of a feather flock together, you can also go beak-to-beak with your friends in Bird’s the Word through Facebook. Just select Challenge on the main menu and pick out one of your friends. Then play a game in any mode and when you finish, a challenge will automatically be sent to your friend’s wall. Can you soar with the eagles or are you going to end up hanging out with turkeys?

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However I’m well aware that there we people unlike me who love to pamper their devices and just must use some cover, skin or a sleeve. It is for such people I write this review.

Disclosure: The Snugg cover I have was sent to me by the manufacturer as a free sample. I hope you trust me to still be objective despite $29.99 incentive from one of the competitors :)

Snugg Kindle Fire Cover

Marware Kindle Fire Cover

Since I have both accessories here in front of me, lets compare them.

• Both covers are made of leather. Marware is smoother, while Snugg is more coarse. Both feel pleasant to the touch. It is a matter of taste and therefore a tie.
• Snugg uses leather envelope and hidden velcro to hold the device, Marware uses metal braces covered by leather. Although both covers hold Kindle Fire securely, Snugg is much nicer looking. One point to Snugg.
• Marware uses rubber band to hold the cover closed, while Snugg uses magnets. Both ways seem to have cons and pros. With band you can also hold the cover in the open position and overall more secure. While magnets make the cover easiers to open and involve less parts that can get tangled. I call it a tie.
• Snugg build quality is flawless (white stitches are clearly visible and perfect), Marware is also quite nice except for the aforementioned metal braces. Therefore one point to Snugg.
• Both covers sport a rubber band for holding the device more securely. Both allow landscape reading position. However Marware cover requires you to unbuckle the device from two of the hinges to use this position. A minor inconvenience but inconvenience nonetheless. Snugg also advertises comfortable typing position. Although you can put Marware cover into a similar position, it doesn’t hold itself securely in it due to lack of locks. One point to Snugg.
• Both covers make power button and connectors easily accessible. One of the nefarious hinges on Marware cover obstructs part of the right speaker. While I don’t think it will affect listenting experience (remember we are talking about tiny cheap portable device speakers here that are so close to each other there will be no noticeable stereo effect) it is a design flaw nonetheless. Half point to Snugg.
• Snugg is available only in Black, while Marware if available in Black, Brown, Charcoal, Green and Pink. Finally a point for Marware.
• Although Snugg cover covers the top of Kindle Fire and gets really close to screen edges it doesn’t obstruct them. You can still slide out notification and settings bar from the top and button bar from the botton. I played a few rounds of Fruit Ninja and the cover didn’t interfere with the game.
• Both covers are sold on Amazon.com and are available for Prime free two-day shipping. Marware cover costs 1.5X the price of Snugg ($44.99 vs $29.99)

I guess that by now it would be clear that I’m definitely leaning in favour of Snugg. Don’t trust me? Take a look at reviews on Amazon: although Marware sold much more covers due to being featured on Kindle Fire page, only 35% of their reviews are 5-star. Snugg on the other hand sports 83% 5-star reviews.

Conclusion: if you are unlike me and into covers – try Snugg. To me it definitely seems like a better deal.

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• January 16, 2012 -- New Solar Powered Kindle Cover by SolarFocus (0)
• January 12, 2012 -- SolarFocus Kindle Cover Revealed (0)
• January 2, 2012 -- Kindle Fire Lightweight MicroShell Folio Cover (0)
• July 29, 2011 -- Notable Kindle Special Offers (1)

This is the second post in a series of weekly giveaways sponsored by DecalGirl.com here on BlogKindle. I’ll start it by announcing the winner of last weeks giveaway: @nbrown1981. I’ve sent the redemption code via Twitter. This weeks giveaway works in a very simple way (same as the last one): click on the twitter button on the left to retweet this post and follow @BlogKindle so that I can send you a personal message on twitter with redemption code in case you win. Winner will be randomly chosen next Friday and announced in the next post. Last week only about a dozen people participated in the giveaway so chances of winning were pretty high.

I’ll let Bill take over from here…

This week I would like to start by introducing the DecalGirl website to those who have never been there before, and showing everyone some of the ways to navigate and quickly find what you are looking for.

If you click on the images of Kindle 4 skins below (more about them in a bit) you will be taken to a page for that particular design. Let’s take a look at various ways to find what you are looking for from there.

