Kindles - Page 3

**billybunter** · December 31st, 2011, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NelsonsGoodeye

Kindles are the "betamax tapes" of the gadget world, ffs! Even the cheap chinese knock-off e-pads are better! (I know, I've got both, and the Kindle's going back)!

I always thought betamax was better than VHS.

What do you not like about the kindle mate?

**Davemetalhead** · December 31st, 2011, 05:27 PM

I got a Kindle for Christmas, loving it so far. Much easier to read than large bulky hardbacks. Easy to navigate, and I love the dictionary feature - move the cursor over a word in a book and you get the option to see what it means.

Downloading via wireless or USB cable is quick and painless - I got the new Terry Pratchett novel in just a couple of minutes from logging onto the Amazon website. I haven't as yet tried to browse the website and buy books from the Kindle, and I don't really have any intentions of doing so seeing as I have a perfectly functioning PC for that.

There are quite a few classic novels available for free.

So please, NelsonsGoodeye, tell us why you don't like it?

**billybunter** · December 31st, 2011, 05:43 PM

I looked kindle up on wiki, i'm still confused. So many options. But i'd rather hear from VEF members what they are like.

**Staffsyeoman** · December 31st, 2011, 06:06 PM

I bought one for the other half (we are both well past flush of youth) and she loves it. And we both love books. Its genius is capacity and transportability. And building a library of true classics cheaply or for free. 3000 books at convenience. But - a real book does not need batteries. No fear of dropping it (unless into a river/fire) They both have their place. But don't get me on (in the UK) books being free, ebooks taxed at 20%; or 'ebooks will kill print'.

In response to the original question: can you get newspapers? Yes. On subscription. Magazines? Yes. On subscription. Without colour. And hard to read graphics.

Sergeant D · December 31st, 2011, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monogroover

You can put a Kindle on the shelf. Here are a few advantages.

You can buy books for it from the Kindle itself or from any computer. No need to visit a book shop. You can decide to buy a new book and be reading it at home half a minute later - as I did this afternoon, in fact.

You can use it to take hundreds of books with you on holiday, on business, or anywhere else. And if you drop it or lose it you'll get all your books back just by logging in and downloading them again.

You can have access to hundreds of free books, that you won't find available in another format.They are dramatically superior to the old-fashioned paper book, and e-book readers will certainly make those obsolete.

Also with the software that runs the kindle you can search out any word or passage, bookmark it, notate it, and search it on the web. Kindles also have the New Oxford American Dictionary already downloaded free. Recently public library systems have began lending e-books through kindle.

**tabler** · December 31st, 2011, 06:19 PM

I got one for Christmas, the 3G version. I think it is absolutely superb.

I have 65 books on it already, a lot of them for free and most 85p or 99p. Well you cant buy books in a charity shop for that price. I think the most Ive paid was £7-00 for a book brand new out.

For battery life I just turn off the 3G untill I want to download a new book. Ive read 2 and a half books on it already and the battery is only half way down.

**ubu_roi** · December 31st, 2011, 06:46 PM

If one is mildly industrious, almost any book or recent magazine edition can be had for free. Similar to almost any porn clip's availability, you know. Not that I advocate this, mind you, but if one is amorally frugal, well, it can be done.

**lothian** · December 31st, 2011, 09:05 PM

Today I dropped a particularly impressive load of turds .I examined them closely and was unable to perceive any resemblance to a Kindle. So based on that albeit limited field study my own conclusion is that the Kindle is not in fact " Complete shit " I hope this helps.

forfucksake · January 1st, 2012, 11:43 PM

I have been using the Sony prs600 for a couple of years now and it has saved me a small fortune in book costs. I download my books from another forum for free or get them off the IRC "/server irc.irchighway.net" "/join #ebooks".
Using Calibre to keep my books organised (Free database program) makes everything so easy. Calibre can convert the books to any format you need as well show cover and synopsis data.
Even reading a couple of books a week my 5000+ books will keep me going for a long time (I can't be bothered doing the math).
If you enjoyreading they are truly worth the initial outlay.
The sony eInk touchscreen makes navigating simple as falling down drunk.
Not sure why you would need wifi or 3g when you can load a couple of thousand books at a time on a SD card, which should last even the longest buisness trip.

**9876543210** · January 4th, 2012, 01:20 AM

Another advantage of the Kindle is its usefulness for some disabilities. My mom has pretty bad arthritis in her hands and was starting to have problems holding her larger books (she's an avid reader). So my dad bought her a Kindle last spring and she seems to like it quite a bit. It's very easy for her to hold and not much of a problem to turn a page. I've played with it a bit and the main problem I've noticed is seeing the internet screens well enough.

A problem she's noticed is that it doesn't seem to be very good at perusing her bible (or other similar books). I guess its good if you start at the beginning and go to the end of a book, but, not so good (maybe even bad) if you want to go back and forth reading this and that. There may be a way to do that but the little research I did on the net seemed to confirm that as a Kindle problem.

