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paulWTAMU
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Kindle?

Wed Sep 08, 2010 1:31 am

I've got a big library; we're up to 5 bookcases now at home (just bought 2 more today at a consignment store). A good (not a majority but significant) part of that is public domain works from various authors, and I've been debating getting a kindle just for downloading the free public domain stuff so I could get rid of my hard copies. It'd free up at least 2-3 large shelves I think, and that'd be pretty handy. Between the wife and I we've got most of Shakespeare's plays and sonnets, a lot of the political philosophy classics (Paine, Locke, et al), copies of most of the major religious texts, lots of Jules Verne, etc...and it's all just so damn space consuming. And we actually refer to or read in their entirety a lot of these on a semi-regular basis (hell, I still like Poe's short stories and poetry). Not daily or anything, but often enough I don't want to just ditch them all, but I do NOT want another damn book case.
So for all the TR people that use a Kindle; what are your impressions?

I'd dearly love one that does color but I don't think that can work with e-ink, or at least that's my impression? Which makes me sad cause it'd rock to have all my field guides and stuff on a kindle too.
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bthylafh
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Re: Kindle?

Wed Sep 08, 2010 8:32 am

My wife's Kindle is pretty nice. Screen's as good as you've heard, and it's easier to read with one hand than a proper book because you don't need to hold the thing open.

I've only read one entire novel on it so far, but I was favorably impressed.
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swampfox
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Re: Kindle?

Wed Sep 08, 2010 8:35 am

paulWTAMU wrote:
I'd dearly love one that does color but I don't think that can work with e-ink, or at least that's my impression? Which makes me sad cause it'd rock to have all my field guides and stuff on a kindle too.


I think there are e-ink technologies that use color, but I haven't researched it for a while.

I love our Kindle! It is a pleasure to read on (though research suggests I read more slowly on it than in a real book, but I haven't noticed). If you're reading novels or poetry or things along those lines, I highly recommend it. My wife and I have one, and I just know that someday we're going to need to get a second one. Not only do you get free classics, but there are often other books for free available as well (especially, for example, the first book of a series).

Two things that are harder to do on a Kindle though: 1.) flipping back and forth, and 2.) looking up footnotes (works fine, but is kinda slow and clumsy).

You don't need a Kindle to download the software though. Not as much fun to read on a computer, though reading on a phone is ok (not great, but certainly do-able).
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paulWTAMU
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Re: Kindle?

Wed Sep 08, 2010 5:58 pm

how do they stack up to the nook? The reviews on Cnet and endgaget left me with the impression it was pretty even. If that's the case, I may check and see about the nook, since I can get one locally without waiting a month for delivery (apparently kindle is backordered).
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Usacomp2k3
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Re: Kindle?

Wed Sep 08, 2010 6:42 pm

I could see getting one to supplement a real book, but you're not serious about getting rid of the books, are you? We've got 8 bookcases in our library and counting. Way too cheap to buy books digitally, much cheaper to buy them at book sales.
 
paulWTAMU
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Re: Kindle?

Wed Sep 08, 2010 8:27 pm

Not the public domain stuff that they ahve for free :wink:
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swampfox
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Re: Kindle?

Wed Sep 08, 2010 8:48 pm

Usacomp2k3 wrote:
I could see getting one to supplement a real book, but you're not serious about getting rid of the books, are you? We've got 8 bookcases in our library and counting. Way too cheap to buy books digitally, much cheaper to buy them at book sales.


And, real books are really expensive to ship or move from one place to another. When we got a Kindle, we tried to cut down the library a bit and probably sold or gave away 20-30% of them.

We have a friend with a Nook and she really likes it. They're similar and it has some nice features (being able to "loan" a book). With either system, you're buying into a company and what they have available, not just into the device itself. So check around a bit. (The $139 Wireless only Kindle is mighty tempting though!)
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cegras
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Re: Kindle?

Wed Sep 08, 2010 8:52 pm

If you like reading I think e-ink still has a loooong way to go. The refresh times and style are too onerous. Perhaps the active matrix version will fix these problems.

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