Kindle Question

[Live4cruises]

Several of you have posted that you are very happy with your Kindle and the packing convenience it allows. I've been wanting one for a long time, and am about to break down and buy. My question, though, is are there any aspects that are less positive?

 

Thanks!

[Mary Ellen]

My question, though, is are there any aspects that are less positive?

I haven't found one.

[Mollynme]

My question, though, is are there any aspects that are less positive?

Yes - it makes it way too easy to spend money. I really have to cut back on downloading until I finish reading the ones I have ;)

[uppitycats]

About the only downside I can think of is that, if you want to read at night in bed (or anywhere else in the dark) you have to buy a light. They have some clip on ones, and I understand the newest version has a built in light (don't quote me on that, though!).

 

Otherwise, I love it. And like someone already said..I've downloaded more books on mine than I'll ever read any time soon. I find myself grabbing my Kindle rather than the 20 or so "real" books sitting on my shelf to be read.

[Mary Ellen]

About the only downside I can think of is that, if you want to read at night in bed (or anywhere else in the dark) you have to buy a light.

:confused: Wouldn't you need some sort of light with a "real" book too? I actually find it easier to read in bed with my kindle, as I don't need to adjust for the (bedside) lighting needing to illuminate pages that are at different angles.

[ab0si]

First, I love my Kindle. However, since you asked for negatives:

 

1) Growing, but still limited selection of books. This is not an issue for most

people.

2) Fairly new books are often a bit more expensive on a Kindle than the

mass market paperback equivalent.

3) Hard to "pass on" the book to another person.

4) Monochrome

5) Possible, but a PITA to make "margin notes."

6) Gotta turn it off for take-off and landing.

[surfclam2003]

Absolutely none!!!

 

The new one's have a cover with a built-in light that works off battery of Kindle.

 

Saves space and weight in luggage.

[JJPacer]

DH & I use a MP3 Player to listen to books, using ear phones. The MP3 player is much smaller than a Kindle. No concern about light or bothering anyone else with your device. We can download audio books from our public library for free. Check with your library and see if this service is available. It's easy to doownload books and transfer them to your MP3 device. My ears don't get tired, but my eyes do. I like listening to a little bit of a story, before falling asleep. :)

[DrTee]

I've looked at a Kindle and found it hard to read. I think I would prefer a backlit device, so the background is white and the text is black. On the Kindle it looks like dark gray text on a light gray background.

 

Do any of you have that problem? It could be my cataracts.

[Cinder Again]

I'm on my second one, as I was a beta user for the first Kindle... There was an unfortunate incident with a Champagne Dream, but that's another story...hence the new Kindle. I should say I don't have the very newest one, but it's tempting! If you and your partner/spouse both read and both buy Kindles, set them up on the same persons Amazon account, then you can move the books from one kindle to the other to avoid having to purchase a book twice or switch kindles...if they are listed to the same user you can move books back and forth.

 

I have found that NEW bestsellers, (that haven't made it to paperback yet) are cheaper than the hardback addition, and tons easier to carry on the kindle. Sometimes they make you wait a week or two extra before you can get it. I think that is the publishers wanting to get as many hardback buyers as possible before releasing it to Kindle. I don't miss color, as I rarely read a book/paperback that is in color. I go to the Kindle bestsellers list, and then to the "top 100 free books" and download them. I usually find something I like reading without paying a penny, and I have re-read some of the classics this way as well. I rarely "buy" a book anymore...

 

I like to read the paper, and I get the NYT downloaded (now it's about $20 a month) daily when I am in the States. I bought the new one which has some international capabilities, so that I can pay an extra fee and actually continue to get the paper overseas. I don't miss having all the ads, like in a normal paper.

 

What's not to like? The batteries are getting better and better, the screen is EASY to read in the sun (unlike a computer/phone screen). Speaking of phones, the kindle has an app that "hooks" it to my iphone. I can actually open the app on the iphone and read whatever book I am reading, as they automatically sync...How cool is that? I'd buy the one that's a little more expensive, as it has 3g and wireless, making it more useful in a pinch...great toy, can't imagine life without it now. I see tons of them on trips, we joked on our last cruise that we should start a Kindle book club aboard.

[SpiritRiver]

My husband and I have Kindles and an IPads, and we have decided to take only our Kindles on the Eurodam next week - smaller, lighter, longer battery life. The new Kindles have, I hear, sharper contrast between text and background. The built-in light in the newest version is great idea!

[lka1012]

While I do not have a Kindle, I have the Sony e-Reader and my sister has the Nook and we both are VERY happy with our purchases. Which every reader you get, you probably with enjoy it. I like it because it cuts down on the reading materials I have to pack.

 

Shortly after I purchased mine, I had to spend the night with a friend in the emergency room, then later waiting while he had surgery. It was a GODSEND! Once I finished what I was reading, I moved to the next "book."

