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Anybody have an Amazon Kindle?

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ThatObviousUser

ὁ αἴσχιστος παῖς εἶ
neight said:
The point is to make them as readable as paper not to have PDAs.

A toggle-able backlight would be nice for reading in low light conditions.

Also it bites hard the new version is going to be that pricey too.
 

Tobor

Member
hateradio said:
Kindle 2 looks much nicer and totally slick, however they need a proper LCD w/Color. Kindle 3.

You don't understand the point of e-book readers, do you?

Those Kindle 2 shots are so nice. I guess I know what I'm doing with some of my tax return now.
 

ThatObviousUser

ὁ αἴσχιστος παῖς εἶ
Alright, the price isn't so bad if they add one thing: widespread support for college textbooks. Would easily cut those costs into a fractions so I'm very sure they'd be popular amongst the college crowd. Improve the note-taking features of it a little too and bam, pricey price justified.
 

mattiewheels

And then the LORD David Bowie saith to his Son, Jonny Depp: 'Go, and spread my image amongst the cosmos. For every living thing is in anguish and only the LIGHT shall give them reprieve.'
Joe said:
kindle 2:

2-06-09kindle2.jpg
2-06-09kindle22.jpg

2-06-09kindl5.jpg



features a metal back, stereo speakers and supposedly $359 releasing feb 24th
holy crap, that looks nice. they really did a nice job there.

to people complaining about the price, did you know that lifetime connection to the service to download books and news is included? (that's still how it works, right?)
 

Slavik81

Member
Darko said:
$350 or carry a few books.... hmmm.
On the other hand, Kindle books are cheaper... At a standard price of $9.99, they're almost half the price of most books I buy.
But I'd have to buy a LOT of books to make up for it.

Still, in a few years these'll be much, much more practical.

Andrex said:
Alright, the price isn't so bad if they add one thing: widespread support for college textbooks. Would easily cut those costs into a fractions so I'm very sure they'd be popular amongst the college crowd. Improve the note-taking features of it a little too and bam, pricey price justified.
How well does it handle diagrams?
 

mr stroke

Member
Joe said:
kindle 2:

2-06-09kindle2.jpg
2-06-09kindle22.jpg

2-06-09kindl5.jpg



features a metal back, stereo speakers and supposedly $359 releasing feb 24th

sexy as hell..
but it needs a subscription service like Netflix for me to bite. Other than traveling whats the point of paying the same price as a paperback? plus who doesn't want to have a nice book shelf in the house?
 

Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
I have a first gen. Total convert. Hate reading normal books now. I am going on vacation tomorrow and taking an infinite library with me.

Couple of bonus features:

Reading in bed - it balances anywhere - simple tap of finger to turn page - not trying to find a comfy reading position.

When you fall asleep, so does the Kindle - ready at your last page in the morning.
 
Why is it $350? I might be interested (especially if a future model has a backlight) but it costs as much as a laptop computer but lacking most of the features of it. It also has a monochrome screen and is running open source Linux. How the hell does this thing cost any more than $100?
 

Blackhead

Redarse
Tobor said:
hateradio said:
Kindle 2 looks much nicer and totally slick, however they need a proper LCD w/Color. Kindle 3.
You don't understand the point of e-book readers, do you?

Those Kindle 2 shots are so nice. I guess I know what I'm doing with some of my tax return now.
Real books have color.

cjdunn said:
Zing! But a great point that's also made in this long piece that knocks down myths about "e-books" one by one.

Was going to link to that myself. The key points
Convenience: One thousand songs in your pocket? One million books in your pocket. Carry your entire reading list with you at all times. No loose bookmarks. No dog-eared pages. No rips, tears, or smudges. No shelf space required. No trip to the store. Purchase and start reading in seconds. Read anywhere, any time, using only one hand. Stop reading at a moment's notice without fear of losing your place.

Power: Search the text instantly. Look up the definition of any word with a single tap or click. Add and remove highlighting an infinite number of times without degrading the text. Annotate without being constrained by the size of the margins. Create multiple bookmarks and links from one part of the text to another.

