New e-reader:Kindle?

[ISiddiqui]

Btw, that's another argument for why the Kindle isn't all that pricey, relatively. Those bookshelves really add up in cost.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm that way as well. However, one of the selling points of the Kindle is that it will take so muchh less storage space -- that is certainly not a selling point for everyone, but it is for a significant portion of the population. My friend that can read a 1,00 page book in 4 hours, for instance, just simply cannot own every book she ever read. (although, she's big on the library, so the point is moot)

Yeah, I think just looking at is we are, that particular 'selling point' probably only appeals to a very small percentage of people: the heavy reading minimalist. I don't believe I know anyone who fits that criteria.

[ISiddiqui]

Judging on how quickly Kindle 1 was selling out, I'd argue with the "small percentage" part of that statement .

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

I think the presence of physical books on the shelves is a major reason many people buy books to begin with. The reading of that book may or may not come into the equation, but damn if all those books don't look impressive sitting there on the shelf.

I used to be like this. I realized it was pretty silly to have a ton of books for aesthetic reasons or to try to be impressive or whatever. I have a pile of them that I need to sell off (or otherwise get rid of) at some point (read: when I stop feeling lazy). And then I'm going to start getting rid of my books after I read them, unless I'm reasonably sure I will want to read it again.

I'll always have books to "show off". Not all books work well on the readers (yet). I don't get rid of computer books until they are completely out of date, I'll keep plenty of non fiction books for those times when wikipedia just isn't thorough enough, and some fiction that I like to read over again. If they ever find a way to make it so if you own the print version (you can prove that you already own the print version), that you can get it for free in e-Book form, that would help even more.

What I don't need is the 500 or 600 or so books that fill my "Wall O' Books" (TM) (and the several dozen that go somewhere else because my "Wall O' Books" does not have anymore room).

I'm also trying to "digitize" my life. I've done it with music, I'm doing it with books, I do it with video games any time the option is available, it's starting to happen with movies. The death of print and physical media is happening, and I have chosen to celebrate it. Resistance is futile.

[PurdueBrad]

I've finished my first two books on Kindle 2 and find it to be equally as easy as reading a book. To some degree, I'm a freak when it comes to the speed of reading. The Kindle has only slowed me down slightly and I'm attributing that to the page-turning (not that it's long but if you compare it to reading a book, you turn for every two pages you read whereas here it is every page).

[Buccaneer]

I don't think I saw an answer to this. Is that a keyboard below the screen? If so, why?

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

I don't think I saw an answer to this. Is that a keyboard below the screen? If so, why?

For writing annotations. You can highlight a word or passage and write notes about them.

From amazon:
Bookmarks and Annotations
By using the QWERTY keyboard, you can add annotations to text, just like you might write in the margins of a book. And because it is digital, you can edit, delete, and export your notes. Using the new 5-way controller, you can highlight and clip key passages and bookmark pages for future use. You'll never need to bookmark your last place in the book, because Kindle remembers for you and always opens to the last page you read.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

I don't think I saw an answer to this. Is that a keyboard below the screen? If so, why?

And what else are you going to use to search for books on the Amazon store?

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

And what else are you going to use to search for books on the Amazon store?

Maybe the next generation version will come with touch screen technology, or browse the way people do with phones and blackberries.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by sabotai

I used to be like this. I realized it was pretty silly to have a ton of books for aesthetic reasons or to try to be impressive or whatever. I have a pile of them that I need to sell off (or otherwise get rid of) at some point (read: when I stop feeling lazy). And then I'm going to start getting rid of my books after I read them, unless I'm reasonably sure I will want to read it again.

Yeah, I think it was around the time I stopped buying music in physical form (maybe 3-4 years ago?) that I moved towards that mindset. I sold off a bunch of books this year, traded a bunch through various sites, and just unloaded stuff for free that I didn't want anymore. I now have one small bookshelf of stuff, it's about 20 books I know i'll read again, 10 books in line to be read, and probably 20-30 I could definitely get rid of if push came to shove. A lot of it I hang onto just to loan to friends.

