Modding My Kindle

DiggerG · 10-27-2009, 11:06 PM

Well, wonder of wonders. I was just given a new Kindle (Wireless) for my birthday!!I have been dithering for weeks about which reader to buy and now having played with the Kindle for several hours, it just may be a keeper.

My main reasons to keep it (in addition to it being a really thoughtful and serendipitous gift) is that the Amazon store is the largest source of ebooks that I read and it is really easy to subscribe to newspapers and magazines - something I very definitely want to do.

What I didn't like about it was the keyboard which I thought would get in the way and interrupt the flow of the reading experience - as well as being hard to use. None of this seems to be true in practice. Other negatives are lack of a replaceable battery and being locked into the Amazon ecosphere. Re the battery, I feel that by the time it becomes unchargable, I will be wanting the then newest wizbang ereader made by whomever, and the lockin, well, I'll just have to live with it.

But I'm really excited by this gift. I haven't been excited by a piece of electronics in quite a while. Of course, now I have to trick it out. I was thinking of a nice black skin from Decalgirl and a good cover to start with. I am looking hard at the M-edge Prodigy or the one from TrendyDigital (either one in red). That way I will have The Red and The Black...catchy.

I would love to hear opinions on these case picks and for any other cool mods. Meanwhile, I am going to buy some ebooks.

kindlekitten · 10-28-2009, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiggerG

I would love to hear opinions on these case picks and for any other cool mods. Meanwhile, I am going to buy some ebooks.

congrats and welcome!

if you look up in the Kindle accesories section you will find many conversations about covers, skins, lights, bags and even knitted socks!

DiggerG · 10-28-2009, 07:04 PM

Anyone have first hand experience of this case:

http://www.noreve.com/brand/Amazon/p...Tradition.html

http://www.noreve.com/brand/Amazon/p...Tradition.html

It looks slick, but does it hold the Kindle securely?

DiggerG · 10-28-2009, 07:05 PM

Sorry, I meant to post this one second.

http://justanothermobilemonday.com/W...azon-kindle-2/

fugazied · 10-28-2009, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiggerG

Sorry, I meant to post this one second.

http://justanothermobilemonday.com/W...azon-kindle-2/

I haven't gotten my hands on one but all reviews I have read have seemed favorable.

I like padded cases like that, because the kindle is relatively like it only needs that kind of covering to protect it from most common drops. A good purchase imo.

DiggerG · 10-29-2009, 10:04 AM

I've ordered the black skin from Decalgirl. I want to see how much thicker it makes the Kindle before I order the case. I'm a little afraid that the Noreve case may have such a snug fit, that it won't allow for the skin. We'll see.

murkmurk · 10-29-2009, 11:28 AM

I love the way the black skin looks

kindlekitten · 10-29-2009, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiggerG

I've ordered the black skin from Decalgirl. I want to see how much thicker it makes the Kindle before I order the case. I'm a little afraid that the Noreve case may have such a snug fit, that it won't allow for the skin. We'll see.

it doesn't add any bulk at all!

DiggerG · 10-29-2009, 02:05 PM

Well, I'm afraid parsimony and impatience have trumped elegance. I just ordered the M-Edge Go (in red) and hope to have it overnighted. I am quite concerned about my nice new Kindle getting knocked around.
Also, Decalgirl has emailed me that my order is on its way, so I should have all this assembled during the weekend. Then I shall try to take some pics and post them here.

kindlekitten · 10-29-2009, 03:56 PM

the Kindle in my avvy has a DecalGirl skin and it travels in a red Medge. I think you will be very pleased. my other Kindle travels in an Oberon

DiggerG · 10-29-2009, 11:33 PM

You have great taste KK

kindlekitten · 10-30-2009, 01:31 AM

thanks!

Alisa · 11-01-2009, 01:02 AM

I wouldn't worry too much about being locked into the Kindle ecosphere if you're willing to strip DRM. The vast majority of the books at Amazon are .azw which is Mobipocket DRM. They can be stripped of DRM so you can archive them. That way if you eventually get another device, you can still read them. Topaz format books (.tpz) can't be stripped but luckily there aren't many of them. I can't give the best description of the format. Other folks here can. Essentially it's a scan of a book. There's been some amount of OCR because it's searchable and dictionary lookup works. It's a quick way to get back catalog books into digital form with little effort.

By the same token, most other ebook formats can be stripped of DRM and converted so if you decide you want to buy elsewhere, you can. Sony's .lrx can't but that's going away. They, like many others, are moving to ePub with Adobe DRM which is strippable.

As for modding, you may also want to look for the thread in this forum on screensavers for Kindle 2. You can load your own images if you want.

DiggerG · 11-01-2009, 11:26 AM

OK, as promised, here are some pics of before and after. I love the M-Edge cover. It is just what I wanted, and I'm glad I didn't go for the one with the strap.

As for the decal, I found it fairly difficult to apply. It was hard to line up the holes for the keys and also very fiddly to get the key decals lined up properly. I have also noticed that iStyles sells skins that seem to overlap the edges better than my Decalgirl one. I rate myself a B or maybe B+ on application skills and I am not convinced yet as to whether I will keep the skin.

DiggerG · 11-01-2009, 11:38 AM

Here are the pics (I hope)!

