Slowly caving...(Kindle-related)

[TAKitty]

Well I did it! I just purchased my Kindle! I hope it doesn't take too long to ship out to me. Next month I am going to buy a Mac. The Dis is costing me lots of money!

 

[jlearn]

Okay, now who is swaying towards the new iPads? They look really cool and have a great book app built into it.

 

[DisneyKevin]

Okay, now who is swaying towards the new iPads? They look really cool and have a great book app built into it.

Do your research before you buy any device.

Also keep in mind that with your Kindle, you can download a book for free from anywhere with a cell signal.

With an iPad, you will need to be in a WiFi hotspot unless you buy the model with 3G (for which you pay a monthly charge).

Kindle $259 - free book downloads from anywhere in the US

iPad - minimum $499 but if you want the 3G model $629 plus monthly fee.

Also...make sure you check the price of ebooks that interest you. This is a good idea no matter which ereader you choose.

 

[disneyholic family]

the iPad seems completely ridiculous to me...
from what i've read so far, it only has 10 hours of power....that's nutty...

i guess when i'm in the states in July, i'll check out the Kindle...see if it's workable for me over here..

I really want one, especially since it seems so good for people with bad eyes - mine didn't use to be bad...it's an age thing for me...but since i've needed reading glasses, i've barely picked up a book -they're just not comfortable for me to read anymore..
Kevin's descriptions of how great the kindle is despite his eye problems sounds very promising to me...

 

[PeterPan09]

After seeing the iPad, I am even happier with my decision to purchase the Kindle.

Like Kevin said up-thread somewhere, when I sit down to read-I want to read. I don't need my e-reader to download music, surf the web and play games. I have plenty of other devices around the house that can do those things. Looking at the screen on the iPad, I think it would be annoying on the eyes after a while-too "glary".

The thing I really love about this gadget is that I forget about it. Once I start reading a book, I get into the book and forget about the delivery system. I'm just reading. I think that the iPad would never let me forget that I was reading on a gadget.

 

[nat1234]

Hi, I just finished reading all the great things that all of you have said about your Kindles and I does sound wonderful. I received the Sony ereader for Christmas and just love it. I know that I can't download books over the net but I can borrow books from my local library which is something I wouldn't be able to do with a Kindle. I just wanted to put in my two cents for my little Sony. I'm absolutely loving my ereader, something I never thought I would. So whatever reader you decide to get, you'll really enjoy it. I can't wait to take it on vacation, one reader, lots of books. How cool it that?

 

[disneyholic family]

guess what i have hooked up to my computer at this very moment?

a KINDLE!!!!

it works fine hooked up by USB to my computer....it can be recharged that way and i can access amazon that way...

alas, it's not my kindle....someone visiting with us from the states gave it to me to try out hooked up to the computer...

very cool....
i downloaded a bunch of samples from the amazon store..
very very cool...
and soooooooooooooooooooo easy to read!!!!

i am definitely getting one....not sure how - probably when i'm in the states in June, if it's not offered here before then..

coming back in to correct - it's a kindle DX....and i still want one

 

[georgemoe]

If Nikki Belle buys a Nook she can put a Richard Simmons wallpaper on it.

 

[jediobiwan]

Do your research before you buy any device.

Also keep in mind that with your Kindle, you can download a book for free from anywhere with a cell signal.

With an iPad, you will need to be in a WiFi hotspot unless you buy the model with 3G (for which you pay a monthly charge).

Kindle $259 - free book downloads from anywhere in the US

iPad - minimum $499 but if you want the 3G model $629 plus monthly fee.

Also...make sure you check the price of ebooks that interest you. This is a good idea no matter which ereader you choose.

I have to disagree. Something to keep in mind is that you have to compare apples to apples (pun not intended). You compared the Kindle at $259 to the ipad at $499. However, the Kindle at $259 has a six inch display. While I have only used a DX, I have seen others with the normal Kindle and it is tiny. It seems to me like too small of a screen. So if you compare the DX, which has the same screen size as the iPad, (9.7" diagonal) you come up with a price comparison of $489 for the Kindle, and (if you want 3G) $629 (plus service). Add to that the fact that the iPad base storage size of 16 GB is roughly four times that of the Kindle, and even if you only want it as an eBook reader, it seems to me that the iPad is a better choice.