But the cost to acquire a book is so relatively low, and it can take a lot of abuse, and i only read one at a time... i just dont ever see myself buying this sort of thing unless they get incredibly, incredibly cheap.

I also just *know* that a lot of people secretly or not-so-secretly love having a bunch of books on display, either just for themselves or to impress others. And I think anyone who owns any amount of books can confess to having a few they haven't read.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Maybe the next generation version will come with touch screen technology, or browse the way people do with phones and blackberries.

You realize that most blackberries (save one version) have a physical keyboard on them?

[PurdueBrad]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

I don't think I saw an answer to this. Is that a keyboard below the screen? If so, why?

In addition, you can web-surf through an experimental program and you can download word/works/pdf documents and work on them on the Kindle as well. There is an additional fee for the last part but the web-browsing is currently free but limited to 13 sites that have signed up to be part of the beta (CNN, ESPN, etc.).

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

I also just *know* that a lot of people secretly or not-so-secretly love having a bunch of books on display, either just for themselves or to impress others. And I think anyone who owns any amount of books can confess to having a few they haven't read.

Yup. I have about 1,500 books.

Of course, in my new house I have no bookshelves yet and they're all in boxes .

[fantom1979]

Originally Posted by wade moore

Yup. I have about 1,500 books.

Of course, in my new house I have no bookshelves yet and they're all in heavy boxes .

fixed that for ya

[zums]

this conversation immediately brought this to mind....

KillerClips | i am very important i have many leather bound books

(click to play the video clip in the upper right corner)

[cougarfreak]

I don't think it's been mentioned yet, but fairly often there are free books that are available for the Kindle. The book I'm reading right now was free, "The Whiskey Rebels" by David Liss. Last night for free (through amazon), I downloaded the following books:

Assassin's Apprentice, by Robin Hobb

Red Mars, by Kim Stanley Robinson

His Majesty's Dragon, by Naomi Novik

Blood Engines, by T.A. Pratt

Settling Accounts, Return Engagement By Harry Turtledove

3 of those were already on my wish list (Hobb, Robinson, and Novik). I believe, all five are free until the end of the month

[terpkristin]

How do you finf free stuff?

/tk

[ausonny]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

How do you finf free stuff?

/tk

I just go to the top sellers page, most of them are free.

[cougarfreak]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

How do you finf free stuff?

/tk

I found those on the Amazon blog daily post in the Kindle storefront. I also peruse kindleboards.com, people will post the free books there as well. I've had my Kindle since September, other books I've gotten for free include:

Caught Stealing, Six Bad Things, and A Dangerous Man, all by Charlie Huston

The Foreign Correspondent, by Alan Furst

The Reincarnationist, by MJ Rose

The Way of the Shadows, by Brent Weeks (that one was $1, not free)

Summer's Path by Scott Blum

Just got the Holy Bible: ESV for free as well

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

How do you finf free stuff?

/tk

Also for ones whose copyrights have run out:

Feedbooks: Food for the mind

[AgustusM]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Also for ones whose copyrights have run out:

Feedbooks: Food for the mind

wow - this is fantastic.

posts like this are why I still come to FOFC

[RainMaker]

And this is why I'm staying away for now.

Kindle: Amazon Threatens Legal Action Against Those Increasing the Kindle's Usefulness

[lcjjdnh]

I've heard it's just a minor feature and that it doesn't work all the great, but how usable is the web browser? I'm very close to getting a Kindle and if reading my RSS feeds through Google Reader was at least somewhat doable, I'd probably put me over the top.

[Raiders Army]

Got my Kindle today and it's great. I'm glad I bought the leather case for it.

I tried the New York Times subscription and it's pretty nice. I'll probably keep it.

[terpkristin]

Posted this to my blog today, after the announcement of the Kindle DX:

So Amazon today announced the Kindle DX, a larger version of their Kindle e-reader. I don't know what to make of it. I own a Kindle 2, and I cannot honestly say that there is anything that I use the Kindle 2 to do that I could do better on the DX.

