MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - What reasons would you give for not buying a Kindle?

Elfwreck · 02-28-2009, 08:30 PM

My reasons for choosing Sony over Kindle:

1) Filetypes: I'm moderately proficient, and very comfortable, at file conversion; I wanted the content I already had to work on my new reader. The Sony works with files I already have; the Kindle does not. (Txt doesn't count.)

2) Control: I like the option of control over my content--want to be able to reformat it if I care to take the time. I can format things how I want them for RTF, or PDF. (I'm damn near worthless with HTML. I should work on that.) Having to format a file and sent it to someone else for conversion was a step I didn't want.

3) Free books more important than paid, for me: I care that it's easy to get stuff from manybooks & feedbooks; I don't care that I have less purchasing options. I am happy to purchase from Baen & Fictionwise (which would need an extra transfer stage for the K), but the differences between various DRM-infected stores don't matter to me; I'm not buying from them.

4) Politics: I don't like Amazon's monopolistic attempts, don't like their inability to stick to a story about DRM, don't like their POD policy. Don't want to support Amazon's efforts to be the only book resource on the planet.

5) Memory Card: while this wasn't relevant when I got my Sony, it is now--I like the ability to store books (and miscellaneous, not usable by the Reader) on memory cards.

6) Whispernet is irrelevant to me.

There are other factors that could be relevant, some of which have been mentioned; I'm not sure any of them were important to me. I'm annoyed at the lack of folders, but I can't say I use the Collections feature--I usually just plug the Reader into my computer and drag-and-drop files into it.

One of my common uses for the Reader is:
* Go to blog during lunch hour
* Copy-paste content, with comments, into Word
* Click on links in blog entry. Add those, if interesting, to file
* Format to ~3.5x4.8 pages; convert to PDF (because PDF has smaller filesize than RTF)
* Bookmark PDF for main blog entry, other entries, comments that caught my eye on first glance, etc.
* Throw PDF onto Reader for reading during evening transit.

Can't do that with the Kindle. At least, not quick-and-easy on my lunch hour.

Why I didn't get an iLiad instead:
1) It costs too much (Meaning, "more than I can afford," rather than "more than it's worth.")
2) Larger screen--I switched from a PDA and would've liked a screen about 2/3 the size of the Sony Reader's.

02-28-2009, 08:30 PM	#34
Elfwreck Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,187 Karma: 25133758 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: SF Bay Area, California, USA Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3 (Past: Kobo Mini, PEZ, PRS-505, Clié)	My reasons for choosing Sony over Kindle: 1) Filetypes: I'm moderately proficient, and very comfortable, at file conversion; I wanted the content I already had to work on my new reader. The Sony works with files I already have; the Kindle does not. (Txt doesn't count.) 2) Control: I like the option of control over my content--want to be able to reformat it if I care to take the time. I can format things how I want them for RTF, or PDF. (I'm damn near worthless with HTML. I should work on that.) Having to format a file and sent it to someone else for conversion was a step I didn't want. 3) Free books more important than paid, for me: I care that it's easy to get stuff from manybooks & feedbooks; I don't care that I have less purchasing options. I am happy to purchase from Baen & Fictionwise (which would need an extra transfer stage for the K), but the differences between various DRM-infected stores don't matter to me; I'm not buying from them. 4) Politics: I don't like Amazon's monopolistic attempts, don't like their inability to stick to a story about DRM, don't like their POD policy. Don't want to support Amazon's efforts to be the only book resource on the planet. 5) Memory Card: while this wasn't relevant when I got my Sony, it is now--I like the ability to store books (and miscellaneous, not usable by the Reader) on memory cards. 6) Whispernet is irrelevant to me. There are other factors that could be relevant, some of which have been mentioned; I'm not sure any of them were important to me. I'm annoyed at the lack of folders, but I can't say I use the Collections feature--I usually just plug the Reader into my computer and drag-and-drop files into it. One of my common uses for the Reader is: * Go to blog during lunch hour * Copy-paste content, with comments, into Word * Click on links in blog entry. Add those, if interesting, to file * Format to ~3.5x4.8 pages; convert to PDF (because PDF has smaller filesize than RTF) * Bookmark PDF for main blog entry, other entries, comments that caught my eye on first glance, etc. * Throw PDF onto Reader for reading during evening transit. Can't do that with the Kindle. At least, not quick-and-easy on my lunch hour. Why I didn't get an iLiad instead: 1) It costs too much (Meaning, "more than I can afford," rather than "more than it's worth.") 2) Larger screen--I switched from a PDA and would've liked a screen about 2/3 the size of the Sony Reader's.