Kindle?

DangerDwarf · Post by **DangerDwarf** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 6:49 pm

I've been eyeballing these magical Kindle 2 devices which somehow have magic invisible demons instantly transport ordered books into their kinda cool portable reading machine.

Kinda pricey but looks pretty kick ass.

Anyone have one of these? I'm kinda tempted to check them out in the near future.

Buttmonkey · Post by **Buttmonkey** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 7:33 pm

I was looking at getting one for my dad. His eyesight is bad and he has more or less given up reading. The Kindle 2 has a feature that will read books aloud unless the publisher has blocked the feature (I assume the publisher does this if it thinks it can make significant $$ selling a book-on-CD version separately).

Before investing in a Kindle, take a look at the available library. Although it has something like 250,000 books, I suspect you will find that a lot of the genre fiction you like is not included. Do some searches for your favorite authors and brace yourself for disappointment. On the other hand, the library has a lot of public domain stuff like Dickens.

DangerDwarf · Post by **DangerDwarf** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 7:41 pm

Actually, quite a works from various authors I like:

REH

HP Lovecraft

Piers Anthony

Dean Koontz

And more.

Saw a couple D&D novels as well as World War Z too.

Looks like a solid selection.

serleran · Post by **serleran** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 7:53 pm

I saw a thing called a Book Backpack or something, and it is tempting, but only because it also allows you to write your own book on it.
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Rigon · Post by **Rigon** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 12:01 am

I've looked at the Kindle a lot. I just can't bring myself to shell out the cash for one. But I'd damn sure love to have one.

R-
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Relaxo · Post by **Relaxo** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 12:24 am

I think Ringon hit it on the head, looks like fun, but $350?! NOT!

For dad, I'd see if he likes audiobooks. not the same, but if he's got a walkman or discman, libraries have tons of audiobooks on several different media.

You konw what else? do you have kids? maybe they can read to your dad, then they're learning good reading skills and spending quality time w/ gramps while you have quality time wiht the wife.

You can all thank me later.

DangerDwarf · Post by **DangerDwarf** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 12:31 am

The convenience it offers plus all the nifty little side benefits of it makes the cost worth it to me. Just a matter of actually setting aside the money for that sort of luxury though.

I live in the boonies and have no bookstores worth a crap nearby. Right now all the books I read are ordered through the mail. This would mean no more waitts.

I could get some of my newspaper subscriptions through it as well.

I could also convert PDF's to it (I think thats what it says) and no more need to print them just to read 'em. I can lay down on the couch and read my PDF's too. Might actually make a PDF buyer out of me in some ways.

Pricey but worth it to me.

Omote · Post by **Omote** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 12:39 am

I like the idea, but I'll wait until they perfect the Star Trek device.

-O
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magehammer · Post by **magehammer** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 8:07 am

I own a Kindle 1. I cannot recommend it enough! It is absolutely life-changing for any avid reader. The main reason I bought it was because my book shelves were overflowing. I buy at least two books a month. Since I have been collecting books now for over thirty years and have no plans on stopping any time soon, the Kindle has allowed me to buy books without having to store them.

When I travel, I no longer have to choose what books to bring; I have them all with me. Downloading a book in under a minute is addicting and thrilling.

I downloaded PDF conversion software and add my PDFs to the Kindle myself through the provided USB . There are few formatting problems with the do it yourself conversion but it beats not having any modules on the Kindle. I wouldn't play from the Kindle, but is great for reading modules. Now I don't go anywhere without the DB series.

Salvatore's last couple books are available. All of his demon wars stuff is available. Troll tunnels, a tunnels and trolls inspired anthology is available. The Darwin's World novel Burning Lands is available. A ton of Star Trek and Star Wars novels are available. A lot of video game tie in books are available. All of jim butcher's stuff. Tolkien's lotrings just hit Kindle. It is every reader's dream and is very gamer friendly.

I am an English teacher and it's search function is invaluable for finding and cataloging passages. I can carry all the novels I teach with me anywhere.

I am re discovering Sherlock Holmes. Just 80 cents for all his novels and stories.

I will be glad to answer any questions you have. Then cost was more than worth it to me. Bestsellers are 9.99 out the gate. Older stuff is la paperback price of less. All purchases are backed up on Amazon.

It is awesome. I can't express how cool of is.

Hope that helps.
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Relaxo · Post by **Relaxo** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 9:52 am

DangerDwarf wrote:
The convenience it offers plus all the nifty little side benefits of it makes the cost worth it to me.

I hear that!

Magehammer, you may convince me! DAMN YOU! I hear you, my wife and I are book addicts and our house already looks like a library. Hmmm... maybe I'll check it out more... I may get one with next year's bonus instead of that Acer Aspire one I've been eyeing....