The main differences in the DX from the K2 are:
more on-board memory (3.3 GB vs. 2 GB)
bigger screen (9.7" vs 6") -- and corresponding larger hardware size
native PDF support
auto-rotating screen

The DX seems to be aimed at the college crowd as well as the crowd that reads periodicals (especially newspapers) on their Kindle. I have finished school (for the time being?) and do not regularly read any newspaper (thus I do not subscribe to any on my Kindle 2).

I don't know, for regular books, I think I'd probably find the Kindle DX annoying. The Kindle 2 screen size means that with the default font size, I feel like I'm reading a normal page in a book. I think having more lines of text on the screen would be almost distracting to me. To combat this, one could of course increase the font size on the display, but I also do not like reading bigger print. I do not have any reason for this other than that it's a personal preference.

The physical size difference wouldn't impact me much. I read books in a variety of ways: on my Kindle 2, on my PDA (Dell Axim x51v until the iPod dies and then I'm likely getting an iPod Touch), and in audio form. My Kindle 2 mostly stays at home on my nightstand or in the bathroom. If I'm on the go and reading, I'm either reading something on the PDA or listening to an audiobook (I did an accounting recently, I have 117 audiobooks). When I travel, my Kindle 2 comes with me, naturally, though I don't typically carry it around day-to-day. I have done so on occassion, as it's the perfect size to fit into my day-to-day bag (an extra small Timbuk2 messenger bag). The Kindle DX wouldn't fit in there. I don't know how many people would carry either device around day-to-day, though I imagine that those who carry around briefcases or laptop bags probalby wouldn't notice the difference, either way. I would.

So, taking a look at one market for the DX, how would college students use it? When I was in college, I ended up buying many textbooks new through Amazon at cheaper prices than I could get them used at the college bookstore. When I was done with them, I'd either keep them or sell them back and then go out at the end of the term with my book buyback money. The Kindle DX probably will help save money in the initial purchase but removes the sell-back ability. I can tell you without a doubt that my introductory stats book was useless, and even with a Kindle DX, I'd want to get rid of it.

That all said, my physics textbooks were often rather thick (stupid loooooooooong equations and proofs) and I probably would have appreiciated the ease on my back. Then again, I got hit by cars twice while in college. If that happened with a Kindle DX and it was damaged, I'd have to replace the hardware to get my books back, which wasn't the case with the standard books. Same thing for more "typical" things like losing it or spilling beverages on it. A minor issue, but one that becomes major (and expensive) if it happens to you.

Of course, there's also a problem with the Kindle and DRM if you ever get your Amazon account suspended. A story related to this was in a lot of the blogs recently, and I would be quite pissed if I bought a piece of expensive hardware that was effectively useless if that happened. But that gripe holds for the Kindle 2 as much as the DX.

Then we get to the newspaper crowd. I do not know anyone my age that reads the newspaper. Granted, I hang out with some people who are disturbingly out of touch with what's happening in the world. However, I also hang out with people who do what I do, and get their news from various websites (newspaper websites, BBC, etc), news aggregators (including news.google.com), and of course, Jon Stewart. I read somewhere recently that the majority of Kindle owners were over 40. I'm not. So maybe this newspaper feature will appeal to that crowd (who I think does read the newspaper), but I don't think anybody my age will care.

At $489, the Kindle DX a bit pricier than the $359 Kindle 2. For the way that I use my Kindle, and the way I read books in general, I can't see people my age actually buying it. Dwight Silverman (on Twitter, @dsilverman) has said he thinks this is a pre-emptive manevuer by Amazon to combat an Apple tablet or e-reader. Maybe that's the case. Michael Gartenberg (@Gartenberg on Twitter) has said that the larger screen and better layout control of the DX would make him recommend the DX over the Kindle 2 to someone who doesn't own one (I hope he writes up his impressions/thoughts and posts them to his personal site or to Engadget, I look forward to hearing more of his thoughts on it). Personally, if I didn't have a Kindle 2 now, I still think I'd buy the Kindle 2, not the DX. I think a lot of people my age would. But, in the end, I guess we'll see.


/tk

[ISiddiqui]

Unfortunately the DX's price didn't push down the K2's, which is what I was hoping. I knew the DX would be pricey-er, but I was hoping for downward pressure... oh well.