Gave my mom a Kindle for Christmas

[Boston]

I bought a Kindle for my non-tech mom for Christmas.

First hurdle was passed when she didn't balk at the concept. She immediately opened the box and had me sit with her to get started.

Things stalled a bit when the first book I picked for her (Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society) wasn't something she could get in to.

She was more familiar with Sue Grafton, so we downloaded "T is for Trespass" which she proceeded to read and then asked to select another book. So looking through my purchases on Content Manager, we selected "Three Cups of Tea". She was still reading it when I left.

When I got home, I pushed more books to her Kindle and sent her an email to let her know...A week later, I look and she still hadn't downloaded them

Today, I asked why she hadn't turned the Kindle on and she said "I wanted something quick and easy to read, so I went to the bookstore and bought some books"

So we went through her purchases and found that all of them were cheaper on the Kindle She named another book she wanted and was surprised that I bought it and sent it to her Kindle all while we were talking.

So, my guess is that she won't ever buy books herself from Amazon but as long as she can tell me what books she wants, I'll buy them and push for her.

Pros for Mom:
1) She loves that she can read without glasses for the first time in decades
2) She reads a lot of fluff novels but skips the long descriptive parts..she says its easier to skim on the Kindle
3) WHISPERNET (if she had to hook it up to the computer, she'd never use it)
4) We can share books easier than ever before

Things that would make it easier for her:
1) She wishes that the description found on the back of the book was there when she opens it up so she can see if its one she feels like reading at the moment
2) She still hasn't grasped the separate Content Manager and wishes she could remove books from her home page.
3) She still hasn't grasped sleep mode and often loses her place when putting it down. I think it would be simpler to just have the on/off button on the front for her (myself, I would prefer it over sleep mode because its a one handed operation and thus easier to use).
4) She finds all the keys and functions and the manual confused her more. Truthfully, she won't use most of the features. I may write her a Kindle Basics 101.
5) She is afraid of taking it with her outside of the home and losing it.

So while this isn't another "I love my Kindle" story yet, it still has the potential to be. I figured there was a 50/50 chance of it going back to Amazon when I bought it. (She is definitely not the type to use something if she's not interested.) She's intrigued enough that she hasn't suggested returning it and is still plugging along. Hopefully, with practice, using it will become second nature to her.

[Elsi]

One thing you could do is create a simple text file with the book descriptions (the stuff on the back cover or the fly leaf) and load it on her Kindle. She can then open the text file, scan it to find a book she wants to read, and then open that book from the main menu.

I share my Amazon account with my sister and her daughter -- all three of us reading many of the same books. I offered a Kindle to my own daughter, but she thinks she won't like it. I'm going to have to load several books of the type she like to read and just leave the Kindle with her for a couple of weeks to see if she'll try it.

[Seabound]

Thanks for sharing your story, Boston--I love it. I'm betting your Mom lets the Kindle stay.

[desertgrandma]

Hooray for your mom. I know how you were worried when you first did this. I am so glad she is enjoying this.

What a good son you are!!!

[Boston]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

What a good son you are!!!

Not sure about being a good son nut I'm sometimes an okay daughter

Elsi - good tip on the text file. I may have to email it to her Kindle as she's almost 500 miles away (now I just need to figure out how to do that ).

Seabound - I think she'll let it stay. She knows they aren't cheap and would have said something if she didn't like it. She just isn't addicted yet

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by Boston

Not sure about being a good son nut I'm sometimes an okay daughter

so sorry about that...

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Boston

So while this isn't another "I love my Kindle" story yet, it still has the potential to be. I figured there was a 50/50 chance of it going back to Amazon when I bought it. (She is definitely not the type to use something if she's not interested.) She's intrigued enough that she hasn't suggested returning it and is still plugging along. Hopefully, with practice, using it will become second nature to her.

Interesting. One question and one comment.

1. How old is your mom?

2. BTW: Many of the comments your mom has made about summaries and stuff I have seen others say too. So, she seems a pretty typical user already.

BTW: Don't teach her how to use the store... your credit card will be hurting.

BOb

[Boston]

My mom is 73

She hates shopping on-line (but you should see the number of catalogs she gets in the mail each day ) so she had little interest in seeing how to access the store on the Kindle or the computer. I did teach her how to search for a book from using the store feature on the Kindle...but doubt she even tried to remember that part.

Didn't you buy a Kindle for your mom pilotbob? If so, is she enjoying it?

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Boston

Didn't you buy a Kindle for your mom pilotbob? If so, is she enjoying it?

I was planning on it. But, none of my siblings wanted to chip in, and paying for the whole thing myself was a bit much. Also, my sister basically asked her if she wanted one and she said no. So, sis didn't want to chip in.

BOb

[Boston]

That a bummer that it didn't work out.

Has your mom seen you using your Kindle? I tried to tell my mom about the Kindle over the phone and she couldn't picture it and expressed zero interest. So I let me mom watching me read mine for a day before telling her that I got one for her as well. So I think her mind was more open to it.

(Why the curiosity on my mom's age?)

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Boston

(Why the curiosity on my mom's age?)

Just a theory about peoples age and tech. I had a feeling she would be over 70. Just wanted to see. People of that generation didn't grow up with tech.. and are very intimidated with it. They also think anything they will do will break it.

BOb

[Elsi]

Originally Posted by Boston

(Why the curiosity on my mom's age?)

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Just a theory about peoples age and tech. I had a feeling she would be over 70. Just wanted to see. People of that generation didn't grow up with tech.. and are very intimidated with it. They also think anything they will do will break it.

I agree. My Mother-in-law won't use the computer. Dad is quite comfortable with the computer, even has DSL for high-speed access, but he won't leave his computer on when he's not using it. Mom is an excellent typist, but she wants a typewriter for her birthday to type out her memoirs instead of using the computer. Mom & Dad are in their early 80s.

Mom is a voracious reader, but she can't see any reason for me to have the Kindle when paperbacks are so cheap.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Elsi

Mom is an excellent typist, but she wants a typewriter for her birthday to type out her memoirs instead of using the computer.

Ug... you've go to be kidding. Do people still use typewriters?

BOb

[Boston]

My mom spends hours on the computer....sending/receiving jokes by email (No kidding...that's all she does, I told her that if she ever sends something important, she better write PLEASE READ in the subject).

She does own and loves her GPS. She also carries a cell and will use it to make calls but has no idea how to pick up her messages

I just got off the phone with her...she wants to keep her Kindle

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Boston

I just got off the phone with her...she wants to keep her Kindle

Good to hear. I hope that means she won't be buying pbooks any more.

BOb