Kindle

[ChrisKH]

Mmmnnn. Trying to decide whether to get the wife a Kindle or a new Touch phone. Only uses phones for calls, text & pictures.

Would a Kindle be beneficial to kids? Eldest KH is going through books like you wouldn't believe. I'm spending an arm and leg in Waterstones and Amazon at the mo. Perhaps I should just get them a Kindle and be done with. Library is all well and good but they rarely have what I want for me or the kids and the length of time between taking a book out and having to return it is too short. Will it be a waste of money or an incentive to read?

 

[marinyork]

I was more thinking generally, the news, pdf, etc functions are appealing, but was just curious about stuff not available, have read mention of authors refusing to let their work go on e-format...bit snotty if you ask me....I'll keep nosing into it myself.

Ah well I can only tell you what I've noseyed at (which is quite a long nosey). Stuff not available I'd heard last year there were endless complaints about Pratchett not being on and according to amazon (which may not be accurate a lot of these were launched Dec 2009/Jan 2010). Reason I go on about penguin is they had a massive ding dong battle with amazon and I regard them as one of the most important publishers for what I read and they are still apparently the highest charger for their titles among major publishers according to people that apparently measure it.

Stats for anybody that hasn't seen them (easily available on amazon):-
fiction 132,531 (includes a huge number of out of copyright books and kindle variants, multiple other versions)
Arts and Entertainments 28,318
Biographies and Memoirs 8,976
Business and Finance 33,283
Children's 15, 401
Computers and Internet 15,084
Crime, thrillers and mystery 16,110
Fantasy 3,578
etc.

Mmmnnn. Trying to decide whether to get the wife a Kindle or a new Touch phone. Only uses phones for calls, text & pictures.

Would a Kindle be beneficial to kids? Eldest KH is going through books like you wouldn't believe. I'm spending an arm and leg in Waterstones and Amazon at the mo. Perhaps I should just get them a Kindle and be done with. Library is all well and good but they rarely have what I want for me or the kids and the length of time between taking a book out and having to return it is too short. Will it be a waste of money or an incentive to read?

If they read classics, yes (true of many other readers too). Children's books on kindle are somewhat more problematic.

 

[MacB]

Ah well I can only tell you what I've noseyed at (which is quite a long nosey). Stuff not available I'd heard last year there were endless complaints about Pratchett not being on and according to amazon (which may not be accurate a lot of these were launched Dec 2009/Jan 2010). Reason I go on about penguin is they had a massive ding dong battle with amazon and I regard them as one of the most important publishers for what I read and they are still apparently the highest charger for their titles among major publishers according to people that apparently measure it.

Stats for anybody that hasn't seen them (easily available on amazon):-
fiction 132,531 (includes a huge number of out of copyright books and kindle variants, multiple other versions)
Arts and Entertainments 28,318
Biographies and Memoirs 8,976
Business and Finance 33,283
Children's 15, 401
Computers and Internet 15,084
Crime, thrillers and mystery 16,110
Fantasy 3,578
etc.



If they read classics, yes (true of many other readers too). Children's books on kindle are somewhat more problematic.

Thanks Marin, re the last bit surely there's just an element of pig headedness here, it's not like most of them aren't already in electronic format somewhere? Isn't it just a case of author/publisher blocking release for some reason?

 

[marinyork]

Thanks Marin, re the last bit surely there's just an element of pig headedness here, it's not like most of them aren't already in electronic format somewhere? Isn't it just a case of author/publisher blocking release for some reason?

Things are in electronic format, even if they weren't it wouldn't pose a significant problem, it's very much unlike other media that have content release problems that are much more reasonable such as films (still overpriced and obstinate) but it mirrors cuts and distribution battles elsewhere. Publishers are in it for the long game, they are unconcerned if it takes an extra ten years if they get what they want. I still think it's mostly about money I'd say even for authors (not all). It seems pretty clear to me why big publishers are mostly willing to jump in to bed with apple (or anyone else that would offer them the same sort of package) and to make sure kindle doesn't become dominant in terms of the format and branding. It even seems fairly clear why smaller publishers might prefer that and even authors themselves. It's even clear why contrary to this why some of the early adopters with kindle are able to make a good income on amazon despite complaints about their cuts and amazon being naughty. This thread was mostly about the end consumer though but anyone is welcome to start a topic on that.

