Anyone using a Kindle??

[Mary Webber]

I originally started this thread on the "general discussion" area, but think this forum might be better. I really love to read... has anyone tried the Kindle, and if so, what do you think? I can't imagine giving up actual books.

Colorcozy wrote and said she lives in a non-English-speaking country and wonders if a Kindle would be a good thing for her.

[Megan]

I don't have one, but my father has one and loves it. I get most of my books second hand, either through book swap sites or from friends. That said, the Kindle is a very appealing gadget. The screen really is great and given that you can use it to read hundreds of books for free thanks to sites like the Gutenberg Project (with just a little formatting work on your part) and manybooks.net, I find myself wishing I had one.

I think it depends on your lifestyle. Spend a lot of time commuting on public transport or traveling for work? This thing could free up a lot of space in your luggage (if you're a voracious reader like I am).

[Beignet]

What's a kindle?

Beignet

[purplefdu]

I've never used a kindle but I had a couple books on my old Sony Clie (pda) before it died and I recycled it. I really liked being able to tote it around without having a book that gets creased and squashed, but at the same time using a stylus instead of a page is a bit weird at times.

[pidgeon92]

Yes, I have one!

It's actually my husband's, which I purchased for him to replace our paper subscription to the Wall Street Journal, which was a pain for many reasons:

* expensive ($249 for a year vs. $10/month for Kindle)
* delivery unreliable... some days no paper, some days different paper
* lots of business travel, thus he did not have a paper for any days he traveled
* large format difficult to read on the train
* lots of newspaper to stuff in the recycle bin every week

He loves the Kindle, and is now assured of receiving his newspaper EVERY day.

I've purchased one book for it so far, and have downloaded a few free e-books from various sites.

I read the paper on it occasionally as well, and it is a pleasure to read on. The screen is very clear, very easy on the eyes. I'm not disturbed by the button placement (as many people are), but I'm pretty adaptable. I don't find the flickering when the page turns a bother, no more so than actually having to turn a page in a book.

[Mary Webber]

Beignet asked what a Kindle is. Well, as I understand it, it's a small screen device for reading books, a gazillion of which can be downloaded in an instant either for free from a number of sites, or at a cost (like buying music downloads I assume).

As a passionate reader, I rarely go anywhere without a book, and this device sounds so appealing, kinda' pricey but good. For me the big thing is being able to get books that I can't get through my local library, or sometimes not even through inter-library loans, which can be a hassle anyway.

[koland]

For those who didn't find the thread in the other forum, here's my reply there:


I have a Kindle - you don't miss the paper when reading (and no eyestrain like when reading on a computer screen). About the size of a paperback and lighter than most, it's easy to carry anywhere. If you want to read it while eating, you don't have to struggle to keep the pages open (or even touch it except to turn the pages) and the same when reading in bed - stay under the covers and you can turn the pages by bumping the button from underneath (no more frozen hands from keeping the pages open, while the rest of you hides under a blanket on the couch or in bed). It's not waterproof (but small amounts can be wiped off), so at the beach you should protect it with a ziploc. You can still read it that way (try reading a book inside a ziploc). If you read in the bath - I'd use two ziplocs that I KNEW were waterproof or maybe skip using the Kindle there (it won't like taking a bath!).

It's as easy to read as paper when outside (unlike your phone), but the flip side is that to read in the dark you must have a light (just like with a book). I don't find that a problem, as using a backlit device to read in the dark causes too much eyestrain after a while. It's also very easy to get in a few pages here and there anytime you are waiting - it always opens up to the last page you were reading.

Prices on books vary - they are generally less than new paperback prices (here and there they are the same) and generally much lower if the book is still in hardback. I've found many used hardbacks being sold for more than the Kindle price of a book, used paperbacks often are a dollar or two cheaper, but not always. However - with the Kindle, hundreds of books can be stored and thousands more if you use an SD card. Compared to the cost of real estate to house the same number of books (whether you rent or own) and bookcases, it's a bargain. And you only need dust the one item, not hundreds of books that get musty/moldy over time (that's the "old book smell" that some claim to miss - not me, I can do without sneezing when reading).

The biggest downside is the up front cost to purchase. After that, you do save money, provided you shop around (as is true of anything). You could even never buy a book again - there are literally millions of free books you could put on it. Although MOST are "old" (ie, classics and out of print, scanned in via the Gutenberg project), that isn't all that is available. I have dozens of books on mine that I have downloaded for free (and entirely legally), that were given away as promos or by authors that make some of their work available online free.

And that's just reading - you also get a very basic web browser that has free cellular access (works anywhere Sprint's Whispernet works) for checking email, looking at simple web sites and even downloading more free books (including free RSS feeds thru feedbooks).

-K

[Mary Webber]

WOW, thanks for all this info. It sounds totally awesome as I do take a book everywhere, do read in bed (with frozen hands) do get smidges of food on the pages while turning them at the table... I had no idea that the Kindle could do other stuff too beyond the basic reading...

I've got to start saving up...