The Amazon Kindle 2: Is It Good For Students & Academic Professionals?

The Amazon Kindle 2 is not just a device for people who are leisurely readers. Many professionals are looking to the Kindle for their work-related documents. Many students trying to eliminate the burden of carrying dozen of books on their backs are also interested in the Kindle and how it may help them in their studies. There are pros and cons to the Kindle in these respects and the ultimate deal-maker or breaker for you is going to require you to weigh the pros against the cons.As these are primarily created for computers, digital versions of text books and other reading materials professionals often use, are commonly in MS Word and PDF format. Here's lies the catch: the Kindle 2 does not natively support PDF files and this is one important thing that individuals have to consider before going ahead and buying one. Of course, there are ways of converting files to make them readable for the Kindle 2, but the process could be tedious, and the results, hit or miss.Fortunately, there are some ways to deal with these problems. The most popular thing people are doing is sending their documents to Amazon and paying to have them converted. While it isn't extremely expensive, converting dozens or even hundreds of files can require time and money that a college student just doesn't have. Nickels and dimes do eventually start to add up. If you are computer-savvy you may find it easier to download file conversion programs and do it yourself. It still requires time to do and has a learning curve that might put some people off.But the mere fact that students and professionals are interested in switching to the Kindle for their reading needs must mean that there are benefits to this move. An obvious one is the size and portability. No more heavy textbooks, no more bulky backpacks, no more sore backs. It could also save you money. How, you may ask, when the Kindle 2 costs a few hundred dollars? You're forgetting that digitalized versions of books are priced lower than their printed copies so while the purchase might cost more upfront, you will get to see the savings over time. And in this digital age, many college professors are giving PDF materials for students to study. Instead of browsing it on the PC, why not on the Kindle?You have to weight the pros and cons to determine if making the switch to the Kindle 2 is worth it for you. If you are put off by the thought of converting you files, you may not be interested in the Kindle. But if lugging your paperwork everywhere is starting to take its toll, it may be worth the extra effort to save yourself from the burden. And there is always the option of upgrading to the new Kindle DX, which comes standard with the ability to read PDF files.Take a look at the complete Amazon Kindle 2 & see it in action! Visit us to see a video tour of the Kindle 2 and find out for yourself whether it's the best electronic book reader for you!