[LynnObie]

My wife just got the new Kindle released in August & loves it! :) She decided to save $50 & get the Wi-Fi version @ $139 from Amazon since we have Wi-Fi in our home. She loads up more books than she can read before a cruise & has no worries with packing heavy books in luggage. She & I each started out with the Kindle "ap" on our 2 iPod Touch devices. We both really like using the iPod Touch for its backlit screen but she reads so much that she found the need to recharge her iPod every day or two. I read less so it is not an issue for me to charge my iPod every week or two. As others have said, the Kindle "ap" I mentioned can be easily download / installed for free to any iPod Touch / iPhone or new iPad device. Amazon allows up to 6 devices to be registered to one account so up to 6 devices can share each book purchased. We have 1 Kindle, 2 iPods + 2 Kindle for PC registered. The only real negative I can think of has nothing to do with Amazon or Kindle but rather with certain publishers and/or authors who have recently become VERY greedy in raising the price of their Kindle books to more than I can sometimes buy the hardback at Costco. While I can resell or give away a printed book, obviously a Kindle book cannot be resold or given away. Although this gripes me, I can always find books I want to read at more reasonable prices..... sometimes free.

[Typhoon1]

Take the plunge, if you enjoy reading, you won't regret it.

[patseacruiser]

I just bought the most recent version Kindle and I don't have a light except one I had to buy which doesn't work very well in my opinion. What am I missing that someone says there is a light built in?

[maxout]

I just bought the most recent version Kindle and I don't have a light except one I had to buy which doesn't work very well in my opinion. What am I missing that someone says there is a light built in?

 

It's not built into the Kindle itself but they do have a new style cover with a light integrated into it.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Lighted-Leather-Chocolate-Display-Generation/dp/B003DZ166G/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1286125848&sr=8-3

[LSEA]

The only draw back so far with my Kindle is it is taking too long to get here! Ordered last Wednesday with express shipping and UPS is showing delivery Oct 7! I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas morning.

[travelinjones]

If you like to read and you like to travel, we think you will love a Kindle. They are light-weight, easy to stash in a purse or carry-on bag, have a long battery life, and save considerable $ for new books compared to hard cover versions. Especially when you are traveling internationally, where English books are expensive and very limited -- you can download one in seconds. Also many free books available. (We read more, and buy more books, however, than before Kindles.)

 

We have a shared account with very different reading tastes, so we laugh at how this messes with Amazon's "predictive" recommendations.

 

Only downsides for us, similar to what others have mentioned:

-- can't give books to others or donate them to libraries

-- not good for books with detailed diagrams, such as "how-to" books

--sometimes sentinmentally miss paper and ink in printed books

[Nasmas]

I just got a Kindle and I love it. I read a lot and the books are taking over our house. I've got to get busy and donate them. With the Kindle, I don't have the problem. Also, there are so many free books. Did you ever get a free one from BAMM? You can also sample the book before you buy. I'm really looking forward to not having to pack books for our up coming cruise.

[judy3972]

DH & I use a MP3 Player to listen to books, using ear phones. The MP3 player is much smaller than a Kindle. No concern about light or bothering anyone else with your device. We can download audio books from our public library for free. Check with your library and see if this service is available. It's easy to download books and transfer them to your MP3 device. My ears don't get tired, but my eyes do. I like listening to a little bit of a story, before falling asleep. :)

I do not know what I'm missing here? :confused:but I can listen to music on my kindle. My DH downloaded MP3 music to the kindle. He also downloaded audio books. Just like eveyone else I agree that it's great for waiting in doctors offices etc and for great while traveling. Now I never have to run out of reading material.

[GrammieK]

I can honestly say that I absolutely LOVE my kindle. It has been on a number of cruises with me and I have avoided overweight luggage everytime! On a three week cruise, we may pack as many as 10-12 books between the 2 of us. Now, we each have a Kindle, signed up to the same Amazon acct enabling us to share books.

Also, in the Kindle store, there are a number of "free" downloads. Believe it not, that is how I got started with Steig Larson books. His first of the trilogy was a free download. I couldn't wait to pay for the other two!

 

Another good aspect about the Kindle - it is easy to read in the sun on the beach or the pool deck. The print can be made as big or as small as you need it and it is very comfortable to read in bed with it propped up on the covers.

Go for it! And if you do, check out Oberon.com for the most beautiful tooled leather covers.

[Mollynme]

First, I love my Kindle. However, since you asked for negatives:

6) Gotta turn it off for take-off and landing.

Thanks for mentioning that. It never occurred to me that I needed to turn it off. My upcoming cruise will be the first time I have flown with my Kindle.

[peaches from georgia]

Thanks for mentioning that. It never occurred to me that I needed to turn it off. My upcoming cruise will be the first time I have flown with my Kindle.

As far as I know, you just turn off the wireless on the menu button which you don't need on to read a book anyway. I keep my wireless off all the time, saves the battery. You are never supposed to actually turn a Kindle 'off' ever according to the instructions. I had mine out during an entire flight recently and no flight attendant said a word about it.

[Mary Ellen]

Even though I keep the Kindle antenna turned 'off' unless I'm buying books (I don't need to charge very often this way), I followed the Flight Attendant's instructions "If it has an on/off switch, turn it off at this time" on our recent flights.

[peaches from georgia]

Even though I keep the Kindle antenna turned 'off' unless I'm buying books (I don't need to charge very often this way), I followed the Flight Attendant's instructions "If it has an on/off switch, turn it off at this time" on our recent flights.

I would of course follow instructions if given, but not a thing was said and I had my Kindle out on my lap. That's interesting. I know Kindle instructions say not to turn it off, but I would do whatever the airlines said to do if just turning off the wireless was not sufficient. This was on 2 different flights.