You'd Be A Fool To Buy An eReader Now, Says Fox News

[Latinandgreek]

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

If you don't purchase because something better will be coming along, you will wait forever, because there is always something better just over the horizon. It's been a familiar theme with computers, there will always be a faster model on the market later. But if you want a computer, you have to buy at some point. If you want what the device does, then get it. My Kindle 3 performs its tasks just fine, I will only replace it when it breaks.

You are right.

Also, ebook readers can now be found quite cheap: the PRS-T1 is on clearance at Target, and the Kindle had some sort of Mother's Day coupon bundle at Walmart. This actually might be the perfect time for many to buy an ebook reader.

I was much more excited about the Pearl screens when they were introduced than the built in lights that are the new 'thing'.

[ucfgrad93]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

The earliest Kindles had an SD slot. I can't remember if it went away at K2 or K3.

The K2 did not have a SD slot.

[wizwor]

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

If you don't purchase because something better will be coming along, you will wait forever, because there is always something better just over the horizon. It's been a familiar theme with computers, there will always be a faster model on the market later. But if you want a computer, you have to buy at some point. If you want what the device does, then get it. My Kindle 3 performs its tasks just fine, I will only replace it when it breaks.

We tend to think this way because computers, TVs, and gadgets never seem to stop getting better. I have, however, purchased products which were on the verge of getting worse.

My popup camper is a good example. The 2003 Coleman Cheyenne had a reliable roof that was about to change and an attached trunk accessible from inside or outside.

I loaded up on incandescent lamps earlier this year. In my attic and garage, they last decades while the 'improved' CFLs and LEDs fail after only a couple years, cost more, and do not illuminate as well.

I enrolled in a verizon data plan in time to be grandfathered into the unlimited scheme.

I bet people can think of many more things that have gotten worse over time. It won't be long before we are reminiscing about cars that could fir passengers AND groceries.

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by wizwor

I bet people can think of many more things that have gotten worse over time.

Length of copyright

In eReaders, the Kindle 2/3 worldwide no monthly fee, no international borders, internet makes those devices, for my purposes, far superior to successors.

[SeaKing]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

The earliest Kindles had an SD slot. I can't remember if it went away at K2 or K3.

And while a triple-A battery is thicker than several of the current e-ink readers and some tablets, it's hardly an overwhelming size. Most portable hard drives are big enough to allow for AAA batteries (if they had any use for batteries), and that's not too thick for a portable book/library. AAA's are tiny. (And short-lived, which is the problem. But they could power e-ink for quite a while.)

I have several devices that have one end slightly larger in order to put in a battery pack or 2 or more small batteries. The triple A are not the smallest before you get to the button batteries.
The neatest devices take either rechargeable or throwaway batteries.
The small hiking GPS units have replaceable throwaway batteries. Will go to about 18 hours always on usually.

Again I will show my age and talk about some of the first cell phones. The old Motorola flip phones that used LEDs rather than LCDs. The flip part was the keyboard.
They used a lot of power when on, so you needed a lot of battery. The whole back of the phone was a rechargeable battery that detached. You would have several backs in the charger at night. One on the phone and a separate one. Then you carried the extra back with you.

You could buy extra backs, of different sizes and capacities for when you were away from your charger.
You could also buy a back that would take regular throwaway alkaline batteries. You would just plug the new batteries in and you were ready to go.

I still have that phone along with some antique cameras, watches, etc.

[VaporPunk]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

As far as the moderators doing anything about Fox bashing, you haven't been paying
attention. That's never going to happen, here.

Luck;
Ken

There recently was a thread where the NY Times was being bashed, so its not a left/right bias thing. Bash away, right or left, if it makes y'all feel better. Free speech and all that. The courteous thing to do is to stay on topic AMAP. I'm not very good at that myself, obviously.

As far as when or what, do some research and buy what you need or anticipate you will need. Common Sense® should be all thats necessary to buy an e-reader, not Fox News or anything else.

[wizwor]

Can you post a link to that NY Times bashing thread?

