[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by Truth

I think those declaring Amazon's victory are still forgetting something key: the older, nontechnical demographic. Shocking as it may be, there are still many people who actually walk into places commonly called "stores". In these "stores", they buy things, books for example. For the people who still shop in this manner, the Kindle is not the ereader they are likely to choose. Here in Canada, Chapters & Indigo have the Kobo ereader in stores to play with. In the States, B&N will have the same thing. Amazon lacks this presence, and I know that I am not the only person who doesn't want to buy an ereader until playing with one.

On another note, I work at a small college in one of Canada's largest cities, yet ereaders are still barely on most of my (voraciously reading) coworkers' radars. I have shown some of them the Kindle, and while they thought it was neat, they wanted to experience one before making a purchase. At least one of them has since bought a Kobo simply because it was available to touch, hold, and purchase immediately.

If the Kindle isn't on everyone's radar yet, how can the format wars be over?

they are available at Target

Originally Posted by jswinden

Sad but humorous how these people won't listen to what you are trying to tell them. I guess they are so wrapped up in their arguments that they have tunnel vision!

Thanks again!

that's why I occasionally use big red letters

Originally Posted by Graham

Kindlekitten, please don't shout at me. First follow the thread and understand that my comment "Even if it means those publishers' books will only be available to you from a single vendor?" was in reply to jswinden's one about all publishers switching to the Amazon DRM.

That DRM system is currently only available from Amazon, a single vendor.

Yes, we're all perfectly aware that you can buy books in other formats from other vendors for your Kindle, but that's not what we were talking about.

Graham

I am not yelling at you per-se, but there is an ovewhelming perception that books for the Kindle can only be purchased at Amazon, and are not available from libraries. big red letters get peoples attention.

Originally Posted by Maggie Leung

You're mixing the two features. The poster asked about text to speech, which is the robot voice without pauses. Yes, separately, you can buy audiobooks and play them on Kindle, but you can buy audiobooks and play them on many devices, without buying a Kindle. I wouldn't even consider getting a Kindle for audiobook-playing. It holds only a few audiobooks at a time. There's not enough storage. Everybody and his brother owns an MP3 player. If you already have one of those, there's no point considering a Kindle for audiobooks. You might want the text to speech, despite the poor quality, but that's a separate issue. And iPad also has a VoiceOver feature to consider, as the poster is considering an iPad.

no I'm not. that's why I said tha the text to speech function was robotic, but an audiobook download would be the same as a music download. and not everyone and their brother has an MP3.

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Most people are not able or willing to remove DRM and/or format shift. So, for those that want to read library ebooks a Kindle is not an option for the most part.

However, I'll say it a third time... people that buy Kindle's are people that were buying NEW books and never go to a library except perhaps to do research.

BOb

and I will continue to repeat... it is a common FALLACY that library books cannot go on a Kindle. when it is brought up, I will argue it. and for the record I was going to the library right up until I got my Kindle

Originally Posted by JSWolf

So where has she been hiding lately?

she checks in periodically, lurks occasionally. terribly missed but having a blast being a Grandma