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So I want to buy a Kindle

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I'm actually glad to see the nook coming to best Buy, then they will carry accessories for it. i had to order my cover offline since B&N don't carry accessories just yet. They say real soon though.
 
forgeforsaken said:
There's some subscriptions available. You can also use Calibre to setup subscriptions to stuff and have it update your Kindle/Nook whatever.

Seriously people get Calibre already! It's free and awesome.
http://calibre-ebook.com/
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It's very useful but it's the ugliest app I've ever used on my Mac. It also has a convoluted process for updates and it bugs me about a new one every other day or so. Still can't leave without it :/ I just wish a better alternative would come out soon enough.
 
Was going to wait until a Kindle 3 emerged because of the janky aesthetics, but got impatient since I don't want to buy any more physical books and I've been itching to get some reading in. So, Kindle 2 on the way. And I picked up some stuff preemptively :D.

kindlelibrary041210.jpg
 
EviLore said:
Was going to wait until a Kindle 3 emerged because of the janky aesthetics, but got impatient since I don't want to buy any more physical books and I've been itching to get some reading in. So, Kindle 2 on the way. And I picked up some stuff preemptively :D.
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Nice! Congratulations. We've got fairly similar tastes in books, actually (I've read almost every one of those books). I'll be interested to see future 'what are you reading posts' from you.
 
^Just finished Cryptonomicon yesterday. It was awesome. Quite a time investment though...

I have been wanting to get an e-book reader but was torn between the kindle or the nook or the iPad. My mom had a first gen kindle and it was pretty cool. I found out this weekend she got an iPad so she gave me her first gen kindle. Heyo! It isn't the newest but hey, it'll work (saved me a bunch of money).

Any first gen kindle owners here? Do you guys have a recommendation for a good case? I kinda want a black or brown leather case. I've looked but can't find one I like.
 
Charred Greyface said:
It's very useful but it's the ugliest app I've ever used on my Mac. It also has a convoluted process for updates and it bugs me about a new one every other day or so. Still can't leave without it :/ I just wish a better alternative would come out soon enough.
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At this point, I can't imagine a better alternative coming around any time soon... Calibre is so far ahead of even official e-reader software (like Sony's Library) that I don't see what would supplant it. The biggest worry is that someone will buy out the developer and make it a paid program or exclusive to one reader.
 
KingOfKong said:
Any first gen kindle owners here? Do you guys have a recommendation for a good case? I kinda want a black or brown leather case. I've looked but can't find one I like.
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If you don't mind spending a bit Oberon makes some really cools ones.
 
VistraNorrez said:
If you don't mind spending a bit Oberon makes some really cools ones.
Click to expand...
Thanks man but I'm afraid $75.00 is a bit too steep. Some of those are pretty cool though.

I got this for free from my mom but she lost the original case...I can re-order it on amazon for only $9.99. Is it any good?
 
EviLore said:
Was going to wait until a Kindle 3 emerged because of the janky aesthetics, but got impatient since I don't want to buy any more physical books and I've been itching to get some reading in. So, Kindle 2 on the way. And I picked up some stuff preemptively :D.
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nothing to envy is seriously fantastic, one of the most intense books i've ever read. enjoy it!
 
Got my Kindle in and halfway through a book on it. Quite impressed, really. The form factor of the device compared to a proper book and the clarity of the e-ink display, along with the convenient dictionary, really makes it a superior experience. Highly recommended.
 
EviLore said:
Got my Kindle in and halfway through a book on it. Quite impressed, really. The form factor of the device compared to a proper book and the clarity of the e-ink display, along with the convenient dictionary, really makes it a superior experience. Highly recommended.
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Glad you enjoy it. Welcome to the club.
 
id love to buy a Kindle 2 or Nook, but the situation here in europe is really sad.
Nook is US only... and although there is an international Version of the Kindle, the price with shipping from the US is 330$. thanks for ripping us off...

im hoping there will be a kindle price drop, when the ipad is released here in europe.

and a big "fuck you" to apple! why?
the iPad drives ebook book prices higher.

More infos:
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/books/blog/2010/04/ipad_drives_kindle_prices_high.html
 
chico said:
id love to buy a Kindle 2 or Nook, but the situation here in europe is really sad.
Nook is US only.
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I imported a kindle DX. with the leather case it ran me 500 euros. fuuuuu.

however, so fat I think it's actually worth it. I really really like reading books on it. I don't think the device itself should cost 500, but if it's that or nothing, I'll take the 500.