You can make a selection from the main menu and the drop down sub-menus at the top of the page. Those will help you navigate to the main pages for each device where you can see all of the stock skins for that device. (Don’t forget, you are not limited to the skins you see on this page. More about that later, too.) There is also a “directory listing” type menu just above the content area of each page that allows you to jump back over multiple levels with one click if you so desire.

If you look over the skins on any particular page and you don’t see anything that really tweaks your interest, or if you just want more choices, you can go to the right side of the main menu and click on “More ways to shop.” If you select “Shop by artist” you will be taken to the main artists’ page, where you can select an artist to view his or her gallery. If you select “Shop by design” you will be presented with all our current designs, which can be sorted by “Freshest,” “Best Sellers,” or “Name.” There’s a filter option on the left that lets you filter by artist, color, or style of art.  Any design can be put on a skin for any device.  When you choose to shop by design or by artist you will be presented with a menu to select the type of device, and then the specific device you would like skinned.  After making those selections you will be presented with a choice of gloss or matte finish, you will see the price, and you can add the skin to your cart.

We are occasionally asked about custom skins.  It’s a little hard to find information about it on the website, so let me make everyone aware:  Yes, DecalGirl can do custom skins.  If you want a picture of your favorite pet, or your daughter, or whatever on a skin, all you need to do is email support@decalgirl.com.  We will send you a photoshop template via email.  Put your art on that template, send it back to us, and we will create your skin.  There is an additional $5 charge for custom skins.  You can also request to have color changes made or text added to any of our stock designs.  We will soon be streamlining this process by adding an online customizer tool to our website.

Still can’t find what you are looking for, or have questions? You can contact DecalGirl in several different ways. Go to the bottom left of any page to find our customer service links. From there you can send us an email or find our snailmail address, as well as our toll free customer service telephone number. Live customer service is available Monday-Friday from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Eastern. When you call you will be talking to a friendly helpful customer service representative who is right here on site at DecalGirl, not someone at a foreign outsourced call center! (You’ll be talking to Amy, Keith, or Erin, not “Peggy!”  For anyone not in the U.S., this video will introduce you to “Peggy.”)

Now let’s talk about the skins for a bit. We have most recently added skins for the Kindle 4, and you can expect to see skins available for the other new Kindles in the near future. Right now there are 157 skin designs available on the Kindle 4 page, but remember you can shop by design or artist to select any of our more than 2200 skins to cover your Kindle 4. Here are three of our currently most popular designs. Click on any of them to visit the page for that design.

The first design is called “Library,” by Vlad Studio. Could there be a more appropriate skin for an ereader than this one?  Vlad lives in Irkutsk, Russia. He produces clever designs on a variety of subjects – from inanimate objects to stylized animals and people.

The next design is by one of our newer artists, Kate McRostie, and it is called “Fresh Picked.” Kate lives in Wilmington, North Carolina and gets her inspiration from people and things around her. “Fresh Picked” is reminiscent of the upholstery on an old fashioned chair, or perhaps decorative wallpaper.

The third and final design I want to share this week is called “Infinity” by David April. David is a software developer who produces fractal and photographic art. “Infinity” has multiple layers that give it an almost 3-D look.

Next week I’ll share some of our designs that will get you in the mood for the Halloween season. Have a good week, everyone!

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This is the first post in a series of weekly giveaways sponsored by DecalGirl.com here on BlogKindle. In each post Bill will share something about the company or Kindle skin designs that they create. Each post comes with a chance to win a free Kindle skin of your choice. The giveaway works in a very simple way: click on the twitter button on the left to retweet this post and follow @BlogKindle so that I can send you a personal message on twitter with redemption code in case you win. Winner will be randomly chosen next Friday and announced in the next post. So keep an eye on the blog and your twitter inbox…

And with this introduction I hand the pen over to Bill from DecalGirl….

Not too long ago, in a galaxy close to home, there was a young, recently married couple who both loved cars and who had an idea: “Let’s make full color decals for cars!” they said. After buying the printing equipment they needed, they set about creating and marketing their designs, and DecalGirl was born. As the car decal business gathered steam and began to turn a profit, they realized that their idea could be applied to other items as well, and they began to offer removable full color printed “skins” for electronic devices.

