I have some questions before I buy a Kindle

ClientAlive · 07-12-2013, 02:01 PM

Sorry if this has been posted before. I did do some googling but have been finding it difficult to find the info I need. I've been thinking about purchasing a Kindle but I have some questions about how purchasing ebooks works. I'll just list them below and if anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

1) What kind of information is avail. for the ebook before I buy it? Does it show how many pages or how many words? Are there some that don't even if others usually do?
2) I like to read small reports that I buy off the internet sometimes (10 or 20 page reports but sometimes even smaller). Is anything like that available for Kindle?
3) How much do ebooks normally cost?
4) What kind of ebooks can I use with Kindle?

Thanks in advance for any help.

susan_cassidy · 07-12-2013, 02:47 PM

The book description lists the length of the book in kilobytes or megabytes, and usually the number of print pages, too. Just look in the Kindle store, and you'll see what information is available. Some books that are ebook only don't have a number of print pages. You'll soon get used to how many k bytes is the length of book that you want. 350+ is usually a normal-sized book. 450 or more is a longer book, usually. It can vary somewhat, though, if there are a lot of images in the book.

You can read pdf files on the Kindle, if that is what you are talking about. Usually pdf files don't work all that well, though. Although it tends to work better in landscape mode, rather than portrait mode. You can convert pdf documents through the Kindle email service. This is all fully documented in the User's Guide, and on the Kindle Support pages.

Ebooks can cost anywhere from free to 14.99, on average. There are a few books, often technical ones, that are more expensive. I buy a lot of books that are around $7.99 or $8.99. Again, just look in the Kindle store for some books that you might be interested in reading.

You can use .mobi or .prc formatted books with Kindle, or the format that Amazon sends, which is .azw, which is a variant of .mobi with DRM, usually.

just_jeepin · 07-12-2013, 03:06 PM

What I've always said is if your a pdf or technical book person, you'll probably be better off with a 9" tablet but if you're a novel reader (fiction or non-fiction) you most likely love the Kindle. It's great being able to go outside and read on a lunch break or only have to charge the kindle once a month.

DreamWriter · 07-12-2013, 07:20 PM

You don't mention where you live, ClientAlive, but I thought I'd mention that many U.S. libraries have Kindle ebooks that you can borrow (at no cost). Smashwords has .mobi ebooks that can be read on Kindle. Baen Ebooks specializes in science fiction and fantasy. Some are free. Amazon has a tremendous selection of fiction and nonfiction written by both traditionally published and indie authors.

Here's a link to Amazon's U.S. Kindle Store: http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-eBooks/...node=154606011. If you haven't already, I suggest you take a look at several ebook product pages there. You can purchase the ebooks from your Kindle device or a computer/tablet. If you purchase with a computer/tablet, you simply instruct Amazon which device to send the ebook to at the time of purchase. The book will arrive on your Kindle within seconds via wifi (or 3G if you have that model).

montalex · 07-12-2013, 09:18 PM

One thing I have really enjoyed about my Kindle is being able to download for free the first chapter of a book that interests me. Also, I have returned books that I have purchased on line for credit within 24 hours with no problems. Amazon customer service is very, very good.

It is also very easy to return a damaged or defective Kindle. Usually customer service will have a replacement at your door within a day, with a prepaid return label for your defective device.

Mike L · 07-13-2013, 04:36 AM

Another thing you need to be aware of is geographic restrictions.

If you live in the US, your Kindle will be registered with the Kindle store at Amazon.com. In that case, you will be able to buy any book on offer from Amazon.com. Similarly, if you live in the UK, you will be able to buy any Kindle book from Amazon.co.uk.

But if you live in, say, Australia, and you want to buy from Amazon.com, many books will be unavailable to you because of restrictions placed by the publisher. Similarly, a customer in the UK can't buy certain books from Amazon.com; and a US customer can't buy certain titles from the UK.

The above is also true, to a certain extent, of third-party vendors. (It's the publisher, not the retailer, that imposes the restrictions.)

Most of the time, it's not a big problem. If the country where you live has its own Amazon site, with its own Kindle store, you will be able to buy any title from that store. But it's something that many users need to keep in mind.