10-27-2009, 11:06 PM	#1
DiggerG Member Posts: 18 Karma: 21 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: South Florida, USA Device: Kindle (world)	Modding My Kindle Well, wonder of wonders. I was just given a new Kindle (Wireless) for my birthday!!I have been dithering for weeks about which reader to buy and now having played with the Kindle for several hours, it just may be a keeper. My main reasons to keep it (in addition to it being a really thoughtful and serendipitous gift) is that the Amazon store is the largest source of ebooks that I read and it is really easy to subscribe to newspapers and magazines - something I very definitely want to do. What I didn't like about it was the keyboard which I thought would get in the way and interrupt the flow of the reading experience - as well as being hard to use. None of this seems to be true in practice. Other negatives are lack of a replaceable battery and being locked into the Amazon ecosphere. Re the battery, I feel that by the time it becomes unchargable, I will be wanting the then newest wizbang ereader made by whomever, and the lockin, well, I'll just have to live with it. But I'm really excited by this gift. I haven't been excited by a piece of electronics in quite a while. Of course, now I have to trick it out. I was thinking of a nice black skin from Decalgirl and a good cover to start with. I am looking hard at the M-edge Prodigy or the one from TrendyDigital (either one in red). That way I will have The Red and The Black...catchy. I would love to hear opinions on these case picks and for any other cool mods. Meanwhile, I am going to buy some ebooks.

10-29-2009, 11:28 AM	#7
murkmurk Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: kindle	I love the way the black skin looks Last edited by NatCh; 10-29-2009 at 11:31 AM.

11-01-2009, 11:38 AM	#15
DiggerG Member Posts: 18 Karma: 21 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: South Florida, USA Device: Kindle (world)	Here are the pics (I hope)! Attached Thumbnails

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10-28-2009, 07:04 PM	#3
DiggerG Member Posts: 18 Karma: 21 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: South Florida, USA Device: Kindle (world)	Anyone have first hand experience of this case: http://www.noreve.com/brand/Amazon/p...Tradition.html http://www.noreve.com/brand/Amazon/p...Tradition.html It looks slick, but does it hold the Kindle securely?

10-28-2009, 07:05 PM	#4
DiggerG Member Posts: 18 Karma: 21 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: South Florida, USA Device: Kindle (world)	Sorry, I meant to post this one second. http://justanothermobilemonday.com/W...azon-kindle-2/

10-29-2009, 10:04 AM	#6
DiggerG Member Posts: 18 Karma: 21 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: South Florida, USA Device: Kindle (world)	I've ordered the black skin from Decalgirl. I want to see how much thicker it makes the Kindle before I order the case. I'm a little afraid that the Noreve case may have such a snug fit, that it won't allow for the skin. We'll see.

10-29-2009, 02:05 PM	#9
DiggerG Member Posts: 18 Karma: 21 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: South Florida, USA Device: Kindle (world)	Well, I'm afraid parsimony and impatience have trumped elegance. I just ordered the M-Edge Go (in red) and hope to have it overnighted. I am quite concerned about my nice new Kindle getting knocked around. Also, Decalgirl has emailed me that my order is on its way, so I should have all this assembled during the weekend. Then I shall try to take some pics and post them here.

10-29-2009, 03:56 PM	#10
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	the Kindle in my avvy has a DecalGirl skin and it travels in a red Medge. I think you will be very pleased. my other Kindle travels in an Oberon

10-29-2009, 11:33 PM	#11
DiggerG Member Posts: 18 Karma: 21 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: South Florida, USA Device: Kindle (world)	You have great taste KK

10-30-2009, 01:31 AM	#12
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	thanks!

11-01-2009, 01:02 AM	#13
Alisa Gadget Geek Posts: 2,324 Karma: 22221 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Paperwhite, Kindle 3 (retired), Skindle 1.2 (retired)	I wouldn't worry too much about being locked into the Kindle ecosphere if you're willing to strip DRM. The vast majority of the books at Amazon are .azw which is Mobipocket DRM. They can be stripped of DRM so you can archive them. That way if you eventually get another device, you can still read them. Topaz format books (.tpz) can't be stripped but luckily there aren't many of them. I can't give the best description of the format. Other folks here can. Essentially it's a scan of a book. There's been some amount of OCR because it's searchable and dictionary lookup works. It's a quick way to get back catalog books into digital form with little effort. By the same token, most other ebook formats can be stripped of DRM and converted so if you decide you want to buy elsewhere, you can. Sony's .lrx can't but that's going away. They, like many others, are moving to ePub with Adobe DRM which is strippable. As for modding, you may also want to look for the thread in this forum on screensavers for Kindle 2. You can load your own images if you want.

11-01-2009, 11:26 AM	#14
DiggerG Member Posts: 18 Karma: 21 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: South Florida, USA Device: Kindle (world)	OK, as promised, here are some pics of before and after. I love the M-Edge cover. It is just what I wanted, and I'm glad I didn't go for the one with the strap. As for the decal, I found it fairly difficult to apply. It was hard to line up the holes for the keys and also very fiddly to get the key decals lined up properly. I have also noticed that iStyles sells skins that seem to overlap the edges better than my Decalgirl one. I rate myself a B or maybe B+ on application skills and I am not convinced yet as to whether I will keep the skin.

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