kindle -- questions

[MichelleB]

I am debating purchasing a kindle. I love to read although normally check out the books from the library. Can I download books from the library onto a kindle? I have an ipod touch and have the app. on there to read. However, I think the backlight bothers me sometimes and the battery doesn't last nearly as long as I'd like. I am ok purchasing books as that's what I've been doing with my ipod. I heard you can check email on the kindle as well. Is there a cost for that? I love not having to haul books with me especially on vacation. We just got back from WDW and I read books using my ipod. I read 3 books while gone and having my ipod with me while the kids went on some rides that I didn't want to go on allowed me to read while I waited. I always pack so many books when we go that it was really nice only needing one device. Is there anything I need to consider that I haven't? Web browsing.....is there a charge for that? Could I read and post to disboards from it? Any info is greatly appreciated.

 

[tinkabella627]

You can't check books out with a kindle but you can with a nook. But you also need to see if your library participates in overdrive.

 

[moongirl]

We won a Kindle in a raffle. I don't know all of its features so I can't answer all of your questions. However, the battery charge lasts for at least 5 hours, maybe more. It is not backlit. It looks just like a page out of a book and absolutely does not look like a lit display. You will need to have a light on to read the Kindle in the dark. It truly is exactly like looking at a page of a book. We use it to buy new releases only. Bestsellers cost $9.99 and are always less expensive than the cost of the actual book. It is very lightweight and you "turn the page" by pushing a button so you can read with one hand - this is particularly handy when reading in bed.

 

[kristinw3girls]

got mine for Christmas and I'm in love with it. I'm a big reader and love the amount of free books I've gotten for the kindle. Also, I'd much rather buy a book for $3-9.99. It's "greener (no paper wasted) and I don't feel so bad about the amount of $ I'm spending of paper books. Best present EVER

 

[*Flower*]

DH and I have had our Kindles for over 6 months- and I love having a library with me without having 2 suitcases full of books!

I bought mine first (part of the cost covered by MyPoints), and after DH played with it for a few weeks, he wanted his own... We're going to SF tomorrow, and believe me- our Kindles are fully charged and ready to go.

I must admit that I usually go for the free books, I've got quite a collection already- and I've spent a total of $14.41 for books. And both Kindles are on my account, so whatever I've found can be read by either one of us.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[RitaE]

If your Kindle battery is only lasting 5 hours there is something wrong with it. They advertise "up to 2 weeks." Mine probably lasts about 7 or 8 days before I have to recharge.

There is no cost for checking email on your Kindle - but it also isn't very good at it. It is a very primitive, clunky web browser. I've never tried the DIS or anything like that so I couldn't answer that question.

 

[Tarheel Tink]

If your Kindle battery is only lasting 5 hours there is something wrong with it. They advertise "up to 2 weeks." Mine probably lasts about 7 or 8 days before I have to recharge.

There is no cost for checking email on your Kindle - but it also isn't very good at it. It is a very primitive, clunky web browser. I've never tried the DIS or anything like that so I couldn't answer that question.

My Kindle 1 battery lasts about 7 days; I keep it on all the time and in sleep mode when I'm not reading. It does drain quicker if you turn on the Wifi to download.
In a pinch I've gone on the internet to check an address or a menu but it is slow. I have downloaded documents to have (emailed them to Amazon and they do their magic for about 10 cents I think per document). It was handy to have flight info, itinerary,etc. on hand not to mention how to mess around with the thermostats at WDW.

 

[deerhart]

I have both a kindle and a sony ereader. Our library does have overdrive and I use the ereader for the adobe pdfs.

Having both allows me to buy multiple formats from multiple sites so I can get the cheapest price, but also lets DH and I each have one version to carry around.

My battery will last about 7-10 days (wireless on all the time), but if you turn off the wireless connection, battery life will be longer. I REALLY dislike not being able to completely turn off the kindle like I can my ereader.

 

[*Flower*]

You can turn off your Kindle! Of course the consensus is that the battery will hold it's charge longer if you leave it on- but you can turn it off if you want to!

HTH...

 

[MrsPete]

However, the battery charge lasts for at least 5 hours, maybe more.

My battery -- with use every single day -- lasts about two weeks. That is, it lasts about two weeks when I leave the WhisperNet turned OFF . . . if I mistakenly leave the internet turned on, the battery goes downhill in a hurry. Moral: Turn the intenet on ONLY when you're actively buying and downloading books.

Even when I'm on vacation and use my Kindle even more than I do at home . . . it'll last a whole week without a battery charge.

You really should turn your Kindle off when it's not in use. Rechargable batteries have a long life, but they don't last forever.

 

[Sandi]

I just ordered a Kindle and am eagerly awaiting its arrival. I assume you can use it while on board a plane. Is it like other "electronic devices" such that you turn it on and off as directed by flight attendants? I'm just curious because of the wireless download component.

Thanks for any help on this.

