Talk me out of a Kindle ;-)

echoleaf · 06-02-2009, 06:05 PM

I *think* the Kindle 2 is the way to go for me. Or rather us since the device would be shared with my wife. I myself would go for a DX for the bigger screen, but she wants the ability to read one-handed in bed.

Just looking at the newish books we want to read, the Kindle wins out. Reading pdfs and stuff would be a bonus but we want a e-reader for new books. Kindle seems to have more books at overall better prices - I just checked earlier for a book that was $25 on Mobipocket and $14 on Amazon.

Now I live outside the US, so no Whispernet for me. The Amazon account is all US based so buying/downloading should not be any problem. Aside from that, what are compelling reasons not to buy a Kindle, or not the buy one right now?

Thanks!

RickyMaveety · 06-02-2009, 06:09 PM

Buy the Kindle 2 for now, and then when you are certain you really like it, get a Kindle DX for yourself and you can share books.

There you go, problem solved!!

echoleaf · 06-02-2009, 06:10 PM

I like that idea! I take it then that you are down with the Kindle?

RickyMaveety · 06-02-2009, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by echoleaf

I like that idea! I take it then that you are down with the Kindle?

I've got three Kindle 1s and I have a DX on order. The Kindle 2 didn't "wow" me, but that has more to do with the features that I really like about the mark 1 that they removed in the mark 2.

The Kindle DX, I will be using mostly for PDF, where I really need to have a good sized screen in order to read. I'm putting most of my legal documents on it for days in court (which I have no doubt are going to start coming up on me quite soon).

However, even though there are days I want to pick Jeff Bezos up and choke the freaking life out of him, I still love my Kindles and I still love reading on them.

echoleaf · 06-02-2009, 06:23 PM

What features is the K2 missing? I can think of the lack of expansion card...

RickyMaveety · 06-02-2009, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by echoleaf

What features is the K2 missing? I can think of the lack of expansion card...

That, and a user replaceable battery were my chief complaints. But, and I know I am in the great vast unwashed minority here, I also happened to love the form factor of the mark 1. I simply did not see that there was anything to go nuts about with the reworked case.

echoleaf · 06-02-2009, 06:51 PM

You are definitely in the minority with regards to the design. otoh, I don't care about design as much as function, and I can deal with K1. I'll just pretend it was designed by Coleco ;-)

HarryT · 06-03-2009, 03:15 AM

It's also pretty much the only device on the market not to offer support for PDF files. That's important for some people.

Sweetpea · 06-03-2009, 03:53 AM

And it's the ugliest device out there too!

*hides from RickyM*

Andybaby · 06-03-2009, 04:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

And it's the ugliest device out there too!

*hides from RickyM*

it was ugly, but it was the easiest device to use ever.

buy a kindle! go for it. you will love it.

Sweetpea · 06-03-2009, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andybaby

it was ugly, but it was the easiest device to use ever.

Like beauty, ease of use is in the hands of the beholder... One reason I don't have a dedicated reader yet is the lack of touch screens. And the one that has it, is about 300€ too expensive (Sony isn't available here by official channels). I make a lot of use of my touch screen while reading books. So a device that doesn't have it, cannot be the easiest device to use, in my eyes at least.

jsadd · 06-03-2009, 10:23 AM

I have a Kindle 1, I live in a rural area & do not get Whispernet at home. ( I do when I get to a city ) Even without it I love my Kindle, I think you would enjoy it. There is a
30 day return policy if you don't.

Andybaby · 06-03-2009, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Like beauty, ease of use is in the hands of the beholder... One reason I don't have a dedicated reader yet is the lack of touch screens. And the one that has it, is about 300€ too expensive (Sony isn't available here by official channels). I make a lot of use of my touch screen while reading books. So a device that doesn't have it, cannot be the easiest device to use, in my eyes at least.

I have the 700. the touch screen isn't as important as size, and the kindle is just big.

also check out my review for the M-edge covers in my Sig, maybe it will talk you into one of the medge covers for the kindle.

RickyMaveety · 06-03-2009, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by echoleaf

You are definitely in the minority with regards to the design. otoh, I don't care about design as much as function, and I can deal with K1. I'll just pretend it was designed by Coleco ;-)

I'm the same way. Form to me is not an issue, function is key. If the device performs properly, then I really don't much care what it looks like. I suppose that's why I'm still a heterosexual woman after all these years.

echoleaf · 06-03-2009, 12:48 PM

@HarryT: I'm not sure how important reading PDFs is atm. My wife rarely reads them, and I wouldn't mind being able to read PDFs & CHMs, but it's no dealbreaker right now. otoh, being able to read a software manual without sitting at a computer wouldn't be horrible. I personally want something with a larger screen, like a DX.

@Sweetpea: People's opinions on design are funny. I find K1's aesthetics completely indefensible but others seem to love it. K2's a big improvement, but it looks like they're trying to ape Apple. And I'm not a huge Apple fan, due to the cult that seems to consume its' users. A touchscreen, otoh, would be brilliant. My wife has 12" Thinkpad tablet that cost us $800 or so used. I haven't had a moment to sit outside & read and a tablet would be much better than say a netbook.

