What do you think of Amazon's Kindle?

Butler

So everyone's probably seen this by now, basically an iPod for books that Amazon's been spruiking on their front page for ages. I had a proper look at the description and demo videos last night and I have to say I'm intrigued.

There's a lot of good ideas in there, especially the fact that they seem to have broken the "eye strain" barrier for electronic screens. But, the design is boxy and ugly, there's no colour screen (as far as I can tell) and that keyboard just seems like it would get in the way. I could see myself maybe investing in a future generation that addressed these problems though.

We may have already had a thread about this; if so, man up bitch, we're having another one.

Dublo7

To be honest, I would buy one, but the thing is as ugly as sin.

And it's expensive.

Maybe in a few years/generations.

TankHammer

I am just fine with paper books. I already carry around a DS, a tin containing all my DS games, a cellular phone and occasionally my digital camera. I don't need another plastic electronic device that I might accidentally smash or crush in my pocket.

casper_27d

I have had the chance to actually use one and I have also had a chance to use the Sony Reader. The Kindle feels a little wierd in my hands but I really liked the screen. The Sony felt really good in my hands but the screen wasn't as good (not bad though). The controls for both devices was a little ackward at first but I am sure they would become second nature after a while (the only good placed buttons on both was the next page or previous page buttons).

Dublo7

casper_27d wrote: »

I have had the chance to actually use one and I have also had a chance to use the Sony Reader. The Kindle feels a little wierd in my hands but I really liked the screen. The Sony felt really good in my hands but the screen wasn't as good (not bad though). The controls for both devices was a little ackward at first but I am sure they would become second nature after a while (the only good placed buttons on both was the next page or previous page buttons).

I take it the screen was nice and easy to read?

Does someone you know have a Kindle?

Butler

Also an optional backlight would be good. Did the Sony Reader have one?

Dublo7

I'm almost surprised at how crazily this Kindle is selling. Amazon supposedly can't keep up with their orders.

Like I said, I think it's a cool idea, but in the end, I have no problems with paper books. In fact, I'd much rather have a nice, full bookshelf, than some digital files on a Kindle.

casper_27d

A couple kindles were donated to my unit, preloaded with a whole bunch of classic books. The screen was really easy to read, it was like reading a page out of a newspaper. The sony one (my roommate owns it) has a little glare on the screen but otherwise very nice.

edit:
I have never seen my roommate use it in the dark if he is able to.

One Thousand Cables

I like some of the ideas, but it is waaaaaay too expensive for me. Maybe in a few generations.

That said, I do enjoy the feel of a good paper book.

Janson

I agree with others here - I think it's ugly, but it is also easy to read and I liked the placement of the next/previous page buttons, too. (I had a chance to try one).

I much prefer paper books but I can definitely see the use of something like this for college or school. I was lugging a heavy rucksack laden with textbooks all through highschool - can't have been good for my back, especially not when you're still growing. Plus it could be considerably cheaper for students/teachers because of the lack of need to print, and you'd probably have fewer people forgetting their books.

Butler

Holy shit you can download from anywhere there's a mobile phone signal, and you have free connection to this service

But it still looks like a personal organiser from the mid-nineties. Amazon has made some awesome innovations with this thing, but then they go and fuck up the easy stuff like making it look good and having a colour screen.

Dublo7

The whole "download from anywhere" thing is pretty rad.

The Kindle book range is massive as well.

CrossBuster

Books are for fags.

CrossBuster

Butler wrote: »

Holy shit you can download from anywhere there's a mobile phone signal, and you have free connection to this service

But it still looks like a personal organiser from the mid-nineties. Amazon has made some awesome innovations with this thing, but then they go and fuck up the easy stuff like making it look good and having a colour screen.

Are color e-ink displays even commercially available yet?

Dublo7

lol i dun read

TankHammer

Janson wrote: »

I agree with others here - I think it's ugly, but it is also easy to read and I liked the placement of the next/previous page buttons, too. (I had a chance to try one).

I much prefer paper books but I can definitely see the use of something like this for college or school. I was lugging a heavy rucksack laden with textbooks all through highschool - can't have been good for my back, especially not when you're still growing. Plus it could be considerably cheaper for students/teachers because of the lack of need to print, and you'd probably have fewer people forgetting their books.

If it wasn't for my 15-30lb backpack all through middle and high school I would never have gotten any kind of practical exercise other than the occasional bike ride. I could certainly see how having a digital book with all of my textbooks in it would be convenient, however.

How much longer until we're all just carrying around the 'desks' from Ender's game? We clearly have the technology to build a rough equivalent of that. They were just tablet PCs with wifi and a decent graphics card from what I took from it.

Druhim

I can't believe people are paying $400 for this thing. It's a cool idea, but I wouldn't even consider getting it as long as it's over $100. Especially since it's so fucking ugly as others have pointed out.

Dynagrip

It's freaking huge. I'm not even sure why it has a full keyboard.

scarlet st.

Yeah, I could see $100 being reasonable, especially considering the idea of having to purchase future books. Having a library or a bookshelf has always been better to me than e-books, something I've never bothered pursuing, so I'll stick to the real deal.

Dynagrip

Dynagrip wrote: »

It's freaking huge. I'm not even sure why it has a full keyboard.

Ah, I guess the web browser thing makes that necessary.

Butler

They should have had this kind of keyboard:

QuestionMarkMan

Neil Gaiman really likes it

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

Janson

Kantankeris wrote: »

Janson wrote: »

I agree with others here - I think it's ugly, but it is also easy to read and I liked the placement of the next/previous page buttons, too. (I had a chance to try one).

