Amazon uses aluminum in newest Kindle making it thinnest, lightest, most affordable

A look at aluminum and design in consumer electronics
Mark Kasperowicz, Alcoa Inc.

Amazon’s newest Kindle gives readers a reason to throw out their library cards.  At 10.2 ounces, just over 1/3 of an inch thick with an aluminum back, the Kindle can carry your personal library of up to 1,500 books.  In less than 60 seconds the paper-like display, which reads without glare, is delivered wirelessly with no PC required. Choose from over 620,000 books and the largest selection of the most popular books, including 109 New York Times® Best Sellers.  There are also capabilities to download and read first chapters for free before you decide to buy.

The Kindle works on a 3G wireless that lets you download books with global coverage either at home or abroad in over 100 countries.  And with the long battery life, you can read for up to one whole week on a single charge with the wireless on, with wireless off for up to two weeks.  You can also carry and read all of your personal and professional documents on the go with the built-in PDF reader that has zoom capabilities.

Other cool features include the Text-to-Speech feature which allows Kindle to read content out loud.  As well as sharing your passion for reading with family and friends by posting your favorite passages to Facebook and Twitter directly from your Kindle. MP3 files are transferable to play background music while reading. You can also put a password on to lock and protect its functionality.

Newspaper reading is available by flipping between articles to make is easier and faster to browse the morning paper.  You can also clip and save articles for later. Kindle also bookmarks your pages and allows web browser access to site such as Google and Wikipedia.

Kindle ships with a U.S. power adapter and a micro-USB cable for charging your Kindle from a computer USB port. The U.S. power adapter supports voltages 100V-240V. There are no annual contracts, monthly fees or hunting for Wi-Fi hotspots.  Accessories include an aluminum reading light and an aluminum metal hard case.