Potential: Consume, share, and remix all of the above with anyone, an unlimited number of times.

Is there any ebook reader out there that provides all that? [The underlined features are all available on PDF Annotater for the iPhone - and you can sync any changes back to your desktop pdf app].

The kindle 2 looks a lot sleeker now but the numerous buttons still irritate me. I'll probably continue to collect books the way some people treasure vinyls. There should be an easier way to get my library converted to ebook format too. OCR takes way too long (compare with CDR ripping) and is quite labor intensive. It's be great if I could just scan the barcode and get an ebook immediately...
 

Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
Charred Greyface said:
Is there any ebook reader out there that provides all that? [The underlined features are all available on PDF Annotater for the iPhone - and you can sync any changes back to your desktop pdf app]. .


Kindle does all that, although obviously you can't share AZW content.
 

Blackhead

Redarse
OuterWorldVoice said:
Kindle does all that, although obviously you can't share AZW content.
Yeah but you should be able to share bookmarks, annotations, highlights.

Sweet, will check out Kindle 2. Can you also jump to endnotes/footnotes and back? Is there a way to scribble annotations?

Why does the Kindle 2 have audio speakers?
 
I have a Kindle (the original model) and I love it.

The price is steep, but it's worth it. This is a game-changer. Like others in this thread have said, I can't go back to reading normal books anymore. I adore this device like nothing else and use it every single day.

Amazon is always offering new free books and you can get public domain classics (Dracula, Shakespeare, Sherlock Holmes, Jane Austen, etc.) for free legally from various sites. I like feedbooks.com myself. That alone really adds to the value of the device.

I don't want to turn this into some Amazon vs. Sony fanboy sermon, so I'll just briefly tell you why I chose the Kindle over Sony:

- Whispernet: Wirelessly download samples (free), books, and magazine/newspaper subscriptions to your Kindle. You do not even need to rely on a computer, USB cords, etc. It's convenient and just plain awesome. It's like having a bookstore/library in the palm of your hands. 3 a.m. and you want to read a new book? No problem. It's yours within a minute.

- I trust Amazon over Sony: Sony has a history of not supporting formats (Beta, UMD, etc.). Amazon has proven that it can last over the long haul. Until DRM goes away, I feel safer having my purchases stored at Amazon.

BTW, reading on a PC, iPod, phone, etc. is not the same thing. The e-ink display on the Kindle (and on Sony's device) is amazing. It feels as comfortable to the eyes as reading a real book. A computer or phone do not offer the same experience.

Of course, at this point, you should obviously wait for info on the Kindle 2 before you make any decisions about which model you want. Pics are already out there (see earlier in the thread) and there'll be a press conference on Monday. It's coming soon.

In a nutshell, the Kindle is absolutely worth it.
 
kaching said:
I thought I read that there was a way around this [sending/converting files to the Kindle], so you didn't have to pay Amazon's conversion fee...?

There's a way around it (provided by Amazon), but no one I know has ever been charged for a direct conversion. I've converted dozens of files and have never been charged. They obviously dropped the whole idea of charging people. That doesn't mean they won't ever bringing it back, but it seems to be a moot point for now.
 
It looks like it has the innards of a cell phone with a big monochromatic screen and is running Linux. Maybe they need to increase sales before they lower the price? It does look really interesting and I would like to buy one but it just seems way too overpriced.
 
I'm such a gadget whore that I'll be buying this. More than that, though, I have the original Kindle (since about July of last year), and it really is game-changer. I've read more books in the past 9-10 months than I did in the previous 5 years.

I'm hoping Amazon makes this a smooth transition for those wanting to upgrade to the new version (trade-in credit perhaps? yeah, I know... fat chance. then again, my mom has been eyeing my Kindle for a while, might make for a good second-hand gift). Their customer service has been nothing short of excellent so far.

Bottom line to all the haters out there - $360 is not too much to ask. It really is that good.
 