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by SeaKing

I have several devices that have one end slightly larger in order to put in a battery pack or 2 or more small batteries. The triple A are not the smallest before you get to the button batteries.
The neatest devices take either rechargeable or throwaway batteries.

I've actually thought it would be a smart thing to make an eReader with two AAA batteries, one on each side that would also be used like a handle/page forward and backward button (if this description makes sense). They would fit into the joints in your hand and you could program them for page forward or backward depending on being right handed or left handed. My main complaint on the K3 is that you can't change the settings for the buttons. I would prefer to have the button on top to move forward, even though it is smaller than the lower button.

[VaporPunk]

Originally Posted by wizwor

Can you post a link to that NY Times bashing thread?

Here ya go...

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=176829

[SeaKing]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

I've actually thought it would be a smart thing to make an eReader with two AAA batteries, one on each side that would also be used like a handle/page forward and backward button (if this description makes sense). They would fit into the joints in your hand and you could program them for page forward or backward depending on being right handed or left handed. My main complaint on the K3 is that you can't change the settings for the buttons. I would prefer to have the button on top to move forward, even though it is smaller than the lower button.

Good points.

I understand wanting the buttons moved and "adjustable." When I hold my Kindle in the fingers of 1 hand in the most comfortable position, I am holding the device at the corner, my thumb falls naturally lower than the bottom most button. I would like the "forward" button more in line with the keyboard down on the bottom.

likewise having an edge (a battery compartment) would give a better grip. I have that on my Galaxy Tab 7 Plus with the $8 rubber back I put on it, but I haven't but one on the Keyboard Kindle.
I actually thought of just gluing a little ridge along the back edge of the Kindle. A little ShoeGoo from my glue box would work great. Just haven't ever made an effort to fix what is only a slight problem.

Changing the button's function shouldn't be that hard for the software folks, from the little I know. It is not a mechanical thing.

[QuantumIguana]

Originally Posted by wizwor

I bet people can think of many more things that have gotten worse over time. It won't be long before we are reminiscing about cars that could fir passengers AND groceries.

There are products like computers and TVs that keep getting better and cheaper, and there are products that decline in quality. I have noticed some foods decline in quality. In order to keep the price the same, the quality drops. Macaroni and cheese is one example. The big brand had the nice yellow cheese powder, while the knockoffs had orange chalky-looking cheese powder. Now the big brand has the same low-quality cheese powder. Then a "premium" brand is added which gives you the same quality you used to get in the older version of the product.

Cars may be getting smaller, but the quality has increased, or at least the reliability. A car making it to 100,000 miles used to be noteworthy, now a car is just getting started. You can have a car with 200,000 miles, and someone will still want to buy it.

[RDaneel54]

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

Cars may be getting smaller, but the quality has increased, or at least the reliability. A car making it to 100,000 miles used to be noteworthy, now a car is just getting started. You can have a car with 200,000 miles, and someone will still want to buy it.

Excellent example of quality improvement.

Nowadays here in the U.S.A, I think most people buy a new car because they are bored with their old one - not because of necessity.

I had my first repair, not maintenance, bill on my car with 110,000 miles - $28. That's a quality improvement I can live with.

With ereaders, I bought my K4 for the smaller form factor - not because there was any problems with my K3.

[morantis]

This has been true over the past several years(maybe 15). It make continue to be true for years to come, but it is not a reason to not buy. There will always be new gadgets and improvements right around the corner.

[Cpl Punishment]

Typical liberal banter....You realize the article was reprinted on Fox Website, it is from Avram Piltch, LAPTOP Online Editorial Director (Laptopmag.com)..Dumb**&^'s..


http://blog.laptopmag.com/10-gadgets...-buy-right-now..

[wizwor]

Originally Posted by VaporPunk

Here ya go...

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=176829

Thanks. Don't recall reading that thread, but I suspect I checked out after the first couple posts. Same problem from the other side...except, maybe, that this was a good topic that was hijacked. No matter, the mods have a selectively enforced policy which, if enforced 100%, would make these forums more attractive to people who are more interested in ereaders and the stuff that goes on them than pop news.