Why my 12-year-old Kindle is still my favorite piece of tech

I’m a tech guy with plenty of gadgets I use regularly. These include my phone, tablet, smartwatch, Bluetooth speaker, laptop, headphones, earbuds, and more. But when I look at my electronics lineup, one device sticks out as a symbol of what great technology should be. It was cheap, is old, but still looks almost as new, and I have no reason whatsoever to buy a new one. It’s my Kindle, and I love everything about it.

My phone needs to be charged more or less daily and can be very addictive if I’m not mindful with it. My Windows laptop constantly needs an update, and I keep getting all sorts of pop-ups that feel like they appear every five minutes. My headphones are always out of charge when I need them, my Bluetooth speaker won’t connect to one of my phones for whatever reason, and a lot of the apps I want to use on my tablet are not optimized for a screen that big.

Technology is great, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that there’s an issue with more or less every device I own. And the more expensive it is, the more issues I usually have with it, and the more frustrating the experience is overall. Gadgets like phones and tablets also have to be replaced every few years since the battery degrades, wear and tear starts to show, and the latest models come out with features I want. It’s an expensive hobby.

Then there’s my Kindle. I own the 2nd-gen Paperwhite, which I bought way back in 2013, making it 12 years old. While I can find an issue with every other piece of electronics I own, I can’t find a fault with my trusty Paperwhite. The battery lasts weeks, not days, so it’s rare that I pick it up and it’s out of charge. The plastic body has held up brilliantly over the years, with no visible bumps or bruises. There are no annoying pop-ups or frequent software updates to worry about, and no issues with performance or a lack of storage. It just works. Whenever I need it. It’s the one hassle-free piece of tech that I own, which makes me love it even more.

What’s more, despite its age and affordable price tag, I don’t have any intention of upgrading to the latest model. Sure, I’m missing out on things like water resistance and a few other features, but I couldn’t care less about that. My Kindle does exactly what I want it to do, stress-free. It’s definitely a keeper.

My Kindle Paperwhite is a symbol of what technology should be. It’s there to serve my needs when I want and need it. This is very different from a smartphone, which is a device that’s a lot more advanced but comes with its own set of headaches. The short battery life I mentioned is one thing, but the biggest problem is that a lot of times, these devices end up owning us instead of us owning them.

From apps designed to keep us hooked and various issues that cause frustration, to fragile designs that make us worry when we drop them and notifications that make us jump and grab the device even when we’re in the middle of something. I see this all the time, especially with young people who have less self-control. I couldn’t tell you how many times I almost hit someone with my car because they were staring at their phone and just randomly decided to cross the street without signaling or looking. Technology should help us in many ways, whether it’s saving time, learning new skills, or something along those lines. Instead, it has caused some to become absorbed in their devices, impacting their social skills and awareness of the world around them. And it’s not their fault either, since, as I mentioned, a lot of the most popular apps are highly addictive.

There’s nothing truly addictive about my Kindle, though, at least not in the same way. I never felt the device owned me the same way that a phone can, and I never really have to think about it.

So my Kindle isn’t just a simple e-reader; it’s a reminder of what our relationship with technology should be. It doesn’t scream for my attention, demand constant updates, or create a cycle of frustration and planned obsolescence. It performs its single function with quiet efficiency and absolute reliability. While the tech industry pushes us toward more complex, connected, and ultimately more demanding devices, my Kindle stands as a testament to a different philosophy: that the best technology doesn’t just offer endless features but provides seamless service. It empowers me to do what I want to do, without getting in the way. It allows me to be in control, and that’s what all great tools are supposed to do if you ask me.