I first purchased a kindle in May 2011 for a year of teaching abroad. Having steady access to electronic books was a lifesaver, and I never went anywhere without it. However it has a fatal flaw: a complete lack of durability. in one year in Thailand and traveling, I broke three kindles; each time, Amazon sent a replacement, and a family member who happened to be visiting brought it along. I finally just broke my fourth kindle, and am out of warranty.I may be especially hard on my kindle- travel tends to be difficult- but travel is precisely when I need it. My macbook has lasted 6 years, my iphone has lasted roughly 4 times my average kindle's lifespan,and now, I am going to have to purchase something more durable. this product was a huge disappointment because its promise was so great, because it's so laughably fragile.