So ubiquitous is the Kindle that it’s name defines an entire product genre. It has been a watershed year for Amazon’s mighty e-reader, spearheaded by a dramatic price cut: the Wi-Fi version of the Kindle 3 now costs just £109.

Price: £152 (Wi-Fi & 3G) | Amazon

The lower price has opened the door for scores of new readers to join the ebook revolution. But this isn’t just a cheap tech fix; the Kindle 3 is a dramatically improved device and Amazon’s best yet. It’s 21 per cent lighter than its predecessor, page turns are 20 per cent faster and the contrast is 50 per cent improved, making the e-ink even more comfortable to read.

Couple that with a huge range of books, magazines and newspapers and it’s by far the best e-reader ever.  Unlike the iPad, you can comfortably hold it in one hard and use it in sunlight on your summer holidays. Tablets and smartphones are great, but sometimes a dedicated device is just so much better.