Seriously Considering an Amazon Kindle
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So, I’ve been toying with the idea of getting an Amazon Kindle. Yes, a little pricey, but cheaper than getting a slate Tablet or most UMPCs (not that I was planning on getting either of those anytime soon, however). I thought it could only read Amazon downloaded books and Amazon provided periodicals, but this Top 19 Amazon Kindle Tips article has me seriously considering one of these.
I have so many books in PDF and Word format that I could convert them to Kindle format and have them with me at all times (yes, apparently it IS possible). This thing would fit in my purse. I’m curious if there is a search function for searching your stored library…looking it up…aha! This journalist claims searching is easy. It is odd that there is no backlight but I’m sure that’s what makes the battery life so great (up to a week without the wireless on). It’s also odd that it’s black and white, but I guess most books are :-).
Many of the other features listed on I already have with my iPhone (blog readers, basic email, some audiobook support), but the ebook features look spot on what might just work. And it looks like owners of the Kindle still like it, with only complaints of not being able to flip quickly through a book or accidently hitting buttons.
I know the iPhone can read PDF and Word files, but the screen is much too small for me to read a book on it. I think. Maybe I just haven’t given it enough of a chance. I’ll have to experiment more but my intuition says it’s too small.
But, yes, if any of you who are reading this have a Kindle or looked into it but decided not to get one, please let me know why or what your experience has been. It’s on my short list at the moment.
*Image by JOEKC “JKC”, Kansas City, on Amazon.com
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Hey Tracy,
I bought my dad a kindle for father’s day and he’s loved it.
I’m considering getting one myself, but I hear that the new one is due out in a month or two. Given that I’m waiting.
October 11th, 2008 at 1:52 amHi tracy,
was following your blog previosly as the student tabletpc!!!
i feel you should do a little search about the sony prs 700. the successor to prs505, with light and better batterylife and better support.
i was seriously considering the kindle, but now turned my sight on the PRS 700.
October 11th, 2008 at 3:07 amWell Tracy I can’t vouch for the Kindle because we haven’t got them in the UK yet, but I got the recently released to the UK Sony prs505 and I’m having a blast with it. The reading experience is phenomenal and that’s mainly down to the screen technology (all the Readers, Kindle included, use the same e-Ink technology
Raj is right though the PRS700 is looking good, and it has touch capability. The only thing it’s still missing is wireless functionality.
That said I’ve heard loads of good things about your current ereading setup. By all accounts the iPhone/iTouch makes for a good ebook reading experience
October 11th, 2008 at 4:23 amHi, raj. That Sony does look nice. Interesting! The fact that it has a built in light and a native PDF support is attractive.
I’m testing out readers for the iPhone right now. If I turn it sideways, I can read PDFs fairly decently but I’d like a nice library app to manage them. I got the 16GB iphone so it’s not like I don’t have the space!
October 11th, 2008 at 12:28 pmTracy, I’ve looked at the kindle for about a year now. The two big detractors for me has been $$, though it has come down in price a bit, and the lack of some reading materials that as a seminary student I’d like to have- books for my classes- I still may make the leap because I do like the idea of being able to carry a library in hand. I look forward to what others have to say and what you decide.
October 11th, 2008 at 12:29 pm[...] Continue here: Seriously Considering an Amazon Kindle [...]
October 15th, 2008 at 3:07 amI mainly use my iPhone to read PDF’s etc. The only downside is that some books have letter which are so freaking small. With Air Sharing (about 8 bucks) you can simply transfer PDF and Word files through Wifi to your iPhone. Stanza is free but somehow converts the files and sometimes messes up the layout.
Again, it all depends on the font and size. Given that the Kindle (or other ebook readers of that matter) has a bigger screen is a huge advantage,
October 15th, 2008 at 1:35 pmThat’s what I’m torn about. Stanza formats PDFs weird at the moment (though it is new software so I’m giving it a little longer trial than I usually do) and I’ve tried Air Sharing but I thought it was so much more than it is and I now hold a grudge :-P. I’m still looking for a good answer for iPhone ebooks.
But that makes something like the Sony or Kindle more attractive. I think the Sony would be best for a tech person (like many who read this site) and the Kindle better for the person on the go who doesn’t want to be bothered with technology (like the family/friends of many who read this site). I’m thinking of getting a Kindle for my uncle who is always buying books but also always traveling, but I would personally get the Sony I think. I’m not sure.
Honestly, I would’t be opposed to the Motion LS800, but they stopped selling them. Anyone trying to get rid of theirs?
