What do you think the Amazon Kindle means for the Sony Readers? - Page 3

FuzzyGamer · 11-19-2007, 02:03 PM

Have to agree (on some points) with WilliamG - the Kindle, though being butt-ugly, does have a number of things about it that I would absolutely love to have (but that 400$ tag is a brick wall ATM).

One of the major problems I am having with the Reader is that there is no Sony support whatsoever for x64 platforms, which is what I am running both at home and at work. The idea of wirelessly buying content, bypassing the computer altogether, is all too-appealing for me.

CCDMan · 11-19-2007, 02:05 PM

Good for ebooks in general, for sure.

The problem really gets back to the old format war crap all over again. Beta vs. VHS, HD-DVD vs. Blu-ray. These idiots cannot ever work together.

I think it is part of the genes that these corporate types have. They all think that THEIR product will dominate and all that does is either kill or delay the adoption of things in general.

The GOOD news for me is that I read a lot of BAEN books and they offer unencrypted Mobipocket, one of the direct from PC formats for the Kindle

rflashman · 11-19-2007, 02:09 PM

For me it is easy. Since day one I have been waiting for Sony to live up to its 'promise' to provide newspapers. I don't need the wireless link, just that their Connect store sold me some formatted newspapers. They never bothered to.

Kindle is offering what I want (NYT, Washington Post, etc.) so that is my key decision and I willing to spend money on that. So I ordered my Kindle today and will most likely eBay my Sony reader (bet it doesn't get much after this)...

Rick

tsgreer · 11-19-2007, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CCDMan

The GOOD news for me is that I read a lot of BAEN books and they offer unencrypted Mobipocket, one of the direct from PC formats for the Kindle

Same here, I have plenty of unencrypted Mobipocket files that will be nice to just drag and drop onto the Kindle. I almost bought the cybook, but the kindle having access to wikipedia was just enough to send me over the edge.

Then I watched the little Kindle video on Amazon's website and ordered one before the video was even over.

CCDMan · 11-19-2007, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Then I watched the little Kindle video on Amazon's website and ordered one before the video was even over.

I am about ready to get one as well. Does anyone know if it uses the second gen screen like the Sony 505 or the first gen like the 500?

And am I correct that purchases from the Amazon site can only be read on that reader (that is to say not even another Kindle)?

That IS a mistake even greedy Sony did not make...

NatCh · 11-19-2007, 03:21 PM

PVI is only making Vizplex these days, so unless Amazon stockpiled them ....

You can apparently associate multiple Kindles to the same account and share books between them.

Ofoghlu · 11-19-2007, 03:22 PM

The EBook Anthill has been kicked need to wait & see what falls out.

df

CCDMan · 11-19-2007, 03:26 PM

Quote:

You can apparently associate multiple Kindles to the same account and share books between them

OK, that sounds better, other wise it would be like having all your paper books bound together and if someone wanted to read one, you could not read another while they had the binder.

In fact, I just confirmed this with Kindle phone support. The only caveat is that you must order both Kindles on the same Amazon account.

slayda · 11-19-2007, 04:59 PM

The only real advantage I see with the Kindle is the dictionary. Of course this implies other capabilities, like selecting, etc., that might also be useful.

I do not see any advantage in overpriced, locked to the Kindle books, nor do I trust Amazon to "keep my library forever" or even a year or two.

kezza · 11-19-2007, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FuzzyGamer

The idea of wirelessly buying content, bypassing the computer altogether, is all too-appealing for me.

I agree, that's *very* appealing, but it becomes less so when I realize that I can't browse and buy content on my computer to transfer to the device. Why can't we have both? I don't have EVDO access in my office (trust me, I have a Sprint phone with EVDO, it doesn't work here), so if I wanted to browse around for books on my lunch break, I'd have to do it outside on the kindle, not on my computer where I'm comfortable. I don't understand why it can't be like eReader, where you don't need special desktop software, you just purchase from a website and then transfer your books however you want. You can go redownload any purchase from your bookstore whenever you want. If you run windows mobile, you can even download purchases direct to your handheld. How hard is it for Amazon to do the same?

Nate the great · 11-19-2007, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kezza

I agree, that's *very* appealing, but it becomes less so when I realize that I can't browse and buy content on my computer to transfer to the device. Why can't we have both? I don't have EVDO access in my office (trust me, I have a Sprint phone with EVDO, it doesn't work here), so if I wanted to browse around for books on my lunch break, I'd have to do it outside on the kindle, not on my computer where I'm comfortable. I don't understand why it can't be like eReader, where you don't need special desktop software, you just purchase from a website and then transfer your books however you want. You can go redownload any purchase from your bookstore whenever you want. If you run windows mobile, you can even download purchases direct to your handheld. How hard is it for Amazon to do the same?

You _can_ have both.

