Anyone else a Kindle reader?

[HAY62WOOD]

I don't know about the Sony Reader, but I LOVE my Kindle, which we received as a gift last year.

 

I will be bringing it on my Crown Princess cruise trans-atlantic next month.

 

BTW, did you know there are many books you can download FOR FREE. You have to do it from your computer, not on the Kindle. Go to the list of books being offered and re-sort by price, low to high. You will see all the free ones. Many are old books but in the last few months lots of new books have been offered by authors who are promoting their books in general.

 

"Used" Kindles (the original one) are now being offered on line, mostly at Amazon, but the prices are really not low. If I were buying my first one, I'd by the new version 2, which is supposedly lighter and has more bells and whistles. I'm perfectly happy with the one I have.

[curlywurly]

I don't know about the Sony Reader, but I LOVE my Kindle, which we received as a gift last year.

 

I will be bringing it on my Crown Princess cruise trans-atlantic next month.

 

BTW, did you know there are many books you can download FOR FREE. You have to do it from your computer, not on the Kindle. Go to the list of books being offered and re-sort by price, low to high. You will see all the free ones. Many are old books but in the last few months lots of new books have been offered by authors who are promoting their books in general.

 

"Used" Kindles (the original one) are now being offered on line, mostly at Amazon, but the prices are really not low. If I were buying my first one, I'd by the new version 2, which is supposedly lighter and has more bells and whistles. I'm perfectly happy with the one I have.

 

I have a Bebook which is a clone of the Hanlin. They have one of the most open format policies of all the readers. The list of formats that you can read on it is as long as your arm, although mobipocket is the only DRM format. An excellent site to try is http://finding-free-ebooks.blogspot.com.

There are litterally thousands of free ebooks available for legal down load if you spend a bit of time searching. As well as the commercial sites which often give away books there are lots of authors out there who promote their work by giving away free ebooks.

I too had to persuade myself the expense was worth it, but now I'd be lost without it. I love my Bebook!!

[Ixy]

I have first version of the Sony e-reader and have been very happy with it. The main difference that I know of is that the e-reader needs to hook up to a computer to upload new books, but the kindle does not. For me, that isn't a big issue since we're rarely without access to a computer, but I think it might be a draw back for some people.

 

The original e-reader did not have a keyboard, like the kindle, but they have come out with a new version that has a touch screen and can now perform some of the same functions as the kindle.

 

My favorite function on the e-reader is bookmarks. If I stop in the middle of a book or read several books at once, the e-reader can keep track of all of my pages and take me back to exactly where I stopped reading. The e-reader also allows you to change the size of the font.

 

Functions on the new e-reader include being able to highlight portions of the text, take notes, bookmarks, and a search function to help locate words or phrases in the text.

 

The main drawback for the e-reader in my eyes is that the price of the downloads is a little high. The discount isn't as high as with amazon, but they are working to fix that. So far Sony teamed up with google and is now offering a lot of free books. One plus is that Sony does have some pretty good bundles with discount pricing. The bundles are either by author or genre.

 

Whichever route you go (amazon or sony or other), if you're an avid reader who likes to travel, I highly recommend getting an electronic book. I took ours on our last cruise and it really helped. I was able to pack my "book" into a very tiny purse and always had something to read if we were delayed or on a long ride/flight. It is very light, very small, and my Sony e-reader has a nice sized screen. I still buy books in paper form sometimes, but it makes it easier for me to try reading something new without committing space on my shelves for storing it.

 

If you're trying to decide, figure out when you plan to upload books (before the trip or during), check out the different screen sizes, and check out the bookstores available to each of the reader and see the prices for the books you'd be interested in downloading right now.

[Magenta]

Oh Kindle... How do I love thee- let me count the ways.

 

The Kindle 2 is the only E-Reader I've ever owned but I have to tell you that I've definitely become a zealot. Ok so here goes:

 

1. The Kindle 2 has adjustable "font" size from "average paperback" book size font to "I normally need 2 reading glasses" size (as in humongous!).

 

2. It does have "audio" but it is very mechanical sounding so don't expect it to have that "books on tape read by a celebrity" quality but it'll serve in a pinch.

