Who owns a Kindle and what do you think of it?

[Arkansas Granny]

I've almost decided to buy one, but would like a little input about pros and cons. Trouble is, I don't know anyone who has one, so I'm turning to you guys for advice. I can't see myself completely giving up on actual printed books, but the ease of taking your books with you anywhere seems like it would be quite an advantage.

[begin_within]

1. Well, my neighbor has one

and loves it. He is the head of the biology department at a university, so he does a lot of reading and has a need for it. So for him it was worth it. On the other hand I wouldn't buy one because I am happy with reading printed books and reading on my computer. So I guess the decision rests on what your true needs are.

[Arkansas Granny]

3. I love my printed books, but I spend about every other weekend

away from home. Being able to take my books with me really has a lot of appeal.

[Call Me Wesley]

2. First, it's *not* about giving up books.

I've read thousands, and I gave them to charities when I ran out of storage space. There is still quite an amount of books around here, and new ones come in regularly; sometimes weekly. A book still has its own feel, smell, comfort I will never give up.

Second, I own a Kindle and am in love with it. In a little device, I can carry a few of my favorites around or can listen to audiobooks or background music while I read if I wish to. I can store notes or paragraphs I really like and access them quickly. I can get a book within minutes on a Sunday when all the stores here are closed.

The e-ink makes them very eye-friendly; there's no backlighting (so no reading in the dark,) but backlighting is what would give me a headache if I read books on my computer. Battery life is up to a week if you shut down wi-fi (which you only need if you buy books or want to browse the store or internet.) Internet access, though, is very limited here in Europe. I think the only thing I can access from my Kindle here is Wikipedia in basic text-form. But I don't need this, anyway.

For reading, it's a pleasure. You can have all the books you want there right in your hand and enjoy them whenever you want without carrying pounds of hardcovers with you.

You won't give up on printed books. Kindle's weakness regarding books is that you'll never read an art book on it or anything with photography. It's only black and white and photos/paintings don't translate well.

I can highly suggest it.

[Arkansas Granny]

4. Thanks. This is the kind of info I was hoping to get.

[Call Me Wesley]

5. You won't regret it.

It's just an extension to reading printed books (the text stays the same,) and if you travel a lot, you have all your books with you without the weight. :hi:

[Crystal Clarity]

9. No Backlighting...

You say you like that, but can you get one with some sort of backlighting option available? I like to read in bed but the light bothers my SO. A back-lit Kindle seems as if It'd be a good solution for bedtime reading, yet it'd be nice to be able to turn it off as well...

[lazarus]

10. a few days ago

some physicians' group released a report that said the Kindle is better for bedtime reading than the iPad, because the back light throws off your biological clock or something.

They do sell booklights made for the Kindle.

If the Kindle had a backlight, its battery life would plummet to less than a day, too.

[Crystal Clarity]

11. Thanks!

Some really good info here.

[REP]

22. That turned out to be false

http://www.product-reviews.net/2010/04/29/ipad-and-insomnia-news-reports-no-proof/

[Lucian]

13. You can buy a tiny lamp to clamp on the top of it.

I have one and it's great.

[Crystal Clarity]

14. Yeah I know

But I often find I have issues with some of them...they don't clamp properly, or slide around, or don't illuminate enough of the page, ect. And the good ones I often loose, or they just plain wear out. Ho Hum, Oh well.

[Call Me Wesley]

15. They make a few especially for the Kindle:

http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=sr_tc_2_5?ie=UTF8&node=1289281011&qid=1272654926&sr=1-2-tc

[seaglass]

20. delete. n/t

[lazarus]

6. I love mine

I still buy the occasional book from certain authors, or used, but I use my Kindle a lot.

I have a magazine subscription (Newsweek) and several blogs on it. For some reason, I'm more likely to check a blog daily on the Kindle than on the laptop.

I like the fact that I can read multiple things at a time, and it retains my place in the work. The battery life is great. I turn the wireless on for a half hour a couple of times a day to update my blogs, and then as needed if I buy something.

I bought the cover to go with it. I use the cover when I leave the house, but the Kindle is so light I like to use it without a cover at home. (I got the leather one that folds around it, the standard cover.)

I recommend the extended warranty they sell for (I think) $65. It's actually worth it. It includes a one-time no questions asked replacement, so if you accidentally drop your Kindle or spill on it or something, you get a new one. And if you have to send it in for repairs in the first two years, the EW will cover shipping. I don't anticipate either of those happening, but that's why they call them accidents.

[Arkansas Granny]

7. I hadn't gotten into the EW yet. That's good info to know.

[stray cat]

8. I got one for my mom and myself - I thought I would miss paper

but I don't. Light weight and easier on the eyes than print. Plus my mom and I have the kindles on the same account so anything I get she can read for free.

[Lucian]

12. I have a Kindle!

And I love it! I was one of those people who'd only buy hard copies of books. But then I tried out a friend's Kindle and fell in love with it. I can take it anywhere with me. It can hold 1,500 books. I don't ever have to worry about not having something to read with me all the time. Just pack up the Kindle and go. I use it all the time and only have to charge it up once every two weeks or so (if you leave wireless on you have to charge it up more frequently). What makes this better to read on than the iPad is that there's no backlighting. Backlighting uses up too much battery power (only lasts 10 hours on an iPad). The e-ink makes it very easy on the eyes and you can read for hours on this (I do). There's no glare on the screen so you can read it on really sunny days.

The only negative is there isn't any page numbers. It uses locations. For example: I'm on chapter 19 right now in the novel Greywalker by Kat Richardson and it's considered "locations 2786-93" (out of 5101). That's my only gripe about it.

[Call Me Wesley]

16. Yes, the locations instead of page numbers are irritating.

So when I check a printed book vs. a Kindle one (and, yes, I do have a few real books,) it's hard to find it.

[Arkansas Granny]

17. It sounds like I need to treat myself to one of these. I know it has good

ratings on Amazon, but I had never had a chance to speak to someone who had actually used one. Right now they are offering free 2nd day shipping, so it seems like a good time to go for it. Thanks to all who replied.

[Lucian]

19. It is.

It's a good product. You won't regret it. :)

[pink-o]

18. Have a Kindle App on the IPhone.

And yes, the font is smaller, but I'm a 55 year old Presbyopic woman, and I have no trouble reading on it. So if you already have an IPhone or a Palm Pilot (which is how I used to read Ebooks before 2008) a Kindle is kinda superfluous. Just my observation.

[Flying Dream Blues]

21. I want to love my Kindle, but I just don't.

Maybe these things are too picky, but I really love to read and am just having trouble despite my best efforts to give it a chance. It seems awkward to hold in bed, even with the cover and I seem to have to click the button too often. The print just doesn't look like a book, either; more like an old-fashioned computer screen. I also want to be able to flip back and check what someone said, who is related to whom, etc. and that is really not a good option with the Kindle.

The other day we checked out the new iPad and it really reads like a book, including the ease of turning pages and flipping back pages. I love the way it is backlit, also. I may have to have one of those when they aren't so expensive.

[Arkansas Granny]

23. I checked out the iPad features and they sound really nice, but they are

out of my price range at this time.

[spinbaby]

24. I've been looking at one myself

But will probably go with an iPad because it will serve as both a reader and a netbook when I travel. At home I prefer real books.