Quote:
Originally Posted by Sweetpea
I'm not sure I'd ever use that if it was in a reader I use. I just like to carry around my entire library, not download it from somewhere. I'd probably be able to create something like that for my PDA, but don't feel the need for it.
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When the Kindle 1 first came out, I bought mostly because of the features (dictionary, search, annotation) and the impressive offering of books in the store. My reaction to the whole Whispernet thing was a resounding "meh". Wikipedia and Web search was cool but e-ink is pretty slow so I figured I wouldn't use the Web much. I'm perfectly capable of transferring books via USB so I figured I probably wouldn't bother much with the wireless delivery unless I was out and I do most of my reading at home.
What made me come to see it as totally freaking brilliant is the way it works in concert with the free samples: Just-in-time book buying. I don't buy books until I've finished the rather generous sample and have decided it is what I want to read
right now. I used to buy books ahead of time in fives and tens to hold me over. I'd buy things that had been recommended. I'd listen to authors on NPR and enjoy the interview so I'd buy the book (hardcover usually). Sometimes I'd find an author I liked and buy everything they'd ever written. This resulted in me buying a lot of books I read the first ten pages of and didn't enjoy enough to finish and a lot of books I never even opened because my attention had moved elsewhere. The only Kindle books I haven't finished are the ones I'm reading right now. I've read a lot of samples and
NOT bought the book. The ability to download tons of samples and read them at your leisure on your device rather than the computer, then have the book within a minute of finishing the sample has totally changed the way I buy books.