DD if you can put pdf's on it, theen you can take your whole RPG collection everywhere! HOW SWEET!

magehammer · Post by **magehammer** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 10:02 am

My wife uses it as much as I do!!!

I sold her on the space-saving nature of the Kindle in our slowly shrinking house. (Kids come with toys and stuff. Who knew.)

But now she reads it as much as I do!!
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Rigon · Post by **Rigon** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 10:30 am

Just wondering if you can plug a flash drive into the Kindle. I keep most of my RPG material one. And with a PDF converter, I may look into getting a Kindle 1.

R-
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DangerDwarf · Post by **DangerDwarf** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 11:06 am

Thanks for the info Magehammer. I'm definitely going to look at getting one. Just a matter of when I can do so now.

Rigon · Post by **Rigon** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 9:01 pm

DangerDwarf wrote:
Thanks for the info Magehammer. I'm definitely going to look at getting one. Just a matter of when I can do so now.

DD, you may want to check out the 1st gen Kindle also. It's about $100 less than the 2nd gen.

R-
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Post by **Breakdaddy** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 9:08 pm

I have a Sony PRS-505 ebook reader. I did not buy the Kindle 2 for these reasons:

1) They charge you on a per-document basis to convert PDFs and other formats to their own format.

2) Limited 2gb capacity (this is a lot, but I've got 16gb on my Sony and over 3000 books)

3) Battery life becomes limited when using the wireless capability

4) It is plastic and not metal like the Sony (durability... If weight is more of a concern, the Kindle should be fine)

5) Price. My Sony was 260 bucks, and I didnt want the battery draining wireless of Kindle, as cool as it may be.

Anyhow, you would not likely be unhappy with one, but the Sony should be looked at as well, IMO. It can read more formats without conversion, and the online FREEWARE tool called calibre makes it a far superior choice when converting other formats to Sony readable formats quickly and at no charge.

Buttmonkey · Post by **Buttmonkey** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 9:52 pm

Which device has the larger library of available books for download?

DangerDwarf · Post by **DangerDwarf** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 9:53 pm

And does the Sony one not use wireless BD?

magehammer · Post by **magehammer** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 11:37 pm

The Kindle has a USB fire wire. It does not have a USB jack. But you can put your converted PDFs, music, and photos on it through the fire wire. That is the only thing you need a computer for with the Kindle.

Sony has just signed a deal with Google to have all of their books they have scanned into their Google books put on their e readers.

I just go on the Internet with my Kindle and download free books from Gutenberg or Kindlebooks for free. They have many of the same books, so ultimately, they both have a ton of books to choose from.

From what I have read, Sony charges about the same price for a hardcover as for the e version of said hardcover.

The Sony does not have a cell phone radio in it, so you have to be slaved to a computer to use it. That was the biggest selling point as to why I chose the Kindle over the Sony e reader.

The other major choice was on the Kindle most "hardcovers" are 9.99. Some are more expensive, but I just wait for the price to drop. I mean, it isn't like it will ever go out of print or anything now that it is an ebook. That is one thing to consider with both e readers is that books are no longer going to go out of print. Ever.

The conversion software I downloaded is legal and free from the net. It does a good enough job on PDFs for me to read them. Like I said, it isn't the best and sometimes the format is wonky, but I could send it to Amazon and have it converted for a dime if I really wanted to. They would send it directly to my Kindle when it was done.

Something else to consider with the Kindle are the blog updates. I subscribe to Wired's GeekDad and Critical Gamers. I pay a buck or two a month and they are downloaded to my Kindle whenever there is an update. I know I could read them on the computer for free, but having them anywhere anytime is worth the ridiculously small subscription price.

Another advantage I feel the Kindle has over the Sony are newspapers. I love downloading the New York Times from my bed on a weekend. Wake up and the paper is in your hands in less than a minute. You can buy a subscription or buy single editions.

Then just to quibble, the Sony screen has a considerable amount of glare associated with its screen where Kindle does not.

I know I am coming across as a Kindle fanboy, but I did my research for a year before I bought an e reader. For the reasons outlined above and in my previous posts, Kindle was the best fit for me.

Being able to download books from my in laws who don't have a computer while we visit for a week during Christmas makes it worth the price alone.
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Rigon · Post by **Rigon** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:59 am

I biding my time until the Kindle comes down in price a little bit, before I start saving up for it. I've been researching e-readers for about 6 months or so also and I think the Kindle is the best fit for me.

R-
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Post by **Breakdaddy** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 2:04 pm

DangerDwarf wrote:
And does the Sony one not use wireless BD?