You can buy an ebook on your computer, then tell Amazon to send it to the Kindle.

kovidgoyal · 11-19-2007, 05:23 PM

I know you can have both, but because Amazon is insisting on using its own ebook format, which is really just a bunch of proprietary extensions to oebps, content produces are going to have to produce and maintain content in yet another format, and guys like me that are power users are going to have to write a whole new set of converters (and no mobigen doesn't cut it). I wouldn't have minded if they had kept using their proprietary DRM crap, but added support for simple zipped up HTML or even epub. Since they already have support for HTML how hard could it have been to add support for zipped up HTML that contains images and an OPF file.

kezza · 11-19-2007, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

You _can_ have both.

You can buy an ebook on your computer, then tell Amazon to send it to the Kindle.

And then wait the five hours until I'm leaving work to download and read it?
I suppose it's good I can at least shop on the computer, I still don't like the idea of trying to browse anything on an e-ink device.

WilliamG · 11-19-2007, 05:35 PM

Wait a tick! What if I'm in England and I want to get a book to my Kindle? Can you?

NatCh · 11-19-2007, 05:45 PM

You mean if you bought one in the U.S. and then traveled to England with it for vacation or whatever? Well, there's no EVDO there, but you could still xfer via USB.

11-19-2007, 02:05 PM	#32
CCDMan *** Posts: 335 Karma: 5759 Join Date: Mar 2006 Device: ***	Good for ebooks in general, for sure. The problem really gets back to the old format war crap all over again. Beta vs. VHS, HD-DVD vs. Blu-ray. These idiots cannot ever work together. I think it is part of the genes that these corporate types have. They all think that THEIR product will dominate and all that does is either kill or delay the adoption of things in general. The GOOD news for me is that I read a lot of BAEN books and they offer unencrypted Mobipocket, one of the direct from PC formats for the Kindle Last edited by CCDMan; 11-19-2007 at 02:40 PM.

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11-19-2007, 02:03 PM	#31
FuzzyGamer Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2007 Device: Sony Reader	Have to agree (on some points) with WilliamG - the Kindle, though being butt-ugly, does have a number of things about it that I would absolutely love to have (but that 400$ tag is a brick wall ATM). One of the major problems I am having with the Reader is that there is no Sony support whatsoever for x64 platforms, which is what I am running both at home and at work. The idea of wirelessly buying content, bypassing the computer altogether, is all too-appealing for me.

11-19-2007, 02:09 PM	#33
rflashman Zealot Posts: 107 Karma: 408 Join Date: Jul 2007 Device: Amazon Kindle, Archos 605 Wifi, & Sony PRS-500	For me it is easy. Since day one I have been waiting for Sony to live up to its 'promise' to provide newspapers. I don't need the wireless link, just that their Connect store sold me some formatted newspapers. They never bothered to. Kindle is offering what I want (NYT, Washington Post, etc.) so that is my key decision and I willing to spend money on that. So I ordered my Kindle today and will most likely eBay my Sony reader (bet it doesn't get much after this)... Rick

11-19-2007, 03:21 PM	#36
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	PVI is only making Vizplex these days, so unless Amazon stockpiled them .... You can apparently associate multiple Kindles to the same account and share books between them.

11-19-2007, 03:22 PM	#37
Ofoghlu Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2007 Device: Sony EBook Reader	The EBook Anthill has been kicked need to wait & see what falls out. df

11-19-2007, 04:59 PM	#39
slayda Retired & reading more! Posts: 2,764 Karma: 1884247 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: North Alabama, USA Device: Kindle 1, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6S+, Kobo Aura One	The only real advantage I see with the Kindle is the dictionary. Of course this implies other capabilities, like selecting, etc., that might also be useful. I do not see any advantage in overpriced, locked to the Kindle books, nor do I trust Amazon to "keep my library forever" or even a year or two.

11-19-2007, 05:23 PM	#42
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,295 Karma: 27111240 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	I know you can have both, but because Amazon is insisting on using its own ebook format, which is really just a bunch of proprietary extensions to oebps, content produces are going to have to produce and maintain content in yet another format, and guys like me that are power users are going to have to write a whole new set of converters (and no mobigen doesn't cut it). I wouldn't have minded if they had kept using their proprietary DRM crap, but added support for simple zipped up HTML or even epub. Since they already have support for HTML how hard could it have been to add support for zipped up HTML that contains images and an OPF file.

11-19-2007, 05:35 PM	#44
WilliamG Addict Posts: 307 Karma: 60998 Join Date: Sep 2006	Wait a tick! What if I'm in England and I want to get a book to my Kindle? Can you?

11-19-2007, 05:45 PM	#45
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	You mean if you bought one in the U.S. and then traveled to England with it for vacation or whatever? Well, there's no EVDO there, but you could still xfer via USB.

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