The current mainstream e-ink Kindles are:

• NEW! Kindle Paperwhite E-Ink Readers for US
• Kindle US (and other countries)
• Kindle UK
• Kindle Touch UK
• Kindle Keyboard US (and other countries)
• Kindle Keyboard UK

An e-ink Kindle is purpose built for reading. Unlike the color Kindle Fire tablet which is designed as a multimedia device or a personal entertainment center, a Kindle eink device has been crafted with only reading in mind. If you don't enjoy reading or you don't need a Kindle to read textbooks on for the purpose of study - then it's not going to be the device for you.

If you've never seen or used a special e-ink book reader, you might be concerned that the screen is too similar to a computer. Actually the screen is very similar to very good quality newsprint. It looks remarkably like paper, especially when you read in the sunshine or bright, natural light.

Here's some Pros and Cons on each e-Ink Kindle device. I'll start with what I call the basic Kindle model which Amazon simply call Kindle and then move on to the Kindle Touch.

Kindle (Basic Model)

Pros of the Kindle:

• The smallest and thinnest Kindle which makes it fantastically portable
• Same superb 6 inch e-ink screen
• The lightest Kindle which makes it easier to hold
• Low price. This is the cheapest Kindle model on offer
• Faster charging time at approx 3 hours 
• Has landscape or portrait orientation so you can read books either way

Cons of the Kindle:

• Smallest on-board storage at 2 GB although still holds approx 1,400 ebooks
• No audio capabilities which means no music, no audiobooks and no text-to-speech
• Enter characters using a 5-way button which can make a lot of searching and note-taking taxing
• Only available as a Wifi-only model and no 3G version available
• No power adapter supplied for wall charging - just a USB cable. You can purchase one separately
• Lower battery life at around 1 month of use with wireless turned off

Kindle Touch (Touchscreen Model)

Pros of the Kindle Touch:

• Up to 2 months battery life with the wireless turned off
• 4 GB internal storage (holds approx 3,000 books) which is double that of the basic Kindle model
• Stereo jack for headphones and rear speakers
• Audio capabilities: play mp3 music, Audible or mp3 audiobooks and text-to-speech
• On screen touch keyboard which makes note-taking and searching easier
• Easier dictionary lookup - just press a word to get a dictionary definition
• Wifi and 3G models available although the 3G web browsing is limited to Wikipedia

Cons of the Kindle Touch:

• No power adapter supplied for wall charging, same as budget Kindle, just a USB cable. You can purchase one separately
• No separate page buttons on the casing which some people prefer for navigating pages
• It's a touchscreen model which means you may get fingerprints on the screen unless you consider using a stylus
• Has no landscape feature for reading books in a landscape orientation

Summary: The Kindle Touch is in many ways, a fuller featured Kindle device. If you want the audio capabilities that this model offers and the touchscreen for easier note-taking and dictionary searches then this is a great choice.

• Kindle Touch UK
• Kindle Touch US (and other countries)

Related Kindle Pages:

• Amazon announce 4 Kindles incl. Kindle Touch and Fire
• 7 Reasons why USA Kindles are Better!
• 3G Kindle or Wifi-Only Kindle?

I hope that's helped you out with choosing the right Kindle. Marie