Thread: Amazon's Kindle - The Collected Wisdom of RP'ers

I know there are a couple of other RP'ers who have/will shortly have a Kindle so as requested by charlie_five thought I'd stick a thread up for us to share our thoughts on them.

I've got the 3g version which is the 'top' model as it has free access to the amazon book catalogue to download books virtually anywhere in the world that you'll find a 3g signal.

I only got it this morning so these are just initial observations.

I like the screen, I didn't expect to find it as comfortable to read for long periods of time as it is, and it's a decent size to get a reasonable amount of text on so even though I read pretty quickly I'm not constantly pressing the page turn buttons (well not on purpose at least).

Size wise, I find it easy to hold, my fingers fit in the margins around the screen so I don't obscure what I'm trying to read, and it does feel very slim - I think for some reason I was expecting it to be bulkier - and is lovely and light.

The 'page turn' buttons are a bit annoying as they're on both sides in pairs. The upper and smaller one to turn back the lower and bigger to turn forward - I can't help feeling that it would have been better to have forward/backward on either side given how often I've pressed one by accident while holding in my left hand.

So far I've only been reading books I'd already downloaded to my 'Kindle for PC' application so haven't tried out the download speeds or ebook catalogue - no doubt I'll be playing with that at work tomorrow when I finish the book I'm on now.

I do highly recommend getting some kind of cover for it, if only to make it feel more like a 'real' book, and to protect the screen - at the moment I'm improvising with a 99p small knitted hat....(and hoping that Santa is good to me and gets one of the lovely looking coloured leather covers with a reading light built in).

Will it replace proper books? God no, I love the texture, and smell of real books too much but it will help cut down the number of books I buy (30 since I moved in August....) and save me a small fortune in excess baggage when I go on holiday - although that saving is likely to be counter balanced by the cost of buying the ebooks - ebooks are vatable while physical books are not which is why often a download costs the same or more than the paperback version.

Thanks Scoobs! I didn't realise e-books were subject to VAT, I wondered why they weren't quite as cheap as I expected them to be. I'm still very much in two minds whether to get a Kindle or not (I'm always way behind the rest of the world when it comes to gadgets, I only got an iPod last year although now I wonder what I did without it!) I love the idea of having instant access to books, especially as here we don't have the luxury of Waterstones etc (mmmmmm, Waterstones!!) but I'm still struggling with the whole no paper thing. I also think it's a fab idea to be able to carry a load of books around with you without all the weight. I've just had a look online to see if there's a waterproof case I could get for when I'm on the beach (or in the bath!) cos I can't imagine it'd cope too well with getting wet!

I think all in all I'll probably end up getting one; the seed has now been planted so it's only a matter of time but am still really interested to hear how people get on with it over time.

C5 if you wait a few days, I have ordered a cover for mine so once the both arrive i'll let you know!

love love love mine ! only had it a few days and already wonder what i did with out it, its even converted my technophobe mum, getting her one for christmas, although i still love ' real ' books, the idea of being able to get rid of all the books cluttering up my house is irrisistable.

OK today I worked out how to change the font size on screen and to turn the orientation of the screen around.

The largest font is great with the screen turned landscape - could easily be used by someone who typically reads large print books. While the smallest is the size of the typical 'small' font paperback, and my preferred size simply because it means longer before I have to turn the page (I do read unusually quickly though).

Grrrrrr waterproof cover arrived today, no Kindle :0(

Oh how cruel of them Sluicey, any idea when the Kindle will arrive?

In the mean time I found this site which helps to find the free ebooks Free Kindle books It says it updates twice a day but I've found that it seems to throw up a new title once every couple of days since I started looking at it.

Am just trying to download the latest title showing as new from the site direct to my Kindle now.

The search function is easy enough to use but apparently where I live doesn't have good 3G coverage (which to be fair I knew anyway from trying to use my 3G interweb dongle) so keeps dropping out when coverage indicator drops to 1 bar.