I notice a lot of people talking about the kindle 2. nobody seems to even consider Kindle DX. Any idea on sales figures for these things?
 
chico said:
id love to buy a Kindle 2 or Nook, but the situation here in europe is really sad.
Nook is US only... and although there is an international Version of the Kindle, the price with shipping from the US is 330$. thanks for ripping us off...
Click to expand...
Don't they have the PRS-505 in Europe? It doesn't have the wireless store access of Kindle or Nook, but it has the same screen and a better UI, and I've been really happy with it. You can still buy your books from Amazon and convert them to work on the Sony readers.
 
Teddman said:
Don't they have the PRS-505 in Europe? It doesn't have the wireless store access of Kindle or Nook, but it has the same screen and a better UI, and I've been really happy with it. You can still buy your books from Amazon and convert them to work on the Sony readers.
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Agreed. The Sony Reader is often forgotten, but in many ways it's the best ereader. It's probably the best hardware device (UI, physical device) and you can DL books off the Amazon store and put them on it no problem. Using calibre, it is truly wicked. The only downside is the lack of wireless, which is available in the Reader Daily Edition.

I have one (PRS 600), I've used the Nook and Kindle 2 and I'm really happy I got the Reader instead.
 
chico said:
nice vid about the next gen e-ink displays.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxtEdyjda6s&feature=player_embedded

Ebook reader using it could be available end of the year... hmmm.. dont know if i can wait that long. would be a nice christmas present though :)
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Wow, that's a nice improvement over the current e-ink tech. (Like what's in the Kindle 2.) It looks like the "paper" is a lot whiter, and they seemed to be implying that the refresh is faster, too.

I really don't know which tech to root for at this point. Color would be nice, but not really that important for a dedicated e-reader. All kinds of nice things seem to be on the way. Looks like we'll have some great options.
 
EviLore said:
Got my Kindle in and halfway through a book on it. Quite impressed, really. The form factor of the device compared to a proper book and the clarity of the e-ink display, along with the convenient dictionary, really makes it a superior experience. Highly recommended.
Click to expand...

Can't decide if I should wait for the next revision. Though I guess there isn't really much they could add. So close to clicking buy ... any negatives?
 
I just wanted to throw this in here:

Goddamn, I love this device. My mom just gave me the first-gen Kindle and I have been using it all the time. I have put multiple journal articles on there to help with my historiography project, multiple resources to help with my thesis, as well as a bunch of novels that I cannot get enough of. I've been reading so much more than I ever had before. I actually really like the design of the first Kindle more than the nook or Kindle 2. There aren't really that many technical differences are there?
 
Kindle 2 has 16 shades of gray, while Kindle 1 only had 8, but it's not that big a difference. In fact, some people think the Kindle 1 has better contrast with a darker font by default. And Kindle 1 still has the SD card slot for expandable memory, which is missing on the Kindle2.

I think the form factor of the hardware was the biggest difference, otherwise functionality is not that different between the two models.
 
Ermac said:
Can't decide if I should wait for the next revision. Though I guess there isn't really much they could add. So close to clicking buy ... any negatives?
Click to expand...

If all you want to do is read plain old books, there really isn't much to improve on. The organization could be better, but I believe that's something they plan on fixing with an update anyway, better hardware won't do much for that.

I can't really see myself being disappointed with my Kindle 2 no matter what the next device is like. It's already proven its worth.
 
im absolutely in love with my kindle. its an incredible device. amazon's service is top notch in my opinion. since the last update page refreshes are incredibly fast. a whole lot faster than it used to be. going on a month long holiday soon and its going to save me on flights etc.

if the kindle 3 is a good upgrade ill get it and give the kindle 2 to my gf. she loves it too
 
VistraNorrez said:
If you don't mind spending a bit Oberon makes some really cools ones.
Click to expand...

Does anyone have a cover from this place? How are they for reading on the Kindle 2? They look awesome and I'm tempted to get one, but the price is scaring me off a bit.
 
grumble said:
Agreed. The Sony Reader is often forgotten, but in many ways it's the best ereader. It's probably the best hardware device (UI, physical device) and you can DL books off the Amazon store and put them on it no problem. Using calibre, it is truly wicked. The only downside is the lack of wireless, which is available in the Reader Daily Edition.