 

3. Books are downloadable from ANY computer (just log into your Amazon.com account) and are also downloadable directly from the Kindle 2 No matter where you are in the world! So say you are sitting in the airport gate and suddenly realize you really want to read Stephen King's new novel: You go to "book store" on your Kindle- you search for "Stephen King" and hit download. In 60 seconds, its in your device. There is no download fee and most all books are 10 bucks (plus there is a large section of free downloads).

 

4. The Kindle 2 comes with Wikipedia access for free with no internet fee and it comes with a dictionary built in.

 

5. Don't bother downloading any "picture" books as Kindle only displays type and such in black and white.

 

6. The screen has zero glare and is nothing like reading from a computer screen. It is incredibly similar to reading an actual book.

 

7. Unfortunately, there is no back light so you can't read it in the dark (who does that anyway?) But if you do plan on reading it in low light conditions I do recommend a book light.

 

8. Amazon.com will keep an "archive" of all the books you download forever. (While the Kindle 2 does have about a 300 book memory capacity it is not necessary to keep all your downloads on the actual device) You can erase as needed and/or desired and simply retrieve your past downloads from your account (directly from your Kindle device or from any computer).

 

9. An E-Reader can never really replace the sensory experience of an actual book in your hands but for travel it is indispensable. On my recent trip to San Francisco I had "in hand" access to 10 different books that I could bring up instantly without having to lug around any actual books. It was great!

 

10. The device is very thin (comparable to the skinniest yellow tablet) and is the length of a typical paperback.

 

11. It is very easy to use and you'll be downloading books within 10 minutes of charging it up. (that still cracks up my 14 year old... "Mom- is your book charged yet?! haaha" Kids....)

 

12. The price is pretty hefty (coming in at approximately 350 bucks) so its not cheap but if you do a lot of traveling and even more reading you will fall in love with it on your very first long flight or long airport wait as you casually pull out the sleek white Kindle and read as many books as you want without lugging around pounds of reading material.

 

13. You can also download newspapers, e-zines, and blogs. Great if you enjoy reading the New York Times, L.A. Times (or any other newspaper that's still in print)

 

14. You can also add a few songs to your Kindle so you can listen to music while you read.

 

15. There are "next page" buttons on either side of the Kindle 2 so turning pages is effortless and easy to use.

 

So those are my pros and cons to owning and using a Kindle 2. I tell you, I'm very "Ra Ra Hallelujah" about mine. It's been the best "technical" purchase since I bought my first Blackberry. If you read as much as I do and travel as much as I do, you will absolutely love it. Hope I've been helpful. :)

[beamse]

I have a Kindle. I love it!!! I got it in October when Oprah was talking about it on her show and if you ordered it from Amazon within that week it was $50.00 off. I am very impressed with their customer service also because the top 1/4 of the screen on mine went blank ( I think I sat on it!) when I called customer service to see what to do-they said "No problem, we'll send you a new one that should be there in a day or two and just send the other back in the same box." I did get the new one and sent in the old one. No charge! And yes, you can change the font size (about 5-6 different sizes).

 

My mom bought her Kindle when Oprah and Amazon had the discount too. At first I was like thats such a dumb idea, I do not want to read a book on a screen. When she offered to send it with me on my spring break/21st birthday cruise I had to give in. WOW I am hooked. The boyfriend said hes going to buy me on for the next holiday because he say how much I loved it. So light weight and easy to use. I love how you can scroll down to a line and look up the meaning of any word on the page.

I also know that Amazon does have really good customer service. Mom accidentally dropped it around Christmas time (when they were back ordered like 3 months), she called and they had a new one to her within 36 hours no charge! Even better all of the books she had purchased were loaded onto the new one already!!

The kindle was a great conversation starter on the boat. I can not tell you how many people came up to me and asked me how I liked it and such!!

 

Now, onto the question someone had about good books. I do not know what type of books you are interested in... but here are some that stick out in my mind.

The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns might be the two best books I have ever read. They changed my views on the Middle East and their culture a lot, and the books break your heart. But they are such good reads.

On the trip I read The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb. Another great story, I guess you could call it a historical fiction. It has to do with the Columbine shootings and the way the people affected had their lives changed forever.

I also am a HUGE fan of Partricia Cornwell's series of books that follow Kay Scarpetta!

