The wait is finally over and Kindle 3.0 has finally been released by Amazon. Amazon has decided to get away for numbers from now on, which is why Amazon is calling the new gadget Amazon Kindle DX. Kindle DX will be released this summer, but you can expect it to be out of stock once people start ordering it.

Kindle DX is only 1/3 inch thick. That means it's almost as thin as your everyday magazine. It has been improved on Kindle 2.0 in the storage area. Kindle 2.0 can hold 1500 ebooks on average. With Kindle 3.0, you can carry 3500 ebooks. But the major improvement with Kindle DX is the 9.7 inch diagonal screen. That's much bigger than the previous generation Kindle. That is going to make Kindle DX very attractive to college students and those who want to use their Kindle to read magazines and newspapers on the go.

Here is a summary of what Kindle DX features:

• Screen: the 9.7" screen makes Kindle DX more attractive to college students and newspaper publishers/readers.
• Color: no color yet. But you get 16 shades of Gray which is currently the best in the industry.
• Auto-Rotate: unlike Kindle 2.0, you can now auto-rotate your Kindle DX's screen (portrait, landscape) as you turn your device.
• PDF Reader: Amazon Kindle DX now provides native support for PDF.
  
• Thickness: it's as slim as a regular size magazine.
• Storage: holds 3,500 ebooks on the 4 GB internal memory.
• Wireless: you still get wireless 3G connection on your Kindle 3.0 which is fast enough to download books fast.
• Read To Me: the voice to speech feature that raised a lot of controversy is still included on Kindle DX.
• Battery Life: you can read your device with wireless turned off for two weeks. If you have to keep your wireless connection on, then you can expect your battery to last for 4 days.
• iPhone: you can easily switch back and forth between your Kindle and iPhone by using Kindle for iPhone app.
• .Docx support: Microsoft's .Docx is supported on Kindle DX.
  

Overall, Kindle DX is a decent improvement over Kindle 2.0 as far as hardware is concerned. The screen is much bigger, which means a lot of people who complained about Kindle 2.0's screen being too small now can get their hands on a much bigger Kindle. The native support for PDF is a great addition. The battery life doesn't seem to have suffered too much either. The only downside to Kindle DX is the hefty price tag of $489.

If you are looking for a bigger, more capable Kindle, Kindle DX is must own, that is if you can afford it. Kindle DX is great for reading textbooks and newspapers. And it helps save the environment as well. Kindle DX will be released later this summer.