# Holding the Kindle 3 without a case



## Someone Nameless (Jul 12, 2009)

I've never read my Kindle without a case and didn't realize how much easier they are to hold in a case.  I'm  having to read my new K3 that way until my case arrives and I'm having a hard time finding a spot to hold on to.  It is so small, it seems like the buttons are easily pressed and I'm having accidental page turns while looking for a comfortable spot to hold on to.

If you read your Kindle without a case, how/where do you hold it?

I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of my case.   

errrrr....edited to add - I meant to post this in the 'all things Kindle' section


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## carolinagirl (Mar 8, 2010)

I totally agree,without the cover the kindle is slippery. I read with my kindle on my lap especially when im eating and before I got my cover it would slide off everytime I moved.


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## berfles (Sep 22, 2010)

I read in bed, so it's usually sitting on my chest or stomach.  Otherwise I hold it one handed and use the other hand for page turns.


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## Someone Nameless (Jul 12, 2009)

It's not so much that it is slippery for me as it is finding a spot to grasp that feels nicely balanced and doesn't press a button.


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## Shetlander (Mar 10, 2009)

One of my friends likes reading her K3 without a cover but it is so thin, with such small buttons that I have a hard time finding a secure, comfortable way to hold mine.  I have some carpal tunnel stuff going on with my thumbs so I even found it a bit painful at times.  A cover is just so much more comfortable for me plus I like the added protection, especially from spills when I put it down for a few minutes.


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

This is my first kindle I haven't gotten a cover for - yet.  I didn't like what was available a month ago so I bought a cheapie hardshell case to carry it in until I decide what I like and a skin to tart it up a bit.  What I've discovered is I'm liking it just loose like that.  

I often read sitting on the living room sofa which has square arms that are the perfect size to rest upon.  and I like the lack of weight.  My k2 had an M-Edge cover with an e-luminator light and the cover and light more than doubled the overall weight.  Dunno what I'll end up doing now ....


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Yeah, I had the same issue. More so because my hands cramped up trying to hold it as it is so thin. I still say as far as ergonomics, the first Kindle was perfectly thought out. Then I guess they had to adjust to the "flat tablet" crowd since is all about thin and thinner now. I didn't use mine much until I finally had my cover. I tried to lay it on my belly to be supported by my legs, but then everytime I pressed the page buttons it kept sliding off to the left or to the right depending which side I tried to press . Slipperly little bugger  

Now I can use one finger no matter how I hold it in the cover. Or my knuckle, or side of my hands. I still miss my K1 a little for the page buttons though, so easy and relaxing to use. I will get used to those I am sure, just a bit harder as they much smaller.


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## Archer531 (Aug 13, 2010)

I am the other way, I don't get why people want to read the Kindle with a case attached because then why care about the size and weight of the Kindle ya know? What I mean is that everyone was excited the new K3 was smaller, lighter and thinner... so I love reading on the K3 a little more then my wife's K2 because I get to appreciate the beauty of it's design. I think I appreciate it more without the case which hides the attributes that I love about the Kindle. Here is how I hold it and the case I have to protect so I can read it with only a skin on it.


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## flameweaver (Aug 4, 2010)

I'm with you, Archer531. I love the thin, light K3 and the fact that I can just slip it into a narrow sleeve (made one the day after it arrived!) and drop it into my purse. I even hold it pretty much the same way....sort of balanced on the ball of my thumb, fingers outspread behind it, thumb hovering over the "next page" button. I find it quite comfortable to read that way, even for a couple of hours at a time.


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## Someone Nameless (Jul 12, 2009)

I love it when people post pictures on this board! Those are great pictures and that is exactly what I was curious about.  I'm off to practice holding my K.


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## Shapeshifter (Dec 22, 2009)

Archer I just love your skin  

I'm planning on using just my K3 by itself, my K2 has a cover and light and I find it a little bulky.  I can't see the issue of having it without a cover but will reserve total judgement until I get it.  I've already got my skin and sleeve is coming, just need the K3


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## booknut (Dec 26, 2008)

I tried holding it without a cover on and found it a bit slippery even with the rubberized back. The kindle 1 and my sony 300 had more grip on the back I think. So I bought a cover. I like my cover. Its light but a bit bulky. I just recently got a skin on the kindle and it seems to be making a difference for reading it without a cover. I really feel now that I can hold it comfortable without a cover. Provides a nice grip. I now feel also I can just concentrate on what I am reading if that makes sense. WIth a cover I was distracted by the weight of the cover or the bulk.


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## Archer531 (Aug 13, 2010)

Thanks Shapeshifter!  

I would suggest too that even though that skin is Matte and I will probably continue to get Matte skins from now on thanks to the greatly reduced glare but if you get a glossy skin it does improve the "grippyness" (new word aleart!) of the Kindle. It has a tacky type feel where as the matte is smooth like the Kindle itself. Something to think about if you want to use it "naked". That said my wife has the K2 with a matte skin and I have the one in the pic and neither of us find it difficult to hold or use. My suggestion would probably be to use the Kindle for a few days without a case and see if you like it before throwing it in a case and using it only like that.