 

Just a few of my ideas! Hope it helps!

[jlconant]

Quick question. My kindle 2 is in the mail and I just wanted to know if you can backup to your computer? I know you can download from computer but wanted to know if you can do it the other way as I will have some PDF files and such that won't be backed up by Amazon. :confused:

 

Thanks in advance,

Joanne

[brownie1005]

I've had a Kindle since it came out and love it!

 

For anyone who uses an Iphone as well, there is a free Amazon/Kindle app that you can download which allows you to read your Kindle books on your Iphone!

 

It will even sync to last page read, so you don't loose your place. It also gives you access to your entire Kindle library on your phone. Easy to use, doesn't suck the life out of your phone battery, and you can read in the dark.:)

[cruiselover4ever]

I just ordered my kindle this past week. I cant wait to get it. It will be so convient to bring on the cruise.

[kadey]

I have the kindle 2 since March. I always enjoyed it but had an experience last week that made me fall in love! I spent a few days sitting in the hospital while my father was sick. We would get there at 8 am and stay till about 7:30 pm.I did a lot of reading during those days! I wasn't enjoying the book I was reading so I sat there and did some shopping. I bought a great book that I read in two days. When I finished that one, I simply did a little search and in seconds had another new book that got me through the rest of my time.We are getting ready for a cruise in a few weeks and I am now stocking up some new books all on this small advice that will fit into my pocketbook!

[MikeR2009]

Ok first I am a guy guy but I love to read. (Read 1-2 books a week). Since the wife met me she has really gotten into reading as well. So when the K2 came out used K1's dropped to about $200. I picked one up for the wife and I bought the k2. I ended up sending the K2 back and getting another K1. We both love them and read more than ever. I bought a Celtic hound cover from Oberon and it makes the Kindle look very classy. I cannot think of a better place to take a kindle than on a cruise. If you are an avid reader you should check one out. My wife was a skeptic and was just humoring me when she tried it out (I am a gadget guy). Now she is hooked and takes it everyplace with her. She admited to me yesterday that she even tries to read a page or 2 at redlight now LOL. :cool:

[kanitter]

I keep seeing the posts about the kindle reader. I have a few questions, How long does one battery charge last, Is it easier to hold on to than a regular book,(I have arthritis and sometimes can barely hold a book to read:() My daughter and I are both big readers so If I bought a kindle could we both share the same one and have it bookmark where both of us are in the different books, or will it only keep track of one book. I just think that this sounds so neat not just for vacations but also waiting for Dr's appts and things. And where would you recommend buying one, any place better than another.

Thanks in advance for answers

Sue

[jlconant]

I keep seeing the posts about the kindle reader. I have a few questions, How long does one battery charge last, Is it easier to hold on to than a regular book,(I have arthritis and sometimes can barely hold a book to read:() My daughter and I are both big readers so If I bought a kindle could we both share the same one and have it bookmark where both of us are in the different books, or will it only keep track of one book. I just think that this sounds so neat not just for vacations but also waiting for Dr's appts and things. And where would you recommend buying one, any place better than another.

Thanks in advance for answers

Sue

I have had the kindle about 2 weeks now so can answer with some kmowledge

The battery lasts about 2 days if you are using it heavily. Can turn WiFi off to conserve battery or do like I do and plug it in every couple of days while still reading. It is very light compared to a hard back book and you don't have to hold your page open. When I get tired of holdng I lean it up against something and read that way. It will keep track of where each of you are in different books, My question is once you get this who gets dibs on it first? I bought mine through Amazon. Wasn't sure of sturdiness so I wanted the warranty that covered accidental breakage.

 

Joanne

[kanitter]

jlconant, thanks for the answers. :) Dd and I was talking about it today, she mentioned I should just pay for it out of cruise fund, sounds good to me.:D I think I am going to get one, it sounds great. And to answer your question, Ise da ma!! So guess who has dibs?:rolleyes:

Thanks again,

Sue

[dobiemom]

I've had a Kindle since it came out and love it!

 

For anyone who uses an Iphone as well, there is a free Amazon/Kindle app that you can download which allows you to read your Kindle books on your Iphone!

