Araz Gray

Kindle Paperwhite 4 (10th Generation) Review

09 February 2019

Amazon currently produces three types of e-readers, and in my opinion, the best and most reasonable one is the Paperwhite. Unlike the basic version, it has a built-in front light, so you can use it at night without turning on a lamp, and it doesn’t have the sky-high, unreasonable price of the Oasis. At the end of 2018, Amazon introduced the new Kindle Paperwhite (waterproof, flat design, double storage), also known as Kindle Paperwhite 4, 10th Generation, or All-new Kindle Paperwhite. I decided to get it to save myself the hassle of carrying physical books.

Amazon offered a $30 Christmas discount on this version, making it an easy decision. Since Amazon doesn’t ship directly to Turkey, I had to find a workaround. The best option was to use intermediary services to buy it, have it sent to Iran, and then forwarded to me. After some research, I chose Maltina. I ordered it on December 9 and received it in Tabriz on January 12 (34 days), which is reasonable considering Amazon’s Christmas traffic. The purchasing experience was smooth, and their support was good. If you want to buy from Amazon, this is one of the best solutions.

• Thanks to Behrooz Bakhtiari for handling delivery from Tabriz to Istanbul and then posting it to Ankara.
• The 2018 Kindle Paperwhite cost me $99 (about 1,625,000 Toman in Tabriz), plus 45 Lira for shipping, totaling 1,725,000 Toman. One of the best purchases of my life.
• Unofficial distributors in Turkey now sell it for 1,300 Lira (around 3 million Toman), showing the depth of price inflation given the 5.1 Lira USD exchange rate.

Inside the new Kindle box, there’s only the Kindle itself and a cable (no adapter). You don’t need one, you can use your phone charger or laptop. It charges quickly (about 2 hours) and lasts for weeks without needing a recharge.

The first moments you hold the Kindle, its light weight and high-quality display stand out. The screen size is perfect, and the 8GB storage (5.5GB usable) can hold hundreds, even thousands of books. Its waterproof design and backlight ensure you can use it anytime, anywhere.

As you know, the Kindle Paperwhite’s screen isn’t like a phone or tablet. It’s E-Ink, closely resembling real paper. You can stare at it for hours without backlight glare harming your eyes.

And why you’re probably reading this post in Persian rather than English:

Short answer: It supports it, with some conditions.

Long answer: Instead of a Persian keyboard, you need to use the Arabic keyboard. As long as you have the Kindle-compatible book file, it displays fine. You can install your preferred Persian font and even an English-Persian dictionary. Scanned books aren’t as straightforward but can be converted and optimized for the 6-inch Kindle Paperwhite screen. I’ve written a guide on converting them here.

The battery easily lasts for weeks (depending on daily usage), so it’s reliable for month-long trips. It charges fully in two hours and will serve you for another month.

In summary, the Kindle Paperwhite is the best choice in my opinion for both Persian and English books. It’s reasonably priced, portable, and easy to use. If you’re not used to reading, it may feel like a novelty for half an hour after purchase, but for avid readers, it’s a perfect solution to carry thousands of books effortlessly.

If you have questions or want to test book display, leave a comment or send me a link here.

With the latest Kindle OS update and browser version, you can now read the web just like on a phone. This allows access to Fidibo books (if the web reader wasn’t removed) and Taqcheh, making reading on Kindle easier than ever.

Related: Comprehensive Guide to Converting Persian Books to Kindle

Araz Gray — 09 February 2019

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