Amazon Kindle

Fifer

asbokid wrote: »

Hopefully hackers will discover how to tether the Kindle's 3G modem to a PC. This would allow the "unlimited" 3G connection to be used for genuinely useful and interesting things like file sharing over the bit torrent and edonkey networks. Amazon would probably react to the discovery by imposing a charge for internet access on the Kindle or by withdrawing the 3G facility altogether. This could cause a useful wave of indignation amongst Kindle users, turning them against Amazon, and re-uniting them with the rest of society.

As a Kindle user, I'd blame the hackers for turning something useful today into something economically unsustainable.

Fifer

asbokid wrote: »

From a 2007 article from Bill Ray of The Register...

Written at the time of the US launch of the 1st generation Kindle. We're now on the third generation device. But the article is actually quite complementary.

one2escape

Love my Kindle. Keep in my car when the missus goes shopping and I have read so many books. As its on amazon so many offers on books. Loads of free books. With the rumoured Amazon Tablet coming out soon (and hopefully the cloud drive and Tv / movies overhere) its exciting time.

The browser is quite bad on the Kindle its not for lots of use. Checking emails and what not on holiday not for constantly on surfing.

directdebiter

3G is absolutely wicked. Am addicted to my Kindle. Definitely get the 3G or you are likely to regret it IMO. You;ll always feel something missing.

asbokid

starlight_xx wrote: »

Of the 200 books on my Kindle Ive bought 5 of them on Amazon. Ive certainly not stumped up extra cash to get them either I think Ive spent under £20 on them. Having a Kindle doesnt mean youre restricted to Kindle ebooks on Amazon, far from it.

What are the titles of your 200 free e-books? Are they just the old "classics" that no one reads save for schoolkids who have no choice? Or do you sometimes find a free e-novel, like you see stuck to the front of women's magazines?

Besides, free e-books have been around since the 1980s. More recently, Google marched its armies of scanners into our public libraries to make millions of copies of royalty-free books. Is that where Amazon got its free e-library from?

Further, the poor old Gutenberg.org project must be buckling under the weight of the increased web traffic. Is the parasitical Amazon helping to fund Gutenberg's extra costs, since the free e-books on offer are clearly a selling point for the Kindle.

200 books for £20 - not a bad price as far as Im concerned

Quality not quantity, sweetheart! That's what i always tell my pestering wife!

Fifer

I've downloaded some very good free e-books from Amazon. Often they are introductory offers with new titles which are free for a limited time after launch.

I'm sensing some irrational antipathy towards Amazon and the Kindle. Am I missing a subtext?

asbokid

Fifer wrote: »

I've downloaded some very good free e-books from Amazon.

Yes, I can see numerous e-book versions of the Bible, Homer, Kipling, Pepys, the complete works of Shakespeare of course, Mark Twain, Dickens, Tolstoy, Austen and even Black Beauty... It's like going back to school!

Often they are introductory offers with new titles which are free for a limited time after launch.

Yes, those are the same unwanted and unloved books that you see stuck to the cover of Woman's Weekly. No one ever reads them.

DCodd

asbokid wrote: »

Yes, I can see numerous e-book versions of the Bible, Homer, Kipling, Pepys, the complete works of Shakespeare of course, Mark Twain, Dickens, Tolstoy, Austen and even Black Beauty... It's like going back to school!

Yes, those are the same unwanted and unloved books that you see stuck to the cover of Woman's Weekly. No one ever reads them.

I'm assuming that you do not have a Kindle?

If so, why are you so anti-Kindle? You don't have one, no one has said you have to buy one. It clearly suits some people and is a personal choice. Like most choices of technology there are pro's and con's and you make your decision based on the compromises that you are prepared to make.

From my limited experience of the Kindle, it does it's job extremely well, I don't think it is for me (more of a multipurpose tablet person) but I can definately see why people want them.

23n1th

asbokid wrote: »

Worth pausing before buying a Kindle to see how the technology of colour EPD advances.

Why? 18 months is a long time, if you take that attitude with all technology you'd never buy anything. Waiting for the next best thing means you'll be waiting all your life.

The rest of you rant is about the "outdated" tech and browsing not being up to scratch. Its an ereader it doesn't need to be a supercomputer. If the tech works why not use it? If you want to seriously browse the internet get yourself a laptop/netbook/tablet etc. Why would you buy an ereader if you main concern is internet browsing?

Fifer

asbokid wrote: »

Yes, I can see numerous e-book versions of the Bible, Homer, Kipling, Pepys, the complete works of Shakespeare of course, Mark Twain, Dickens, Tolstoy, Austen and even Black Beauty... It's like going back to school!

Perhaps you need to look harder. I've downloaded very few classics or out of copyright books.

asbokid wrote: »

Yes, those are the same unwanted and unloved books that you see stuck to the cover of Woman's Weekly. No one ever reads them.

Uhmmm, no, they aren't as a matter of fact. There's a lot of dross (just like in real bookshops) but some really good stuff too. And the really great thing is that it isn't compulsory. Don't want a Kindle? Don't buy one. Sorted.