Jump ahead to 2011. DecalGirl has grown from a basement operation with a staff of 2 to a company that employs over 30 people and operates out of a 19,000 square foot facility near the booming metropolis of Milton, Delaware. (I made the “booming metropolis” part up. Milton is a quiet little town of about 2500 near the Delaware beach resorts.) DecalGirl products are 100% produced onsite in the United States from top quality materials, and feature some of the lowest prices in the skin industry. DecalGirl offers skins featuring the artwork of over 80 artists from around the world; everything from the SoCal surf culture inspired art of Chuck Trunks to the nature art of Antonia Neshev, and everything in between. New designs are added every week, so there is always something fresh to choose from. DecalGirl currently offers over 2200 designs.

DecalGirl was the first and original company to develop removable, residue free full color skins to adhere to both small and large personal electronic devices. As the years have passed and devices have changed, DecalGirl has kept up with the times, regularly adding skins for new devices as they become available. A bonus feature of DecalGirl skins is free wallpaper. If your device has a screen that supports it, you can download a free wallpaper file that matches your skin.

When you visit the DecalGirl site, you will find a variety of ways to shop for skins for your device. You can browse what’s currently available for your device, or if you don’t see something you like, you can shop by design, where you can see all the available designs for all supported devices. If you have a favorite artist, you can also shop by viewing that artist’s gallery page.

Here’s the beauty of shopping at DecalGirl.com. Suppose you see a skin that you like, but it’s not listed on the page for your device. DecalGirl will create a skin for you with that design, so you are never limited to the skins that are displayed on the page for a particular device. Custom skins take an extra day or two to produce, but it’s well worth the wait to get exactly the skin that you want. All skins offer the option of a standard high-gloss coating, or a matte/satin finish. (The matte/satin finish is slightly higher in price.) You can also customize your skin by adding text, or by having the color adjusted for an additional fee.

Over the next few weeks we are going to share some information about DecalGirl skins on this blog. We’ll take a look at a variety of designs, profile some of our artists and share their work with you, and help you find skins for your Kindle or other devices. Most importantly, we’ll give you a weekly chance to win a free DecalGirl skin! Click on the photos here for a preview of a couple of our Kindle skins.

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• October 28, 2011 -- Installation Tips For DecalGirl Skins (0)
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The Pros

Usability:

In spite of being a full coverage case, there is nothing that you technically cannot do with a KlearKase on your Kindle.  Not only are the page turn buttons accessible, but you can easily handle the QWERTY keyboard and pop out silicon plugs to get at the power slider and headphone jack.  Even the volume control is responsive.

Reading Experience:

Barring certain specific needs and circumstances, most of the time it is easy to forget you even have a case on the Kindle.  This is pretty much the best compliment I can think of for something like this.  The pattern on the back of the case makes it easy to grip, the page turn toggles aren’t hard to get used to, and the keyboard might even be slightly more comfortable to type on than it normally is.

Protection:

The protection on this case is impressive, as it was meant to be.  With one of these, your Kindle will not be scratched, dirty, or damp in any way.  With the port plugs jammed in, pretty much nothing makes it through.  While the KlearKase is advertised as splash-proof rather than waterproof, I jammed the thing full of paper towels and held it under water for a good 10 minutes without anything inside getting wet.

The Cons

Usability:

There are two minor inconveniences to be aware of, neither of which take much getting used to.  First, the directional control is slightly harder to use than normal.  Because it is such a low profile button to begin with, it can be a bit difficult to feel clearly through the silicon screen.  Not a big deal.  The other is the page turn toggles.  When using this case, turning a page becomes a matter of pushing a button straight down.  If you are like me and usually hold your Kindle in such a way as to make page turns a matter of just rolling your thumb a bit to squeeze the button, it might take a couple hours use before it feels natural.

Reading Experience:

The only downside I can think of here is glare.  You can’t really have full screen protection without that becoming more of an issue.  Outside of direct lighting like a book lamp or something, it probably won’t bother anybody much.

Protection:

Like I said, the protection is great.  It would take far more of a fall or crush to damage a Kindle inside one of these things than it would in most other cases.  As I mentioned, water is a non-issue.

The Big Picture

This is a case I can see becoming a regular use thing.  Having had one to try out, I don’t think I would consider giving a Kindle to a kid without a KlearKase(alliteration not intended).  It protects, but most importantly it doesn’t get in the way.  While it will never pass for a personal statement or fashion accessory, don’t overlook this one.

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• June 11, 2010 -- Kindle’s Summer Guardian (2)

These switches are designed for people who have mobility impairments that prevent them from using the Kindle normally.

