Paul Thurrott’s 2007 Kindle review is best read as a technology-history document, not a buying guide. Amazon’s first Kindle was expensive, bulky and visibly unfinished, yet its e-paper screen, integrated bookstore and cellular downloads made digital reading feel practical for the first time. Revisiting the review shows which predictions endured, which did not, and why the Kindle mattered as a complete distribution system rather than merely as a piece of hardware.
What the 2024 throwback actually revisits
Published on December 27, 2024, Thurrott’s “Throwback” revisits his review of the first-generation Amazon Kindle. The device launched in the United States on November 19, 2007. This is a retrospective of a 2007 product and its original review, not a fresh hands-on test of a current Kindle.
Thurrott’s verdict was “Highly recommended.” He saw the Kindle as a major advance over earlier electronic readers because Amazon combined a paper-like display with a commercial bookstore, an account system and wireless delivery. His argument that the device could become a “first nail” in traditional publishing was deliberately provocative, but his more durable point was that digital books could become normal without requiring a computer.
Amazon’s own launch announcement described more than 90,000 available books, including 101 of the 112 current New York Times best sellers and new releases. Amazon generally advertised launch e-books at $9.99 unless otherwise marked. Amazon’s November 2007 announcement also promised wireless access to books, newspapers, magazines, blogs and personal documents.
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- Light and compact - With adjustable brightness, high contrast ratio, and fast page turns.
- Effortless reading in any light - Read comfortably with a 6“ glare-free display, adjustable front light—now 25% brighter at max setting—and dark mode.
- Escape into your books - Tune out messages, emails, and social media with a distraction-free reading experience.
- Read for a while - Get up to 6 weeks of battery life on a single charge.
- Take your library with you – 16 GB storage holds thousands of books.
Why the Kindle felt revolutionary in 2007
A screen designed for reading
The grayscale e-paper display was highly legible in bright light and produced a more immersive reading experience than the glowing computer and phone screens of the period. Text size could be adjusted, allowing a supported book to function as a large-print edition without buying another physical copy.
A bookstore in the device
The breakthrough was not simply electronic ink. A reader could search for a title, read samples and reviews, browse recommendations, purchase a book and begin reading without visiting a shop, connecting to a PC or finding a Wi-Fi hotspot. Amazon said downloads were intended to arrive in under a minute; that was a launch promise, not a universal measured result.
Mobility that solved a real problem
Thurrott described the Kindle as a way to replace a suitcase or backpack full of reading. During testing, his device held seven books, two weeks of newspaper subscriptions, four issues of Time and converted documents while using roughly one-quarter of its available memory. He had already finished two books, and he imagined a traveler finishing a novel at an airport or in a taxi and obtaining another immediately.
The anecdotal test was unusually revealing: Thurrott’s famously thrifty, technology-indifferent wife showed immediate interest. That reaction suggested the product’s appeal was practical convenience, not gadget enthusiasm. The included book-style cover also helped the device preserve some of the physical ritual of reading.
Rank #2
- Light and compact - With adjustable brightness, high contrast ratio, and fast page turns.
- Effortless reading in any light - Read comfortably with a 6“ glare-free display, adjustable front light—now 25% brighter at max setting—and dark mode.
- Escape into your books - Tune out messages, emails, and social media with a distraction-free reading experience.
- Read for a while - Get up to 6 weeks of battery life on a single charge.
- Take your library with you - 16 GB storage holds thousands of books.
The Kindle was a connected system, not just a gadget
Amazon called the service Whispernet. On the first Kindle it used Sprint’s high-speed 3G EV-DO cellular network. “Wireless” therefore meant a specific, included cellular arrangement for Kindle content and services, not modern Wi-Fi, 4G or 5G access to the general internet.
This integration reduced acquisition friction at every stage:
- Hardware: an e-paper reader with storage for hundreds of books.
- Storefront: a Kindle Store with books, samples, reviews and recommendations.
- Network: included cellular delivery without a separate data-plan bill.
- Account: purchases and subscriptions tied to Amazon’s content system.
- Formats: books alongside newspapers, magazines, blogs and personal documents.
That combination explains why specifications alone understate the launch. The Kindle made acquisition almost as important as reading comfort.
Where the first Kindle fell short
Price and unfinished economics
The launch price was $399, a substantial outlay in 2007. Thurrott justified it through frequent reading, convenience and lower-priced digital content rather than a precise break-even calculation. Newspaper subscriptions and repeated book purchases could make the value persuasive for heavy readers, but the hardware was not an obvious bargain for everyone.
Rank #3
- Our fastest Kindle Paperwhite ever – The next-generation 7“ Paperwhite display has a higher contrast ratio and 25% faster page turns.
- Ready for travel – The ultra-thin design has a larger glare-free screen so pages stay sharp no matter where you are.
- Escape into your books – Your Kindle doesn’t have social media, notifications, or other distracting apps.
- Battery life for your longest novel – A single charge via USB-C lasts up to 12 weeks.
- Read in any light – Adjust the display from white to amber to read in bright sunlight or in the dark.
Images, newspapers and magazines
The grayscale screen rendered covers, photographs and other images poorly. Newspapers and magazines could cost less and create less physical waste than print subscriptions, but their Kindle layouts were less satisfying. The format worked best for linear, text-heavy books.