October 15th, 2008 at 2:03 pmThe thing about the current Kindle is that it is a cellphone data port that allows for immediate book gratification. But really useful only for things the size of paperback novels. I can’t see it being useful for larger, colorful, highly diagrammatic or symbolic works (read math). Maybe the next gen will at least be in color, but I still would rather have a slightly bigger page. eBooks are inevitable for the mainstream - just check out the latest writer/publisher magazines at the Barnes and Noble. Of course, I would love to get Tracy’s spin on the thing - somebody loan her one!
October 15th, 2008 at 2:11 pmI like how you think, Will!
See, the cellphone data that comes with it (”WhisperNet”?) is what I think makes it better for mainstream. It’s easier to set up, the same reason the iPod succeeded when many other MP3 players were better and could do more. The iPhone was EASY to set-up and start using. I have a feeling the Kindle is similar. Instant gratification is also a major benefit of that :-D, like you mentioned.
But yes, I’d love something like the Kindle that had a color screen and full PDF-like support, so graphics and images and formatting could be preserved perfectly.
October 15th, 2008 at 2:25 pmHm, the Fujitsu U810 looks interesting for this application….hmmm….
October 15th, 2008 at 3:29 pmOooh! I just remembered my uncle got a U810. I’ll have to check it out in more detail the next time I go visit.
October 15th, 2008 at 3:30 pm[...] Seriously Considering an Amazon Kindle - Endless Scholar [...]
October 17th, 2008 at 4:27 amHm, and yet, I still am really attracted to the Kindle. I think it’s the wireless connect to papers, magazines, books, etc. that just makes me think, “Hmm…” and check my finances to see if it’s in the cards.
October 17th, 2008 at 11:53 amTracy - I have a u810 (& T4220) and I originally thought the device would be great for ebook reading. . . I was dead wrong.
-The u810 is a light weight device, unless you try holding it upright for an extended length of time. I find that my forearms start to ache. -The fan blows right on your hand and becomes quite hot - even in the dead of winter this becomes annoying. -Battery life is great - especially compared to the T4220 - bur after 4hrs you are going to have to hunt down an outlet. Which automatically eliminates this as a choice for road trips or long reading sessions at the park. -Screen brightness - this is something I never really considered until a reviewer of the Sony ebook pointed it out - the brightness of a computer or ppc screen is hard on my eyes. Even if I turn the brightness setting all the way down its still too harsh for long reading sessions.
I had the opportunity to play with the Sony at Target; and the greyscale is almost soothing compared to the harsh backlight of the u810 & my ppc.
-And my last point to consider - no so easy to curl up with the u810; I find it easier to curl up with my ppc. The thickness of the u810, overall weight, and the heat issues make the device impossible to ‘curl’ up with.
Don’t get me wrong - I LOVE my u810. I take it everywhere with me. I find myself reaching for the u810 more than the T4420. I just personally feel that as an ereader device; the u810 fails. I have both mobireader & uBook installed (unable to get eReader to install - despite several attempts) and I can count on one hand how many times I’ve opened either application.
I never really considered purchasing a dedicated ebook reader until I saw the Sony in Target. It is so thin & sleek. And the screen, despite being greyscale, is sooooo nice. Ugh, I really don’t need more gadgets. . .
October 19th, 2008 at 9:25 pmThanks for the input, Erin!
Hm, so Target has the Sony reader? I had come inches from buying the Kindle, thought no, then I’m now back to getting some type of reader since it’d be nice to take my technical books on Excel and Access and engineering stuff (in text form) with me to work and also to have my fun books with me all the time without stuffing a novel in my purse. I might stop by Target just to see if ours has any to get a peek at. I know the new Sony is coming out in November, but do I want to wait that long? Hmmmm. I’m not sure.
And yeah, the new Kindle is suppose to come out soon as well, but again, do I want to wait that long? Including shipping and potential in-stock delays, it could be a while.
October 20th, 2008 at 9:08 am[...] have been back to school so many times I shudder to think how much my stock would be worth had I… Tracy: Thanks for the input, Erin! Hm, so Target has the Sony reader? I had come inches from buying the [...]
October 20th, 2008 at 8:27 pmI stuck a scientific paper, complete with pictures (physics, by the way) on my Kindle and I have to say: Not bad. Not as good as the paper version, of course, and the pictures/graphs are kind of small, but they are readable. Using mobipocket’s free .mobi file generator + Kindle really rocks, though.
(PS: Searching is easy. Just hit the search button)
December 29th, 2008 at 10:09 pmToo bad Oprah made them sell out or I would have got one for my uncle. Oh well. I’m not 100% sold on my Sony Reader (it’s so odd to navigate) and I think the Kindle would have been better, but again, oh well!
Good to know about the scientific paper on a kindle screen!
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