Amazon updated its entire line of readers over the last year, but its basic offering, the original Kindle, updated in 2014, remains a strong, entry-level eReader for those interested in getting rid of, or supplementing, their physical book collection. And the inclusion of a touchscreen makes reading on this slab so much better.

Here's what Latin Post found after a month with the Amazon Kindle (2014).

Design

When Amazon updated the Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire tablets with an angular design, the original Kindle got the same thing, albeit in a less noticeable form, given how much thinner the Kindle is. The fifth generation of Kindle, on loan from Amazon to Latin Post for test purposes, basically looks like the previous iterations, but without the physical D-pad and page turning navigation buttons, and of course, the addition of the sleek, angular back.

The case is hard plastic, which is par for the course when it comes to eReaders, and it's just as "grippy" as the previous hard rubber coated Kindles. It's thin enough to use one handed, and light, though a little heavier than the previous generation. It's also a little larger in dimensions, and while the angular design makes it look thinner, in use, it seems just as thick as the last Kindle -- not that that's a real problem.

Without the navigation buttons, the bottom bezel is a little smaller, and seems to give the screen more prominence in focus when you're staring at the device for hours on end. The its glare-free screen is an essential feature, given that this is not a Kindle Paperwhite, so you need a good old-fashioned lamp to read it, just like a real book.

What's New: Better Specs

The latest Kindle has a faster processor and more storage than ever before.

This Kindle has double the storage of the last. A total 4 GB of internal storage translates into thousands of books, enough to keep you going for a long time (or indefinitely for many readers) before needing to worry about prioritizing and deleting. Of course, the free cloud storage for all your Amazon purchases obviates any major stress you'd feel, anyway.

The processor has been upped to 1 GHz, with half a gigabyte of RAM, which makes page turns feel like the real thing. There was no lag or stuttering during our test, which is important not only because on an eReader that can be extra distracting, but because the change to a touchscreen interface means you need to use an onscreen keyboard to search and purchase from the Amazon Kindle store.

The processor and RAM together made the Kindle fast enough to enable touchscreen searches without any pain, though browsing from tab to tab could be a little snappier.

The battery life is run of the mill for eReaders, meaning it will last weeks without a charge. Amazon says it lasts up to four weeks between charges, and after the initial fill-up, which was relatively quick through the USB 2.0 port, we didn't need another one the whole month.

Touchable, Paper-like Screen

The screen is a 6-inch, E Ink Pearl display, with 800 x 600p resolution (or 167 pixels per inch) and 16-level grayscale. For those used to tablet specs, this seems like a very low resolution, but it's a leap forward.

The display actually looks like paper, with the screen's pixels being imperceptible most of the time. Crisp fonts and screen clarity are through the roof compared to previous Kindles, and with the touchscreen element added, you kind of forget that you're using an eReader.

Except that you can pinch to zoom, highlight passages, and look up words with just your fingers, which is just as intuitive as smartphones and tablets have come to be, except on a paper-like screen.

Interface, Software and Services

The current Kindle uses the same software as the Kindle Paperwhite 2, giving you the ability to browse the Kindle bookstore, along with access to Amazon's social media book club, GoodReads.

There are a few software extras in this Kindle, compared to the previous generation, which are interesting but will be ignored by most users. This includes Kindle FreeTime, which is a permissions-managing system for parents (since this Kindle includes a web browser), the Vocabulary Builder, which automatically collects any words you looked up while reading, and the Experimental Browser, which is exactly what it says it is.

All of these have their utility (though the web wasn't built for paper-like screens) -- the Vocabulary Builder may be the best of them. It takes the collection of words you've previously looked up and puts them in flashcards for review, and -- in tandem with the Kindle in-book translation feature -- could be especially useful if you're learning a new language.

Of course, most people will use the Kindle store for their book-buying needs, but this Kindle gives you the full set of Kindle abilities with PDF documents you upload as well.

Summary: Price, Pros & Cons

It's been a couple years since I used a Kindle, and the new one is much faster, much more capable, much more intuitive, and otherwise exactly what you want from a basic eReader.

Having mostly switched to tablets, phablets, and smartphones for my daily reading, I appreciate the E Ink display as a way to avoid that blue screen light that lowers melatonin levels and makes it harder to fall asleep.

But I think I'd prefer the Paperwhite 2, because without the built-in lighting, it was a bit of a lifestyle change to set up and use an actual reading lamp. Your mileage may vary, and this won't be a problem for someone moving to a Kindle from reading physical books.

I loved the change to the touchscreen, since I find physical navigation buttons awkward on anything but video game consoles now. But if you're used to the previous Kindle, or other early eReaders, it may be a bit of an adjustment, and you may not like it.

The Kindle costs just under $80 from Amazon, making it a great, super-cheap entry-level eReader for anyone interested in moving away from the glare of smartphones and tablets, or anyone taking their first step into eBooks. That said, the Kindle Paperwhite 2 is just $40 more, and definitely worth consideration.