As on that topic of kids books, it's just my opinion, I don't have children I've just had a nosey at what I would read if I was a kid and I think prices are too high or stuff isn't available, I'd rather not say oh stuff isn't available. I still think overall an ebook reader would be a gigantic overall good thing for a child. I very much support libraries and book stock has declined, to even get hold of classics today from libraries is a very much harder task than it was a few years ago. Mobile libraries and on-line ordering means fewer copies belt round the city making it not necessarily any easier to get hold of than was the case before. From interesting comments by savagehoutkop in manchester I've actually written to my local authority library asking if there are any plans as there to introduce e-books for the city. I would urge people to do the same for their local authorities.

 

[MacB]

That makes sense, I think maybe the adaption to the online world will just take longer to sink in. I read something about a claim made that online music album prices should come down to £1. Idea being that the increase volume would more than offset the lowered price and also combat piracy. I suppose similar claims could be made on books, it's not like the e-formats have a big manufacturing cost.

 

[Piemaster]

For anyone that has one, is there some sort of flight mode on them (can't see any reference on Amazon to one) and can it be engaged before starting the device?


BIt OT
It's a thought that has just occurred as I've downloaded the kindle app for the G1 android phone and had to google to find out how to start it in airplane mode. Apparently I have to put it into airplane mode before its turned off. My old SE phone had a start menu option to start it in airplane mode when it was turned on, G1 has the option when pushing the power button to turn it off, so forget to swap modes before boarding- 'all electronic devices to be turned off' and it can't be powered up at all during the flight. Unless I'm missing something?

 

[CopperBrompton]

For anyone that has one, is there some sort of flight mode on them (can't see any reference on Amazon to one) and can it be engaged before starting the device?

The easiest thing is only switch on 3G/wifi when you need it. Then it's perfectly fine to switch it on while you're on board.

Mine gets lots of use when travelling. Not only on board planes, but in security queues, etc - passes the time very nicely indeed.

 

[andyoxon]

I've been vaguely interested in the kindle. But had been put off because I dislike reading large amounts of text on a PC screen, so my question is... just how easy on the eyes is the 'epaper' system, or, how many books/novels have kindle owners actually read on the device?

 

[CopperBrompton]

It's nothing like a PC screen. I've read about 30-35 novels on mine.

 

[marinyork]

I've been vaguely interested in the kindle. But had been put off because I dislike reading large amounts of text on a PC screen, so my question is... just how easy on the eyes is the 'epaper' system, or, how many books/novels have kindle owners actually read on the device?

It's like a piece of white high quality cardboard with a book printed on it. The kindle quite literally looks as if someone has slid a bit of cardboard into a plastic cover.

 

[andyoxon]

Sounds pretty good. Is the word/phrase search decent? IMO the Mac Preview PDF reader is great, because it lists all the sentences with the occurrences of the searched word or phrase.

 

[Piemaster]

It gets more tempting the more I consider it, even if it means jumping on the bandwagon.
Lots of classics for free - think I could justify one on that alone. I've recently started re-reading some of Dickens and even out of copyright books cost money to print and distibute. Would take awhile to break even on price but even then it would mean not having to carry them with me and for that matter just how many do I take with me so I don't run out of reading material?
Daily newspapers - I'm sat on a boat in the North Sea paper ones are infrequent to say the least so could even do that. Don't know how I survive without the Daily Mail

Only problem is I've been banned from buying anything at all before xmas

 

[marinyork]

Sounds pretty good. Is the word/phrase search decent? IMO the Mac Preview PDF reader is great, because it lists all the sentences with the occurrences of the searched word or phrase.

In kindle files it splits it up into a paragraph with the word of phrase highlighted in the middle. I think it does 4 or 5 on a page (depending on font size etc) in numerical (location) order. For PDFs the search facility doesn't seem to work at all unless you're on the correct page. I don't know, you'd have to ask someone like Ben Lovejoy on that one.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Sorry, can't help, I never use the search or notes functions (in fact I wish it didn't have a keyboard as it limits the ways you can hold it without accidentally pressing a key). I also convert PDFs to .mobi files before transferring them to the Kindle.

 

[TheDoctor]

Just found this thread, and I'm thinking of getting one. Now, I have wireless broadband at home, but I do a lot of travelling, and there isn't always Wi-Fi for the taking.
OTOH, there often is.
Worth the extra £40 for 3G?