Amazon Kindle

littlerockguy

I broke down and ordered an Amazon Kindle out of weakness. I just couldn't resist! I love new technology and gadgets that make life easier. I know $400 is a lot to drop for one of these but I have really considered how it would be helpful in my life in spite of the cost, even cost effective in the long run for a lot of reasons.

1. I have no more spaces on my bookshelves for books. I live in a small apartment (but big enough for me) with 2 bookshelves and I dont even have all my books in my apartment. Now I can store books on this device and actually be able to read without the negative effects of looking at a computer screen. "electronic ink" technology makes the screen look like real paper.

2. Most books I buy from Amazon are books I cannot buy at bookstores around here and now I can have it instantly as well as put free ebooks from other websites on it to read. You can check email and browse the web some and it has neat nownow service like a question search engine and access to Wikipedia and no charge for the wireless.

3. My eyesight is changing as I get older. My next glasses will more than likely be bifocals since I should be wearing them now. In order for me to really see print clearly now I have to put in my contact lenses and then put on reading glasses. I can do alright with my regular glasses but to really see better I have to use contacts and reading glasses and I hate to do that; but with this reader I can enlarge the print to my liking and see better to read.

So actually for those reasons and others I decided to break down and get one. I put it on my Amazon credit card and it will not be charged until they send it out and it is on back order since they are sold out. It seems it has been taking them about 4 of 5 weeks to process orders since they are sending out emails when orders from early December should be going out, so by the time my credit card is charged I will already have most of the money saved up to pay it off since I received a rebate $35 check in the mail yesterday I forgot about getting since they take forever to come in, $30 credit for getting an Amazon credit card (the only one I have and will probably cut up after this order, lol) and my upcoming tax refund will probably come in by the time the item is charged on my credit card.

I love books so I know Im going to love this. Sure it doesn't have the book tangible feel and I will have to get used to that but I know I will use this thing. Now I know how people who are into phones didn't blink an eye paying that much for an iphone, lol.

LRG

jaguarbass

LRG, Sounds good, I checked it out and book marked it. Keep us posted on how you like it.

I have a hard time storing and finding my books so I am deffinitely interested. I didnt know about it until you mentinoned it here.

blondie

http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Amazons-Wireless-Reading-Device/dp/B000FI73MA

Product Overview

Revolutionary electronic-paper display provides a sharp, high-resolution screen that looks and reads like real paper.
Simple to use: no computer, no cables, no syncing.
Wireless connectivity enables you to shop the Kindle Store directly from your Kindle—whether you’re in the back of a taxi, at the airport, or in bed.
Buy a book and it is auto-delivered wirelessly in less than one minute.
More than 90,000 books available, including more than 90 of 112 current New York Times® Best Sellers.
New York Times® Best Sellers and all New Releases $9.99, unless marked otherwise.
Free book samples. Download and read first chapters for free before you decide to buy.
Top U.S. newspapers including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post; top magazines including TIME, Atlantic Monthly, and Forbes—all auto-delivered wirelessly.
Top international newspapers from France, Germany, and Ireland; Le Monde, Frankfurter Allgemeine, and The Irish Times—all auto-delivered wirelessly.
More than 250 top blogs from the worlds of business, technology, sports, entertainment, and politics, including BoingBoing, Slashdot, TechCrunch, ESPN's Bill Simmons, The Onion, Michelle Malkin, and The Huffington Post—all updated wirelessly throughout the day.
Lighter and thinner than a typical paperback; weighs only 10.3 ounces.
Holds over 200 titles.
Long battery life. Leave wireless on and recharge approximately every other day. Turn wireless off and read for a week or more before recharging. Fully recharges in 2 hours.
Unlike WiFi, Kindle utilizes the same high-speed data network (EVDO) as advanced cell phones—so you never have to locate a hotspot.
No monthly wireless bills, service plans, or commitments—we take care of the wireless delivery so you can simply click, buy, and read.
Includes free wireless access to the planet's most exhaustive and up-to-date encyclopedia—Wikipedia.org.
Email your Word documents and pictures (.JPG, .GIF, .BMP, .PNG) to Kindle for easy on-the-go viewing.
Included in the box: Kindle wireless reader, Book cover, Power adapter, USB 2.0 cable

AlmostAtheist

The "no back light" thing is what turned me off of the Kindle. Which is not to say if it had a backlight, I'd drop $400 on it. But that was the deal breaker for me.

The reasoning on it is that "it's like paper, it's an electronic book. You don't get a back light with a book, do you?"

No, but neither do you get search capability, which Kindle has. Or a host of other things. I think a light is an obvious thing to include. A side-light, actually, since the e-ink technology isn't compatible with a "back light" system. The failure -- refusal, actually -- to include a light on a unit that costs $400 makes me wonder what other design decisions were made using this same sort of reasoning. And it scares me.

Of course you could get a book light. But you'd (or rather "I'd") never carry it. Then, when lighting conditions sucked, I'd be stuck, probably using my $20 cell phone to provide light to read my $400 Kindle by.

All that having been said, though, I still think it's a neat idea. I hope you enjoy it, and suspect that you will! (And I hope the next version has a freakin' light!)

Dave

Abandoned

Now I can store books on this device and actually be able to read without the negative effects of looking at a computer screen. "electronic ink" technology makes the screen look like real paper.

I need to look into this. I can't imagine that I'll ever stop collecting actual paper books, but it would be cool to be able to bring a whole series or more with me in one device. The problem I have is it has to really look like a book or it will give me a headache. I just can't do long reading on the computer.

Crumpet

I've never heard of it before, but it sounds like you've done a good ole job convincing yourself its a necessity - and me! LOL! Just make sure you have enough money left to come and party first weekend of May or I will have to sell your kindle on ebay to raise the funds. You have been warned!

xxx

littlerockguy

Crumpet:

I will be there! However right now the Kindle is going for over $600 on ebay, LOL.

LRG

SnakesInTheTower

I looked into the Kindle...i am addicted to Amazon....so i see the ads all the time... I want one..but I cant wrap my mind around paying $9-15 for a e-book...an e-book is nothing more than a bunch of 1s and 0s...... as much as I love gadgets... I love having books on a shelf... (I still have all these bound volumes sitting here.... I am looking for ..and may have found....a good home for them..I hate throwing away books..even WT crap)...i love the feel of curling up with a good book, especially a hardcover book....The Kindle doesnt give me a warm and fuzzy feeling...

..that and I would probably go broke downloading stuff....I love to read.... I still dont have a digital MP3 (ipod, zune,etc) player.... I would still buy CDs probably mostly...and convert them to MP3s.... but would be more likely to download an mp3 for $1 than a book for $10.....

i think this would be a great idea for schools...give a kid in high school or college a kindle instead of 50 pounds of books and a backpack...but that wouldnt make the textbook companies and college bookstores any money, would it?

Resurrect this thread and let us know how you enjoy it when you finally get it...

Snakes ()

bikerchic

I love techie things and one of my friends has a Kindle I must say they are pretty cool. The price is what will keep me from getting one any time soon, I'll wait for the knock-offs!

I sell books on Amazon and many of the books I sell go for way less than the $10 to download onto a Kindle so that and the price of the Kindle will probably not cut into my selling much time will tell.

When you do get it will you tell us your thoughts on it and the things you like most/least? I'm really wondering about it too.

primitivegenius

question........... does it let you put...... lets say and ebook directly into it from your personal computer? if so there are plenty of place you can download some ebooks for free.

Amazon Kindle

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