Calling all Kindle users...

mr_fishbulb

Love my Kindle. I was never one of those book fetish people that can only get off if they are smelling paper so it didn't bother me that it doesn't "feel" like a book.

3 things I really like:
- A lot lighter than the books I normally read (technical ones)
- Email docs to the Kindle.
- Free Economist on the Kindle using Calibre.

AmongTheLiving

There are people who like reading, and there are people who like books.

If you're in the former group, you care about WHAT you're reading, not what it's written on (as long as it's legible, of course). I don't give a rat's a** whether I read a gripping novel in paperback, hardcover, leather bound or e-ink form. It's the book which gets my attention, not any other external factors. If you're one of those people that delight in the touch and smell of books and pass every page as if you were handling a long lost treasure, you're probably too busy being a snob to actually appreciate what you're reading :P

That said, I personally went for Sony's Reader because I strongly oppose walled gardens like Apple's or Amazon's ecosystems, but that's not the point here...

Yolina

AmongTheLiving wrote: »

That said, I personally went for Sony's Reader because I strongly oppose walled gardens like Apple's or Amazon's ecosystems, but that's not the point here...

I've got a Sony too as well as a K3 and the, let's say, "magic" plug-ins for Calibre, so all eventualities are covered :rotfl: I don't like being walled in either

Oh and I also still by some paper books as well as well as ebooks...

AmongTheLiving

Yolina wrote: »

I've got a Sony too as well as a K3 and the, let's say, "magic" plug-ins for Calibre, so all eventualities are covered :rotfl: I don't like being walled in either

Oh and I also still by some paper books as well as well as ebooks...

Yeah, I don't have anything against dead tree books, in fact I still buy them regularly because many times it's easier (and cheaper!) to go on a second-hand book spree on Amazon than to look for those titles in e-book format (legally or otherwise)!

So for me it's basically about convenience. I love having hundreds of books readily available on a single device, but if I find a book I want to read in paper format for 1 penny + shipping costs then why not? Horses for courses, I say!

buyitall

I love my kindle, prefer it to a 'normal' book now. I love being able to download a book as soon as I fancy reading it. I would also second the post about calibre and the plug-ins, it means that I can also read e-library books on my kindle. I would just add that if you want to e-read, it is definitely worth getting a dedicated e-reader (I also have an ipad and whilst the quality of the screen is amazing for videos etc, it does not re-create the reading experience at all and I rarely use it for reading).

Squire_Fulwood

Over the years I have come across people who did not want to give up their twin tub washing machines, their manual car gearboxes and they won't leave messages on answering machines. This is a new one to me.

I like my Kindle. I can read it without it keep trying to close on me which means I can prop it somewhere convenient and not use hands at all. I note that I can have different print sizes and the number of books on it would take up a fair sized book case.

I feel the only advice possible in these circumstances is to suggest you take the plunge and buy one. It's the only way you will find out what it's like.

1jim

I use calibre but what are these plug ins?

aintshesweet

I hate reading blocks of texts on screen, but honestly, when I first checked out a kindle I was hooked.
I love reading with it! It doesn't feel like a machine, it feel like a very light book, and the good thing is I don't ever get arm ache or pain in my fingers from clasping very thick, heavy books anymore. One of the best features about it imo!
Also, loads of books are free on it. No more trawling through charity shops hoping to find the right books. Not *every* single book in the world is on it so of course I'll still buy the odd book but for classics and modern novels it's brill! I'll always buy regular books for non-fiction, mostly photography and art books, but for everything else I'm converted to Kindle books. Totally recommend the kindle!

Badger_Lady

I'm a book lover, but since yesterday when I picked up my Kindle (the £89 one, not that I paid that much!) I am even more of an eBook lover.

I adore the screen, which is so fantastically clear and neat and 'real' (nothing like a mobile phone or computer screen), I love the simplicity of it and most of all I love being able to flick between such a variety of books without leaving my seat. I've already filled it with free books, news articles and some unpublished 'books' that my friends have written. I'm using Calibre to manage it, and I'm looking forward to using it on my seven hour flight tonight.

I've also bought the Keyboard version for my mother, plus a 'KleverCase' which is a customised leather-bound cover that makes the Kindle look and feel like a real old-fashioned book (with a magic changing page).

The main differences between an app on a phone/tablet versus a dedicated eBook reader are:
- Screen. Go eInk every time - LCD is terrible compared to a proper reading screen.
- Page turns... you can hold the Kindle with one hand and turn the page just by applying pressure with your thumb. It's easier than turning a real page, and much easier than prodding a touch screen.

I've gained a passion for reading all over again

mildredalien

I love my kindle, it doesn't feel 'weird' or anything to be reading from a screen rather than a book - especially as it uses the e-ink method. Much better than LCD. It's actually easier to read in bed as you can hold and flip pages with just one hand. Also, I took it on holiday which saved a LOT of space!! I was away for over a month and have been known to take 10 books on a 2 week holiday, so it definitely saved me some back pain and excess baggage charges :P

One downside is that if you download pdf's rather than properly formatted ebooks, they can be quite awkward to read and/or very small text. Not a massive problem though as most books come, or can be converted into, appropriate formats. The other downside is that if you are after a specific book, they can be more expensive on kindle. Not more expensive than a new book, but I almost always bought used books from amazon, for as little as 1p+postage. You can get free and very cheap books, but the chances of finding a relatively new and specific book for less than £4-5 is slim.