Ebook news!

[rhienelleth]

Amazon announces the new Kindle DX large screen, especially suited for e-textbooks and the like. I'll stick with my Kindle, but if I were still in college, you betcha.

In other interesting e-reader news, Apple and Verizon are developing something that could be touted as Apple's "ebook reader". (And they also may have an iPhone deal sooner than we thought.) However, I am unimpressed. No e-ink screen? Sorry, I'll stick with my Kindle, thanks. As for watching video, isn't that what an iPod Touch is for?

I love all the people who download books to their iphones. I'm sorry if some of you do that and this offends you, but I laugh. Seriously. Clearly, these people have never tried an electronic ink screen for any definitive length of time. I can read more and for longer on my Kindle than I can real books. An iphone? That small LCD screen? My poor eyes are strained enough on the computer all day at work.

I love my iPod and my Macbook to pieces. But as far as I'm concerned, Kindle still has the market cornered on ebook readers, with their screen, and the free wireless downloading of books anytime, anywhere.

Comments

[sabaceanbabe.livejournal.com]

I think I may have to put a Kindle down on my Christmas wish list for this year.

[rhienelleth.livejournal.com]

I never thought I would love mine as much as I do. I am disappointed now when a book is not available on it.

[shadawyn.livejournal.com]

I may or may not have been considering getting Kindle versions of some of the books still on my TBR piles of paper books.

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I may or may not have been considering getting Kindle versions of some of the books still on my TBR piles of paper books. <_< >_>

And I may or may not have brought digital copies of some of my favorite reference books (come on, Bullfinch's Mythology that doesn't weigh 20 pounds?).

[rhienelleth.livejournal.com]

I know! It is just so easy and convenient. :) And searchable! Bullfinch's mythology would be great to have on kindle.

[shadawyn.livejournal.com]

I have an iPhone and a Kindle. I love both to bits, but I'll keep reading on my Kindle, thanks.

[glamaphonic]

Clearly, these people have never tried an electronic ink screen for any definitive length of time.

Or maybe they just don't want to pay $350+ for yet another boondoggle so they make do with what they have?

I've fought again and again with getting a Kindle (or rather a Kindle 2 at this point), but I can never manage to convince myself that it is useful or cost-effective enough to warrant it! Like I wouldn't say no if someone bought me one, but I still do not see myself ever buying it...myself.

Of course, I don't read on my iPhone either (except fanfic sometimes) because I will always be biased towards actual physical books.

[shadawyn.livejournal.com]

Cost effective the Kindle is not. Much like the iPhone, it's a luxury device. I suppose once you've bought 300 books or so the savings from hardcover cost might pay for the Kindle (or the lack of need to buy another bookcase).

It's pretty nice for convenience. I just tote mine along and I know I'll always have something to read and it will always take up the same amount of space and weigh the same. Instead of overbuying books (half of which never got read) or trying to keep a list, I just download the free first chapters of books I want to try/read next. It's very, very nice on the eyes--easier than paper books or LCD for me, so I can read for hours instead of half an hour.

I never thought I'd really be sold off paper books, but yesterday while curled up on the couch reading my heart out, I realized I could never have been or stayed in that comfortable position if I also had to try to hold the book open, rather than propping a corner on the cushion, and holding it with one hand.

It's totally a luxury device--a luxury I really like and feel was worth the money for my convenience. But cost-effective, it most certainly wasn't ;)

[rhienelleth.livejournal.com]

ITA. After I got my iPod, I thought "I am so never doing without one of these again." I have a very similar reaction to the Kindle. And since I've had mine, my husband (who was even more committed to his paper books than I was mine), two of my friends, and my Mom have all gotten them. My sister recently borrowed my Mom's to read two books, so my money's on her as the next convert.

The convenience and ease of long reading and traveling with multiple books is truly fantastic.

[glamaphonic]

I completely understand that it's a luxury item. That's why I called it a boondoggle. Indeed, the entire point of my original comment was that its luxury item status was far more likely to be the reason behind people choosing to read on their iPods/iPhones than a lack of belief in/experience with ~*~the wonders of the Kindle~*~.

For me, with my ridiculous tech-whore items, I need it to be either useful or (relatively) cost-effective, just in the interest of my not being COMPLETELY eaten by consumerism. The Kindle does not feel like enough of either to me! And if I did not have these rules, I would basically run around buying everything!

So, yeah. No Kindle for me until either someone else buys me one or I can convince myself that I would ever use it outside of when I am like traveling/away from home.