A few kindle questions - Page 2

grownupboy · 01-05-2010, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Does it fit the K2 with a cover?

hi jon,

no it doesn't fit with a cover. i like using my kindle 2 nekkid so i never worry about the cover. this sleeve is great for tossing the kindle in my bag and heading out in the world without worrying about scratching the screen or getting the kindle all scuffed up.

karl

fugazied · 01-05-2010, 04:32 PM

If you travel frequently and take it with you, a hardy case might be a good idea.

Some of the cases available are also very very sexy to look at and add some bling to your kindle !

Americanchild · 01-07-2010, 05:10 PM

I am a new Kindle owner and loaded a seriesof non-drm murder mystey on to my Kindle, I have since purchased other books via Whisper net. Amazon is obviously collecting data from what is on my kindle because the next time I went to the Amazon kindle store on my computer their recommendations for me were the reaming books in the mystery series I had put on my Kindle.

I find this very interesting, as long as they only due it for target marketing I am fine with this. However, in the future I may be include to change the title and remove the meta date when I send a book to my Kindle.

Anyone else had this issue?

daffy4u · 01-07-2010, 05:17 PM

You find the same if you buy a paper book or any item from Amazon. They try to tailor the shopping experience to your tastes. Even your grocery store does this if you use their membership cards. They give you coupons based on your purchasing patterns.

Mike L · 01-08-2010, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Americanchild

Amazon is obviously collecting data from what is on my kindle because the next time I went to the Amazon kindle store on my computer their recommendations for me were the reaming books in the mystery series I had put on my Kindle.

Personally, I find this a good feature. The recommendations are useful, and have occasionally helped me discover interersting titles I might not otherwise have known about.

And, by the way, it has nothing to do with collecting data from your Kindle. As Daffy4U correctly points out, it is the same system they use when you purchase paper books, or any other products. Changing meta data won't make any difference

JSWolf · 01-08-2010, 09:20 AM

Holding any glass based eink reader without a cover is taking a risk that if it hits the floor, it will shatter. So please, don't use your readers without a proper cover. Granted, even with a cover, it can still break, but at least the chances of it breaking are less.

JSWolf · 01-08-2010, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grownupboy

hi jon,

no it doesn't fit with a cover. i like using my kindle 2 nekkid so i never worry about the cover. this sleeve is great for tossing the kindle in my bag and heading out in the world without worrying about scratching the screen or getting the kindle all scuffed up.

karl

If you want to use the sleeve, you risk your reader. get a proper cover and be safe.

ficbot · 01-08-2010, 11:36 PM

Okay, a few more things

1) Can I sync non-Amazon content to the iPod Touch app if I have an iPod Touch and a Kindle? In other words, if I load something from here onto the Kindle via USB, will it show up in the iPod Touch when that connects to the server?

2) Am I correct in my conclusion that the 'whispersync' means that if I read in the iPod Touch (for example while the Kindle is charging) and then go back to the Kindle later, the book will jump ahead to where I was on the iPod Touch?

3) Does the link at Manybooks to set up the Kindle to download wirelessly from there work in Canada or non-US, or is my only option if I don't want to buy Amazon content going to be downloading to PC and transferring via Calibre?

4) ANY options or hacks to group, organize or filter the books on the Kindle? Or must you scroll through every screen of books to find the one you want?

5) If I want to install a non-Englush dictionary (I am prepared to buy this) and use it with the dictionary look-up, how easy is this? Tutorial anywhere?

6) I have seen some cute gelskins. Is this enough? Or should I really be investing in a more 'proper' cover for it? I like the gelskin because it will look nice when I read it plain, and when I travel I have more sturdy things I can put it in.

I appreciate the help. I am very close to caving on this. I have plans to check out an EZ Pro in person this weekend but the TTS is very important to me and may be worth paying more for a Kindle.

Mike L · 01-09-2010, 05:19 AM

Ficbot,

I'll have a shot at some of your questions, but keep in mind that I'm not the most expert Kindle user around here. If anyone contradicts any of my answers, believe them, not me.

1) Can I sync non-Amazon content to the iPod Touch app if I have an iPod Touch and a Kindle?

Don't think so. The Touch has no way of knowing what's on your Kindle. It only knows what you've purchased from Amazon.

2) Am I correct in my conclusion that the 'whispersync' means that if I read in the iPod Touch (for example while the Kindle is charging) and then go back to the Kindle later, the book will jump ahead to where I was on the iPod Touch?

That's my understanding, but you need to have Whispernet access to do that.

