Why Kindle (and the other E-book readers)?

[REWahoo]

Al, I'm sure someone is working on an auto-paging device at this very moment. It will detect when your eyes gets to the lower right corner of the iPod and turn the page.

Not sure how it would work for Jack Elam or Marty Feldman...

[IndependentlyPoor]

Price war breaking out? Free ereaders?
MarketWatch.com
the clip is followed by a weird piece on a $6000 robot baby seal.

[FUEGO]

Maybe I'm a Luddite, but I like paper books. Mostly free from the library, occasionally just really cheap as in used from amazon. Excepting their mass, the mechanical properties of paper books are far superior to all e-readers. You can drop them, bend them, twist them, use them to swat at insects, use them as doorstops, ad hoc booster seats, etc. The ink in books is permanent. Battery life of a paper book - FOREVER!!!1 You can take them to the beach, let sand get in them, leave them sitting in the sun all day on your beach chair while you play in the sand or water, and no one will steal them. Take them on a weekend trip, shove them in the bottom of your backpack and who cares if they get crushed?

Paper books - the ultimate in convenience, durability and flexibility!!

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy2bretired Ahhhggg... I paid $389.00 for my first generation Kindle that I bought about two weeks before they came out with their 2nd generation. Yep, I consider $189 a a very good bargain.

So do I! $189 is just a fabulous, fabulous price for a device that is worth considerably more, IMO. I paid $259 for mine just last March, and thought THAT price cut was terrific at the time.

I am really looking forward to finding out what the k3 is like. I guess Amazon is trying to sell off their stock of k2i's with this price cut, just like they apparently did with a big price cut on the k1 when the k2 first came out. I'm sure the k3 will be expensive at first but might be worth the upgrade, assuming they retain the advantages of previous Kindles such as e-ink.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CuppaJoe I've forgotten what I paid for a Kindle1 one week after it came out but I figure it paid for itself three times over because it functions well enough as my only away-from-home FREE wi-fi device. It is still like part of my right hand. Sorry, this is starting to smell like spam.

I love having the unlimited free 3G internet connection too. I refuse to sign up for monthly payments so the Kindle has the best 3G internet set-up for me. I thought about the $70 cut in price compared with what I paid three months ago, and the value I have obtained from it during those three months is so much greater than $70.

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CuppaJoe I've forgotten what I paid for a Kindle1 one week after it came out but I figure it paid for itself three times over because it functions well enough as my only away-from-home FREE wi-fi device. It is still like part of my right hand. Sorry, this is starting to smell like spam.

I don't know about these capabilities. Could you explain what one can do free with a Kindle, other than read free books?

Ha

[Lsbcal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FUEGO ...You can drop them, bend them, twist them, use them to swat at insects, use them as doorstops, ad hoc booster seats, etc. The ink in books is permanent. Battery life of a paper book - FOREVER!!!1 You can take them to the beach, let sand get in them, leave them sitting in the sun all day on your beach chair while you play in the sand or water, and no one will steal them. Take them on a weekend trip, shove them in the bottom of your backpack and who cares if they get crushed? ...

Great points but hopefully you are not stress testing your library books.

[FUEGO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsbcal Great points but hopefully you are not stress testing your library books.

As a man of science and learning, I would never do such a thing. But as a man of science and learning, it is instructive to watch the stress testing my children perform on library books all the time.

[CuppaJoe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by haha I don't know about these capabilities. Could you explain what one can do free with a Kindle, other than read free books? Ha

Regarding the Kindle internet connection, the original review I read called it "clunky" which is accurate. I use it mainly to check this site when away from home. I sometimes post from it but that is awkward so those posts tend to be short. I go to a regular laptop for anything more complicated. I also enjoy reading Amazon book reviews on it. It works reasonably will on sites that are configured for mobile devices: blogs, news sites, etc.

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CuppaJoe Regarding the Kindle internet connection, the original review I read called it "clunky" which is accurate. I use it mainly to check this site when away from home. I sometimes post from it but that is awkward so those posts tend to be short. I go to a regular laptop for anything more complicated. I also enjoy reading Amazon book reviews on it. It works reasonably will on sites that are configured for mobile devices: blogs, news sites, etc.

Thnx.

[Martha]

Kindle refurbs at $139, latest generation at $169. Kindle Wireless Reading Device (6" Display, U.S. Wireless) | Warehouse Deals

I finally bit the bullet and ordered one. Hard to beat this price.

[IndependentlyPoor]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martha Kindle refurbs at $139, latest generation at $169. Kindle Wireless Reading Device (6" Display, U.S. Wireless) | Warehouse Deals I finally bit the bullet and ordered one. Hard to beat this price.

You are gonna luv it.

[clifp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R A brand new Kindle from Amazon has gone down in price to $189 as of today: Amazon.com: Kindle Wireless Reading Device (6" Display, Global Wireless, Latest Generation): Kindle Store Whether or not $189 is "cheap" or "not cheap" depends on one's frame of reference, but anyway I just thought that might be of interest to some ER board members. It comes with a 30 day no-questions-asked full money-back guarantee.

