As anyone with an ebook reader with an eInk screen knows, there is no backlight in these devices. If you want to read in low-light conditions, you have to provide an external light source. There are a multitude of clip-on book lights available, and someone has naturally developed one for the Kindle from Amazon.com. The Kandle is a low-profile, wide-format light in white plastic. It has 2 LEDs and comes with batteries for $25. It works with all the Kindles, and Amazon.com says it works equally well with other ebook readers, including the Sony readers.
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$25 for a “high tech solution for a low tech problem”?
What would you do when you want to read an ordinary book and the light gets low? Well, there’s the answer …
I agree with Uli that the proper answer is to turn on a lamp.
But honestly, there is no backlight on the Kindle?
What kind of silliness is that?
Thanks for the review, Julie. I’d been putting off buying a light because I didn’t like the looks of the Mighty Bright, which seems to be the most popular light for Kindle. This looks perfect.
@Uli, there are no lamps on airplanes…& sometimes a lamp is not conveniently located where you are reading.
@Sandee, if backlighting does not bother your eyes, great! But it is tiring for many which is why the Kindle’s technology is different.
There is no backlight on any device that uses an eInk screen, because those screens are opaque. Sony tried using LEDs along the front sides of the 700 reader, but that wasn’t a hit with everyone.
Are the LED’s in this one cool white (blue-ish) or warm white? I have a light I use for the Kindle now that works well, but I would really prefer a warm white solution.
Anyone know?
$25 for a book light is way too much. We bought a pair of book lights at Costco for $9.99 – that’s $5 each! The light has a long articulating neck with a swivel head, and it all folds up to be a compact little flashlight. The light has 4 LEDs and 2 brightness levels. It provides a wide-enough light for the book. It clips on the cover of my Sony or I can clip it to my shirt pocket which also works pretty well.
As a value comparison, Amazon sells a little hand-crank generator light with a pile of attachments for charging cell phones, USB devices, and other stuff for $25. Of course, you get two for $25 at Costco.
No – I do not own stock in Costco, but I wish I did.
Most booklights will work with most ebook readers, as far as I’m aware, although some are better than others for sticking in ebook reader covers.
Uli and Sandee: the issue is the technology doesn’t allow it. Or are you two the sorts of people who think paper books are passe because they can’t be read in the dark and don’t come with backlighting? 😉 Same issue there – opaque material with black letters ‘printed’ in/on it. You can’t run a backlight through that which would make the letters readable, so you run a light over it. Aka: just like any other booklight.
One main issue with reading LCDs, I’ve found, is that the backlights are often the issue after a long reading session. Especially if lighting conditions aren’t perfect, causing some serious glare (especially with the newer, glossy-type screen coatings in use these days).
The mighty brite light does the job well, especially since there are multiple brightness choices and a swivel neck. However, it does not attach very securely to the Kindle cover I use and can easily be knocked away. The Kandle looks like it clamps solidly onto the Kindle itself. Is this true? Will the cover (I use the standard black leather one sold by Amazon) get in the way?
CLT
http://www.pittsburghlegalbacktalk.com/
Do you know other low light solutions for Kindle ?
Hi I just bought a Kandle ebook light purchased from ebay sth Korea as it is the only place I could find it here in Australia (great value though, no problems transaction or delivery either)
I have an elonex 621eb reader and the Kandle works really well with it as it simply clips on to the top and has rubber cushioning to protect your reader.
I think thet we are often lead to believe that ebook accesories are brand specific when in reality this is not the case.
I am now chasing a case for my reader I wonder if I will have the same luck hoping that another brand case will work with my elonex.
Ps my elonex is an eink reader and the Kandle has two very bright white LED’s (only comes in white plastic) but is very cool looking. Think I paid about $25.00 AD
PPs re the eink reader with no back light comments. The idea is that reading a eink reader is exactly like reading a book rather than staring at a screen, this prevents the kind of eye strain associated with back lit screens. AND before you say why not just read a regular book then ha ha, ereaders can store more books than I could possibly carry, great for hollidays etc
No backlight …of course not….because of e-ink screens…also battery life would suffer
There is the M-Edge touch booklight you can get for $19.99USD on Amazon.com made just for the readers and it has a paperclip bottom so you can use it on paper books as well. I haven’t tried it but looks like a good one.