I have one (PRS 600), I've used the Nook and Kindle 2 and I'm really happy I got the Reader instead.
Click to expand...

so i just checked the sony readers.
the 505 with the best display is discontinued here in europe. a shame...
reviewers say, that the 600 is great, but the display lacks the sharpness of the 505 because of the touch display.

so the only option right now is the sony prs-300, but his display has only a size of 5". too small? im not sure...

i think the kindle2 is still the best option...
 
I'm just putting this here but it's not strictly a Kindle topic.

People against e-books, tend to bring up 2 sticking points about collect-ability. No more nice dust jackets with cover art and the authors can't sign their e-books, plus that kind of cool/creepy bit of seeing what other people are reading.

Well I think they should try to offer small poster/card slips than can fit into a cover for the device. They can have a downloadable code on them, or the receipt, and you still employ cover artists plus give everyone something to collect (plus you can save space). Ideally they would be double sided. One side with the title and author's name and the other just straight up art.

Just a little idea.
 
This Friday I'll be ordering a Kindle 2. The international ability really sold it for me. I love to travel and being able to get books wherever is a definite plus. Also I'll be moving soon and not having to move a ton of books will save me a bundle. All the workbook/textbooks I need are available on the store too! Fantastic.

I do have a few questions though.

1. Anyone have experience with these flip/stand cases? It would be nice to prop up the thing while I'm working out of a book.

2. I'll be ordering some text books with images. How does the image viewing work on the Kindle 2? Are you able to enlarge pictures?

3. I've heard the Kindle can highlight excepts and create a document referencing them for research papers. Is this true? That sounds fantastic.

4. How are Kindle Firmware updates handled? Can you update via 3G?

5. Any free books you guys would recommend?
 
No experiece with those cases sorry.

Haven't really viewed images on there, but I don't think you can zoom exactly. Changing the orientation to landscape acts as a zoom. The DX seems better suited to textbooks.

Yes highlighting is pretty great.

Yes updates are wireless and automatic. I believe in sleep mode with wireless on it searches for updates. You can also manually download them from Amazon.com on your computer and transfer them over to the Kindle.

Free books see feedbooks.com and manybooks.net. They'll have all of Dickens, Twain, Lovecraft, Tolstoy, Poe, all those old public domain works.
 
so i searched, and this was the kindle-related thread with the most recent post...

im wondering guys and gals, how does the kindle fare for reading in bed? i often lay in bed on my sides, or sometimes leaned pack propped up against some pillows, and read for a couple hours before sleeping. is it heavy/easy to hold or any general opinions about this?
 
EviLore said:
Was going to wait until a Kindle 3 emerged because of the janky aesthetics, but got impatient since I don't want to buy any more physical books and I've been itching to get some reading in. So, Kindle 2 on the way. And I picked up some stuff preemptively :D.

kindlelibrary041210.jpg
Click to expand...
I've read eight of these books in the last six months. Holy hell.
 
Amazon pushes out 2.5 firmware for Kindles to select users, with a wide release coming late May:

Here's a list of the coming enhancements:

* Collections: Organize your books and documents into one or more collections.

* PDF Pan and Zoom: Zoom into PDFs and pan around to easily view small print and detailed tables or graphics.

* Password Protection: Password protect your Kindle when you're not using it.

* More Fonts & Improved Clarity: Enjoy two new larger font sizes and sharper fonts for an even more comfortable reading experience.

* Facebook & Twitter Posts: Share book passages with friends on Facebook and Twitter directly from your Kindle.

* Popular Highlights: See what the Kindle community thinks are the most interesting passages in the books you're reading.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custo...swup_nav_highlights?nodeId=200324680&#version
 
EviLore said:
Got my Kindle in and halfway through a book on it. Quite impressed, really. The form factor of the device compared to a proper book and the clarity of the e-ink display, along with the convenient dictionary, really makes it a superior experience. Highly recommended.
Click to expand...

I got one this week too and I echo these feelings. I'm really digging the Kindle, and using it with calibre rocks for the free ebooks on project gutenberg.

Glad to read about this 2.5 update as well. It seems like it might fix the only semblance of issues I have with my kindle at the moment.