An incomplete catalog
The launch catalog was large for its time but not comprehensive. Thurrott specifically noted missing major authors and titles, including Tolkien and Harry Potter. Those omissions are a snapshot of the 2007 store, not a statement about present-day availability.
Slow wireless and awkward navigation
Cellular performance could be slow, depending on coverage. The home screen’s sorting behavior also made it awkward to return to a book already in progress. The physical design, controls and excessive packaging reflected an early product: useful, but neither thin nor minimalist.
A prediction audit: what held up?
| 2007 expectation | What the later record shows |
|---|---|
| E-readers would become a serious reading format | Broadly correct. Digital reading became a durable option alongside print, phones, tablets, apps and library lending. |
| Instant delivery would matter | Correct. Immediate acquisition remains the Kindle concept’s defining convenience. |
| Amazon’s store would matter more than hardware alone | Correct. The integrated catalog, account and delivery system created the durable advantage. |
| Travelers and commuters would benefit most | Correct as a use case, because one device could replace many books and avoid bookstore visits. |
| Adjustable text would broaden access | Correct. Variable type size made digital books useful to readers who needed larger text. |
| Paper books would disappear | Incorrect if taken literally. Kindle changed distribution and reading habits while print continued. |
| Newspapers and magazines would remain a flagship digital format | Overstated. They were important launch content but did not become the Kindle’s defining long-term use. |
| The original cellular model would remain a permanent foundation | Qualified. The wireless idea endured, but the specific network arrangement was tied to its era. |
Amazon later described Kindle as changing how people read and publish. The first device launched alongside Amazon’s Digital Text Platform, later known as Kindle Direct Publishing, giving the hardware a direct connection to a changing publishing economy. Amazon’s ten-year retrospective documents that connection.
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- Our fastest Kindle Paperwhite ever – The next-generation 7“ Paperwhite display has a higher contrast ratio and 25% faster page turns.
- Upgrade your reading experience – The Signature Edition features an auto-adjusting front light, wireless charging, and 32 GB storage.
- Ready for travel – The ultra-thin design has a larger glare-free screen so pages stay sharp no matter where you are.
- Escape into your books – Your Kindle doesn’t have social media, notifications, or other distracting apps.
- Adapts to your surroundings – The auto-adjusting front light lets you read in the brightest sunlight or late into the night.
Amazon’s deliberate attempt to redesign book distribution
The Kindle was not a casual experiment. Amazon says the team worked for more than three years before launch, tested prototypes with Jeff Bezos and treated sub-60-second book downloads as a central goal. The company’s origin account describes an ambition for the device to “disappear” in the reader’s hands so the reading experience remained central.
That history clarifies the product strategy: Amazon was redesigning the chain from discovery to purchase to delivery, not merely replacing paper with a screen. The same-day arrival of Digital Text Platform reinforced that ambition by making publishing part of the system.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How the 2007 Kindle differs from modern expectations
| First-generation Kindle | Modern e-reader expectation |
|---|---|
| Grayscale e-paper | Higher-resolution displays; some current Kindle models offer color. |
| Physical keyboard and navigation controls | Touchscreen interfaces dominate. |
| Cellular-first Whispernet experience | Wi-Fi is standard; cellular availability varies by model and market. |
| Thick, book-like body | Thinner and lighter designs are expected. |
| Limited launch catalog | A mature bookstore and broader account ecosystem. |
| No front light | Front lighting is common on many models. |
| Basic reading and document functions | Notes, highlighting, accessibility and audiobook features vary by model. |
| $399 U.S. launch price in 2007 | Current prices and availability require checking official product pages. |
Amazon’s current buying guide describes a substantially expanded range, including Kindle, Paperwhite, Scribe and color hardware. Those categories establish continuity with the original idea, but they do not make a first-generation unit a sensible modern purchase.
Should anyone buy the original Kindle now?
As a historical collectible, the first Kindle is significant. As a daily reader, it requires caution. Its cellular service, registration, downloads, battery condition and account compatibility should all be verified independently. Do not assume that an early Whispernet device still has the connectivity or services it had in 2007.
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Best Value
- Our fastest Kindle Paperwhite ever – The next-generation 7“ Paperwhite display has a higher contrast ratio and 25% faster page turns.
- Ready for travel – The ultra-thin design has a larger glare-free screen so pages stay sharp no matter where you are.
- Escape into your books – Your Kindle doesn’t have social media, notifications, or other distracting apps.
- Battery life for your longest novel – A single charge via USB-C lasts up to 12 weeks.
- Read in any light – Adjust the display from white to amber to read in bright sunlight or in the dark.
Readers inspired by the history can use Amazon’s current Kindle hub to examine today’s line. The Kindle Store and Kindle Unlimited serve different reading needs, while trade-in eligibility and accessory compatibility vary and must be checked on their live pages. None of those modern options recreates the physical keyboard or original cellular experience.
Why the review still matters
Measured against modern hardware, the first Kindle looks slow, thick, low-resolution and visually limited. Measured against the problem it addressed, it was remarkably coherent. A reader could carry a library, enlarge the type, obtain a new book almost anywhere and pay through one familiar account.
Thurrott did not prove that paper would vanish. He recognized something more durable: publishing could be pressured by a device that made digital books immediate, portable and commercially integrated. The Kindle’s lasting achievement was not imitating a book perfectly. It was making the act of getting the next book nearly effortless.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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