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## Someone Nameless (Jul 12, 2009)

Well I tried holding mine just like that last night but my hands must be smaller or something because it wanted to slip right out of my hand.    I have to have another hand on the bottom or somewhere to keep it from sliding out.

(When my thumb is close enough to the 'next page button' that ball part of my hand is too far up the K for the bottom of the kindle to rest against it.


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## Archer531 (Aug 13, 2010)

Kindle Gracie said:


> Well I tried holding mine just like that last night but my hands must be smaller or something because it wanted to slip right out of my hand.  I have to have another hand on the bottom or somewhere to keep it from sliding out.
> 
> (When my thumb is close enough to the 'next page button' that ball part of my hand is too far up the K for the bottom of the kindle to rest against it.


That all sounds like the problem is with YOUR hand, not the Kindle.   

Totally kidding, lol... my wife doesn't read it that way too either.


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## CoffeeCat (Sep 13, 2010)

Thanks for this thread! I ordered a lighted leather cover for my K3 (and by the looks of it, the cover will arrive first). I was wondering how the K3 feels aside from being so tiny/light. I've played around with the demos in Target and Best Buy, but it's hard when the thing is strapped to the display.


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## BooksGalore (Aug 5, 2010)

I prefer my kindle 3 naked though I had originally planned on buying a book type cover.  Now I'm considering just a sleeve or platform cover to use while
in public.  I hold it like Archer with one hand making it very easy to read regardless of position (sitting, reclining, lying on one side).  Rarely do I use two hands.  I have no issues with accidental page turns or other buttons being pushed.  My hands are considered small.  ??  Wish I could be of more help.  Good luck finding what works for you.


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## Someone Nameless (Jul 12, 2009)

Yes, it must be my hand.  I just realized that yours is resting on your pinkie finger as well.  I've got to try again and see if I was doing that.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I tried holding it like that picture showed for a week. I think I seen that or a similar pic posted somewhere here a while back when that question came up. I don't think of my hands of being small but I just could not hold it like that. What happens is that the kindle tips backwards so I have the feeling of it slipping out of my hands that way. 

No matter how I position my fingers, thump and everything else, its either not balanced, or my thump is not comfortably on the next page button. And after a while with having the fingers spread out like that and basically constantly balancing from the back with the other fingers and with the pinky from underneath, my hand cramps up. If I relax the hand, the kindle tips and will fall backwards. 

I keep looking at my fingers to see if they are odd in any way  . They look normal to me though


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## Archer531 (Aug 13, 2010)

I did post that pic somewhere else on here so you probably have seen it.   My index and middle finger are both behind the Kindle supporting the back but I don't use them much because if you notice in that picture the bottom right of the Kindle is kinda "in" my palm and against the base of the thumb so it can't fall backwards. Does that make sense?

I feel bad now, like i'm giving peope a complex about their fingers!


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## Pushka (Oct 30, 2009)

Before I received the K3 I had thought that this time round I would not buy a cover for it but read it nekkid and use a sleeve.  Had the sleeve ready to go when the kindle arrived.  That thought lasted maybe a day, and I turned around and ordered a cover asap.  And which with shipping to Australia, cost a bomb than if I had simply ordered a cover first time round.

For me it really is just a little too small and thin to hold comfortably. I dont want to have to think about where to hold it, if that makes sense.  It is like the ipad, I am continually holding it in a way that presses random buttons and deletes things, copies things etc, and that annoys me, and would hate that with the kindle too.

But, I am happy with the Amazon cover, but reckon that is it, the oberon covers would be just a bit too much.  Unless a Noreve came out....


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## TripletDad (Jul 30, 2010)

I've had my Kindle 3 for a bit over a week and a half and have enjoyed reading a lot every day with it naked. This has included in bed, in an armchair, at my desk, and on a cross country flight and return.  I usually bring several books on a plane and never read them. The naked kindle was so comfortable I spent most of both flights reading.


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## Someone Nameless (Jul 12, 2009)

Thinking about where to hold it makes perfect sense.  That is exactly what I was struggling with.  My cover came today and all those problems are solved.  It is exactly what I wanted - protection without bulk AND I have the place to slip my hand when the covert is folded back.  I'm good to go now!


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## BatGirl1 (May 31, 2012)

I think the best answer to holding the Kindle without a cover is to get LAZY-HANDS because they're perfect...and removable...and repositionable.  They have a website lazy-hands.com where I got mine.


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## izzy (Jun 12, 2010)

I have super tiny hands so I got a medge leasiure jacket and now I hold it by putting my hand in the pocket on that case. That case is discontinued though. 
I've attached a photo of how I normally hold the kindle with or without a case. I slide my thumb over when I need to change the page. Sorry the photo is huge I tried sizing it down but it's not going smaller on my end.


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