Can't afford iPhone e-books, should I get a Kindle2?

Hantra · 02-22-2009, 11:41 PM

I was going to try reading on my iPhone, but any decent book I want to read costs more than the freaking hardcover version

.

So if I get the Kindle2, I can read books for a reasonable price. Anyone see any reason not to pull the trigger on the Kindle2? Is there some sweeping development coming about anytime soon from these idiots charging $30 for an e-book?

Thanks!

desertgrandma · 02-22-2009, 11:51 PM

Welcome to Mobileread, Hantra.

With the Kindle at least you have 30 days to return it for full refund, minus shipping.

Don't forget about all the free books available here, and other places.

I don't think anyone knows of any 'sweeping changes' coming soon......

RWood · 02-23-2009, 12:09 AM

Welcome to MobileRead

Hantra

The most sweeping change I know about is the recently released Kindle2 by Amazon.

I have read books on an LCD screen (both high and low quality) and I feel that the e-ink used on the Kindle and the Sony (along with a bunch of other readers) is a superior reading experience to the reading experience on an LCD screen. That said, e-ink screens are not back lit so you will need an external light to use the Kindle.

As you have already pointed out, current mass market Kindle books cost less than the same book for the iPhone. Plus, if you like classics, we have a lot of them available for free in the MR download section.

For me, buying a dedicated reader was a great decision. I've had mine for over two years and still enjoy it every day.

Please keep us informed about your choice and how you are enjoying the reader.

wallcraft · 02-23-2009, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hantra

Is there some sweeping development coming about anytime soon from these idiots charging $30 for an e-book?

Amazon says they will be opening up the Kindle store to some kinds of smart phones. This will presumably include the iPhone. We have no details yet (and no start date), but if you are otherwise happy with reading ebooks from your iPhone this might be a reason to wait.

Hantra · 02-23-2009, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallcraft

Amazon says they will be opening up the Kindle store to . . .iPhone. . . .if you are otherwise happy with reading ebooks from your iPhone this might be a reason to wait.

Hard to say. I haven't been able to take the stomach punch for $30 to try a book out, since that's nearly 10% of a Kindle 2. I'm used to reading on my Dell Axim with Speed Reader Plus. I'm looking to graduate from that b/c there is not much non-DRM'd content out there that I can import to txt or HTML.

Plus I need to do some technical reading, and I'm not sure any books can be imported to iPhone with pictures and diagrams.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

sigma8 · 02-23-2009, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hantra

Hard to say. I haven't been able to take the stomach punch for $30 to try a book out, since that's nearly 10% of a Kindle 2. I'm used to reading on my Dell Axim with Speed Reader Plus. I'm looking to graduate from that b/c there is not much non-DRM'd content out there that I can import to txt or HTML.

Plus I need to do some technical reading, and I'm not sure any books can be imported to iPhone with pictures and diagrams.

Any thoughts?

If your concern is the viability of the iPhone as a reading device, you might want to check out Stanza from the App Store. There are a lot of free books available through it. Probably none are what you want, but they might help you evaluate how an iPhone would be as a reader, in the event that Amazon opens its eBook store to it.

As far as putting tech documents on the iPhone is concerned, I don't know. I tried putting a complex subway map on the iPhone once. I decided to just stick the map in iPhoto and sync it as a photo, but the pictures all sync across with reduced resolution and I wasn't able to read any of the text on my map. If you go to a web URL with a very high-resolution photo, it will load the entire photo, and you can pinch-zoom it to your heart's content, but I don't know how to get this kind of functionality with files transferred to the phone via USB.

Hantra · 02-26-2009, 06:07 PM

Got a Kindle 2 today. It's charging now. I hope it lives up to the hype!

Thanks for the input!

02-22-2009, 11:41 PM	#1
Hantra Enthusiast Posts: 27 Karma: 18 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kindle 3	Can't afford iPhone e-books, should I get a Kindle2? I was going to try reading on my iPhone, but any decent book I want to read costs more than the freaking hardcover version. So if I get the Kindle2, I can read books for a reasonable price. Anyone see any reason not to pull the trigger on the Kindle2? Is there some sweeping development coming about anytime soon from these idiots charging $30 for an e-book? Thanks!

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02-22-2009, 11:51 PM	#2
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462841 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	Welcome to Mobileread, Hantra. With the Kindle at least you have 30 days to return it for full refund, minus shipping. Don't forget about all the free books available here, and other places. I don't think anyone knows of any 'sweeping changes' coming soon......

02-23-2009, 12:09 AM	#3
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,233 Karma: 1601464 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	Welcome to MobileRead Hantra The most sweeping change I know about is the recently released Kindle2 by Amazon. I have read books on an LCD screen (both high and low quality) and I feel that the e-ink used on the Kindle and the Sony (along with a bunch of other readers) is a superior reading experience to the reading experience on an LCD screen. That said, e-ink screens are not back lit so you will need an external light to use the Kindle. As you have already pointed out, current mass market Kindle books cost less than the same book for the iPhone. Plus, if you like classics, we have a lot of them available for free in the MR download section. For me, buying a dedicated reader was a great decision. I've had mine for over two years and still enjoy it every day. Please keep us informed about your choice and how you are enjoying the reader.

02-26-2009, 06:07 PM	#7
Hantra Enthusiast Posts: 27 Karma: 18 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kindle 3	Got a Kindle 2 today. It's charging now. I hope it lives up to the hype! Thanks for the input!