The switch comes in two, bright colors: red and yellow. They are also activated with a minimum amount of pressure.

The product description according to Origin:

“Colorful – Available in Cherry Red and Lemon Yellow
Ergonomic – Audible and tactile feedback at each switch transition
Sensitive – Activation requires only 3.5 ounces of pressure anywhere on the surface
Adaptable – Threaded inserts support optional mounting at any angle
Stable – A friction pad is included to cushion impacts and prevent sliding
Durable – Designed for daily use and years of service
Dependable – Origin Instruments quality, reliability, and support
Affordable – Priced at $34.95 US$”

For more information, visit Origin Instruments’ PageBot product page and Orby Switch product page.  They have a great deal of cool assistive technology gadgets to check out.

I think it is awesome that there is adaptive equipment available out there for the growing e-reader and tablet market. However, I hope that assistive technology can be integrated into the Kindle, Nook, and tablets so that people with disabilities can use their devices just as easily as everyone else without all of the extra equipment.

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As far as casual use, the best compromise I’ve found for when you want something to use all the time that will also save you from spilled drinks and short unexpected rainfall is the M-Edge Leisure Jacket.  It is fairly affordable for a Kindle case at $34.99 but also provides a good amount of protection and doesn’t look ridiculous when you carry it around with you.  It isn’t perfect, by any means.  I would strongly recommend against dropping your Kindle in a bathtub with this one, and the screen protection results in a fair amount of glare.  If moisture is a minor concern, however, it is effective.

A more durable and heavily protected option is the new KlearKase for Kindle 3. Again, it is not going to provide much protection if you decide to store your Kindle in the swimming pool.  It does a lot more than the M-Edge option, though.  Their product video depicts some fairly impressive splash protection in unusual boating conditions, for example.  You also get ready access to all Kindle buttons and functions, unlike any other reliable waterproof case I’ve found so far.  It doesn’t look nice enough that I would want to carry this around constantly, but it’s some of the best functional protection you’re likely to find.  $49.99 is a bit much for a case, but if you need it then it is probably worth the investment.

The budget option, for those who don’t feel that a few hours on the beach is worth a $50 investment, is the TrendyDigital WaterGuard Case.  Think of it like a durable ziplock bag for your Kindle.  Mostly because it is.  While it is quite inexpensive at $15.99 and not particularly attractive, this is possibly the best of the waterproofing options.  I’ve seen them sit submerged without leaking for several minutes at a time.  Admittedly, however, this is the only protection they give you.  Even the worst of the normal case selections you’re likely to see would give you more fall damage insurance.  Still, it’s a great way to keep your Kindle dry.  Plus, and I know this will be the major selling point for most people, it has a strap so that you can hang your eReader from your neck!

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Compared to cell phones, which are likely in any given day to be dropped, scratched, and generally worn out by their constant presence in the lives of owners no matter the situation, I would guess that the average Kindle is astoundingly well cared for.  For many owners, as a result, the important factor in deciding on one of these cases would have to be durability without loss of functionality.  Basically, people care more about their Kindle working properly than they do about how impervious it is as a general rule.  To me, this makes perfect sense.  Apparently it was overlooked.

Customers are complaining about the experience for any number of reasons.  The screen protector seems to greatly increase experienced glare.  The page turn buttons tend to stick and lose their responsive feeling when being pushed.  The silicone of the sleeve itself is a magnet for any lint, oil, and debris that it happens to come into contact with.  That aside, once the sleeve is on it is difficult to even make out the button functions in most light since they are identified by recessed and uncolored symbols.  On top of that, it adds a noticeable amount of weight to the Kindle and gets to be quite obtrusive.

The majority of these negative reviews come from people who declare themselves fans and former owners of OtterBox products who are simply astounded by how mediocre this particular item turned out to be by comparison.  Yes, it does what it is meant to do.  Once you get it to fit properly, your Kindle is going to be protected very well.  It just manages this in such a way as to make you more aware of the case than seems necessary.  That limits the potential uses for it, in my eyes.

This might make an excellent investment for high damage potential situations.  Want to get a kid a Kindle?  The OtterBox case will help it last longer and costs less (as of right now) than most Kindle cases!  Want to keep one in the garage?  I would want one of these.  But it really only works in situations where durability is the absolute most important factor.

