Product Review – K3 Lighted Cover

Evening Kindle-ites~

Listening to most of y’all the last few weeks I realized something… I am behind the times.  While before I was leaps and bounds ahead, sporting my pretty little Kindle, and clothing it in the newest fashions, I am now lagging in the back crowd not having purchased a K3.  Am I sad about this? No, not really, I’m happy with my K2 and to be honest, I don’t even feel the urge to upgrade, but I didn’t want my reluctance to move forward to hold you back from available accessories, so… I asked my lovely friend Sophia over at fictionvixen.com to help ME out and give YOU the 411. Here is what she had to say about the:

Lighted Leather Cover for her Kindle 3

The cover:

I purchased the lighted cover in burgundy red. I was pleased to see that the color was represented well on Amazon and I didn’t end up with a color that looked significantly different from cover that is pictured. The leather is nice quality and the stitching is tight and even. The lining of the case is soft and I think it will wear well with normal use. What concerns me most about the construction of the case is the elastic strap that is used to hold the case closed when not in use. Even with average use I suspect it will eventually lose its elasticity and my cover will outlive the closure strap. I think Velcro closure might have been better but only time will tell. The new K3 is smaller and lighter than its predecessors and of course adding a cover to it will add some weight. However the cover is not overly bulky and I would estimate that the cover plus Kindle be slightly more than the weight of a paperback book. The added protection for the Kindle is worth a bit of extra weight for me. I like that the cover is flexible enough that I can fold it all the back for a more comfortable grip. You can use the elastic strap to secure the cover once it’s folded back but I don’t find it necessary.

The book light:

The book light is seated within the cover on the upper right-hand corner, tucked away when not in use. The Kindle is attached to the cover via two small brass hinges. This allows the light to be powered by the Kindle battery so no additional battery replacement is necessary. To use the book light, simply slide it out from the corner until you hear a click and the light will come on. If you forget and leave your light on, it will automatically turn off when your Kindle goes into sleep mode. Using the Kindle with the book light does drain the battery more than if you were not using the light; however I don’t think it’s so significant that I would prefer a book light powered by another source. I’ve read well into the night using the light starting at full charge and still had over 60% charge left the next morning. I read without Wifi and 3G being turned on though. If you leave WiFi and/or 3G turned on, you will need to recharge sooner. Since the light is located in the upper right hand corner of the Kindle you will get the brightest light there but the Kindle is still fully illuminated all the way down to the lower left corner. I don’t find this to be a problem, I think the coverage is still good overall. The light arm itself is

plastic and flexible. I’m certain it would snap if treated roughly however I think with normal usage it will be long lasting. The only problem I’m concerned with is bulb replacement. I don’t see any way to do it myself and there is no mention of it in the owner’s manual. The book light does have a one year limited warranty so I assume the light bulb would be covered however I am not totally sure on that. Something to consider before you purchase.

Price:

The lighted cover costs $59.00 USD as opposed to the non-lighted version that costs $39.00. At first I thought the lighted cover was a bit pricey but when you consider you’re getting a good quality leather cover for $39.00 and a convenient book light that does not require battery replacement for an additional $20.00 the price seems in line with what you’d expect to pay if you bought the items separately plus you get the added convenience of not having to pack the light separately. It goes where the case goes.

Overall:

I like the quality and convenience of the lighted case as well as the added protection for my Kindle. If weight is a big issue for you then you might want to consider a more lightweight cover perhaps made from a different material since this cover does add some weight. I don’t like a bulky cover and this cover and light work well for me. The screen illumination is good but not totally even. Again, this is not an issue for me since the entire screen is actually illuminated and I can easily read in the dark or near dark with it. I feel the lighted cover was well worth the purchase price and I’m happy with it overall.

Be sure to check out Sophia’s site and spread a little of the KO love.

Fiction Vixen Book Reviews is a book review blog that focuses on the romance and urban fantasy genres.  Sophia founded Fiction Vixen Book Reviews in August 2009 as a way to connect with other romance readers and discuss the books that move and inspire her.  Her main focus is to publish  fair and honest books reviews for books in the genres she loves, and keep it fun and entertaining.