Amazon Kindle

[Veganpunk]

So any of yous guys use this??

My wife will kill a 800 page novel in a day. (She just reread the entire Wheel Of Time series in less then two weeks) I was thinking of getting her a Kindle for her birthday. Anybody here have any first hand experience with it?

[MGX]

I was given the 3G wireless model for Christmas. It is really fantastic, as an avid reader it worried me a bit that I might not like the electronic version.

The screen is top notch, viewable at any angle and without glare in addition to being clear and easy to read. If the font is too small one can easily adjust the size up or down. The size is just right and easy to hold in your hand. Turning the page can be done with either right or left hands so you can hold it in either hand comfortably without fatigue. It comes with two dictionaries that are searchable and there are games that can be downloaded cheap or for free (mainly word games that I've seen). The 3G wireless connects to the internet or amazon's online store (no fee service). Also you can download for free books from gutenberg.org in kindle format and probably some other places also.

There's more that can be added, but in short if she doesn't like it that would be a surprise.

[Veganpunk]

Thanks for the feedback MGX. I don't see a reason why she wouldn't like it, except she loves the smell and feel of real books. But to me it's way cheaper to just get a Kindle then to buy books that she finishes so damn fast.

[lxskllr]

My daughter got a Nook for xmas, and I prefer that. It supports more formats than the Kindle. I'm inherently against hardware that tries to lock you into software services. My daughter got the wifi version. ~$150

[KarlvB]

Thanks for the feedback MGX. I don't see a reason why she wouldn't like it, except she loves the smell and feel of real books. But to me it's way cheaper to just get a Kindle then to buy books that she finishes so damn fast.

My wife bought me a Kindle because we were running out of space - you can only have so many bookcases you can buy before your house starts looking like a library.

Now I buy nearly all my books on Kindle and only buy the ones I really love in hardback/paperback.

Oh, and I never thought I would be able to make the transition but after 2 months I can honestly say that I couldn't imagine being without my Kindle. In fact the Kindle suits my reading habit - 3 books at a time - perfectly as I can just skip between books when I feel like it. The reading equivalent of having 3 types of snus with you at all times :-)

Ps: Buy the 3G model. I don't use it that often but it is great for travelling.

[Monkey]

I got one for Christmas from my parents and it is awesome. Everyone so far has summed it up pretty well so I will just add my thumbs up.

Like lx said it only supports Kindle format though so check the other ones out if you must shop around but I mentioned the Kindle on my "list" based on what I preferred out of them all.

[f. bandersnatch]

I had the opportunity to check out a few of them over the holidays, and they are pretty slick. I think the only downside would be the whole soulless corporate overlord angle, but if that doesn't bother you then consume at will.

I prefer my books to come in paper form, so that I can burn them if I do not agree with the contents.

[bipolarbear1968]

Just another DRM issue for me. When I buy myself a book, I'd like it to be mine.

[lxskllr]

Just another DRM issue for me. When I buy myself a book, I'd like it to be mine.

The Nook supports Epub format so you can borrow books from the library. Also, all the readers(AFAIK) give free access to public domain books. Those are absolutely free, which you don't get with hard books. Some books are worth getting a hard copy, others not so much. An Ereader helps take the waste out of the reading process, and is better for everyone in the end.

[sgreger1]

E-Book readers won't start kicking off until the book industry starts doing what the music industry did. Including a digital copy of it when you buy a hard copy.

Here is the problem avid readers face:

1) They are avid readers, and read lots of books. Therefore, they probably have quite a collection of real books. This makes them want to buy more real books, so they can have a larger collection, rather than starting over again with a digital collection.

2) Sometimes, it would be cool to have a real copy of the book, but also a mobil copy of the book to take with you while you are out or otherwise away from your hard copy. The problem is that right now, one must buy both versions, which is extremely cost prohibitive.


I think if every book came with a copy of the e-book, these people would start selling a lot more readers and a lot more books and e-books.

[Snusdog]

E-Book readers won't start kicking off until the book industry starts doing what the music industry did. Including a digital copy of it when you buy a hard copy.

Here is the problem avid readers face:

1) They are avid readers, and read lots of books. Therefore, they probably have quite a collection of real books. This makes them want to buy more real books, so they can have a larger collection, rather than starting over again with a digital collection.

2) Sometimes, it would be cool to have a real copy of the book, but also a mobil copy of the book to take with you while you are out or otherwise away from your hard copy. The problem is that right now, one must buy both versions, which is extremely cost prohibitive.


I think if every book came with a copy of the e-book, these people would start selling a lot more readers and a lot more books and e-books.

That is probably not a bad idea sgreger.....at least have it as an option for a dollar or so more.

[sgreger1]

That is probably not a bad idea sgreger.....at least have it as an option for a dollar or so more.

It would cost them nothing to do, they could just give you a password to download it online somewhere. Wouldn't even have to print it on CD's or anything.

And for that reason, if they did charge a dollar more than people would still buy it and it would be $1 of almost PURE profit, which is a lot considering how many books are sold nationally on an annual basis.


I have this kickass ebook library on my iphone that looks all pretty, and I have a real bookcase with books I own, but I cannot consolodate them. That is a problem this industry could easily tackle, as providing me with the digital version will cost them nothing. I would buy a lot more books if I didn't have to decide between buying the har dcopy, ebook, or both.

[Old Frothingslosh]

I like my Kindle. But, in some cases, the hardback book is cheaper than the Kindle download. Doesn't make a bit of sense.

[tom502]

My wife wants one of these. It seems very nice, but for myself, I don't know, as I like to collect books, and have the actual thing on my shelf, some of my books are collectables. How does borrowing a book from the library work? Does it just disappear after a time?

[Veganpunk]

About the one format thing, I've read around that you can just download e-book torrents (not that I ever would ) and convert them to use on the Kindle. If not, then the Nook would be a better choice. I agree about the space, I need those book selves for vinyl records dammit!