Anyone planning to get a Kindle Fire? Thoughts?

edith head

I pre-ordered one. I thought about an ipad, but i already own a mess of apple products and an ipad seems like it would just be a giant version of my ipod touch, plus i think it's pretty heavy. i really just want to read on the damn thing, watch a movie on a plane once in a while and maybe use the web browser. at $199 (no tax, free shipping) compared to the $499 ipad, it seemed like a no brainer. thoughts?

Almond

I'm still reading books manually.

edith head

haha, yeah i do that too and i'm definitely not planning to get rid of my tangible book collection now that i plan to get this.

But one thing i like about the kindle is that i'm not always having a dictionary besides my side when i come across a word i don't know, and you can highlight that word when you are reading it and get the meaning right there. i also like there are often list of characters and their relationships to others, because I can't always keep track of the characters in a novel, especially if you are reading something like Gravity's Rainbow that has over 400 characters. Reading a thick hardcover book also is not comfortable at all when you are lying down and i always have to shift my arm or weight frequently, which can be disruptive. though having real books are nice, i am definitely not going to argue about the accessibility and cheapness of the kindle books

Big_Chan

Almond said:

I'm still reading books manually.

No doubt. I love books and keep buying more and more all the time. I have hundreds of books here at my place and more in storage. I have a lot more books at my mom's place too. Who else collects books like records? Anyone have a serious library in his or her house? No kindle for me yet. I would probably get one if I traveled more often.

empanadamn

Almond said:

I'm still reading books manually.

Real book worms read books.

KEEP PAPER ALIVE!

The-gaffler

Brian

:feelin_it: :face_melt: :killin_it:

I already own an iPad and am buying this because it's lighter. iPad is too heavy for me to hold up and read for a long period of time :|

edith head

empanadamn said:

Almond said:

I'm still reading books manually.

Real book worms read books.

KEEP PAPER ALIVE! KILL TREES

sorry i couldn't help myself :P

FunkyFlatulent

I still read paper books. But i'm interested in switching because the price of books is crazy. I can't find an answer to this question. I mainly read to fall asleep, does the Kindle have some type of shut of mode or sleep timer or something incase I fall asleep? I wouldn't want to leave it on all night.

white_tea

Can we dead the 'versus' argument? It's no more an either-or as is iPods v. records. No one is trying to dismiss the greatness of a thousand-year-old format for reading! I still collect books, subscribe to magazines and the newspaper and own a Kindle.

That said, I wish the Fire had been released a little while earlier. Bought the basic, no-ad, free 3G Kindle in late July, and I love it. But I wouldn't have minded paying a little bit extra for more features. As far as an auto-off feature, you don't need it -- with the wireless turned off, your Kindle can go two weeks or more without being charged, and it's never 'off' per say; an automatic screensaver comes on and then you just unlock with one switch to read.

empanadamn

switching to digital makes things SO much more easier. besides, i've paid my dues carrying backpacks of heavy hardbacks for years. however, i will never retire my library card. word is bond.

empanadamn

sorry, i'm actin' an ass. i'm so dumb i can't even read books on tape! the school system failed me and now i'm posting on soulstrut.

i am the 99%.

herbacios tweed

how easy is it to hack the OS of this thing and de-Amazonify it ala iPad jailbreaks? $199 is a crazy low price for a competent tablet.

OptimusLime

I read books, a lot. The problem for me was that when I go on holiday I have to bring a lot of books, because I also read quite quickly. I bought a Kindle and I have to say it's fantastic. It does feel like cheating a bit, but it just works.

One thing I'd say though. The reason I bought a Kindle and not an iPad is because of the screen, and the functions. When I read a book, I don't want to be distracted and tempted to check email/browse online. Also you will not believe how calm the screen on a Kindle is until you've seen it. It IS like a book. And when you lie on your side in bed, you can keep on reading, as there is no opposing page.

I like it, I'm not sure I'd get the fuego, as the screen is different and you CAN email/browse, which is what I don't want to do when I want to read.

But on the other hand when Barnes&Noble; released the Nook, people hacked the shit out of it and it was a great little tablet, half the price of any other tablet on the market. I suspect this will happen to this thing as well.

edith head

white_tea said:

Can we dead the 'versus' argument? It's no more an either-or as is iPods v. records. No one is trying to dismiss the greatness of a thousand-year-old format for reading! I still collect books, subscribe to magazines and the newspaper and own a Kindle.

Thank you, I think it's a silly argument too.

