Great Assistive Technology for those with reading difficulties such as Dyslexia
591596
The C-Pen Reader works great!  We ordered this pen for my brother who is in the 3rd grade with a diagnosis of dyslexia.  We purchased this specific C-Pen Reader because I am a Special Education student teacher and had the opportunity to work with a 7th grade student who also has dyslexia and I saw the great benefit for him with using his C-Pen Reader.
My student uses the C-Pen in his schooling especially for his science and history classes where the vocabulary level in the textbooks are beyond not only his reading level, but the 7th grade level as well!  His favorite parts about the C-Pen Reader are the headphone capability (as to not bring attention to his usage) and the dictionary function!
As for my brother, he uses the C-Pen so far in his general classes, but we have seen the most improvement in his math ability as he is able to use the C-Pen to read story problems, which have caused him great difficulty.  After a conference with his IEP team, it was agreed that he could use the C-Pen for all reading except for his actual Language Arts class where he is assessed for his reading skills.  Because my brother is in another district than where I receive my practicum, it was great to bring this technology to the attention of his Special Education Co-Op.
Outside of school, my brother has also found that he likes using the C-Pen for reading at home.  Because of his dyslexia, reading has always been difficult therefore he has not enjoyed the act of reading in any capacity.  My brother loves dinosaurs, and with the C-Pen, he has chosen on occasion to read at home, which have some difficult vocabulary, but that hasn't stopped him!
I wish that more families and educators would be aware of assistive technology such as the C-Pen Reader to bring relief to people who do have reading difficulties.
As a side note: the original pen that we received had an issue with the MENU button, but the company was great at getting back to us and sending us a new unit.  The pictures attached show the new pen with menu items to navigate to the volume control
2360747
As an author who depends almost exclusively on spell check and editors, I wish I had had a book like this to learn from.

My 10 year old daughter struggles with dyslexia and speech/ language delays which makes spelling even more of a challenge. She doesn't always hear words as they are spoken, so trying to teach her from a phonetic base just wasn't working for us.

Dyslexia Games is our favorite new resource and we're enjoying trying out some excellent curriculum that is truly helping her.

In Master the Top 150 Misspelled Words you will find 45 spelling exercises that engage learners and support knowledge in a comfortable, casual way. Children will be asked to:
Color each word making the word introduction smooth
Fill in the missing letters to foster observation
Write in missing words to prove increased familiarity
Write words in print and cursive to insure recognition
Practice writing (creativity with line art fonts is encouraged)
Play pattern games that improve reasoning and observation and support the dyslexic student by retraining the brain to notice what it would otherwise miss.
Your child will learn 150 misspelled words without even trying. It is so natural and user-friendly that my daughter enjoys doing it. This book has increased her spelling, reading, vocabulary and reasoning.

You can order your copy on Amazon for $24.95.
3877917
I am extremely grateful for my Kindle! I have advanced glaucoma which has affected my ability to read. With the Kindle, I find reading very easy. I only had to increase the font size one level. The print is on a very good background making it quite readable! I've had some frustration in learning how to do wome things such as to go to footnotes whose numbers are embedded in the text of a book. However, once I figured it out, i'm OK with it. Since I'm an avid reader, my Kindle is a life saver. Fortunately for Amazon, it is really too easy to go to the Kindle Store frrom my Kindle and buy new books. Fortunately for me, the prices are good.
3271330
This is one of the best inventions I have seen in a long time. It really has put the fun back into reading again. I'm 49yrs old and I was having a hard time reading at night(which is my favorite time to read) The kindle with its moving font sizes has really put me back into the reading game again. The page forward or back is a great idea. The auto bookmark is so nice to use. One of the biggest things I like about the kindle is the auto dictionary,it is so helpful to know what a certain word means in just seconds. The wireless buying of books is the best,no more well maybe I will buy it next time I'm in the store(which doesnt happen)you pick the book you've wanted to read for a long time, buy it from the wireless store and start reading in 60 seconds. It doesnt get better than that. I cant thankyou enough for making reading fun and enjoyable again. Good on you
1752401
I have a degree in education from the 60s and back then we learned that you can help your dyslexic students if you will put colored cellophane over the pages of their books. You just have to find the right color. My grandson is dyslexic and so I bought the package of a variety of colors to help him with reading his Bible. It worked! He says that bright red is the best, but he also uses blue and green.
4756429
This book is amazingly eye-opening and empowering to assist in finding channels and plans to support the teaching and learning strategies best suited toward my son's strengths. The logic and simplicity with which it obliterates the biases of reading by sight is incredibly impactful and the plans for how to use technology and dialoguing with school staff, family and friends supports the needs of the dyslexic individual tremendously.  The only thing I would say, ironically, is to get it in audio for solidarity with those who are non-visual learners.
1675846
I really like this device after getting used to reading on it - in fact, I will only buy books that can be read on this.  The next generation of color Kindles (which I read the digital ink folks are working on)and larger Kindles and E readers (Wall Street Journal 4-11-09) will be a vast improvement if you want a larger size to display full pages.  I like the portability of the paperback size so there will probably be two sizes available by December.  Look for ads to appear on larger readers if you purchase newspapers and magazines (WSJ).

A big potential advantage for Kindle is the free internet browser but I can't imagine Sprint will allow a full blown free service over their airwaves.