Edit: Actually one question to Kindle-GAF.... Is there any way at all to figure out how many 'pages' are left before the next chapter?
 
mcrae said:
so i searched, and this was the kindle-related thread with the most recent post...

im wondering guys and gals, how does the kindle fare for reading in bed? i often lay in bed on my sides, or sometimes leaned pack propped up against some pillows, and read for a couple hours before sleeping. is it heavy/easy to hold or any general opinions about this?
Click to expand...

Far greater than a book. It's one of the best things about it. It's so light in weight, and with no viewing angle issues, it's so perfect for reading in bed. No more flopping pages to worry about.

6.8 said:
Edit: Actually one question to Kindle-GAF.... Is there any way at all to figure out how many 'pages' are left before the next chapter?
Click to expand...

Not really but if you look at the little status bar on the bottom some publishers have little dots that indicate where the chapters are (although I've only seen this in the rare book). That gives you a sense of progress.

Here's a link to page to location converter, not that it's really all that convenient. http://orioncode.com/kindle-page-calculator/
 
I bought a Sony pocket reader and I like it a lot. E-ink is great, I'm reading more than I have since college.

The screen is small but so is the device, making it really portable. The page turns are too slow, however, so I will likely upgrade once the next gen e-ink devices are out.

Another concern is drm, so I don't want to buy a ton of books in case I switch platforms.
 
6.8 said:
Edit: Actually one question to Kindle-GAF.... Is there any way at all to figure out how many 'pages' are left before the next chapter?
Click to expand...


I think the only way is to look at the relative progression bar at the bottom of the screen and look for the dots. Or you could use a bookmark, tab forward to the next chapter, and bop back to the bookmark.


I love, LOVE the folder additions that are coming. I am taking a lot of college English right now and organizing those books into folders is going to be a blessing.
 
I Got my Kindle 2 today and I've been tinkering around with it. I must say I'm very impressed.

I've been using Calibre to load some of my personal documents on there. Just to see what would happen I converted the "Free Scott Pilgrim" CBR into Mobi and loaded it onto the Kindle. Much to my surprise it looks great! Very happy with the device so far. Can't wait to spend more time with it.
 
mcrae said:
im wondering guys and gals, how does the kindle fare for reading in bed? i often lay in bed on my sides, or sometimes leaned pack propped up against some pillows, and read for a couple hours before sleeping. is it heavy/easy to hold or any general opinions about this?
Click to expand...
I read my Kindle in bed, almost exclusively. On balance, it's great for that.

While I hardly ever use the Kindle's keyboard, it's existence creates a large "bezel" at the bottom of the device. This is good in the sense that it keeps the screen unobstructed when it's resting on your blankets or whatever.

A book requires two hands to "operate", while the Kindle can be operated one-handed. And equally well with either hand. So, you can lie on your side if you want. This is not something I'd likely even attempt with a regular book, but it's surprisingly comfy to be able to change positions every once in a while while reading.

The only downside I can think of is that the Kindle requires somewhat better/brighter lighting as compared to a book. (The contrast is not as great as ink-on-paper.) So, you'll want a decent bedside reading light. (Slightly better than what you would want for a regular book, all else equal.)

Clip-on booklights work well also, since they only have to light one "page".
 
I decided to get a E-reader, since I read quite a bit and books are piling up in my room and around my bed (#1 reading place). Sadly the selection where I live (Sweden) is not a whole lot both on books and readers. Adlbris is probably the biggest but they mostly (exclusively?) seem to focus on Swedish titles at the moment. :/

Anyway, I got the Sony 6" Touch reader. Very impressed by E-ink I must say, the screen has a bit of glare which I was annoyed by at first, but since E-ink does not have a view angle problem you just tilt the screen a little. Love the fact that you can make notes in the e-book (reason I decided to get the Sony).

I am very annoyed by the fact that the largest Ebook library Amazon has locked its book down to the Kindle. Please move on to ePub for all platforms!

Currently for international titles I am using ebooks.com

4565849746_db5402d038.jpg

Large view
The Touch reader has a bit of a diffusion layer on top of the E-ink, I never noticed that before I took this macro shot, so you really dont notice it when you use the device.

4565218667_81701c46e9.jpg

Large view
Its a very sexy looking device, feels very sturdy as its built out of metal and its thin (around 1 cm).

EDIT: Do we have a E-book thread yet?
 
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