That said, the Kindle may be better if you have issues staring at a screen for as long as you want to read for at a time. Just wanted to point out a few flaws in the price comparisons.

P.S. We all know the apple logo on the back is sexier

 

[DisneyKevin]

I have to disagree. Something to keep in mind is that you have to compare apples to apples (pun not intended). You compared the Kindle at $259 to the ipad at $499. However, the Kindle at $259 has a six inch display. While I have only used a DX, I have seen others with the normal Kindle and it is tiny. It seems to me like too small of a screen. So if you compare the DX, which has the same screen size as the iPad, (9.7" diagonal) you come up with a price comparison of $489 for the Kindle, and (if you want 3G) $629 (plus service). Add to that the fact that the iPad base storage size of 16 GB is roughly four times that of the Kindle, and even if you only want it as an eBook reader, it seems to me that the iPad is a better choice.

That said, the Kindle may be better if you have issues staring at a screen for as long as you want to read for at a time. Just wanted to point out a few flaws in the price comparisons.

P.S. We all know the apple logo on the back is sexier

Ok...I'm willing to use your parameters.

The Kindle DX is $498. The iPad is $629 with 3g which requires a service plane. A limited plan is available, but an unlimited plan is $30 per month.


That $30 per month adds $360 per year to the cost of your DX, bringing it to $929 per year....or almost double the cost of the DX.

Do your research before buying any device.

Also...we have not seen the price of books for iBook. That could also be an issue.

 

[jediobiwan]

Ok...I'm willing to use your parameters.

The Kindle DX is $498. The iPad is $629 with 3g which requires a service plane. A limited plan is available, but an unlimited plan is $30 per month.


That $30 per month adds $360 per year to the cost of your DX, bringing it to $929 per year....or almost double the cost of the DX.

Do your research before buying any device.

Also...we have not seen the price of books for iBook. That could also be an issue.

I agree on the service cost, but I do wonder how much the average Kindle customer uses the 3G service. I think most could get by on WiFi alone. Even the $15/250MB plan would be enough to download about 200 ebooks (if the kindle hard drive has an effective size of 3.3GB and can hold 3500 ebooks, thats about 1MB per book, so to be conservative I used 200 instead of closer to 250 books). I don't know, but the thought of 200 books in a month scares me to say the least, so if you figure that price per month, $15*12 months= $180, which is, of course, still a lot more than free, but not nearly so much as the unlimited plan.

As far as the book pricing goes, it seems (from all sources I have heard of) that many Kindle Publishers are switching to an agency model which will effectively have prices close to if not equivalent on the devices. (Which of course angers Amazon who would prefer the flat $9.99)

Oh how I enjoy debating technology prices!

(P.S. Nice show today....and you too are a genius, despite what other people on the boards might say )

 

[Merry Mousketeer]

Is there a way to "test drive" a Kindle? I love the feel, comfort and smell (hats off to Julie) of a book and am hesitant to invest in a Kindle then discover I don't like it.

I haven't researched this or even seen a Kindle up close and personal.

 

[DisneyKevin]

Is there a way to "test drive" a Kindle? I love the feel, comfort and smell (hats off to Julie) of a book and am hesitant to invest in a Kindle then discover I don't like it.

I haven't researched this or even seen a Kindle up close and personal.

Hi Michael,

The Kindle is not available in stores. It must be ordered from Amazon.

The good news is that they have a liberal 30 day return policy with no questions asked.

If you'd like to give it a shot, you can also download one the free classic books in order to get a feel for the Kindle.

If you add an Oberon cover, you kindle will look and smell like a classic leather bound book.

 

[catycatcat4]

Hi Michael,

The Kindle is not available in stores. It must be ordered from Amazon.

The good news is that they have a liberal 30 day return policy with no questions asked.

If you'd like to give it a shot, you can also download one the free classic books in order to get a feel for the Kindle.

If you add an Oberon cover, you kindle will look and smell like a classic leather bound book.

A while ago they had one you could play around in a display case next to the register at the books a million here.

 

[Merry Mousketeer]

Hi Michael,

The Kindle is not available in stores. It must be ordered from Amazon.

