Periscope Lighted Folio Kindle Case Review

The Periscope Lighted Folio is a cover for the Kindle 2 (or Kindle 1) that has a built-in booklight. This feature makes nighttime reading easier since the Kindle does not have a backlight. I have written about the Periscope before, but I hadn’t had a chance to try one at the time. Now that I’ve had the opportunity to use the Periscope Lighted Folio, I can write a more thorough review of it.

The first thing you should know about the Periscope is that it has the built-in booklight. For those that often read at night, this is a huge benefit. One of the major complaints I see about the Kindle is that it does not have a backlight on the screen. While this is something I actually appreciate (no backlight = less eye strain), it has disappointed many Kindle owners. The light on the Periscope is battery-powered and automatically turns on when you pull it out from the case. It’s stored neatly in the spine of the folio, always available unlike some other stand alone Kindle booklights.

The folio also has a built-in notebook pocket that holds a 5X8″ pad of paper (The folio comes with a starter pad of paper, but I replaced it with my handy yellow lined pad anyway). There’s also a pen sleeve to keep a writing utensil on hand. These two features were the best part of the cover for me, since I like to take notes on a lot of my reading material, but have never quite mastered the use of Kindle’s notes and highlighting features.

The Kindle is held in the case by four small elastic bands. The bands hold the Kindle securely without hindering your use of the device or obstructing any buttons. The case is held shut with a snap closure with the Periscope logo on it. The case is made of a sturdy leather-like material. The front cover can be folded back behind the Kindle to mimic how most people hold paperbacks.

I enjoyed using the Periscope Folio, especially the day the lights went out on the commuter rail. The light is perfect for night reading and I appreciate that I don’t have to think about having the light with me since it’s built into the case. I could see using this on trips where I would be reading on planes (they always turn the lights off), or if I spent a lot of time reading in bed after my husband has gone to sleep. While it was easy to use on the commuter rail during my morning and evening commutes, it was inconvenient on the city subways. Where I would normally hold my Kindle with one hand (while flipping pages with the thumb on the same hand), I would need both hands to hold the Periscope case properly, leaving me without a hand to hold onto the train poles. I will say that a man (or a woman with larger hands than mine) would probably be able to hold the folded-back Periscope case in one hand without trouble – I just have small hands.

In the same manner, I found that reading with the Kindle-in-Periscope held above my head while horizontal was akin to reading with a good old paperback or hardcover held over my head – not impossible, but not ideal. I preferred to take my Kindle out of the case on these occasions, since the light weight of the Kindle makes horizontal reading much, much easier.

The Periscope is an excellent alternative to the traditional Amazon case, with more features than any case I’ve seen so far. The pen and notebook holders make it extra useful for those looking to take handwritten notes while reading, and the built-in light separates this cover from all the other available Kindle covers as a true multi-tasker.

You can purchase the Periscope directly from their website or from these authorized Amazon sellers. They also offer other lighted book products, including a version of this case for the original Kindle and a sharp-looking executive portfolio.

If you have questions about the Periscope case that I didn’t cover here, feel free to ask them in the comments or email me at cj@kindlenewsandreviews.com.