Recently M-Edge began taking orders for their new Guardian case for the Kindle.  This neat new accessory comes just in time for the many Kindle owners out there who want to take their reader for a relaxing day at the beach or pool.  Now, the “waterproof” eReader case isn’t a new idea.  There have been similar devices on the market for years now, in fact.  The difference here is that M-Edge seems to have gone the extra mile to make this case worth the money and the attention.

Where other cases will let you wipe off condensation or splashes from the water, the Guardian will keep your Kindle safe in up to a meter of water, all while remaining completely functional and controllable.  It also has the added bonus of providing flotation for your book, so that dropping or setting aside what you’re doing isn’t going to be something you’re left regretting.

The Guardian comes in three colors(Black, Red, and Blue), features an anti-reflective screen for better reading in the glare of the sun, weighs barely more than 1lb, and can be attached to a lanyard through a ring at the base for added security.  It isn’t the cheapest thing on the market, at a surprising $80, but there can be no doubt that it’s worth the money if you’re serious about taking your Kindle with you everywhere you go.

The move from paper books to eReader devices might have been inevitable, but that doesn’t always make it easy. In a lot of ways, we’ve been fairly lucky. eInk displays make the pages read like paper, current technologies allow us to hold something the size of a book in our hands as we read, in a lot of ways it isn’t that much of a difference to read a book now than it ever was once you get used to the little things.

The one bit that I found the most difficult to deal with, at first, was the feel.  There’s just something about holding that brand new hardcover straight from the store or an old favorite pulled off the shelf for the twentieth time.  It’s got a pleasant, almost nostalgic feeling to it that the Kindle can’t really match unassisted.  My way around this was to take advantage of the cover options.

There’s a company I found a while back called Oberon Design that is in the business of making, among other things, eReader covers.  They’ve got them for all the varied Kindle versions, as well as a couple other devices, but I personally went with the Kindle 2 cover since that’s where they had the most designs to choose from so far.  It’s hand-tooled leather, feels good in your hands, and brings back some of the sensations that are lost in the move to synthetic media.  Can’t say it hurts to know that I can drop the thing in a parking lot(and I have) without damaging my favorite toy either.  The $75 price tag whether you’re going for a Kindle, nook, or Sony PRS cover is definitely a little steep, but it seems more than worth the money for the improved experience and security that the cover brings.

Amazon Kindle does come with a stock cover, but that is all it is a stock cover, Amazon did so much right with the Kindle, but they failed miserably with the stock case – if your bored with your Kindle continuously falling out of the stock cover you might consider having a look at the M-Edge Leather Executive Case.

This shiny, lushly padded case is a class above the base cover provided by Amazon, it firmly secures the Kindle to the case with four leather corners without being too tight, the top right corner is elasticised so allowing access to the switches on the back. For those who prefer leather the case feels and looks superb – the pictures simply don’t do any justice, it looks fantastic – it is smooth, smells divine and is available in a range of colours. On the inside left there is space for a pen and SD card holder as well as pockets for notes and business cards, it also folds back quite neatly. The craftsmanship is fantastic there are no loose threads in the stitching anywhere and fronting the elastic corner with the same material that’s on the other corners was a nice touch.

Product description from Amazon.com

The Amazon Kindle Executive Jacket is the ultimate for sophisticated on-the-go eReader users. Whether in the office, at a business meeting, or on the treadmill, the Executive Jacket provides refined and stylish protection of your Amazon Kindle in a superior case. The Executive Jacket offers full surface protection in a lushly padded case. The soft grey interior ensures your Kindle will always be cushioned in comfort. This smart case with classic lines even includes a loop for your pen and interior pockets for storage of SD Cards, notes, business cards, and other essentials. Even while closed, you’ll find access to all ports, so you never need to remove your reader for charging. The M-edge Accessories Amazon Kindle Executive Jacket is a sleek case that will protect your eReader from scratches and dings. It is the perfect solution for the user with a fashionable, active lifestyle.

The M-Edge certainly does look a lot better than the standard cover for the Kindle which is frankly quite ugly, a lot of users have reported that the Kindle fell out of it quite easily, you wont get that problem with the M-Edge case because the 4 leather corners firmly keep the Kindle in place. The stock case weighs in at 5.8 ounces while the M-Edge comes in at 4.9 ounces, so no big difference in terms of weight.

The only sticking point is the $54.99 price tag, however this is what Amazon should have shipped with the Kindle in the first place, I wish I had ordered mine months ago.

M-Edge Genuine Leather Executive Case for Amazon Kindle at Amazon.com

One of the features of the Kindle is the amazing eInk display which unlike LCD displays reduces eye strain and makes you forget you are reading on an electronic device. However, because the eInk display mimics ink, it requires no backlighting – so just like traditional books when you are reading in the dark you need a light source.

Have you ever read your Kindle on an aeroplane and didn’t want to turn the overhead lights on, or ever been in bed with your partner who is fast asleep and don’t want to disturb them by turning the light on – that’s where having a lighting source becomes advantageous – it’s when the Mighty Bright XtraFlex2 Light becomes advantageous.

