Kindle. Opinions?

Nope, don't have a Kindle, though I have looked at it. I currently have a Dell Axiom PDA which I use to read my e-books. I didn't get serious about the kindle, mostly because of the proprietary software and having to pay for the internet access to get the books, apparently only from Amazon. I currently get books from Webscription.org which has mostly scifi books that I enjoy (and a large free library as well as selling ebooks for 5 to 10 dollars). I did note, however, the the site does allow one to download the books in the format that the kindle uses. I just haven't figured out if I can download to my computer, then move it to the kindle somehow? Kindle doesn't seem to have a removable storage card of any kind. I've heard that once you fill the memory, you have to delete books to add new ones. So no way to keep a library on a removable card or backups on a computer.

Also, my PDA has contacts, notes, spreadsheet, and other apps on it that the kindle apparently does not, at a much lower price. I admit, though, that the bigger new kindle would be tempting for the size of the text if the price wasn't quite so high.

 

(Standard disclaimer: I don't own a Kindle, although I have seen/played with them and I have friends who love them)

The big thing that the Kindle brings to the party (as opposed to a standard PDA or a laptop screen) is its screen. It's high-contrast and is great for reading text (although not for much else). By the way, I'm pretty sure that Prius101 is incorrect about having to pay for internet access for downloading books. I believe that you just pay Amazon for each book that you want to download and the cell phone network-based internet access is built into that price. This means that you don't really have to worry about how many books the Kindle can store over the long term, since you can always re-download books using your Amazon account (over the cell networks). That said, you can store a very large number of books (1500 for the standard or 3500 for the "DX") on the Kindle itself.

Also, the DX promises PDF reading, which is something that none of the eBook readers really get right. For someone who would love to use this for reading scientific journal articles, this is really appealing to me.

Basically, the Kindle (and the limited other e-book readers) are very good at what they do and not good at much else.

 

It's great to find another fan of the Baen Free Library! I've been reading their sci fi on a PDA for years (going back to a Palm III). I currently download books and read them on my notbeook computer. I even buy books from them, so their idea of giving away the first or second one and getting you hooked is a great idea!

 

The concept is wonderful, and they have a NEW version coming out..

Kindle DX

http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B0015TCML0?tag=priuschatcom-20 ​

Display
9.7" diagonal e-inkSize
10.4" x 7.2" x 0.38"Storage
3,500 booksPDF Support
native PDF readerRotating Display
3G Wireless
Books in Under 60 Seconds
Text-to-Speech
Whispersync
Price $489.00

Sounds like a great tool and toy, I would really like to own one!
However I really have to BALK at the price!!!

If this price dropped to $199.00, I would be all over it!!

 

I have the first generation Kindle and have read at least 7 books on it. Briefly the screen is very readable, the wireless connection for ordering and downloading books and other material (like newspapers and magazines) works wonderfully, my favorite features are the ability to highlight text in the book and download it to a computer for reference in other writings and the ability to search the text of the book (in order to find the phrase that you forgot to mark) which is somewhat challenging to do in a real book. The feel is good and it does take a little getting use to but overall a positive experience. However on the down side it one more thing I have to keep charged up and now the long range question comes up of purchasing an electronic version of anything - preserving it just in case you need to go back to it in 10 years. It is possible as long as you always have a Kindle however I would recommend only buying books you would normally read and give away or subscriptions to mags and newspapers. I have not had an opportunity for hands on with the new versions but the feedback online seems to indicate further improvements.

 

and for the Apple fans, it's worth mentioning that an Apple tablet is rumored to be coming, with ipod touch like abilities, including the ability to read e-books.

 

Lets See The New Kindle @ 400.00 Plus
Or an Ipod Touch for 400.00.
Which Would I use and Enjoy More?

 

Cons:
1. The book you lease cannot be sold or given to another, and is subject to Amazon's decisions in the future.
2. Amazon tends to charge as much for the e-version as the paper version
3. Plasticky, bulky hardware
4. Hardware expense
5. Hardware reliability compared to paper
6. Battery requirement

Pros:
1. Nice screen
2. Carry lots of books/articles at one go

My opinion: I'll stick with my Mac AirBook, even though the formatting is less than perfect for reading books.

 

The screen is the big deal with the Kindle. So, doing a "Pros" and "Cons" comparison is useful to some extent, but in the end, it's going to come down to whether the screen is important to you. The nature of the Kindle's screen means that it's really bad at doing many of the standard laptop things (i.e. watching movies or looking at pretty color pictures), but it's really, really good at displaying text.

If you're OK with reading text on a computer screen, then a laptop, PDA, or the (rumored) Apple Tablet will serve your needs just fine and do a whole lot more. However, many of us much prefer reading text on paper and the Kindle comes much closer to that "feel" than any computer screen I've ever seen. The ability to read outside with no glare and the high contrast monochrome screen just make the reading experience much more pleasant. The Kindle does (basically) one thing (i.e. displays text), but does it really well.