Amazon needs to make a deal with Google to make their huge free library available as they do for Sony Reader.  They have over 500,000 free public domain books available.  Buy the Kindle Cookbook on Amazon to learn to access free public domain books from several other sources.  Most of these books are classics.

After thinking this is the way of digital books, Amazon just made their content available to IPhone and Touch users which muddies the waters as to the future of the Kindle as a stand alone reading device.

Having seen Kindle books on a IPod Touch, you may wish to consider this alternative rather than purchasing the expensive Kindle if you just want to access books occasionally.  On the IPod or phone, the color makes a big difference, pictures are brilliant, the books are actually very readable and there are other formatting features that make this work.  Plus you get the rest of the good stuff on these devices.  For less money.  Just depends on your preference.

Minor complaint - battery life is not what is claimed if you keep wireless on.  The processor is too slow to fully use the internet feature.  But this is minor.

Overall, this is clearly the future of books like it or not.  The technology will eventually take books the way of music - E readers will be the next IPOD for storing your library.

Enjoy.
925831
I would highly recommend this product and the below product for any parent that is trying to help their child learn to read.
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4295013
I received my Kindle 2 a few days ago and have already finshed reading one book, "Born Standing up", by Steve Martin. It really does improve my reading abilities.  Many are forgetting the purpose of this device is to help the enviornment. I have no problem with the screen which is the most important issue when reading from an electronic device. Computers, Ipods and cell phones do not hold up to the Kindle when it comes to ease of reading. It is very comfortable to hold and very helpful for the seeing impaired. Many complaine about no backlight. Why would you want a backlight when it would drain the battery?  I don't know about any one else, but when I turn out the lights, I like to sleep. Othewise, I keep a light on when I'm reading.

This is great for students who are given the typical classical, reading list in high school or college.  Most of the books are free on Amazon. Maybe soon they will add textbooks too.  I also see The document coversion feature being used for speeches and presentations.

There are some cons Which I am sure Amazon will address soon:

-Whispernet service is not availble in all areas, so if you live in the boondocks like I do, expect slower download times.

-With updates, I am sure that Amazon will fix the issues brought by concerns of those who want folders for larger libraries.

-I also hope there is an expansion of books for the Kindle store.  Harry Potter series, John Grisham, any many others are seriously needed.  If Authors are serious about the future of the enviornment they will get on board Kindle express.

This is a great product that should be in every reader's hands.
264482
This a great tablet very simple to operate especially if you are almost blind. No touch screen that you hit accidently and lose your place when reading. Also you can make the print fairly large where you can get more then three words to a page. I wish that Amazon would continue to sell this 9.7" for people like me.
4480558
My 57 year old husband suffered a stroke last year, leaving him paralyzed on his left side.  Before the stroke, his favorite free-time activity was reading, but afterwards he couldn't hold a book, keep his place, or turn pages easily.  And then the Kindle came into our lives!

My husband loves the fact that he can adjust the font size so his eyes don't strain, and the page-turn buttons are a God-send!  He can rest the Kindle on a special pillow to get the correct slant without the pages flopping closed, and he doesn't lose words in the center fold of the book.  The Kindle has given him back his reading, and both of us are forever grateful!
2428608
I have a neurological condition called visual snow which affects my vision and makes reading very difficult. I have found the Kindle Touch an absolute God send - being able to increase the font size and especially the line spacing has enabled me to continue reading which is one of the great pleasures of my life. The E ink technology is much easier for me to read than the printed word or a computer monitor. Many thanks to Amazon for an amazing product! The only thing I would like is for there to be some way to mark the books that I have read so that I do not have to open them up to see if it is one already read or not.
4665927
What can I say -- I love it and it works just fine!  Amazon had a great idea -- not complicated -easy to use, great access to vast source of reading materials, no monthly fees (great advantage), small, great mobility, ability to sample reading material prior to purchase, its capacity, and affordability of downloads, ability to look up words and make notes, and change of font size.  It is great!  It doesn't need lots of bells and whistles -- the beauty of this devise is its simplicity.
Your child or your grandmother can use without having to bring in a technical expert to explain how to use.
4303058
A wonderful experience to use. It is so convenient to get books, to read them anywhere, and is good for reading technical books as the diagrams are visible.

I have only three things keeping it from getting five stars:

1. while usually readable, diagrams could be rendered better
2. layout is not that good, so things like footnotes and margin notes are not well rendered
3. it remains difficult to flip around inside the book the way you can with a physical book

Still, this is currently my favourite device.
4102706
Great item for all English learners! Text reading mode is awesome. Please keep in mind that Reader can basically scan printed solid font, but not cursive and hand writing.
2281738
An excellent resource for the reading impaired  or dyslexic person. An easy read
1946357
This book is a nice resource for older children or adults with Dyslexia.  It has helped my child feel more comfortable with dyslexia and provides many tactics to help with reading, writing and school.

I believe most grade school children will need adult assistance to read and utilize this book.  I read my 8 year old son portions of the book and I believe he learned some valuable reading and writing strategies.  It also helped him understand why he is having difficulty with some tasks, such as spelling and writing.  We are going to keep a copy of the Self-Editing Checklist in my son's homework folder.

Any Dyslexic reader will find some of the many case studies and examples familiar.  The chapter on asking for help and self-advocacy was particularly useful and the checklists at the end of the book really helped cement the messages in the book.

Review by Mensan Jody R.