@jsadd: I live in Costa Rica, so there will be some lag time between shipping from Amazon & receiving since I either have to bring it back myself or have someone bring it down. Either way, the chances of returning it within 30 days are slim since shipping costs out of CR, using DHL or FedEx, would be costly.

No one's really trying to talk me out of a Kindle though - there must be SOMEBODY here who can try! I'll say the one thing that really stands out for Amazon is the cost of Kindle books relative to other ebooks. Say I got an EZ Reader for ~$230, it would take some 20-ish books and I'd have paid the difference in price for a Kindle. Hmm. That would be like 2 yrs and maybe prices would've dropped by then as publishers come to their senses and stop lying to us. Maybe I should just keep going with this and talk myself out of it :-P

Researching the availability of books & costs for a proper comparison, will post results...

06-02-2009, 06:05 PM	#1
echoleaf Connoisseur Posts: 69 Karma: 236 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Bebook, Cybook or eSlick?	Talk me out of a Kindle ;-) I think the Kindle 2 is the way to go for me. Or rather us since the device would be shared with my wife. I myself would go for a DX for the bigger screen, but she wants the ability to read one-handed in bed. Just looking at the newish books we want to read, the Kindle wins out. Reading pdfs and stuff would be a bonus but we want a e-reader for new books. Kindle seems to have more books at overall better prices - I just checked earlier for a book that was $25 on Mobipocket and $14 on Amazon. Now I live outside the US, so no Whispernet for me. The Amazon account is all US based so buying/downloading should not be any problem. Aside from that, what are compelling reasons not to buy a Kindle, or not the buy one right now? Thanks!

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06-02-2009, 06:09 PM	#2
RickyMaveety Holy S**T!!! Posts: 5,213 Karma: 108401 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: San Diego, California!! Device: Kindle and iPad	Buy the Kindle 2 for now, and then when you are certain you really like it, get a Kindle DX for yourself and you can share books. There you go, problem solved!!

06-02-2009, 06:10 PM	#3
echoleaf Connoisseur Posts: 69 Karma: 236 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Bebook, Cybook or eSlick?	I like that idea! I take it then that you are down with the Kindle?

06-02-2009, 06:23 PM	#5
echoleaf Connoisseur Posts: 69 Karma: 236 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Bebook, Cybook or eSlick?	What features is the K2 missing? I can think of the lack of expansion card...

06-02-2009, 06:51 PM	#7
echoleaf Connoisseur Posts: 69 Karma: 236 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Bebook, Cybook or eSlick?	You are definitely in the minority with regards to the design. otoh, I don't care about design as much as function, and I can deal with K1. I'll just pretend it was designed by Coleco ;-)

06-03-2009, 03:15 AM	#8
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	It's also pretty much the only device on the market not to offer support for PDF files. That's important for some people.

06-03-2009, 03:53 AM	#9
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	And it's the ugliest device out there too! hides from RickyM

06-03-2009, 10:23 AM	#12
jsadd Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Kansas Device: kindle 1, I Pod Touch	I have a Kindle 1, I live in a rural area & do not get Whispernet at home. ( I do when I get to a city ) Even without it I love my Kindle, I think you would enjoy it. There is a 30 day return policy if you don't.

06-03-2009, 12:48 PM	#15
echoleaf Connoisseur Posts: 69 Karma: 236 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Bebook, Cybook or eSlick?	@HarryT: I'm not sure how important reading PDFs is atm. My wife rarely reads them, and I wouldn't mind being able to read PDFs & CHMs, but it's no dealbreaker right now. otoh, being able to read a software manual without sitting at a computer wouldn't be horrible. I personally want something with a larger screen, like a DX. @Sweetpea: People's opinions on design are funny. I find K1's aesthetics completely indefensible but others seem to love it. K2's a big improvement, but it looks like they're trying to ape Apple. And I'm not a huge Apple fan, due to the cult that seems to consume its' users. A touchscreen, otoh, would be brilliant. My wife has 12" Thinkpad tablet that cost us $800 or so used. I haven't had a moment to sit outside & read and a tablet would be much better than say a netbook. @jsadd: I live in Costa Rica, so there will be some lag time between shipping from Amazon & receiving since I either have to bring it back myself or have someone bring it down. Either way, the chances of returning it within 30 days are slim since shipping costs out of CR, using DHL or FedEx, would be costly. No one's really trying to talk me out of a Kindle though - there must be SOMEBODY here who can try! I'll say the one thing that really stands out for Amazon is the cost of Kindle books relative to other ebooks. Say I got an EZ Reader for ~$230, it would take some 20-ish books and I'd have paid the difference in price for a Kindle. Hmm. That would be like 2 yrs and maybe prices would've dropped by then as publishers come to their senses and stop lying to us. Maybe I should just keep going with this and talk myself out of it :-P Researching the availability of books & costs for a proper comparison, will post results...

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