Does anybody who reads my blog have a Kindle eBook reader?
It looks like it might be a great way to read books. The new version 2 that just came out is supposed to improve on most of the problems with the first one.
On the other hand, it’s very expensive. Though you can download books for about half the cost of a printed book, you would have to download a lot to make up for the cost of the reader.
It seems like it would be ideal for someone who traveled a lot; easer to bring one slim reader filled with 10 books than actually lugging 10 books along.
Or should I just download books to my Blackberry? The screen is much smaller and I don’t have access to Amazon’s huge library; that’s one problem with that idea.
My birthday is coming up next month; should I treat myself with this? Can anybody speak from personal experience?
23 responses so far ↓
1 Richard // Feb 28, 2009 at 7:31 am
I don’t have personal experience but several people on the forum I frequent do. You could do a search on Kindle and read their comments. Since this is an RV’ing forum their comments are likely to be unbiased.
http://rvnetwork.com/
2 Daryl // Feb 28, 2009 at 9:10 am
Actually I had already thought about you and Dianna, and that an eBook reader might be very handy when you live in limited space and weight.
Thanks for the tip — RV’er’s comments should be relevant.
3 Don // Feb 28, 2009 at 10:32 am
I asked a friend of mine who just got one as a gift from his wife. Here’s the conversation.
http://screencast.com/t/EFW9bH4ld
4 Donna // Mar 1, 2009 at 12:44 pm
I wonder if you can download eBooks from the library to a Kindle?
5 Daryl // Mar 1, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Thanks Don.
Donna — You can download eBooks from the library? Which library? Free?
6 Devon // Mar 2, 2009 at 4:58 pm
I use my iPhone to read books, using the App Stanza. I do agree though that your Blackberry screen may be too small to read books comfortably, but that Kindle looks mighty expensive.
7 Donna // Mar 2, 2009 at 5:40 pm
chandlerlibrary.org
The Mesa library has e-audiobooks, but not ebooks.
8 Don // Mar 2, 2009 at 11:25 pm
You do know the text to speech feature is now being hobbled right?
9 Daryl // Mar 3, 2009 at 9:18 am
No, I didn’t know that, but I just read about it. Apparently they are allowing publishers to request disabling of the text-to-speech feature on a book by book basis. That changes things some; makes it a little less desirable.
That seems like a really protectionist move, and shouldn’t be legal. They charge so much for audio books that they make a lot of their profit off them and they want to preserve that golden goose. Reminds me of the RIAA fighting digital music sales and transfers. It’s horse breeders and buggy dealers making laws against cars.
10 Don // Mar 4, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Just found out there is a Kindle app for the iPhone, and it’s free.
11 Daryl // Mar 4, 2009 at 2:54 pm
As I read it, the iPhone app is meant to be a companion to your Kindle. You have to download the book to your Kindle first, then you can synchronize it with, and read it on, your iPhone.
I don’t think you can use your iPhone only. You have to buy a Kindle first.
12 Daryl // Mar 4, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Devon pointed out that I’m wrong. You can buy and download books directly to the iPhone. There were complaints that it isn’t quite as easy as on the Kindle, but it works.
Maybe it’s getting close to the point where I have to get an iPhone. I really like the idea of having everything on one, easy to carry unit that’s always with me. I can read books on my Blackberry Flip, but the screen is a little small. I’m turning pages almost as fast as I can.
Hmmm.
13 Don // Mar 4, 2009 at 9:26 pm
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
14 Don // Mar 4, 2009 at 9:29 pm
“You can barely read an iPhone on a beach” I don’t think that’s the place to read an iPhone but it is quite readable outside.
15 Don // Mar 9, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Happy Birthday! Did you get your Kindle?
16 Donna // Mar 10, 2009 at 8:47 am
Happy birthday, Daryl! For 17 days you’re two years older than me. 😛
17 Daryl // Mar 10, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Thank you, everyone. Two more years and I enter into middle age.
I still haven’t decided if I want one (at the price). For $100, sure, I wouldn’t think twice. At $360 I have thought twice, thrice, many times and still haven’t decided.
18 Jocelyn // Mar 12, 2009 at 6:28 pm
So… Do I get to see you next week?? I’m interested in talking with a like minded individual. I think there’s a possibility we’ll be going to the phoenix zoo on Saturday. But, I’ll have bunches of time during the week too 🙂 especially if my daddy is staying by you.
19 Don // Mar 13, 2009 at 11:24 am
I will be staying with Daryl for the first 2 nights I’m there(18th and 19th) but if you want me around you might want to refrain from talking about that which we do not talk about. 😉
20 Daryl // Mar 13, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Hey, it’s my house and if we want to talk pinko by darn we’ll do it!
(Always keeping in mind the sensibilities of the resident bourgeois, of course.)
21 Don // Mar 13, 2009 at 11:33 pm
Commies. 😛
22 jocelyn // Mar 18, 2009 at 7:37 am
we called you yesterday.. Our area code is 262… we’ll call again today.
23 Daryl // Mar 20, 2009 at 2:35 pm
I finally broke down and ordered a Kindle. When I looked at the reviews, everyone who owns one loves it. The reviews and comments that dislike it, that say “I like the feel of a real book”, etc. are invariably from people who have never had one.
They are in stock, and it should arrive next week. I will post here after I’ve had it a while on how I like it.