The Kindle was intended to be, and manages in general to be, a device that doesn’t get in the way of what it was made to do.  When you are using one, the experience is meant to be pleasant and allow for the same kind of reading experience you would get from a paperback.  The OtterBox Commuter Case for the Amazon Kindle, by all accounts I’ve seen so far, fails to allow this.  This is not what one would hope for when they hear about something like this.

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This particular light becomes a part of the Kindle. and includes a lot of flexible lighting angles.  Unlike many lights that fit on the top, this one comes from the side for better portability.

One of the best perks is that it doesn’t require extra batteries or lightbulbs.  It also doesn’t suck up the Kindle’s own battery.  Sure is nice to not have to haul a bunch of batteries and chargers around.  It’d be even better if universal chargers could be created to charge all gadgets.

Grantwood Technologies recently released an updated SimpleLight designed for the 3rd generation Kindle.  The newest version of the Kindle is lighter and smaller than its predecessors and SimpleLight fits on it seamlessly without adding weight.

An advantage that this particular light has over backlighting is power.  One reviewer said they were able to use it light a flashlight.  You can also bend it away from someone in bed next to you.

When I was younger I used to try to read in bed with a booklight.  I remember how cumbersome it could be to turn the pages with the light.  The Kindle design makes it a lot easier to to use one because you aren’t physically turning pages.

Not a bad price either.  For such a good quality light that does not require batteries, $23 certainly doesn’t break the bank!

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10 people will be randomly selected, and the gift card can be used to buy all kind of Kindle goodies.  Its even more than enough to buy a new Kindle and a good stock of e-books.

The Amazon Kindle Facebook fan page does a number of sweepstakes from time to time so, check them out, and who knows, you might just get lucky.  The page also has a lot of great Kindle thoughts, reviews and special offers.

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The designs are printed directly onto the cover.  There are some really pretty flower designs, as well as more abstract ones.  So, you have a good variety to choose from based on your taste.  As you can see from the pictures, the case has a snap at the bottom to allow for easy sliding in and out, as well as charging.

The inside of the leather Kindle case is lined with suede to help protect your Kindle from scratches.  The case is also sturdy enough to handle traveling or toting around.  The sturdiness and protection are keys to a long lasting case.

Tovicorrie also has a number of cases available for the iPhone or iPod as well.

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The latest gadget to join to Kindle accessibility lineup is PageBot by Origin Instruments. PageBot has a number of adaptive switches that can help people with motor disabilities navigate the Kindle’s “previous” and “next” page buttons, as well as the keyboard. I think that is awesome because the buttons are small, and require some muscle strength to use them. Currently, PageBot is available online starting May 12 for Kindle 2 and Kindle DX. The Kindle 3 version will be available in June, 2011.

PageBot is also compatible with Sip/Puff and other switches that are designed for people who are paralyzed or have any other motor disability that would prevent them from using their hands.

PageBot includes a mount for tables, shelves and any other similar surfaces, as well as a foam padding to prevent mechanical shock.

If you are concerned about battery power, PageBot is designed to run on low battery power. So, the Kindle’s battery should be able to handle it quite well.

Official list of features according to Origin Instrument’s website:

• The Kindle is supported in a rugged mount with facing surfaces of compliant foam
• Includes a four degree-of-freedom articulated arm with integrated clamp for mounting
• Dual electro-mechanical actuators for the Kindle’s Next Page and Previous Page buttons
• Dual switch connectors for interface to adaptive switches with standard 3.5 mm plugs
• Stereo input capability for interfacing dual switches with a single cable
• Integrated USB host for adaptive switches that emulate a USB mouse
• Integrated Keep Awake mode prevents the Kindle from entering sleep after a pause in reading
• Micro-USB power input for compatibility with the standard Kindle power adapter
• Optional rechargeable battery pack supports wireless portability and full on-the-go reading
• PageBot exposes all Kindle features for manual access, including the Amazon Whispernet wireless antenna(s), the stereo headphone jack, the Kindle battery recharge port, and the Kindle’s buttons and switches
• The Kindle can be inserted or removed from PageBot for convenient sharing with friends and family members

Origin Instruments has a number of other assistive technology gadgets for the iPhone, iPod Touch and others.  I encourage you to take a look at them, and pass this along to anyone who might could use PageBot for their Kindle.  A great way to provide a pleasurable reading experience for all audiences.