The good news is that they have a liberal 30 day return policy with no questions asked.

If you'd like to give it a shot, you can also download one the free classic books in order to get a feel for the Kindle.

If you add an Oberon cover, you kindle will look and smell like a classic leather bound book.

Thank you, Kevin. You may just have convinced me to give it a try! The Kindle sounds convenient and Carol is getting concerned about the piles of books I have littered around the house. She bought me a bookcase for Valentine's Day! Who says romance is dead?

 

[DisneyKevin]

A while ago they had one you could play around in a display case next to the register at the books a million here.

That was probably the Sony Reader which has many similarities, but also many differences.

 

[disneyholic family]

ok....so i finally got to see and try a Kindle DX....
truly a wonder and really fantastic for age-challenged eyes (as mine alas are)..

the person whose kindle i was playing with ( ), didn't know how to use it, so i was explaining it to her (she's had it for several months, and had to bring it to me, in israel, to explain it to her )..

anyway, as i was showing it to her, i said, "well if you were in the US, we could wirelessly browse around the amazon store and search for books etc., but the whispernet won't work here..."

but i proceeded to show her how to type in a search, even though it wouldn't work here, just so that she could see how to search when she's back to the states....
and oh oh....when i hit enter, IT WORKED ...
which means, it was accessing one of the phone companies here ( i have no clue which one)..
which, i assume, means that she's going to be hit with roaming charges on her amazon account....

i didn't know that you could use the kindle on whispernet outside of the US...
but fact is, i did when i was showing her the kindle..

i quickly turned off the wireless so that we wouldn't inadvertantly roam again..

but just a warning to anyone traveling overseas with their kindle...
make sure to disable the wireless....

 

[Brandis]

Besides books, you can also put on audibooks, PDFs and images.

Also, Kindle can read most of the regular books to you. While the text-to-speech technology certainly is not perfect yet I still find it amazing how natural it sounds most of the time.

Many people have mentioned here that they think they would miss the book feel. However, when I read on my Kindle it just feels so natural and I even catched myself when I started to move my hand to turn a page before I realize that it's not a real book and I just have to press the turn page button

 

[georgemoe]

I know I went against the grain getting Deb a (much improved) Barnes & Noble Nook this week but just to let you know, I'm ordering her an Oberon cover for it today. Guess which one?

 

[tickledtink33]

ok....so i finally got to see and try a Kindle DX....
truly a wonder and really fantastic for age-challenged eyes (as mine alas are)..

the person whose kindle i was playing with ( ), didn't know how to use it, so i was explaining it to her (she's had it for several months, and had to bring it to me, in israel, to explain it to her )..

anyway, as i was showing it to her, i said, "well if you were in the US, we could wirelessly browse around the amazon store and search for books etc., but the whispernet won't work here..."

but i proceeded to show her how to type in a search, even though it wouldn't work here, just so that she could see how to search when she's back to the states....
and oh oh....when i hit enter, IT WORKED ...
which means, it was accessing one of the phone companies here ( i have no clue which one)..
which, i assume, means that she's going to be hit with roaming charges on her amazon account....

i didn't know that you could use the kindle on whispernet outside of the US...
but fact is, i did when i was showing her the kindle..

i quickly turned off the wireless so that we wouldn't inadvertantly roam again..

but just a warning to anyone traveling overseas with their kindle...
make sure to disable the wireless....

Don't panic. Did your friend buy her Kinle DX very recently. I don't know when the current version of the Kindle DX was released but it wasn't that long ago. Both versions of the Kindle now offer global wireless. There are no fees for accessing global wireless with 1 exception. US customers are charged $1.99 if they actually download a book or periodical. She shouldn't be hit with any roaming charges. The Kindle can also now be shipped outside of the US. From Amazon's website...

Live Outside the U.S.?
Good news. Kindle can now be shipped to customers outside the U.S.
Click here to see important information specific to your country.

I looked up Israel and they are not yet shipping there which is too bad because it sounds like it can access the global wireless from there. Hopefully this will change in the future. The website says.

Unfortunately, we are currently unable to ship Kindles to Israel.

Customers in Israel can read over 350,000 Kindle books on your PC with our free application for your Windows PC - no Kindle required. Click here to learn more.