 

It will even sync to last page read, so you don't loose your place. It also gives you access to your entire Kindle library on your phone. Easy to use, doesn't suck the life out of your phone battery, and you can read in the dark.:)

 

I have this on my iPod Touch. The only bad thing is so far you can't have newspapers or magazines on it. But hopefully they'll upgrade the application!

 

For those that like romance novels, Harlequin is giving away 16 free books. I like going to Amazon/Kindle books and looking at the Listmania for free books.

[RetiredFL]

Have a Kindle 2. If you turn the wifi off I have found the battery lasts about a week or more with constant reading. If you are not reading for a while it appears the battery remains charged. (Note you have to turn wifi off to fly with it).

When I first got it I was turning it off when I was not using it instead of "putting it to sleep". When you turn it off you lose your place unless you bookmark the page. I called customer service and they said never turn it off unless you are going to put it away for a long time. Putting it to sleep is fine and no battery is used. So far they are correct. It is in sleep mode and the battery is staying charged.

Has anyone had luck in sharing one book purchase between two kindles as we want to get a second one but occasionally want to read the same book.

I am not aware of anyone selling it except Amazon.

[crewsgirl]

I too, love my Kindle for travel. Love the ability to change the font & the non glare screen. Easy to pack & lightweight. Will be adding my charger to the big ziplock of gadgets for my cruise on Sat.

 

Order yours today, you will love it.

 

Have you been asked to turn it off on the plane when taking off & landing?? Why does it need to be turned off if the Wifi is off & you are simply reading?? This happened on my last flight.

[mountainhouse]

It's not WIFI, right? I thought Kindles used the Sprint network.

 

Assuming that's true, can you download books on a cruise ship using the shipboard cellular connectivity?

[bbwex]

There are some questions still hanging out there, some incorrect comments and I will add some thoughts.

 

The Kindle is easy to hold. I keep mine in the cover, and find that I can hold it and turn the pages from just about any sitting or lying down position with ease. (The Kindle 2 has a "next page" button on both sides.)

 

RetiredFL said that it loses your place if you turn it all the way off -- off vs sleep mode. That is not true. I turn mine off almost all the time -- somehow I figured the battery would last longer -- and it keeps my place without fail.

 

As for sharing a Kindle, it cannot keep two places in the same book, but I think it will keep separate places in separate books, so two people can share one. Don't hold me to this, but I am pretty sure it has done it for me when I have been reading two at a time.

 

I bought it for when we travel, but I love using it all the time.

 

The free book sample is a great way to check out a book first before you buy it -- you get the first chapter or a piece of it to read and then you decide if you want to buy it. The only issue I have with the Kindle relates to this option however. If you read the sample and then buy the whole book, remember where you were, as the bookmark does not move to the whole book -- I suppose it views them as different books.

 

I did try reading a newspaper on the Kindle and didn't really love it. It is a personal thing, but I scan a paper and decide what to read and that is somewhat possible but very different on the Kindle -- there is just a list of the articles. That might be improved on the larger, new Kindle but I have not seen one, and am content to read the actual newspaper (for as long as they continue to exist!).

 

We will be travelling for almost a month for almost a month this summer, and all 50 of the books on my list weigh less than a pound! I love it.

[bbwex]

Forgot to reply to Mountainhouse's question.

 

The Kindle uses its own phone connection, it cannot piggyback off of another phone connection.

 

It does not work outside of the United States, so you have to download your books before you go on a cruise.

[slorraine0731]

I absolutely LOVE my Kindle...I have the Kindle1 and my husband has the Kindle2. You won't regret the purchase if you love to read.

[skellis]

have had both the ereader and the kindle (both 1 and 2) and love the kindle. I use the kindle for everything, newspapers and magazines, books, business documents and travel information. I will be on the Emerald to the Baltics in September and have already loaded travel books, reservation confirmations, schedules, descriptions of the museums, etc and our roll call on it.

 

I like it better because I can email files (converted to an appropriate file format, I should have waited for the DX which takes pdf files) to myself at kindle and have access to the documents and more importantly the search function. I have even downloaded long legal documents so I can search and annotate without a computer. Kindle 2 also has text to speech capabilities, and I will be downloading pod casts on the ports we will be in, and music appropriate for the various areas we will be in.

 

There are great free and discounted books available (Baen for sci-fi) including the Bible, where you can search for quotations and references.

