Pauline, be sure to give us a full report on yours and Steve's verdict on the Kindle. Walt Mossberg gave it a pretty lukewarm review. He said shopping and downloading are easy, but the hardware and software are poorly designed and have a lot of annoying problems.
We get most of our books and videos from our local libraries. The library uses Window Media Audio for e-books, so I have to buy an Mp3 player that is compatible with WMA.
I'm looking closely at Creative ZEN--it is a new model that has 4, 6, 8, or 16 gigs ($130-$350) and a slot for an expansion card. It's the size of a credit card. I would use it with headphones.
The library books expire at a certain date. There are audio books that I want to read, but are only available as e-books.
Charity
Posts: 1462 | Location: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: 11 May 2003
Steve has had the Kindle for about two weeks and he loves it. He purchased two novels and they downloaded immediately via the wireless. He also reads "Le Monde" every day.
He found a way through Mobi (owned by Amazon) to get older books for free (I am going to read an old Conrad novel).
We will use it in England, but will have to attach it to the computer to download things because the wireless will not work there.
The screen is very readable and has beautiful screen savers that so far have not repeated - they are like etchings of famous authors.
The only thing he does not like is how it sits in the holder - it really is not secure in there when you have it open. But it is designed to sit nicely in your hand (with a grip thing on the back).
I originally posted the following in another thread and Colleen pointed out this one, so I'm reposting. In short, I love my Kindle. I got it on Monday and have already read one book, downloaded a dozen others and canceled my daily subscription to the NY Times. I love it! Sharon
quote:
Like I needed another excuse to buy/read books. After waiting impatiently for 3 weeks after placing my order, my Amazon Kindle reader arrived yesterday. And, in between going to work, I read a book today -- and I'm in love with my Kindle.
It's really easy to work and too easy to have books sent to it (you order and Amazon delivers wirelessly in minutes). You can adjust the font size, which makes it easy to read. I wish I could adjust the contrast, but that doesn't seem possible. And that's the only drawback I've encountered so far.
Other cool features: come across a word that you really don't understand? You can look it up. It automatically starts where you left off. You can highlight, turn down corners of the "page" and make notes. The cover that comes along with it could use some design adjustments, but I think a strip of Velco will solve the problems I'm having.
I like being able to carry a load of books with me in a very small container. And as long as I'm in the US, I know a new book is a click or two away. And when I'm outside the US, I take a bunch of books along without filling an entire suitcase.
So if you're a reader and looking for a new toy, this is it! It's not perfect, but it really works for me. (And no one paid me for this review; I don't have any connections to Amazon -- other than the fortune I've spent there. Smile
I think you just convinced me, Sharon! I've been sitting on the fence on this one, because it is a fair chunk of change to buy this little sweetie. I do believe you've pushed me over the edge, into the land of Kindle ownership!
Here's the scene in my home tonight...I am packing for 12 days on a mini-trip/work/conference and would LOVE to have a Kindle loaded with books to take with me. You know why? Because I have a stash of books sitting here waiting to be read, and I really don't want to schlep them all over the place while I travel.
You really love it? It is as easy as everyone says, lightweight and readable?
Now I have to figure out how to buy one...can't get it from Amazon, as they don't ship to Canada. Neither can I download books from Canada! What a pain. "You must buy both the Kindle, AND the content for it, using a US-based credit card, with a US mailing address. When this criteria is satisfied, you can download all content EXCEPT the sample chapters via the USB cable and an internet-connected computer, regardless of your location." ~ from Amazon's site
"I find television to be very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book." ~ Groucho Marx Brenda
So the big news today is that Amazon is buying Audible -- the main online supplier of audiobooks. The word is that the Kindle will be able to play audiobooks -- apparently it does have volume controls? Here and here are two articles from the NY Times.
I went through the credit card statement for our last trip to Italy. We blew over $300 on books. And I had most of a suitcase full before we left USA. Staying for a month it is almost impossible to carry enough books so the next trip we are going to be looking at one of these.
I have been very interested in this "new little toy" I was happy to read such positive remarks. I too am an avid reader, sometimes reading several books at the same time, and trying to carry them in my purse, and so often getting quite tattered and torn before I am done. I have tried using my pda, but such a small screen, and you can not use it out in the daylight. With the Kindle, I understand, it is a whole different format, and even in the daylight, it is like looing at ink on paper as it is not back lit, like say a pda. I am thinking, its a long plane ride from Seattle to Savannah and back, with a 3 hr layover on my way home from the "Gathering" in April. The Kindle would be perfect, and no heavy books to carry, all the more room for lots of "goodies" to bring home
I have a question about Kindle. After reading about it on Amazon, it looks like you have to live/be in an area with decent cellphone coverage in order to receive wireless downloads. Is this so? I'm in a tree-filled canyon of sorts where cell phones don't generally work.