B!TCH

how are you, B!TCH? How is your day going, B!ITCH?
Can you buy textbooks on the Kindle? Because that would actually be worth it for me.

Andrex said:
Alright, the price isn't so bad if they add one thing: widespread support for college textbooks. Would easily cut those costs into a fractions so I'm very sure they'd be popular amongst the college crowd. Improve the note-taking features of it a little too and bam, pricey price justified.

Oh, this. But I suppose they'd have to add support for images and maybe color?
 

B!TCH

how are you, B!TCH? How is your day going, B!ITCH?
mr stroke said:
plus who doesn't want to have a nice book shelf in the house?

I don't. I'm all about saving space whenever possible.

That and I sort of feel like part of the appeal of owning books is to be able to show off to people how well-read/cultured you are. Seriously.

Edit: Fudge, I didn't want to make a new post. Meant to edit that in. Sorry.
 
B!TCH said:
Can you buy textbooks on the Kindle? Because that would actually be worth it for me.

I have no link, and nothing has been confirmed, but I'm pretty sure it's not a well-kept secret that Amazon will be releasing a "college edition" of the Kindle with a larger screen and added feature for textbooks and such.

B!TCH said:
I don't. I'm all about saving space whenever possible.

That and I sort of feel like part of the appeal of owning books is to be able to show off to people how well-read/cultured you are. Seriously.

Agreed 100%. I love my Kindle because I don't have to worry about what I'm going to do with all these books when I'm done with them. You can't throw books away (lest be labeled a Nazi)... and I would have no idea where to put them.
 

NZer

Member
Holy shit, I would buy a textbook version in a heartbeat. Actually, question:

Do these, or will these ever, work internationally? (Or just NZ...)
 

Tobor

Member
Synth_floyd said:
But how can they charge $350 for it? That's insane.

You still don't understand? E-paper screens cost more than LCD's, and the Kindle has a lifetime EVDO subscription baked into the price.

It only seems overpriced if you don't understand the features and technology involved.
 

Futureman

Member
What exactly can you do with the EVDO thing? Can you browse the net? Or is it only for downloading stuff from the Kindle Store?
 

Tobor

Member
Futureman said:
oh yea, this was on engadget the other day. E-ink color:

[http://www.blogcdn.com/chinese.engadget.com/media/2009/02/paper5.jpg[/IMG]

It sounds like its years away from a mass market price, unfortunately.
 

ThatObviousUser

ὁ αἴσχιστος παῖς εἶ
Futureman said:
oh yea, this was on engadget the other day. E-ink color:

paper5.jpg

+Touchscreen taking up entire surface
+Toggle-able backlight
+College textbooks
+Sub-$300

...then I'd buy it. :lol So that probably won't be for another couple years at least.
 

Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
Futureman said:
What exactly can you do with the EVDO thing? Can you browse the net? Or is it only for downloading stuff from the Kindle Store?


It has a browser. It's limited, but functional. I check email on it. Gaf is readable! :lol

and for the umpteenth time to the price complainers - yes it's expensive - because e-ink is not the same as LCD. It's a new technology and it is infinitely better for reading than LCD.

It's actually real ink, for one thing - electrically persuaded to form and retain shapes.
 

Minsc

Gold Member
Evlar said:
Scrolls FTW.

:lol

Well played.

Andrex said:
+Touchscreen taking up entire surface
+Toggle-able backlight
+College textbooks
+Sub-$300

...then I'd buy it. :lol So that probably won't be for another couple years at least.

Give me that, and line-by-line automatic text advancing (with configurable speed based on words per minute), and day 1. Until then, it's pixelated VGA text.
 

kaching

"GAF's biggest wanker"
Those Kindle 2 shots look hot. Looks like they took all the right cues from the iphone in terms of physical design.
 

Juice

Member
I'd be more interested in the Kindle as a gadget if it had a backlight. Having to crane my neck to have the light land on it well negates a lot of the pretty e-ink value for me.

Plus the fact I still have to get up from bed to turn some other light off when I'm done reading is silly.
 

