I am very interested in following this thread...
Amazon has the original Kindle for $69 and I was thinking of buying one just to read books on, then I read the reviews for the Paperwhite and thought about going that way - just to have the light.
My SIL has a Kindle Fire and she said she loves it more than her laptop, she said spend the money and get the newer one. But I don't really want to replace my laptop I just want to read books - she says, "you say that now, but when you find out what all you could be doing you are going to wish you had waited and bought the whole enchilada."
Any opinions on that?
I think it really depends on how much you think you'd use the other features of the Fire. If all you want to do is read books, I'd go with the basic Kindle. Or the paperwhite. For me, the basic Kindle is fine; i live alone, so if I want to read in bed, I leave the light on and it disturbs no one. If you live withe someone, and the light on will disturb them, if you read in bed, then I'd go with the PW.
If you think or want to be able to watch videos, movies, check email etc. in a way that's different from what you do with your laptop, then I'd consider the Fire. I know for me, I have a tv, and laptop, so I don't feel any need to have another small device i can do things on. I won't be taking it anywhere either, so I'm perfectly happy with my basic Kindle.
ALso, with the Fire, since its backlit like a laptop, you can't read on it outside due to glare, where with the Kindle, you can see perfectly as its a completely different technology. So that's somehting else to consider if you spend time at the beach, pool etc. IF so, go with the e-ink Kindle.