Is there an attachment which lets you plug it into your computer directly if you're in a no-cellphone signal area?
Yes, Karen, you can download from Amazon directly to your computer and transfer to the Kindle with the supplied USB connector.
I, too, live on a fringe reception area for wireless based on the maps on the Kindle web page. But I discovered that my New York Times downloads in seconds every morning with no trouble. So I have not needed to connect using the computer.
Customer service is very helpful on this issue. They have access to much more accurate maps than the ones on the web.
I just love my Kindle. I know it's currently pricey and the price will come down. But the savings in the NYT subscription costs and not having to wash my hands after reading really make it worthwhile.
My ambivalence concerns availability of my favorite kinds of books: mystery series, many written by foreign authors, not necessarily all that current. I'll have to research more what they have.
I just love my Kindle. I know it's currently pricey and the price will come down. But the savings in the NYT subscription costs and not having to wash my hands after reading really make it worthwhile.
Stephen, I agree. And I love being able to carry dozens of books with me -- no more fears of running out of reading material.
I've been having one problem: when I'm sitting on the train reading the NY Times, more often than not my seatmate says, "Excuse me, but what is that?" Amazon should pay me for the commercials! Sharon
I've been avoiding this thread as what I do not need is more electronic equipment but today I tuned in and in 15 minutes am sold on the Kindle. I just went to Amazon to check it out as I really didn't understand how, what or why. There is a great video there that explains all of it for those like me who didn't understand. Kindle
Now my problem is that to avoid lugging books with us, both Ken and I will need one and that is costly. I wonder if they are rentable?
We are using our Kindle in England. It cannot connect via wireless (only does this in the US), but we download from Amazon to our computer and transfer newspaper/magazine subscriptions and books to the Kindle from the computer.
BUT yesterday I bought a new Deborah Crombie mystery for the Kindle on Amazon and Amazon would not let me do the purchase because I am currently in the UK. This is new because we did other purchases from the UK in January. Now Amazon looks at your IP addresses to determine if you are in the US, and if you are not, they do not let you purchase.
Luckily I have been experimenting with accessing streaming video from websites that only work in the US and getting around it with VPN software. The VPN software changes the IP address for your computer connection, so you look like you are in the US, but you are in another country. I bought Witopia ( www.witopia.net ) but there are lots of free versions out there. Marta told me about this and sent me this blog link: TechCrunch (thanks Marta!).
I turned on my VPN and then tried the purchase again. This time it went through, we downloaded it to the computer and put it on the Kindle.
I have also been reading a friend's book that she sent as a Word doc. We were able to easily put this on the Kindle and I read it there. I used the Notes and Highlight features to make notes of typos.
Steve loves the Kindle and I think I will get one for myself too. One problem that I see - if I buy a book for Steve it goes to his Kindle, but I don't think I can also put it on mine. So we would have to switch Kindles to read the same book?
I've been waiting to hear how you and Steve like the Kindle! Thanks for letting us know. I can see myself using this a lot, as I travel frequently, and always pack a few books...heavy!
On my last trip to Vancouver a couple of weeks ago, I was just starting the second Ken Follett book, World Without End, the sequel to Pillars of the Earth. It is huge, and a beast to carry around in airports. I was thinking a lot about the Kindle on those days!
We still cannot access Kindle in Canada, because a buyer must have a US credit card and email address? I could likely get a US credit card. Would the VPN software would allow me to skip past the non-US email address?
There's some good discussion on the Kindle section of Amazon...it even has its own message board!
"I've never known any trouble that an hour's reading didn't assuage." ~ Charles de Secondat Brenda
Originally posted by BGE: We still cannot access Kindle in Canada, because a buyer must have a US credit card and email address? I could likely get a US credit card. Would the VPN software would allow me to skip past the non-US email address? Brenda
Brenda, if you really need to, get a friend in the US to buy for you and pay them back with PayPal or something. If you have the Kindle shipped to AnnM, I'll drive down to Seattle to pick it up for you and bring it across & then Canada Post or UPS domestic to you. Just another excuse to visit Seattle. But you have to promise to test drive it extensively so that I can decide whether or not to get one for myself!
Now Amazon looks at your IP addresses to determine if you are in the US, and if you are not, they do not let you purchase.
Pauline, that is really interesting. Last year when we were in Italy, I would buy things from Amazon and then have someone bring it over to me. I wonder why they have put this restriction. Do you know?
Slow Travel Talk 