I just saw this and since I am taking a trip I am going to spring for it. Interesting when I was considering a Kindle vs a Netbook a while about they were darn near the same price now the Kindle is quite a bit cheaper and so it seems like a better value.

[W2R]

Martha and clifp, I hope you enjoy reading on your new Kindles as much as I enjoy reading on mine! If not, don't forget that you have 30 days to return it to Amazon, no questions asked (at least you do with the new ones, and I assume with the refurbished ones too). Some people really like Kindles, some don't so that flexibility is important. Oh, and also some Targets have a Kindle display so you might be able to get a look at one there.

[Katsmeow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R If you have any problems with a Kindle bought through Amazon, their Kindle customer service is supposed to be very good. Oh, and also some .

My first Kindle had a display that went out and they promptly replaced me and sent the new unit. I had to return the old one within I think 30 days (they paid for shipment).

I do mostly read on the iPad now but I do still have my old Kindle. In some ways it is nicer to read on (a bit lighter in weight and the screen).

One reason I tend to pick up the iPad is that recently I bought some new books and the iPad syncs them faster than the Kindle does.

Still at the new price it really is a great deal.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CuppaJoe Regarding the Kindle internet connection, the original review I read called it "clunky" which is accurate. I use it mainly to check this site when away from home. I sometimes post from it but that is awkward so those posts tend to be short. I go to a regular laptop for anything more complicated. I also enjoy reading Amazon book reviews on it. It works reasonably will on sites that are configured for mobile devices: blogs, news sites, etc.

I would second CuppaJoe's remarks. The browser is definitely clunky, slow, and a bit of a PITA, and remember the Kindle just gives you black and white. The Kindle is a "dedicated e-reader" and not the machine for you if web browsing is a major function that you expect. Still, you do get free 3G internet access and to those of us who are unwilling to pay a monthly fee, that's pretty nice in a pinch.

Also, it's easy to order a book from Amazon via 3G (as you might expect). It was fun, for example, when Frank and I were talking about Walden to do that. I just checked on my Kindle, discovered that the book was free, and downloaded it in a few seconds so that we could look up passages we were discussing. I have done that sort of thing in a restaurant, in the car, and so on. And no monthly fee is my idea of fun.

[Geoffrey]

Thanks for the "heads up" regarding the reconditioned Kindle for $139.99. I sent in my order. I have a Sony PRS-505, but I can't resist the Kindle now that it has been upgraded to include folders.

[lhamo]

Does anybody have a nook from Barnes and Noble? I think one of hte reasons Amazon dropped the price on the kindle was that B&N dropped their price on the nook. I am leaning toward the nook as it gets somewhat better reviews (somewhat more user friendly) and can also handle the different formats used by many ebooks that are available through library systems (including Seattle and KCLS, ha...). I have a grantee who brought one with her to China, and she has been able to access the Seattle Public Library system as well as UW libraries with hers. So that is really attractive to me! This kind of device is an incredible development for expat book lovers. The thought of being able to immediately go and get a copy of the wonderful books I hear about on my NPR podcasts and not having to wait 6 months is such an enticement to me. My ipod was one of the best things I have ever bought, and I am guessing this will be up on the same par. But I will probably try one out in the store before I take the plunge...

lhamo

[Moemg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lhamo Does anybody have a nook from Barnes and Noble? I think one of hte reasons Amazon dropped the price on the kindle was that B&N dropped their price on the nook. I am leaning toward the nook as it gets somewhat better reviews (somewhat more user friendly) and can also handle the different formats used by many ebooks that are available through library systems (including Seattle and KCLS, ha...). I have a grantee who brought one with her to China, and she has been able to access the Seattle Public Library system as well as UW libraries with hers. So that is really attractive to me! .. lhamo

With the price drop I am ready to make the plunge but I definetly want one that can access the library system as that is the wave of the future so does anyone know if the Kindle can do this . I also see they have lowered the prices on some books so I guess it's time to become an e reader .

[Charlotte]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moemg With the price drop I am ready to make the plunge but I definetly want one that can access the library system as that is the wave of the future so does anyone know if the Kindle can do this . I also see they have lowered the prices on some books so I guess it's time to become an e reader .

Moemg - you will need to research what types your library has (or has access to). For example, the library system I use (I live in NC) has "epub" and "mobi" file types available for checkout.

I bought a Sony Touch PRS-600. It can read the epub files (and several other file types such as txt, rtf, bbeb and pdf), but not the mobi's. Hopefully someone can chime in with what file types the kindle can read.

I believe there are utilities available to do file conversions, and I am hoping that I will be able to convert the mobi's to epubs as soon as I take the time to research all that... then I'll be able to double my borrowing power from the library.

[kramer]

epub is an open e-book format that can be read by virtually anything. I use Stanza to read Epub on my Ipod touch. I use a Firefox plug-in to read it on my PC. My understanding is that the Kindle format is basically epub plus DRM (Digital Rights Management, e.g., copy protection).