I don't know if it's slow because of this though, but it does feel painfully slow to be searching - that said the internet connection I use on the lappy is superfast broadband rather than free 3g built in.

Once it found the title in the amazon inventory it literally took seconds from pressing download to it showing up on the device 'homepage'. Just got to finish reading the 9 titles I've already got sat on it to get in to the latest.

Guess what the postman bought me today!

If I could afford a Kindle, I would love to have one but alas.................

However, my mum has one, not sure what model it is but is has the wifi and amazon Kindle store. I borrowed it a few weeks back, to read a book she had downloaded, that I liked. It's a good piece of equipment, although, for me, it was hard to adjust to reading it on the screen.

I would say they a fabulous thing to have, when traveling on a plane/train etc but will they replace actual books? Nope!

I can't see a Kindle being much good on holiday, lazying but the pool and trying to read it, with the sun glaring off of it but I suppose there are ways to get around that.

Originally Posted by Josephine

If I could afford a Kindle, I would love to have one but alas.................

However, my mum has one, not sure what model it is but is has the wifi and amazon Kindle store. I borrowed it a few weeks back, to read a book she had downloaded, that I liked. It's a good piece of equipment, although, for me, it was hard to adjust to reading it on the screen.

I would say they a fabulous thing to have, when traveling on a plane/train etc but will they replace actual books? Nope!

I can't see a Kindle being much good on holiday, lazying but the pool and trying to read it, with the sun glaring off of it but I suppose there are ways to get around that.

The screens are designed to be anti glare - so in theory no harder to read than a conventional paper book, obviously given the weather at the moment I've no idea how true that is (currently outside visibility approx nil thanks to the fog lol).

Enjoy Sluicey - let me know if the waterproof cover's any good!

Done it! Ordered one!

Oooh, oooh, there's a Kindle app for the i-pad!!

Originally Posted by WhiteRose

Oooh, oooh, there's a Kindle app for the i-pad!!

And for android phones!

I've had my Kindle since June and I have been very happy with it. It does work outside in the sun pretty well (I used it in Texas in the Summer). Before I got the actual Kindle, I downloaded the app for my computer and started downloading books there -- so I had time to browse and add the free books. When I received and charged the Kindle, all those books automatically downloaded. Also, as the OH sometimes takes the Kindle away on courses, I can read books on my computer (if I want to). The OH just found out he'll be going to Afghan next year, so he'll probably take it with him... if he ruins it, it'll just be a good excuse for me to get the newest one! Also, I'll be able to buy books for him and not have to mail them.

Sorry, if I'm butting-in, but thought I'd add my two cents!

I can happily report that the Kindle app for the iPad is bloody marvellous. I bought a book just to prove the concept and it's much less faff than getting a book onto the Sony Reader. I still love my Sony though, particularly as it has all those wonderful classic books on there!

Waterproof cover is good, not given it the dunk test yet - not brave enough for that! Have also given in and bought a Kindle cover with built in light - loving it, its brilliant for reading in bed!

Still struggling walking past paperbacks in the supermarket, but resisting the urge! Hope your all still loving your kindles x

Hisself bought me one of these plus the pink cover for my birthday. Am totally loving it. But ........ I have bought him one for crimbo with black cover. He'll now think I copied him but I've had his for ages - lol

Loads of free ebooks seem to have been added over the weekend on the site I linked to earlier - WhiteRose most if not all of the classics are avaliable for free for Kindle too - I've been trying to force myself to alternate between classics and modern books.

*Do the happy Kindle dance!!* I finally got mine today and I love it. The screen is so strange but perfect for reading; I keep looking at it thinking how wonderful it is. I have bought a couple of books and am busy hunting through the collection of freebies in order to build up my collection. Santa is also bringing me a cover with a light. Thank you Santa!

*bump* for padders

Just finished updating mine with some books a mate has converted to Kindle format, I feel an odd sense of deep contentment with the realisation that I have over 400 books waiting to be read....

**I may be absent for a little while whilst I read this lot**