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The WaterGuard case slips snugly around your Kindle 1,2, or 3, and provides flexibility that allows you to still use the Kindle page turner buttons and the keyboard with ease.  I really like that it can be used across generations.  That way it can be used whenever you decide to upgrade.

There is also a WaterGuard case designed for the Kindle DX as well.  Both cases are inexpensive in terms of Kindle cases, and run between 15 and 20 dollars.  Plus, as many reviewers say, these cases are functional.  They do their jobs well.

You can also wear it with an adjustable strap.  The case comes with a a good selection of colorful borders, including blue, purple and red.

RB

“I did the “paper towel test” (put a dry paper towel in the bag, seal it, then submerse the bag in water). Dry paper towel, so the watertightness seems very good.

On vacation, I abused it pretty heavily- sand, wind, water, and my Kindle stayed dry and happy. There was a slight glare/shadow in very direct sun, but just changing the angle at which I held the Kindle resolved that.”

khanman

“Does what it’s supposed to do! Enough said.”

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Kindle Lighted Leather Cover

This is the most likely case to catch your eye when you make a Kindle purchase.  It’s made by Amazon, has a built-in booklight, a cord to hold the cover closed when not in use, and just generally does the job well.  It’s a bit expensive at $59.99, but remember that that includes the ability to read in the dark without having to worry about extra batteries or clip-on lights.

Marware Eco-Vue Folio Kindle Case

I like the Marware Folio because it’s inexpensive and feels good.  It’s just a basic Kindle case with an elastic strap to hold it open or closed, but the cover has a built-in strap to go around your hand which isn’t nearly as silly as I thought when I first bought one.  The design is sound, it looks nice, and it can take an impressive beating.  Probably my favorite of the inexpensive folio cases.

M-Edge Platform Kindle Jacket

When it comes to variety of selection, I would consider M-Edge the company to go to.  They have all sorts to choose from and even a service to completely personalize your cover.  This one is neat because it lets you stand your Kindle on a table or counter.  Particularly useful when using the Kindle as a recipe book in the kitchen, I’ve found.

M-Edge Leisure Kindle Jacket

Unlike the others I’ve mentioned so far, the Leisure jacket for the Kindle is a complete enclosure for the device.  It is water resistant, sand resistant, very durable, and reasonably priced.  The entire front of the cover is a clear vinyl that allows you to access all of the controls(aside from the power slider) without exposing your Kindle to the elements.  Something like this is a must for anybody bringing their reading to the beach or on a hiking trip, but it can also come in handy in pretty much any messy situation.

Oberon Leather Cases

When it comes to really ornate and impressive cases, Oberon is the place to go.  They’re not available directly through Amazon at this time, which can be a pain, but it’s worth it if you’re trying to impress.  Since all of Oberon’s Kindle cases are leather with pewter buttons they can require a bit more care than other case options.  They do offer a number of designs for both of the most recent Kindle generations and the Kindle DX, the latter of which is a big help given the lack of good case selections for the DX at the moment.

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I went camping this past weekend, and wanted to take my Kindle, but camping is pretty rough on technology.  However, there is a solution for that dilemma.

Kindle Lighted Covers are really tough and made of leather, which is just right for the outdoors.  The best part?  It also includes a built in light.  You have a pretty good variety of colors to choose from as well.  I love the blue and lime green.  The light automatically turns on when it is pull out, and turns off when you tuck it back into its place in the case.  The light gets its power from the Kindle itself via the Kindle Lighted Cover’s high tech hinge system.

Reviews overall are great, most are 4 stars and above.

Roxanne Mchenry

“Pluses: Built in light that slips securely out of the way, no batteries to replace, better clips/fit than past covers that connect to Kindle, adequate to light the entire screen, no looking for a booklight, no clipping a booklight to my Kindle and scratching or damaging it, the book light LEDs point down towards the screen, so no bright lights in your eyes.

Minuses: The cover’s weight doubles the weight of the Kindle 3 in your hand, the book light stays in one corner and doesn’t move around the Kindle, uses more Kindle battery life (it’s powered by the Kindle 3 — and I noticed a definite drain on the battery from using the light)”

Elizabeth

“I had debated about purchasing this item because of the cost which seemed excessive in comparison to the cost of buying a Kindle. However, on the recommendation of a friend, I decided to purchase a cover. The range of colours available was good particularly if the Kindle is accidentally dropped onto a dark surface eg interior of planes. I originally purchased an e-reader as it is such a convenient way of carrying a number of books when I’m travelling on long flights.”