Magehammer put a lot of information that answers most of these questions. One thing he is wrong about is the glare issue, which is not associated with the 505 but the touch screen sony ereader (PRS-700), which is a different version. The 505 has the exact same screen as the Kindle 2, so if there is a glare issue it is a shared one (the only difference is the shades of gray that can be displayed). I will say that wireless was not a welcome addition for me, which is why I didnt worry about it. I dont want to pay for newspapers when I can get the same news faster online through various news sources. The blog thing is fine, but I get mine on my phone or my laptop so this isnt an issue for me. The battery drain is considerable with such a device, and I enjoy the fact that I can go for months before needing a recharge. Calibre rocks as well, so I have over 4000 books on my reader now and expect to have a much larger library by the time it's all said and done. This is the biggest flaw in the Kindle 2 imo, which was the dealbreaker for me. No expandable memory ports. If you absolutely need wireless though, go with Kindle 2.

magehammer · Post by **magehammer** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 7:31 pm

Yes, the glare issue is on the 700.

I have a Kindle 1 which does have expandable memory ports, so if you are going to be carrying your library like Breakdaddy and me, you may want to consider the Kindle 1 because the Kindle 2 does not have said ports.

The addition of the 3G wireless cell radio in the Kindle is the absolutely most important part of any e reader!! You can turn it off when you aren't using it which then gives you about 2000 page turns without the wireless on. I turn my on to download my blogs or books then turn it off. I have not had any problems with batter life. Both the Sony and the Kindle make your cell phone's battery life look ridiculous. A wireless cell radio makes your e reader a walking library with access to Wikipedia, Project Gutenberg, and the Amazon book store practically everywhere in America. Think about that before you make your decision.

Also, if you have an iPhone or an iPod Touch, you have access to your Kindle books through Amazon's Kindle App. Crazy.

I think, though, Breakdaddy and I can agree on one thing, having an e reader is a game changer if you are an avid reader. So, e reader debates aside, readers unite!
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Buttmonkey · Post by **Buttmonkey** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 1:10 pm

Does either product allow you to download and store books off-machine? (For example, on a flash drive?) Once you run out of storage space on the device, do you then have to start permanently deleting books to make room for new ones? At $9.99 a pop for new books, I'd rather own them than rent them.

magehammer · Post by **magehammer** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 6:46 pm

For the Kindle, every book you buy is backed up at Amazon. You can delete it from your machine, then re load it whenever you want, paying for it only once. If you buy another Kindle for some reason, those same books can be downloaded to it, too. Once you pay for a book from the Amazon Kindle store, it is yours.

Free books you download from sites like Gutenberg can just be re-downloaded if you erase one of those.

Your converted PDFs: If you do them yourself, they are on your computer. If you have them converted by Amazon, they keep it on their servers.

No lost books ever. You buy it's yours. The only thing you can't do is buy a book for your Kindle then read it on another e reader. Amazon has gone with DRM for their books. Most speculators say the reason for that was a nod to the publishers to get them to sell their books on Amazon.

Regardless, you own the books you buy for your Kindle forever.

Hope that helps.
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Post by **Breakdaddy** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 6:54 pm

If you purchase sony books that are encrypted they can be stored off-device in any manner you like, but can only be viewed on one of the 5 devices you link to the store (these can be decommissioned to make room for other devices when needed). I have some of my encrypted books on a usb drive and drag and drop em to my device with no issues so far. My epub (non encrypted books) can be stored and viewed from any computer or device capable of reading epub format. Likewise with any other format that is not encrypted that the sony device reads natively (BBeB Book (LRF), PDF, TXT, RTF, ePub).

Omote · Post by **Omote** » Wed May 06, 2009 4:03 pm

BIG KINDLE!
http://blogs.usatoday.com/technologyliv ... rence.html

The Kindle is great because it eliminates paper, and allows you to easily carry 1,500 books, Bezos says. But personal documents remain a problem.

Now there's a new Kindle for that -- the Kindle DX. Its 9.7-inch screen is 2.5 times the size of a regular Kindle display. That makes it better for reading 8 1/2 x 11 documents, cookbooks, and other formatted material.

It has 3.3 GB of storage, enough to hold about 3,500 books. The price: $489.

Textbooks are another good application for a wide-screen Kindle. Amazon has partnerships with the three leading text book publishers -- Pearson, Cengage Learning and Wiley. The new Kindle will allow students to carry smaller backpacks, Bezos says.

Five universities will test the Kindle DX this fall: Arizona State, Case Western, Princeton, Reed College, and the University of Virginia.

Another application: newspapers. The Boston Globe, New York Times, and Washington Post will run Kindle pilot projects this summer. They will offer subscribers a reduced-price Kindle DX along with a reduced-price subscription. The Globe and Times will also offer the DX in areas where regular newspaper delivery is not available.

New York Times Chairman Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. has joined Bezos on stage, to talk about his company's "commitment to reinvention."

The Kindle DX can also be used to view PDFs and other documents, such as business reports, sheet music, and newsletters.

-O
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Deogolf · Post by **Deogolf** » Wed May 06, 2009 5:40 pm

I think I'll stick with good paper books at the moment! Not that pressing of a need right now.
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