GhaleonEB

Member
OuterWorldVoice said:
It has a browser. It's limited, but functional. I check email on it. Gaf is readable! :lol

and for the umpteenth time to the price complainers - yes it's expensive - because e-ink is not the same as LCD. It's a new technology and it is infinitely better for reading than LCD.

It's actually real ink, for one thing - electrically persuaded to form and retain shapes.
Whoa. I had no idea.
 

Juice

Member
GhaleonEB said:
Whoa. I had no idea.

Yeah, I'd say that Amazon hasn't done a great job marketing it, but its sales have been solid regardless. I think the follow-up could be a great success, but even a great tool to read books isn't going to make book readers out of people who don't read.
 

White Man

Member
Juice said:
I'd be more interested in the Kindle as a gadget if it had a backlight. Having to crane my neck to have the light land on it well negates a lot of the pretty e-ink value for me.

Plus the fact I still have to get up from bed to turn some other light off when I'm done reading is silly.

I don't think a backlight is possible with the technology. Or at least it would kill the visual benefit of the e-ink. Introducing a backlight would mean introducing a higher contrast ratio, and that would probably kill the easy on the eye effect.
 

Juice

Member
White Man said:
I don't think a backlight is possible with the technology. Or at least it would kill the visual benefit of the e-ink. Introducing a backlight would mean introducing a higher contrast ratio, and that would probably kill the easy on the eye effect.

Yeah, I caught myself after posting that I should have included a disclaimer that I wanted to have my cake and eat it too on that one.

I realize that overall e-Ink is significantly easier on the eyes than any LCD tech out there, but decent OLED lighting (at least whatever is backing my MBP) is ridiculously less strenuous for me than what I'm used to, so it alone isn't enough for me to plunk $350 down just to play with.
 

White Man

Member
Juice said:
Yeah, I caught myself after posting that I should have included a disclaimer that I wanted to have my cake and eat it too on that one.

I realize that overall e-Ink is significantly easier on the eyes than any LCD tech out there, but decent OLED lighting (at least whatever is backing my MBP) is ridiculously less strenuous for me than what I'm used to, so it alone isn't enough for me to plunk $350 down just to play with.

Yeah, my M1330 has one of those sweet screens. In some respects I kind of prefer it to my desktop monitor.

It could also be a user experience decision. Physiologically, direct light sources like displays, televisions, the sun, etc, tell our brain that it is time to be awake, whereas secondary light sources (say, a lightbulb not in direct view) do not have as much of an effect. Since many people read at night, before bed, it makes more sense to not have the device be a direct light source.

But I really think it's just a limitation of the e-ink technology right now.
 

Timo

Member
Why can't they just throw a shit front light, similar to the original gba sp? It's only an option if your like, in the dark somewhere. I'd rather have something that wasn't the greatest but useable vs. nothing at all.
 

cvxfreak

Member
I really want the Kindle 2, but I'm moving back to Japan next month. I suppose I can just buy my content through a laptop. I'm a full supported of digital content because it saves space (I don't support the elimination of physical media though; I just prefer digital).
 

kaching

"GAF's biggest wanker"
Figured I'd bump the thread since the Kindle 2 is officially being unveiled right now.

According to the Engadget liveblog:

- 25% thinner than the original Kindle, which makes it thinner than an iphone
- Battery life 25% longer
- 16 shades of gray vs. 4
- Page turning 20% faster
- 7x more storage
- WhisperSync now will sync up with Kindle 1, Kindle 2 and "other mobile devices" so you can start reading on one device and pick up right where you left off on another device
- Text-to-speech built in

I'd be curious to hear more about what "other mobile devices" means wrt WhisperSync. If they're going to open up Kindle books to something like the iPhone, that'd be perfect.
 

kaching

"GAF's biggest wanker"
14 months ago, they started with 90K books for Kindle. Now up to 230K and accelerating. 40K added just in the last 3 months. 103 of 110 NYT bestsellers featured. "Goal is to make every book in every language ever printed available in 60 seconds"
 
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