3) Does the link at Manybooks to set up the Kindle to download wirelessly from there work in Canada or non-US, or is my only option if I don't want to buy Amazon content going to be downloading to PC and transferring via Calibre?

Can't answer the first part. But, in general, you don't need to use Calibre to transfer to Kindle from PC. You simply need the books to be in Mobi format. Many titles are available in that format (including many from this forum), or you can use the Mobi Pocket PC application to convert them. (But that doesn't mean you shouldn't insall Calibre anyway, which is a very useful tool in its own right.)

4) ANY options or hacks to group, organize or filter the books on the Kindle? Or must you scroll through every screen of books to find the one you want?

There is no system for organising books into folders or categories (although Amazon have promised this for a future software update). The best you can do is to sort the books by title, author or most recently read (the last option requires Whispernet). Or you can search for a given title (including searching for comments that you have added).

5) If I want to install a non-Englush dictionary (I am prepared to buy this) and use it with the dictionary look-up, how easy is this? Tutorial anywhere?

Pass.

6) I have seen some cute gelskins. Is this enough? Or should I really be investing in a more 'proper' cover for it? I like the gelskin because it will look nice when I read it plain, and when I travel I have more sturdy things I can put it in.

It's really a matter of personal preference. Personally, I don't use a cover or case or skin of any kind. If there's any risk of my Kindle getting wet, I put it in a transparent Ziploc bag. On the other hand, I guess it would make sense to get a good-quality protective case. I might do that myself soon. But in any case, you don't have to decide now. You can always buy the Kindle first and think about the protection later.

Let us know what you decide.

Ea · 01-09-2010, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Americanchild

I am a new Kindle owner and loaded a seriesof non-drm murder mystey on to my Kindle, I have since purchased other books via Whisper net. Amazon is obviously collecting data from what is on my kindle because the next time I went to the Amazon kindle store on my computer their recommendations for me were the reaming books in the mystery series I had put on my Kindle.

I find this very interesting, as long as they only due it for target marketing I am fine with this. However, in the future I may be include to change the title and remove the meta date when I send a book to my Kindle.

Anyone else had this issue?

Have you browsed this series on Amazon previously? They collect browsing data as well as buying data, so it might not necessarily mean they got the data from your Kindle.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ficbot

5) If I want to install a non-Englush dictionary (I am prepared to buy this) and use it with the dictionary look-up, how easy is this? Tutorial anywhere?

You can only use one dictionary at a time with the Kindle - i.e. you have to set the default dictionary. You can have several loaded on it of course, but only the default can be used for instant, inter-page lookup. It's quite easy to change and the procedure is described in the manual.

Amazon sells 'Kindle Default Dictionaries' which should work, and you can get a French-English default dictionary.

There have been issues with some translation dictionaries; it appears that the input language must be English. If the dictionary is without DRM, that can fixed by manually changing the input language code to English. I did it for a german-english dictionary - see here, read post 28 and onward. As long as Kindle can find the word in the dictionary, it works fine.

ficbot · 01-09-2010, 10:28 AM

Mike L, thanks so much for your help. I forgot about the search feature---that does make the lack of organization a bit less pressing of an issue. And if it can be added later bia software update, that's great. As for Calibre, I guess I thought the advantage would be that I could make sure the books all have correct author, title and info before they get sent to the Kindle...

Mike L · 01-10-2010, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ficbot

Mike L, thanks so much for your help.

You're welcome.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ficbot

As for Calibre, I guess I thought the advantage would be that I could make sure the books all have correct author, title and info before they get sent to the Kindle...

With Mobi books, all the correct metadata should already be present. But if you are converting books from elsewhere, then you're right that Calibre is a good way of adding them.

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01-05-2010, 04:32 PM	#17
fugazied Wizard Posts: 1,305 Karma: 1958 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: iPod Touch	If you travel frequently and take it with you, a hardy case might be a good idea. Some of the cases available are also very very sexy to look at and add some bling to your kindle !

01-07-2010, 05:10 PM	#18
Americanchild Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 150 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Kindle 2	I am a new Kindle owner and loaded a seriesof non-drm murder mystey on to my Kindle, I have since purchased other books via Whisper net. Amazon is obviously collecting data from what is on my kindle because the next time I went to the Amazon kindle store on my computer their recommendations for me were the reaming books in the mystery series I had put on my Kindle. I find this very interesting, as long as they only due it for target marketing I am fine with this. However, in the future I may be include to change the title and remove the meta date when I send a book to my Kindle. Anyone else had this issue?