I much prefer paper books but I can definitely see the use of something like this for college or school. I was lugging a heavy rucksack laden with textbooks all through highschool - can't have been good for my back, especially not when you're still growing. Plus it could be considerably cheaper for students/teachers because of the lack of need to print, and you'd probably have fewer people forgetting their books.

If it wasn't for my 15-30lb backpack all through middle and high school I would never have gotten any kind of practical exercise other than the occasional bike ride. I could certainly see how having a digital book with all of my textbooks in it would be convenient, however.

How much longer until we're all just carrying around the 'desks' from Ender's game? We clearly have the technology to build a rough equivalent of that. They were just tablet PCs with wifi and a decent graphics card from what I took from it.

I'm not sure a backpack is exactly a great form of exercise, though, considering how all of the weight is born by the back. Exercise should never be a justification for a heavy bag of books; most people will manage to get plenty of exercise from walking/biking and sports.

The_Scarab

Does it come with that new printed book smell so every 5 or so pages I can shove my face into the book and take a whiff?

Monkeyfeet

The book purchases are quite expensive on top of the intial investment.

But if you devour books like crazy and love to read every newspaper ever. Then it would be a great buy

Druhim

actually the book purchases seem to be pretty reasonable compared to buying a hardcover

Strayth

Dublo7 wrote: »

I'm almost surprised at how crazily this Kindle is selling. Amazon supposedly can't keep up with their orders.

Like I said, I think it's a cool idea, but in the end, I have no problems with paper books. In fact, I'd much rather have a nice, full bookshelf, than some digital files on a Kindle.

I'll second this on both parts. Paper books aren't annoying at all. Truth be told I'd be much more inclined to get it if it could read comic books because sometimes (particularly in hardback graphic novels), I miss out on dialog in the center fold. (That and I'm paranoid about harming the comics themselves, despite their non-existent collectability.)

It's too expensive, too blocky, and I just don't have a need to read books electronically on it. Cute idea but I'll wait for a few generations of it until those issues are resolved.

Butler

You know how if a book is over 100 years old then it's legally fair game for anyone to reproduce it? Anything that falls under this umbrella should become available on Kindle at a big discount (free is too much to hope for).

I just had another thought - this kind of technology could boost the popularity of shorter works like novellas and short stories. Instead of having to sell them in bundles to cut down on printing costs, you could just buy them one at a time for a couple of bucks each.

Me Too!

According to wiki, "classics" are released for around 1.99
How are they defining classics?

Butler

Fucking two bucks for Lovecraft gentlemen, that's what we're looking at here.

Druhim

Butler wrote: »

You know how if a book is over 100 years old then it's legally fair game for anyone to reproduce it? Anything that falls under this umbrella should become available on Kindle at a big discount (free is too much to hope for).

I just had another thought - this kind of technology could boost the popularity of shorter works like novellas and short stories. Instead of having to sell them in bundles to cut down on printing costs, you could just buy them one at a time for a couple of bucks each.

good point

Strayth

Thought it was 200 years.

Meissnerd

Lol! wrote: »

According to wiki, "classics" are released for around 1.99
How are they defining classics?

Well they're probably referring to generally agreed upon books, like Tom Sawyer or 1984.

Aneurhythmia

Butler wrote: »

You know how if a book is over 100 years old then it's legally fair game for anyone to reproduce it? Anything that falls under this umbrella should become available on Kindle at a big discount (free is too much to hope for).

Does it take a proprietary file format, or can one just throw files from Project Guttenberg on it?

I'm not a huge fan of this particular model, but this is a concept I hope catches on. Books consume a shit ton of lumber resources, and digital distribution could be as beneficial to literature as it is becoming to music. However, unlike music, in which grabbing an mp3 is clearly more convenient than any size of spinning disc, books have had a much longer time to be refined into a convenient and comfortable format. E-readers are going to have to become at least as good as books before it will ever catch on.

Aneurhythmia

Strayth wrote: »

Thought it was 200 years.

If we're talking about U.S. public domain, no.
Copyright law is a shifting, changing mess.
This is a pretty comprehensive but still easy to follow chart:
http://www.copyright.cornell.edu/public_domain/

Seattle Thread

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain#Expiration

Also, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain#Public_domain_and_the_Internet

jackal

Aneurhythmia wrote: »

Butler wrote: »

You know how if a book is over 100 years old then it's legally fair game for anyone to reproduce it? Anything that falls under this umbrella should become available on Kindle at a big discount (free is too much to hope for).

Does it take a proprietary file format, or can one just throw files from Project Guttenberg on it?

I'm not a huge fan of this particular model, but this is a concept I hope catches on. Books consume a shit ton of lumber resources, and digital distribution could be as beneficial to literature as it is becoming to music. However, unlike music, in which grabbing an mp3 is clearly more convenient than any size of spinning disc, books have had a much longer time to be refined into a convenient and comfortable format. E-readers are going to have to become at least as good as books before it will ever catch on.

I think you can email a pdf to it for 10 or 15 cents.

[edit] Evidently not, that sucks.

Damn they have 10 versions of Gulliver's Travels. The prices range from .99 to 3.96. That is strange. I wonder if there is any actual difference.

Alice in Wonderland is worse. They have 20 version ranging from .99 to $35.

Killjoy

I just read Project Gutenberg .txt files on my laptop.

Bruan

I honestly think this thing is awesome. The only thing that's stopping me from from buying one is I'm afraid that they are going to release a new version soon.

Rankenphile

thanks for the input, one month late