Just ordered my first Kindle

[ebusinesstutor]

When I first saw ebook readers, I assumed I would buy one given how much I loved books.

But then I found I could also read ebooks on my phone.

Since then I've been reading my ebooks on my smart phones for years. I love having all these books on a device I carry every day.

My stepdaughter upgraded her Kobos a number of times and we benefited from her old Kobo hand me downs. Kobos are more common in Canada than
Kindles because Kobos were sold in Chapters and Indigo book stores here.

I liked the reading experience on the Kobos perhaps slightly more than on the smart phone but I just couldn't see the benefit of carrying a second device to read on. Also, these were older Kobos without lights so I couldn't use them while my wife was sleeping.

So what finally made me decide to go with a Kindle? 3 reasons:

1. Kindle Unlimited: I am a speed reader. This means I go through 5-10 books a WEEK. While I do have a book budget, the sheer amount I read a month is the equivalent of a car payment, especially since most ebooks sell for much more than their used equivalents.

2. Low Tech: I work in front of a computer all day. I love reading, but my smart phone feels like another computing device. I think a dedicated book device will feel less like I am still working on a computer. And perhaps will lower my overall screen time.

3. Battery Life: When my phone is my primary reading and entertainment device, the battery runs down much quicker. Not usually a problem, but there have been a few times when my battery is running lower than I like while travelling. I do carry power banks as backups, but it would be nice not to have to worry about it.

So I ordered a Kindle Paperwhite ($99 CAD on sale) which should arrive next week. I'm looking forward to changing my reading habits to see if it makes a difference.

[k9reeder]

Originally Posted by ebusinesstutor

-snip-
So what finally made me decide to go with a Kindle? 3 reasons:

1. Kindle Unlimited: I am a speed reader. This means I go through 5-10 books a WEEK. While I do -snip-

So I ordered a Kindle Paperwhite ($99 CAD on sale) which should arrive next week. I'm looking forward to changing my reading habits to see if it makes a difference.

Hey, I ordered a Paperwhite today too, same deal. I have a Kobo H2O that's been good to me and I still enjoy reading on. (I'm getting the PW mostly to see what the Kindle experience is like, and because I like gadgets...)

I've looked at Kindle Unlimited whenever I'm shopping for a book but it always seems like the ones I want are never included. Probably the deal is better for those who browse to discover something new, I'm more of a targeted shopper, already knowing in advance the title I want from reviews and recommendations.

[ebusinesstutor]

Originally Posted by k9reeder

I've looked at Kindle Unlimited whenever I'm shopping for a book but it always seems like the ones I want are never included. Probably the deal is better for those who browse to discover something new, I'm more of a targeted shopper, already knowing in advance the title I want from reviews and recommendations.

Yes, Kindle Unlimited isn't about being a library for bestselling books you want to read, rather it is a discovery tool.

You get access to a ton of books, but not many of your favorite authors. So it doesn't fully replace buying some of your favorites, but for speed readers like me, it is really beneficial way of keeping my reading monster fed.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by ebusinesstutor

Yes, Kindle Unlimited isn't about being a library for bestselling books you want to read, rather it is a discovery tool.

You get access to a ton of books, but not many of your favorite authors. So it doesn't fully replace buying some of your favorites, but for speed readers like me, it is really beneficial way of keeping my reading monster fed.

Well now, 2 of my favorites are in Kindle Unlimited.
Shameless shout out to J A Konrath and Russell Blake.

[GlenBarrington]

I love KU. It's been great for me.I love discovering new authors and established authors I never heard of, and for the price of a single paperback book, I can stuff myself silly.

I bought a refurbed PW2 for $50 US a few months ago after years of reading with old Sony PRS300 and 350s and then Kindle on my tablet.

The PW2 is far superior to either method in terms of comfort and battery life (of tablet). I think you'll love it.

But do yourself a favor, load the kindle app onto your phone too. It will make a great reading companion for waits in the Dr's office, etc. Amazon will keep them sync'ed, so you can pick up on one where you left off with the other.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by ebusinesstutor

Yes, Kindle Unlimited isn't about being a library for bestselling books you want to read, rather it is a discovery tool.

You get access to a ton of books, but not many of your favorite authors. So it doesn't fully replace buying some of your favorites, but for speed readers like me, it is really beneficial way of keeping my reading monster fed.

When I was young new writers had outlets on the newsstand. Here's a link about pulp magazines.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulp_magazine#Popularity

As the world changed and the publishing world resisted change as much as possible, the beginning writers were left out. One of the things I appreciate about ereaders is new authors have a shot.

I get books by new authors that are free or very cheap. Some aren't worth reading but when they're free or a dollar you can toss it without feeling the pain. I enjoy reading fiction from authors from other countries and other cultures and I get some of those at a reasonable, or free, price.

I am not a speed reader. I'm a compulsive reader. My real love of reading began in junior high but I can remember think before junior high how wonderful it would be to be a writer. I'm assuming I was already a reader.

As for the Paperwhite. That's my reader of choice. I got a Voyage and didn't like it so a student has it now. I got an Oasis 2 and thought it was nice but over-priced and when I learned I wouldn't get a cover for two months I sent the Oasis 2 back. I want to compliment Amazon Kindle for not forgetting the Paperwhite. We have had some wonderful updates to the software lately.

So, enjoy reading. I can read on my cellphone in an emergency but I've never wanted to read an entire novel on my cell phone.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

But do yourself a favor, load the kindle app onto your phone too. It will make a great reading companion for waits in the Dr's office, etc. Amazon will keep them sync'ed, so you can pick up on one where you left off with the other.

I don't know about all that. If I go to an Dr's office my Kindle goes with me. When switching devices it will kind of let you know how far along in the book you are. I prefer to have no indication of progress (by location, page, percentage, time left).

[GlenBarrington]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

I don't know about all that. If I go to an Dr's office my Kindle goes with me. When switching devices it will kind of let you know how far along in the book you are. I prefer to have no indication of progress (by location, page, percentage, time left).

That's OK, to each their own.

[ebusinesstutor]

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

But do yourself a favor, load the kindle app onto your phone too. It will make a great reading companion for waits in the Dr's office, etc. Amazon will keep them sync'ed, so you can pick up on one where you left off with the other.

I have been reading nearly exclusively on the Kindle App on my smart phone over the last few years and have enjoyed it.

I just wanted to cut my screen time down a bit.

Usually for short reads while I am in the Doctor's office, I use the Feedly app to read news and blog articles from my favorite online sources.