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rick_ingram
Yoda
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I'm thinking of buying my wife a Kindle or Kindle DX for Christmas...
Got any comments/critiques?!
Got any comments/critiques?!
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Kindle/Kindle DX
- Thread starter rick_ingram
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Healeysince59
Jedi Warrior
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I bought my wife one last Christmas and she loves it. Had I asked her ahead of time, she would have said no. Amazon has a very liberal return policy around Christmas so she had plenty of time to decide to keep it. It actually took about a day.
Marv J
Marv J
aeronca65t
Great Pumpkin
Offline
martx-5 said:......That thought doesn't enter my mind until about December 22nd...
That would be <span style="text-decoration: underline">early</span> for me. :laugh:
OP
rick_ingram
Yoda
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Basil said:
So is mine.
What are you getting us?!
:wink:
rlwhitetr3b
Jedi Knight
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Rick,
It sounds like you are getting an iPad from Basil!
What are you the <span style="text-decoration: line-through">teachers</span> boss' pet?
It sounds like you are getting an iPad from Basil!
What are you the <span style="text-decoration: line-through">teachers</span> boss' pet?
OP
rick_ingram
Yoda
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All right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
A
aerog
Guest
Guest
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rick_ingram said:
I have a new kindle 3. Works great. The display is more reflective and higher contrast than the DX, and it works faster...but then the DX has a bigger screen and costs a bunch more.
Most avid readers and Kindle fans will tell you they far prefer the Kindle's display over a laptop or iPad. For book or newspaper reading I have to agree. It's very easy on the eyes and the "experience" (gag, I hate that term) is much closer to reading a printed page than from reading off a backlit computer display. Really, for $139-$189 it was a no-brainer - small, 8oz, and does what I want it to. I got the 3G version so I'd always have some kind of web access wherever I am. There are no contracts and no fees for the 3G version, it just works - for free.
The display is only B&W obviously, but it is <span style="font-style: italic">very</span> sharp. There are a couple of different lit covers for them, one is being sold by Amazon that clips onto the Kindle and runs off it's batteries. I use it a lot and after two weeks the battery is still around 3/4 full. Without the light and with wireless off it's supposed to yield roughly a month of battery life.
Web-browsing is so-so on it, but it works.
FYI - "Kindle" is also available as software for the PC, Mac, iPhone, and Android based mobile systems. They all work well and sync with the "real" kindle.
On the bad side, it's (as I said) just B&W. If you want full color flashy graphics, etc, look for an iPad or better yet an Android-based tablet. Amazon also uses their own proprietary file format for their books. Unlike some formats you can't share the files outside of your own devices. Along with that they won't support the popular ePub file format that some vendors and libraries use - but there are programs that convert ePub into formats the Kindle can read.
Bottom line? There's good and bad to most devices these days. Kindle isn't a computer or much of a web browser, it's a relatively inexpensive e-book reader. The $139 version would suit most people and it does what it's designed to really well.
A
aerog
Guest
Guest
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FWIW, here are pictures. No flash or additional lighting, just a small desklamp on the corner of my desk about 3' from the kindle. I put the dollar there for size-reference. The cover is the new leather one Amazon is selling.
One of the service-manual pages - it's a .pdf. Regular text is clearer and you can adjust the size and font.
Finally... turned all the lights off an put the camera on a little tripod. This was lit just with the cover's LED lamp. I think that's generally how the display looks when I'm reading it in the dark.
One of the service-manual pages - it's a .pdf. Regular text is clearer and you can adjust the size and font.
Finally... turned all the lights off an put the camera on a little tripod. This was lit just with the cover's LED lamp. I think that's generally how the display looks when I'm reading it in the dark.
OP
rick_ingram
Yoda
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Thanks....this is the exact kind of feedback I was looking for!
A
aerog
Guest
Guest
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By the way Rick, Target was supposed to have them by the end of September, I don't know how realistic that is. Best Buy is also supposed to be carrying it before the Christmas season.
Gundy
Luke Skywalker
Offline
Spring for a nice case. I bought the wife a Kindle as a
surprise a couple of years ago. Got the nice red leather case.
Women love fashion accessories type stuff and the nice cases
are kind of a gotcha when it's a gift.
She LOVES it. LOVES it. One of the best surprise gifts I've
ever given the wife.
Super easy to use. She like it's book "size".
surprise a couple of years ago. Got the nice red leather case.
Women love fashion accessories type stuff and the nice cases
are kind of a gotcha when it's a gift.
She LOVES it. LOVES it. One of the best surprise gifts I've
ever given the wife.
Super easy to use. She like it's book "size".
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foxtrapper
Jedi Trainee
Offline
I bought an ereader a few months ago. The Kindle took itself out of the running by being proprietary. It is incompatable with the library, and with most of the free ebook publishers. You can buy books from Amazon, and that's about it. Primarily because of that, I did not chose the Kindle.
Secondarily was the size. It's big. I didn't like holding onto something that large.
The Nook was a strong runner. I almost bought it. Went back and forth several times. The split screen was quite annoying. Internet capability was useless because of it being so slow. And the lack of a touch screen is frustrating, especially if you've ever used one.
I finally selected the Sony PRS-600. The touch screen is highly addictive. It is compatable with almost every ebook format known to man. Including all the libraries, Google, smashword, etc. The Sony lasts for days and days without a recharge.
It is not perfect. The Kindle screen is more easily viewed than the Sony. Not tremendously so, but having that touch layer on the Sony definately affects visibility.
Secondarily was the size. It's big. I didn't like holding onto something that large.
The Nook was a strong runner. I almost bought it. Went back and forth several times. The split screen was quite annoying. Internet capability was useless because of it being so slow. And the lack of a touch screen is frustrating, especially if you've ever used one.
I finally selected the Sony PRS-600. The touch screen is highly addictive. It is compatable with almost every ebook format known to man. Including all the libraries, Google, smashword, etc. The Sony lasts for days and days without a recharge.
It is not perfect. The Kindle screen is more easily viewed than the Sony. Not tremendously so, but having that touch layer on the Sony definately affects visibility.
Online
I have enough trouble reading posts on forums. Give me a REAL book with pages any day! Don't understand the appeal of virtual reading.
foxtrapper
Jedi Trainee
Offline
I had no desire for an e-reader when I got it. It was my wife and son who were determined to get me one. Though now that I've had it for a while, I've come to like it. Mostly for the venues it opens. There are a whole lot of quirky things available electronically that cannot be had on paper. From obscure NASA reports on rocket development to self published works. That's what I've been having fun with these past several months. All free, as I'm not yet willing to shell out any money, even pocket change, for an electronic book just yet.
Has it replaced by paper books? Of course not. It has suplemented my library though. Adding many things that cannot be had on paper.
Will I take it to the beach or places like that? No. I want cheap paperbacks for that sort of thing. Paper that doesn't cause me to worry about blowing sand or rain or glare or battery life. Same with the various paperbacks lurking in the glove box of all my cars and on my desk. They all lay there, patiently waiting for a moment when I can casually read them.
Has it replaced by paper books? Of course not. It has suplemented my library though. Adding many things that cannot be had on paper.
Will I take it to the beach or places like that? No. I want cheap paperbacks for that sort of thing. Paper that doesn't cause me to worry about blowing sand or rain or glare or battery life. Same with the various paperbacks lurking in the glove box of all my cars and on my desk. They all lay there, patiently waiting for a moment when I can casually read them.