So, unfortunately, the Kindle Lighted Cover only works for the Kindle 3.  But, I think it is a worthwhile investment considering that you would be getting both a light and a cover, without the added cost of purchasing batteries.

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Manor Bindery, a small family business based in the UK has created some beautiful cases for the Kindle 3 called KleverCases.  These cases are created to maintain the “look and feel” of old books.  I love the flower covers.  There are many classical designs made to order, and a great variety of colors to choose from.

Mason Bindery’s eBay shop has received 100% positive reviews for high quality service and products.  What a neat way to integrate new technologies while still maintaining the integrity of the old familiar books.

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LightWedge has a an excellent booklight option called Verso Clip Light.  It enables you to read in low lighting and even in bed while your spouse or roommate is sleeping.  There are white and graphic version available.

Here is a note from LightWedge about their Verso Clip Light:

“We want our e-reader customers to have a positive reading experience. This product is the solution for readers who frequently read in low-lit areas,” says Jamey Bennett CEO of LightWedge LLC. “The e-ink displays used in most e-reader devices are not backlit, like a laptop computer. So, the Verso Clip On Light provides additional lighting and clips right on to e-readers.” The Verso Clip Lights go for around $15″

LightWedge is also featuring Kindle Covers by Verso:

Kindles are so fragile and slippery, so it is literally a necessity to get a case for it.  LightWedge has a great selection of covers including the Verso Gear Case.  These cases provide a variety of pockets and compartments to store Kindle accessories and charger cable.

“It’s no longer just a cover for the device, our unique designs allow individuals to express their sense of style,” said Bennett. (Source: LightWedge) The Verso line of e-reader accessories range in price from $14.99 to $49.99 and will be available at major retailers nationwide, Amazon as well as the company’s website (www.lightwedge.com).”

LightWedge is featuring their booklights and Kindle covers for Mother’s Day, which is coming up in a couple of months.  How fitting, because according to LightWedge, the e-readers are a big hit for women.  Both the light and the covers are available for the latest generation Kindle.

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So, I’m always on the hunt for fun-looking Kindle accessories. I like browsing Etsy for handmade Kindle covers because Etsy sellers consistently come up with fresh and funky-looking ideas.

When I saw M-Edge custom Kindle covers I realized this trend with Kindle covers took one more step further into the market. M-Edge offers a service for you to design your own Kindle 2/Kindle 3 cover.

You have a choice of:
- Uploading your own image;
- Adding a pattern: approximately sixty patterns to choose from;
- Adding color;
- Adding text with a choice of five fonts (Therano Old Style, Collaborate, Andron, Alexandria, and Scriptina); also you can choose the font color.
- And choosing the spine color: only black and brown for now.

Here is the M-Edge Youtube video that illustrates how it works in more details.

The custom Kindle cover costs $40 plus the shipping fee. According to the information posted in FAQ, M-Edge also ships internationally.

Hence, if you are experiencing the creative urge, but do not have time or desire to craft your own Kindle cover, sounds like M-Edge is an interesting option for you.

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Here are some options for unique handmade Kindle covers available via Etsy.

If you are into fancy-pants, leather covers – here is a beautiful orange Kindle cover, shipped from Hungary for $46 for the cover and $6 for shipping.

If soft, floral and quite expensive Kindle cover is your style then here is an option for you. That would cost $65 (holy smokes!) and $4.50 for shipping within USA. The same designer is selling a beautiful giraffe with dreamy eyes for the same (very high) price.

If spending $65 on a Kindle cover seems a bit excessive for you, then there are other fantastic options – such as this clutch style with square leather button Kindle cover for $25 with $4.95 shipping within US.

Also, this completely custom made e-reader cover (you have to specify which e-reader you have) – you can choose a button, the type of fabric on the outside and inside of the cover. This cover goes for $29.99 plus $2.50 for shipping within US.

If floral and giraffe designs is not quite your style, here is a very nice grey Kindle sleeve made from merino wool for $39.99 plus $5.50 for shipping. The same designer has a really nice hand dyed leather Kindle cover for $68.

And if you like to pretend like you are holding a hardcover book, while reading from your Kindle, then you might like this style for Kindle case for $34.99 plus $10 shipping within US.

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You can view more information about the Kindle dock here.  Each dock is $18.

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