Mike

07-12-2013, 02:01 PM	#1
ClientAlive uber newb Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2013 Device: PC - Linux (Ubuntu 12.04 Desktop - 64 bit)	I have some questions before I buy a Kindle Sorry if this has been posted before. I did do some googling but have been finding it difficult to find the info I need. I've been thinking about purchasing a Kindle but I have some questions about how purchasing ebooks works. I'll just list them below and if anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. 1) What kind of information is avail. for the ebook before I buy it? Does it show how many pages or how many words? Are there some that don't even if others usually do? 2) I like to read small reports that I buy off the internet sometimes (10 or 20 page reports but sometimes even smaller). Is anything like that available for Kindle? 3) How much do ebooks normally cost? 4) What kind of ebooks can I use with Kindle? Thanks in advance for any help.

07-12-2013, 09:18 PM	#5
montalex Fanatic Posts: 556 Karma: 1283268 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: KindleDX,Kindle 4, Kindle Keyboard 3G	One thing I have really enjoyed about my Kindle is being able to download for free the first chapter of a book that interests me. Also, I have returned books that I have purchased on line for credit within 24 hours with no problems. Amazon customer service is very, very good. It is also very easy to return a damaged or defective Kindle. Usually customer service will have a replacement at your door within a day, with a prepaid return label for your defective device. Last edited by montalex; 07-12-2013 at 09:20 PM.

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07-12-2013, 02:47 PM	#2
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	The book description lists the length of the book in kilobytes or megabytes, and usually the number of print pages, too. Just look in the Kindle store, and you'll see what information is available. Some books that are ebook only don't have a number of print pages. You'll soon get used to how many k bytes is the length of book that you want. 350+ is usually a normal-sized book. 450 or more is a longer book, usually. It can vary somewhat, though, if there are a lot of images in the book. You can read pdf files on the Kindle, if that is what you are talking about. Usually pdf files don't work all that well, though. Although it tends to work better in landscape mode, rather than portrait mode. You can convert pdf documents through the Kindle email service. This is all fully documented in the User's Guide, and on the Kindle Support pages. Ebooks can cost anywhere from free to 14.99, on average. There are a few books, often technical ones, that are more expensive. I buy a lot of books that are around $7.99 or $8.99. Again, just look in the Kindle store for some books that you might be interested in reading. You can use .mobi or .prc formatted books with Kindle, or the format that Amazon sends, which is .azw, which is a variant of .mobi with DRM, usually.

07-12-2013, 03:06 PM	#3
just_jeepin Addict Posts: 297 Karma: 1010848 Join Date: Oct 2005 Device: Kobo Libra 2	What I've always said is if your a pdf or technical book person, you'll probably be better off with a 9" tablet but if you're a novel reader (fiction or non-fiction) you most likely love the Kindle. It's great being able to go outside and read on a lunch break or only have to charge the kindle once a month.

07-12-2013, 07:20 PM	#4
DreamWriter Books are brain food. Posts: 2,950 Karma: 4836916 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: U.S. Device: Paperwhite · Fire HD6/HD8/HD10 · Galaxy Tab A7	You don't mention where you live, ClientAlive, but I thought I'd mention that many U.S. libraries have Kindle ebooks that you can borrow (at no cost). Smashwords has .mobi ebooks that can be read on Kindle. Baen Ebooks specializes in science fiction and fantasy. Some are free. Amazon has a tremendous selection of fiction and nonfiction written by both traditionally published and indie authors. Here's a link to Amazon's U.S. Kindle Store: http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-eBooks/...node=154606011. If you haven't already, I suggest you take a look at several ebook product pages there. You can purchase the ebooks from your Kindle device or a computer/tablet. If you purchase with a computer/tablet, you simply instruct Amazon which device to send the ebook to at the time of purchase. The book will arrive on your Kindle within seconds via wifi (or 3G if you have that model).

07-13-2013, 04:36 AM	#6
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,479 Karma: 3846231 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3, Samsung Galaxy	Another thing you need to be aware of is geographic restrictions. If you live in the US, your Kindle will be registered with the Kindle store at Amazon.com. In that case, you will be able to buy any book on offer from Amazon.com. Similarly, if you live in the UK, you will be able to buy any Kindle book from Amazon.co.uk. But if you live in, say, Australia, and you want to buy from Amazon.com, many books will be unavailable to you because of restrictions placed by the publisher. Similarly, a customer in the UK can't buy certain books from Amazon.com; and a US customer can't buy certain titles from the UK. The above is also true, to a certain extent, of third-party vendors. (It's the publisher, not the retailer, that imposes the restrictions.) Most of the time, it's not a big problem. If the country where you live has its own Amazon site, with its own Kindle store, you will be able to buy any title from that store. But it's something that many users need to keep in mind. Mike