FunkyFlatulent

thanks for the answer white tea.

Also Optimus what do you mean the screen is different on this one? Do you think it's worse for reading books?

Snagglepus

As a librarian, I'm a bit late to the party when it comes to actually embracing ebooks (I work at an archive / research library where the demand for ebooks is rather low). I'm currently wrestling between grabbing a Fire or one of the new Touches. I'm leaning towards the Touch because I'd like to give E Ink a try, but the thought of having to buy a light for my digital reading device seems absurd. It reminds me of this (which I still own):

edith head

FunkyFlatulent said:

thanks for the answer white tea.

Also Optimus what do you mean the screen is different on this one? Do you think it's worse for reading books?

the b&w Kindles have a matte screen that looks kinda like paper. it's hard to describe, but it's very easy on the eyes like reading a real paper book. the screen on the Kindle Fire is glossy and looks like a tablet screen, but if it's like the Kindle app for the iPad, you can adjust the tones for reading so it doesn't strain the eyes.

pimlicosquirrel

I recently donated all of my books to a charity (along with maybe a third of my records). I'm trying hard to de-clutter although I'm an avid reader and often reread books many times. I felt separation anxiety for a minute but it's mostly all accessible on-line, so fusk it. I will get a Kindle, I'm currently reading on my laptop.

CD's are going next of which I have thousands and a further whittling of my records, I have far too much chud for one man to deal with.

OptimusLime

edith head said:

FunkyFlatulent said:

thanks for the answer white tea.

Also Optimus what do you mean the screen is different on this one? Do you think it's worse for reading books?

the b&w Kindles have a matte screen that looks kinda like paper. it's hard to describe, but it's very easy on the eyes like reading a real paper book. the screen on the Kindle Fire is glossy and looks like a tablet screen, but if it's like the Kindle app for the iPad, you can adjust the tones for reading so it doesn't strain the eyes.

Yeah, that. The LED screen in this will probably be good, but the E-Ink thingy that's in the Kindle really is like paper. You don't really know how calm it is until you've seen it.

white_tea

Yeah, that's why I ended up buying it -- so easy on the eyeballs. Never even thought about buying one until I ran across a demo model at Target and was converted with the quickness.

Another thing I wanted to mention that is crucial to my Kindle is the website Longform, which aggregates long-form journalism and then allows you to send the articles -- via a Wifi network, not Amazon's 3G -- straight to your device. They have a button for it and I send loads of articles straight there and it so great!

herbacios tweed

I was given a Kindle this summer and it was great reading on the road -- the e-ink really does save your eyes, no glare, no squinting. Ambient light reflects off it into your eyes, like a book, rather than another screen pumping photons at you. The other great thing is how it holds a charge, you can easily go 60 hours plus without recharging, the only electrical activity is when you turn a page.

Brian

am i seriously the only one enthusiastic about that library thing

FunkyFlatulent

thanks for all the replies about the screens. So I guess if i just want to read the original is the best one?

Snagglepus

Brian said:

am i seriously the only one enthusiastic about that library thing

Meh. If I was already a member of Amazon Prime, I'd be into it. But I'm looking at it as an $80 fee to have access to up to 12 ebooks per year. Currently their selection only includes around 5000 books (mostly self-published titles or those published by Amazon and affiliates as the big publishers aren't interested at the moment).

Here's an article.

I'll keep an eye on it, but so far this doesn't even match what my public library offers for free.

edith head

Snagglepus said:

Brian said:

am i seriously the only one enthusiastic about that library thing

Meh. If I was already a member of Amazon Prime, I'd be into it. But I'm looking at it as an $80 fee to have access to up to 12 ebooks per year.

It's worth paying for Amazon Prime if you buy a lot from them. I love the free 2-day or $4 overnight shipping, although it is making me spend twice as much $ on impulses, like random puzzles or an electric sander : /

Brian

amazon prime shipping is not valid in hawaii and i doubt i'll use the streaming music and video shit. i easily spend 80+ on books a year so that's why i found the library thing attractive. of course i've actually read up on it beyond the hype article on the amazon site and unless more publishers jump on, it won't really be worth it for me.

rootlesscosmo

I am in the market for a tablet.

Android or Windows.

Any recs?

Grandfather

get the new Nexus 7
Its great and that screen is fantastic

rootlesscosmo

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/compare.asp?CatId=6838

???

rootlesscosmo

Grandfather said:

get the new Nexus 7
Its great and that screen is fantastic

I want a 10 inch one though.

*pasue*