 

[MrsPete]

I just ordered a Kindle and am eagerly awaiting its arrival. I assume you can use it while on board a plane. Is it like other "electronic devices" such that you turn it on and off as directed by flight attendants? I'm just curious because of the wireless download component.

Thanks for any help on this.

Yes, you can use it on a plane.

When they say turn off wireless devices, you can turn off JUST the internet, and you can still read a book that's already downloaded. That's no different from listening to music that's already on your ipod or using word processing on your computer. What they care about when they say "turn off electronic devices" is that you're not sending/receiving signals electronically.

 

[deerhart]

You can turn off your Kindle! Of course the consensus is that the battery will hold it's charge longer if you leave it on- but you can turn it off if you want to!

HTH...

I have not found anyway to turn off my kindle completely. All I can do is put it into sleep mode

 

[WENDYDOTS]

I, too, got my Kindle for christmas and I love it! There are alot of free books to download, but even new books are less than 9.99. The battery lasts a long time and recharges to full within just a few hours. You can turn off the Kindle completely by holding the sleep button for over 5 seconds, the screen will go blank instead of the screen saver coming on....

 

[GoodFairies]

I have not found anyway to turn off my kindle completely. All I can do is put it into sleep mode

You turn it off by holding the button over for a few seconds. It's very similar to any other electronic device.
I keep mine in sleep mode and the charge lasts a couple weeks with the wireless turned off.
I got mine for Christmas and I LOVE it. I read more than I used to, and I'm an avid reader.
Like others said, the Kindle doesn't offer the library service. I think the other 2 e-readers do, but the reports I've read generally say the software/service associated with library books is hit or miss.
There are tons of free books you can get with the Kindle. I like to re-read books so I have no problems paying for them. I like the fact that I don't have to worry about adding to my already overly full bookcase.

 

[MichelleB]

I just got back from WDW last week. We flew Delta and I was reading on my ipod touch ... I had wifi off (I always do) and the flight attendant made me turn it off. She said it's an electronic device and didn't matter if I was only reading. Maybe as the ereaders become more well known we won't have to do that?

 

[Sandi]

I just got back from WDW last week. We flew Delta and I was reading on my ipod touch ... I had wifi off (I always do) and the flight attendant made me turn it off. She said it's an electronic device and didn't matter if I was only reading. Maybe as the ereaders become more well known we won't have to do that?

She only made you turn it off until at a certain altitude, right? Not for the whole flight? It makes sense to me if it is treated like any electronic device.

I wasn't aware that the wireless component could be turned off. So THANK YOU Mrs. Pete.

 

[bumbershoot]

I just got back from WDW last week. We flew Delta and I was reading on my ipod touch ... I had wifi off (I always do) and the flight attendant made me turn it off. She said it's an electronic device and didn't matter if I was only reading. Maybe as the ereaders become more well known we won't have to do that?

Well, the touch is at heart a tiny computer, right? (going by the apple page of what is an ipod touch) So it would make sense that she wouldn't know what you were doing or how you were doing it. You could easily have been texting or emailing.

And was it just during take off/landing?

We won a Kindle in a raffle. I don't know all of its features so I can't answer all of your questions. However, the battery charge lasts for at least 5 hours, maybe more.

5 hours is definitely not normal.

If your kindle is one of the earlier kinds, and you have an amazon kindle case with straps that go on the top and bottom side, DH (kindle product tester) has noticed that the bottom elastic strap actually presses down on the "wheel" button. Which then drains the battery. He ended up getting some sticky-back velcro to secure the kindle in the case, and only uses the top elastic.

So that's a possibility, if you have that device and that case.

Yes, you can use it on a plane.

When they say turn off wireless devices, you can turn off JUST the internet, and you can still read a book that's already downloaded. That's no different from listening to music that's already on your ipod or using word processing on your computer. What they care about when they say "turn off electronic devices" is that you're not sending/receiving signals electronically.

I have always taken electronic device to mean ANY electronic device. I would not listen to my walkman, discman, mp3 player, I won't let DS play his leapster, either. I have never noticed FAs making a distinction between if something has wifi or not; it's just all electronic devices. That's been my understand and experience with it. So to me, it's absolutely normal to turn it ALL off, have NO use of anything like that, for takeoff and landing, until they say it's OK.

 

[NotUrsula]

Just FYI, the Electonic Frontier Foundation just came out with this checklist called Digital Readers and Your Rights -- it makes for interesting reading.

https://www.eff.org/wp/digital-books-and-your-rights

I personally won't buy a Kindle because it is too vendor-centric.

 

[luvthemouse71]

I have a Kindle and love it..the E-ink screen is much easier on my eyes than reading on my iPhone..I save that for when I'm waiting in line etc.

I saw the Nook too.. it's ok. Many of the books are more expensive than for the Kindle though..and I don't care about the library thing. When I was in B&N, the clerk was giving out all this misinformation about how the two compare. I was good though, just nodded and smiled.