 

Even though there is a price difference, the kindle is easier to use and more comprehensive than ereader.

[texaridian]

I've had a Kindle since it came out and love it!

 

For anyone who uses an Iphone as well, there is a free Amazon/Kindle app that you can download which allows you to read your Kindle books on your Iphone!

 

It will even sync to last page read, so you don't loose your place. It also gives you access to your entire Kindle library on your phone. Easy to use, doesn't suck the life out of your phone battery, and you can read in the dark.:)

I wasn't even sure what a Kindle was until I read this thread. A friend invited me to go with her to the ATT store this evening and when I found out I can get the Kindle as a free app on an iPhone, well, WOW. I needed to replace my old cell phone anyway, so I got the $99 iPhone. I've already downloaded Pride and Prejudice for free. I don't know if you can get the audio with the cell phone, but that's OK with me.

 

So, if you are thinking about a new cell phone, this is a great inducement to buy this one!

 

Thanks to all of you for praising Kindle.

[BroncosFan2010]

DH just received one for work, and I might just have to snag it from him! I think I could get used to not having to lug around a ton of books on a cruise!

[neekaemt]

I have a Kindle 2. it is the best investment ever. I am one of those people that can sit down and read up to two books in one day.

Reasons to get a kindle;

1. Price of books. Hardback books sell for about 20 bucks (or More). I dont have the patience to wait a year for it to come out in paperback (and cheaper). The most expensive book i have ever bought on the kindle was 12 dollars. There are also multiple books that are available for FREE on the kindle. Classics like Pride and Pred, Sherlock Holdmes, 10000 Leagues Under the Sea.... ect. Also Amazon is offering free downloads on new writers until October. I got a bunch of cheesy romance novels and didnt pay a penny. With the amount of books I have downloaded I have already made the investment of buying the kindle worth it.

2.) Size. The Kindle 2 is thin and lightweight. it doesnt weigh any more than my phone. Easy to pack in a purse, suitcase or laptop bag.

3.) Ease of reading. Perfect for sitting in the sun and reading. The screen uses new technology where there is no glare. Text size can be changed from tiny to kids book large. Buttons for turning pages are in a good ergonomic position and are on both sides.

4.) If you want to read a book, you can probably find it on Kindle. And you can download it in less than a minute on Amazons Whispernet system. Amazon uses Whispernet which is similar to cell phone sites. It also picks up 3 G networks. YOu are able to turn the wireless off to save battery power

5.) The Kindle has a built in dictionary. Dont know a word. click on it and a definition will pop up at the bottom of the screen.

6.) Built in web browser. Easy to access websites for research.

7.) Battery lasts about 2 weeks with wireless turned off. Comes with a micro USB charger.

8.) The Kindle will save your place in the book you are reading... Reading several books at once? Youre still ok.

9.) Text to speech. Works well, but i do wish you could change the voice. I feel like Hawking is reading to me sometimes with it on.

10. You are able to buy books directly from the Kindle or through your computer (via Amazon's website)

11.)When you are done with a book... delete it... its yours forever. If you want to read it again just go to your archived items on the kindle and within a minute you are reading it again. And if you dont want to delete it dont. It can hold A LOT of books.

12.) Experiemental function is that it can play MP3's. I have not played with this so i cant tell you about it.

 

I love it. wouldnt trade it for anything. If you have any other questions feel free to ask.

[r&rd]

Have a Kindle 2. If you turn the wifi off I have found the battery lasts about a week or more with constant reading. If you are not reading for a while it appears the battery remains charged. (Note you have to turn wifi off to fly with it).

When I first got it I was turning it off when I was not using it instead of "putting it to sleep". When you turn it off you lose your place unless you bookmark the page. I called customer service and they said never turn it off unless you are going to put it away for a long time. Putting it to sleep is fine and no battery is used. So far they are correct. It is in sleep mode and the battery is staying charged.

Has anyone had luck in sharing one book purchase between two kindles as we want to get a second one but occasionally want to read the same book.

I am not aware of anyone selling it except Amazon.

My family has three kindles - we can all read the same book at the same time. You just have to turn the page sync off. You download to one kindle and then go to your amazon "manage your kindle" and send the book to other kindles. You can download up to 6 kindle's per account.