Also of interest is that the Kindle (and its ilk) can display text indefinitely without drawing any power. Basically, it only uses battery when it's communicating on the cell network or turning a page. Pretty cool.

It's also worth saying that, while the Kindle is the biggest, it's not the only game in town. Here's a Wikipedia article summarizing some of its competitors.

 

Up until the last couple of years, I've been a big fan of reading on electronic devices. The Kindle has long been a temptation, but I haven't been able to justify the price. My sister, a voracious reader, has had a Kindle1 for a little over a year and loves it to death. She has pre-ordered the bigger Kindle and promises to give me her old one. I can hardly wait!

As someone who did a lot of reading on various Palm and PocketPC devices, I'm convinced the Kindle will be heaven. The screen is bigger than any PDA I've ever used, and I've heard nothing but good about the e-paper screen. Being able to read PDF files is a huge plus. And Amazon Kindle books are usually about $10, which is cheaper than any hardback and many paperbacks. It just seems like a total win to me.

 

My wife is an also an avid reader - 4 to 5 books a week. I got her a Kindle 2 for her birthday and she absolutely adores it.

 

Purchasing a Kindle or other electronic book reader is strictly a personal decision. I discussed the device with my wife (who reads several books per week and is a librarian). I thought about getting her one for her birthday. She would rather go to used book stores and buy her favorite authors for a couple bucks. Used paperbacks are much cheaper, never have their battery run down, will never become obsolete, are water and shock resistant (to a point), you can loan them to a hundred friends if you like, require a booklight to read in the dark just like a Kindle does, and there is nobody who can restrict your ability to use it after you purchase it, unlike the Kindle. Only upsides for the Kindle I can think of are that you can carry a thousand books in your pocket or purse at once, and you can read current subscriptions to various newspapers and periodicals. Oh... and it seals your fate as a techno-geek.
Some good info at Cnet... http://reviews.cnet.com/amazon-kindle-2/?tag=mncol;lst

 

I've had my Kindle 1 for along time. It's travelled all over the place with me, most recently for two weeks in Italy. I can't speak highly enough about the experience.

But it IS different and requires some getting used to. Fortunately, not much. I equate it to learning to use a mouse for the first time. Once you got the hang of it, it's automatic.

I have the text a little larger than the default, 'cause I'm at that age. I still need my reading glasses, but I find it to be very comfortable and I can read for hours without my eyes exploding.

The size of the original I believe was to give the user the "feel" of a book-sized object in your hand. In that, they have succeeded. It's NOT a book, of course, but it also isn't a teeny weeny screen as you'd find even on the biggest of PDA's.

If you turn the radio off, it'll go a couple weeks without a charge. With the radio on, it's more like a few days depending on use. Downloading books can be done from the Amazon web site OR the Kindle, and free e-books can be loaded through the USB port and stored on a micro SD card (for the Kindle 1). You can also convert PDF and text and a few other formats to Kindle via email and deliver them on the wireless for about a dime apiece, or load the converted files via USB at no cost.

The screen is the big seller, though. It's NOT a monitor experience. The e-ink screen is far more conducive to text than photos, so the photos in a newspaper subscription are pretty bad.

On the upside, if you subscribe to a Kindle editiion newspaper, it'll be there first thing in the morning ready to read. And it WON'T get wet from sitting in the rain.

I recommend it and actually bought one for a colleague of mine.

Dan

 

My wife recently bought one after her friend highly recommended it.
She, and her friend are avid readers and they both love thier Kindles.
I only tested it out for a few minutes, but I had no issues with the size of the screen. To me it seemed the same size as a paperback, but 6" is a bit smaller than a standard paperback.
You can change the size of the text as you like, so if you want tons of words on every page, you can do that.
My wife has it with her every day so she can read on breaks or lunch without needing to have books and magazines loaded in the car. I, if I ever get a chance to use it, plan to use it mostly for magazines. She also is looking forward to being able to bring multiple books to read on her flight, again without the need to lug around the weight and volume of multiple books.

 

There are other advantages to the Kindle for travel.

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/kindle.png

 

I bought my wife a Kindle 2 a few weeks ago and it's awesome. She was constantly borrowing my Sony Book Reader, so I thought I would get her something where she could download books herself, without having to download first to the computer like the Sony.

The download speed is very quick and painless. The screen and print are very good and easy on the eyes. The larger DX unit looks nice, but I would rather have the smaller, more portable unit.

Comparing the Sony Book reader and the Kindle......the screens are very similar, very good quality. The sony is ~ 100 clams cheaper, but you have to download to the computer, then to the book reader which is a pain. But, the upside is that you can also read the book on your computer, which is nice. Also with the Sony Book Reader you get to choose classic books, $200 worth that will actually keep you reading for a longtime. There are also a whole host of Google Books that are compatible for free.

You won't go wrong with the Kindle, unless you're someone who always borrows books from people to read.....Amazon doesn't have a borrow division. I also like it when my wife reads her Kindle in bed. I no longer have to hear pages turn and the fumbling with the book. All I hear now is a slight little click and her page turns.