December 31st, 2011, 05:27 PM	#22
Davemetalhead Vintage Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Near Oxford, UK Posts: 528 Thanks: 3,930 Thanked 5,047 Times in 522 Posts	I got a Kindle for Christmas, loving it so far. Much easier to read than large bulky hardbacks. Easy to navigate, and I love the dictionary feature - move the cursor over a word in a book and you get the option to see what it means. Downloading via wireless or USB cable is quick and painless - I got the new Terry Pratchett novel in just a couple of minutes from logging onto the Amazon website. I haven't as yet tried to browse the website and buy books from the Kindle, and I don't really have any intentions of doing so seeing as I have a perfectly functioning PC for that. There are quite a few classic novels available for free. So please, NelsonsGoodeye, tell us why you don't like it? __________________ The resident lurker of the GD&N forum.

December 31st, 2011, 05:43 PM	#23
billybunter R.I.P. Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Gone But Not Forgotten Posts: 14,404 Thanks: 51,687 Thanked 252,380 Times in 14,171 Posts	I looked kindle up on wiki, i'm still confused. So many options. But i'd rather hear from VEF members what they are like. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Last edited by billybunter; January 1st, 2012 at 02:54 PM..

December 31st, 2011, 06:19 PM	#26
tabler Comfortably Numb Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: St James Park Posts: 7,030 Thanks: 112,570 Thanked 146,060 Times in 8,009 Posts	I got one for Christmas, the 3G version. I think it is absolutely superb. I have 65 books on it already, a lot of them for free and most 85p or 99p. Well you cant buy books in a charity shop for that price. I think the most Ive paid was £7-00 for a book brand new out. For battery life I just turn off the 3G untill I want to download a new book. Ive read 2 and a half books on it already and the battery is only half way down. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. *Velcome to zee Forum. You must obey zee rules!*

December 31st, 2011, 06:46 PM	#27
ubu_roi Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Northeastern USA Posts: 3,962 Thanks: 83,135 Thanked 43,794 Times in 3,958 Posts	If one is mildly industrious, almost any book or recent magazine edition can be had for free. Similar to almost any porn clip's availability, you know. Not that I advocate this, mind you, but if one is amorally frugal, well, it can be done. __________________ Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder

December 31st, 2011, 06:06 PM	#24
Staffsyeoman Vintage Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 2,271 Thanks: 34,207 Thanked 26,794 Times in 2,162 Posts	I bought one for the other half (we are both well past flush of youth) and she loves it. And we both love books. Its genius is capacity and transportability. And building a library of true classics cheaply or for free. 3000 books at convenience. But - a real book does not need batteries. No fear of dropping it (unless into a river/fire) They both have their place. But don't get me on (in the UK) books being free, ebooks taxed at 20%; or 'ebooks will kill print'. In response to the original question: can you get newspapers? Yes. On subscription. Magazines? Yes. On subscription. Without colour. And hard to read graphics.

December 31st, 2011, 09:05 PM	#28
lothian Vintage Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Edinburgh Scotland Posts: 706 Thanks: 7,330 Thanked 9,841 Times in 704 Posts	Today I dropped a particularly impressive load of turds .I examined them closely and was unable to perceive any resemblance to a Kindle. So based on that albeit limited field study my own conclusion is that the Kindle is not in fact " Complete shit " I hope this helps.

January 1st, 2012, 11:43 PM	#29
forfucksake Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 403 Thanks: 131 Thanked 2,788 Times in 377 Posts	I have been using the Sony prs600 for a couple of years now and it has saved me a small fortune in book costs. I download my books from another forum for free or get them off the IRC "/server irc.irchighway.net" "/join #ebooks". Using Calibre to keep my books organised (Free database program) makes everything so easy. Calibre can convert the books to any format you need as well show cover and synopsis data. Even reading a couple of books a week my 5000+ books will keep me going for a long time (I can't be bothered doing the math). If you enjoyreading they are truly worth the initial outlay. The sony eInk touchscreen makes navigating simple as falling down drunk. Not sure why you would need wifi or 3g when you can load a couple of thousand books at a time on a SD card, which should last even the longest buisness trip.

January 4th, 2012, 01:20 AM	#30
9876543210 Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 4,044 Thanks: 24,638 Thanked 34,438 Times in 4,008 Posts	Another advantage of the Kindle is its usefulness for some disabilities. My mom has pretty bad arthritis in her hands and was starting to have problems holding her larger books (she's an avid reader). So my dad bought her a Kindle last spring and she seems to like it quite a bit. It's very easy for her to hold and not much of a problem to turn a page. I've played with it a bit and the main problem I've noticed is seeing the internet screens well enough. A problem she's noticed is that it doesn't seem to be very good at perusing her bible (or other similar books). I guess its good if you start at the beginning and go to the end of a book, but, not so good (maybe even bad) if you want to go back and forth reading this and that. There may be a way to do that but the little research I did on the net seemed to confirm that as a Kindle problem.