Hi from the UK - waiting for Kindle

[Argel]

Hi all. I'm sitting here in the UK waiting for Kindle.

Been using ebooks for quite a while - eReader, Mobipocket and MS Reader on laptop and hand-held; mobi on a Blackberry.

I'm waiting for Kindle partly because I vowed never to buy another Sony device because of their contemptuous attitude to customers over DRM but mostly because I suspect Bezos means it when he says that the aim is every book in every language.

For myself, I've found that once the initial magic wears off, the most important factor is whether the stuff I want is available in ebook format. More than half the time it isn't. I suspect that Amazon has the market position and the determination to change that.

I love ebooks. I love the concept, I love the practicality. I love the fact that I can carry hundreds of classics around in my pocket. But I am also sure that ebooks will never take off until there is a standard (at least de facto) which allows them to be used cross-platform and on successive devices down the years. I suspect Kindle is one contribution to that - the other is that otherwise law-abiding individuals like myself break the chains of DRM by whatever means necessary - not so as to cheat authors and publishers but simply to make an ebook as flexible in use over the years as its paper ancestor.

Happy reading all. When, Amazon?

Argel

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Argel

I love ebooks. I love the concept, I love the practicality. I love the fact that I can carry hundreds of classics around in my pocket. But I am also sure that ebooks will never take off until there is a standard (at least de facto) which allows them to be used cross-platform and on successive devices down the years.

MobiPocket format is already (IMHO) that de facto standard. It's available on a very wide range of different devices, from smartphones to PDAs to eInk readers such as the iRex iLiad, Bookeen CyBook Gen3, and Amazon Kindle.

[Argel]

Originally Posted by HarryT

MobiPocket format is already (IMHO) that de facto standard. It's available on a very wide range of different devices, from smartphones to PDAs to eInk readers such as the iRex iLiad, Bookeen CyBook Gen3, and Amazon Kindle.

Thanks for the response Harry but, sadly, a standard isn't a standard till everyone adopts it. There are still large numbers of ebooks not available in Mobi format and companies like Sony and Microsoft are still going to be trying to tie up exclusive deals for their formats. But I hope you're right and think you probably are - but even there, Amazon clearly want to try and enforce a distinction between Kindle and Mobi so that they can ring-fence sales.

If only the publishers themselves realized how much it costs them to have formats decided by the hardware manufacturers. How many of us have not found ourselves turning to the classics because we can get them in the format we want (and free!), while new books are only available for someone else's reader . It may be good for our minds but it's not good for the publishers' bottom line.

Ah well, at least we have now all read Mark Twain and Dickens...

Argel

[Ervserver]

you make some great points Argel, happy reading !

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Argel

Hi all. I'm sitting here in the UK waiting for Kindle.

You do know, you won't be able to purchase Kindle eBooks because of not being in the US with a US credit card and a US address. Just thought I'd let you know this.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You do know, you won't be able to purchase Kindle eBooks because of not being in the US with a US credit card and a US address. Just thought I'd let you know this.

I think that's why he said he is "Waiting For the Kindle". I assume he means waiting for it to be available in the UK rather than waiting for this order to ship. Since Kindle will not ship outside of US at this time.

BOb

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Argel

There are still large numbers of ebooks not available in Mobi format and companies like Sony and Microsoft are still going to be trying to tie up exclusive deals for their formats.

No, I don't believe that's true. If you look at the major eBook stores you'll find that the same books are, generally speaking, available in all the different DRM formats. It's comparatively unusual for a book to be available in only one format. It's not in the publisher's interest to do this.

The reason I say that MobiPocket is a de facto standard is not because books are not available in other formats, but because the MobiPocket format is supported on almost all reading devices (the Sony Reader being the notable exception).

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I think that's why he said he is "Waiting For the Kindle". I assume he means waiting for it to be available in the UK rather than waiting for this order to ship. Since Kindle will not ship outside of US at this time.

BOb

I think you are correct. My mistake.

But anyway, if Angel doen't want to go with Sony and the Kindle isn't there yet and may or may never be, the only choices left really are the iLiad (too expensive for just a reader) and the Gen3.

[MickeyC]

Hi Argel and welcome to the Forum.

[Argel]

Sorry not to be clear - I've been tempted to take the plunge and get a Kindle delivered to friends in the US but I hear that publishers are gearing up for a launch in the UK sooner rather than later and I really, really want the wireless connectivity.

But hey, this is good for my soul. Being on the insanely spendthrift end of the early-adopter spectrum, I'm not used to waiting for the next toy. Thinks... maybe I could sell my children and buy an Iliad just to tide me over...



Argel

[MickeyC]

Argel, I was the same way with the Sony. I discovered the 500 last summer and decided I'd use the gift certificate I anticipated getting for my birthday to buy it. But the gift certificate turned out to be shirts so I held off. And, I'm glad I did because the 505 came out later last year so I waited till just after the holidays and got a 505 at 40% off because the Sony Store had used it as a window display.

OTOH, it's not like we're running out of children and an Iliad would be nice to tide you over...nah, better hold off on selling the kids.

[Lobolover]

Welcome .