01-07-2010, 05:17 PM	#19
daffy4u I'm Super Kindle-icious Posts: 6,734 Karma: 2434103 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Long Drive, Calinadia Candafornia Device: KDXG, KT, Oasis	You find the same if you buy a paper book or any item from Amazon. They try to tailor the shopping experience to your tastes. Even your grocery store does this if you use their membership cards. They give you coupons based on your purchasing patterns.

01-08-2010, 09:20 AM	#21
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,968 Karma: 128903250 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Holding any glass based eink reader without a cover is taking a risk that if it hits the floor, it will shatter. So please, don't use your readers without a proper cover. Granted, even with a cover, it can still break, but at least the chances of it breaking are less.

01-08-2010, 11:36 PM	#23
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	Okay, a few more things 1) Can I sync non-Amazon content to the iPod Touch app if I have an iPod Touch and a Kindle? In other words, if I load something from here onto the Kindle via USB, will it show up in the iPod Touch when that connects to the server? 2) Am I correct in my conclusion that the 'whispersync' means that if I read in the iPod Touch (for example while the Kindle is charging) and then go back to the Kindle later, the book will jump ahead to where I was on the iPod Touch? 3) Does the link at Manybooks to set up the Kindle to download wirelessly from there work in Canada or non-US, or is my only option if I don't want to buy Amazon content going to be downloading to PC and transferring via Calibre? 4) ANY options or hacks to group, organize or filter the books on the Kindle? Or must you scroll through every screen of books to find the one you want? 5) If I want to install a non-Englush dictionary (I am prepared to buy this) and use it with the dictionary look-up, how easy is this? Tutorial anywhere? 6) I have seen some cute gelskins. Is this enough? Or should I really be investing in a more 'proper' cover for it? I like the gelskin because it will look nice when I read it plain, and when I travel I have more sturdy things I can put it in. I appreciate the help. I am very close to caving on this. I have plans to check out an EZ Pro in person this weekend but the TTS is very important to me and may be worth paying more for a Kindle.

01-09-2010, 05:19 AM	#24
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,479 Karma: 3846231 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3, Samsung Galaxy	Ficbot, I'll have a shot at some of your questions, but keep in mind that I'm not the most expert Kindle user around here. If anyone contradicts any of my answers, believe them, not me. 1) Can I sync non-Amazon content to the iPod Touch app if I have an iPod Touch and a Kindle? Don't think so. The Touch has no way of knowing what's on your Kindle. It only knows what you've purchased from Amazon. 2) Am I correct in my conclusion that the 'whispersync' means that if I read in the iPod Touch (for example while the Kindle is charging) and then go back to the Kindle later, the book will jump ahead to where I was on the iPod Touch? That's my understanding, but you need to have Whispernet access to do that. 3) Does the link at Manybooks to set up the Kindle to download wirelessly from there work in Canada or non-US, or is my only option if I don't want to buy Amazon content going to be downloading to PC and transferring via Calibre? Can't answer the first part. But, in general, you don't need to use Calibre to transfer to Kindle from PC. You simply need the books to be in Mobi format. Many titles are available in that format (including many from this forum), or you can use the Mobi Pocket PC application to convert them. (But that doesn't mean you shouldn't insall Calibre anyway, which is a very useful tool in its own right.) 4) ANY options or hacks to group, organize or filter the books on the Kindle? Or must you scroll through every screen of books to find the one you want? There is no system for organising books into folders or categories (although Amazon have promised this for a future software update). The best you can do is to sort the books by title, author or most recently read (the last option requires Whispernet). Or you can search for a given title (including searching for comments that you have added). 5) If I want to install a non-Englush dictionary (I am prepared to buy this) and use it with the dictionary look-up, how easy is this? Tutorial anywhere? Pass. 6) I have seen some cute gelskins. Is this enough? Or should I really be investing in a more 'proper' cover for it? I like the gelskin because it will look nice when I read it plain, and when I travel I have more sturdy things I can put it in. It's really a matter of personal preference. Personally, I don't use a cover or case or skin of any kind. If there's any risk of my Kindle getting wet, I put it in a transparent Ziploc bag. On the other hand, I guess it would make sense to get a good-quality protective case. I might do that myself soon. But in any case, you don't have to decide now. You can always buy the Kindle first and think about the protection later. Let us know what you decide.

01-09-2010, 10:28 AM	#26
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	Mike L, thanks so much for your help. I forgot about the search feature---that does make the lack of organization a bit less pressing of an issue. And if it can be added later bia software update, that's great. As for Calibre, I guess I thought the advantage would be that I could make sure the books all have correct author, title and info before they get sent to the Kindle...