The “Mighty Bright XtraFlex2 Light” is a clip on device which is operated by 2 Super LED lights. It clips on to the back of your Kindle or Kindle case and provide you with enough light to read your e-books no matter what the lighting conditions you are in.

Product description from Amazon.com

The Mighty Bright XtraFlex2 Light is a battery operated clamp on accessory custom designed to illuminate your Kindle Wireless Reading device. Two Super LED lights in one head gives you the lighting power of 6 normal LED’s. Brilliant light output! You have the option of using one or two of the Super LED lights with just a simple tap to our proprietary sensor switch. The flexible neck allows you to position your lighting anywhere you want it. With the XtraFlex2, you can take your Kindle anywhere – in bed, on the bus or train, and have proper illumination at your fingertips!

According to Amazon it is also one of the best-selling Kindle accessories available on the market, it is easy to see why. You will find that the light is very bright even on the lowest setting, the neck is long, slim, flexible and will stay in position no matter which way you bend it. The LED’s come with a blue tinge, so it takes a little getting used to, but it isn’t as harsh as bright white light you normally get on other similar devices. Lets have a look at the technical details:

Technical Details

• Two SUPER LED’s as bright as six regular LED’s and never need replacing!
• LumaLenz™ Optical grade lens spreads light evenly with no hot spots
• MightyGrip™ Strong wide mouth clip grips almost anything, or use free standing as a task light.
• MightFlex™ Fully adjustable arm will position and hold light in place
• Designed for attachment to your Kindle book cover

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B000TXZIDM
• Batteries: 3 AAA batteries required.

Your probably wondering how this would sit on the Kindle, a helpful user on the Amazon forums has posted up some pictures so you can see exactly how it clips onto the back of the Kindle case.

“You’ll really want the Mighty Bright light. With the cover folded back it clips neatly to the back. And unlike many LED booklights, it uses common AAA batteries, not the expensive, hard-to-find button ones.” – JOEKC “JKC”

“Another view of the attached Mighty Bright light. When properly attached, the left side of the cover provides a good place to grasp without hitting page buttons.” - JOEKC “JKC”

“Small and bright.”

Overall it is a solidly built, bright accessory for the Kindle and at $17.26 it is not expensive either and with an Amazon.com rating of 4.5, the vast majority of Kindle owners are thrilled with this Mighty Bright light. You can find out more about the Mighty Bright XtraFlex2 Light by visiting the product page on Amazon.

The “Mighty Bright XtraFlex2 Light” at Amazon.com

One of the best ways to gauge whether a new product is successful or not is to examine the number third party accessory’s available. Now there hasn’t been much in the way of new accessories for Kindle for quite a while and I think thats down to the limited availability of device. However there has been a lot of buzz surrounding new accessories coming out soon, and the Kindle Travel Case by sfbags.com is the first to be covered here on blogkindle.com

Here is what the press release says on the sfbags.com website;

San Francisco, CA, February 6 – WaterField Designs announces three protective cases for the Amazon Kindle: the Kindle SleeveCase, the Kindle Travel Case and the Kindle Slip Case—all custom-fitted to the Amazon Kindle dimensions. Each stylish case offers protection and accessibility, while maintaining a light look and feel.

The Kindle SleeveCase protects the Amazon Kindle with: high-grade neoprene; impact-resistant plastic to protect the screen; a sturdy, black, ballistic nylon shell; and a lightly padded closing flap. A rear, open-top pocket stows items such as the USB cable and ear buds. A subtle grey-black checked fabric trims the bottom of the case.

The Kindle Travel Case is designed with padded, internal compartments to keep the Kindle, the power adapter, the clip light, and any additional accessories tangle-free and organized. Self-locking zippers on a front pocket and on the main compartment ensure that contents don’t spill out. Available in six vibrant colors, the water-resistant case maintains its thin, compact shape, even when fully packed.

The Kindle Slip Case sports the same vibrantly colored, water-resistant material on its exterior as the Travel Case; a lightly padded, scratch-free liner; and impact-resistant plastic to protect the screen. In the Slip Case, the Kindle remains secure while still sliding in and out easily. The open top provides quick access.

“In response to customer requests, we’ve designed three options to meet the needs of every Kindle user we heard from,” explained owner, Gary Waterfield. “For rugged protection, we offer our signature SleeveCase custom-fit to the Kindle dimensions; for those who want their accessories along, we made the Travel Case and designed it to stay nice and thin when packed; and for those wanting light protection, we’ve got the Kindle Slip Case. As is often the situation, we have our customers to thank for ideas and feedback.”

Availability & Pricing

All three products are now available for pre-order and will begin shipping from www.sfbags.com from Tuesday, February 12, 2008.

The Amazon Kindle SleeveCase with Flap: $39. Color: Black.
The Amazon Kindle Travel Case: $49. Six colors: black, silver, brown, blue, green or red.
The Amazon Kindle Slip Case: $27. Six colors: black, silver, brown, blue, green or red.

I think at $39 for the sleeve case is a slightly on the expensive side, but it sounds like a sturdy product, and compared to the standard cover that comes with the Kindle, it is a step up in the right direction.

Source: engadget, sfbags.com