[quote=“Mucha Man”]The revolution has kicked into second gear. Yeah, agree with Finley that the keyboard sucks, but then that is why this is such a good reading devise: you have no quick distractions.
I suspect the basic version will remain popular for simply reading. I’d like to get the color for mags and newspapers.
US$79. Wow! [/quote]
Check the specs, carefully, though - I think you’ll find only the basic and previous models are currently available outside the US. That should change in time, however, as it did with the original Kindle’s restriction to the US. I’ve got my eye on the 7" tablet. $199 dual core. If the build is good and it gets a worldwide release, I’m in.
One of the two drawbacks in the upgrade from the Kindle 2 to Kindle 3 (now called Kindle Keyboard) was the elimination of the numbers from the keyboard. (The other was making the next page/prev page buttons smaller.) To use the numbers on the Kindle 3 you can either use the Alt button with the upper row keys, or use the Sym menu and select them, both of which are awkward.
It looks like the on-screen keyboard on the newest Kindle 4 non-touch version will probably be pretty painful to use, and the keyboard is useful to find things in the built-in Kindle store. On the other hand, I prefer to buy books through the web site on my computer, anyways. The biggest advantage of the basic Kindle 4 is that it is available now, while the Touch and Fire models are coming out in November (and they are only taking US pre-orders).
[quote=“scomargo”]Lots of new kindle models out now, including the kindle fire tablet. With prices as low as US$79, there’s almost no reason not to get a kindle now.
I think I’m leaning toward the basic kindle model (the $79 one) since I just want to read books and occasionally look up words, and I don’t really think I’ll need to type much. I guess now I know what I’ll be getting for Christmas.[/quote]
Does the $79 model come with advertising? How does that even fit in? Like every ten page turns you have to read an ad?
Reminder: typing on the Kindle itself is awful, but you can type to annotate on your computer, and those notes will sync over to your Kindle. I’m always underlining on the Kindle device, then writing up more detailed notes on the computer.
It does seem a bit weird that their tablets are also called Kindles - the main selling point of the Kindle for me has always been the e-ink and the exclusively-for-reading nature of the device, but the new tablets don’t fit in that mold.
I just bought a $79 model, and it should be here tomorrow. People on the Net are saying that the ads are not very intrusive – just a static banner across the bottommost position of the home page, and a screen saver when you’re not reading anyway. Some have even commented that they like the ads better than the “dead authors” screensavers provided with the more expensive version. We’ll see.
One thing that I like about my Kobo e-reader is that when it is in sleep mode or turned off the cover of the book you are reading is displayed. It also tells you the percentage of the book you have read so far.
Kindle has arrived. As I said, I bought the $79 version with “special offers” aka advertising.
The ads are not intrusive in any way. They show up only as a band across the very bottom of the home page where the list of books is. I hardly even noticed it. When the device was left to go to sleep, a full-screen ad appeared. Not crazy about it but it really isn’t an issue. I seemed to have to click through on the ad to get the device to wake up, though – although that probably just cost the advertiser money, so I don’t really mind. :raspberry:
The issue is that the device locked up after a couple of hours, and refuses to function. Resetting it didn’t work. So it’s on its way back, and I’m going to just take a cash refund. I was not nuts about the on-screen keyboard function – it’s alphabetical order and you have to move the rocker a LOT to get anything typed, plus forget putting in a sophisticated wireless network key in anything less than 10 minutes! I’ll be interested to see what the Fire will do, particularly as it would also run Pleco on the Android platform. :discodance:
I also was waiting for the long heralded arrival of the color Kindle. In the meantime, I was looking around at Android phones as my old beater Nokia was in need of replacement. I ended up with an HTC Desire HD for about 17,000 NT. I put the Kindle app in place and find that I have a great compromise. I have a fairly decent cam, 8 MP, along with ample memory for my Amazon Audible collection, music to the tune of hundreds on the phone, my instant sync to google calandar and soo much more. The biggest drawback remains the keyboard but this problem is similar to all Kindles and Androids. Another issue that comes up occasionally is the battery life. The HTC in audio and or video mode sucks the juice quickly. It’s enough for normal use for a day but it does get drained too quickly and changing out the battery is a pain. I purchased the portable USB charging battery that I can use while the phone is in my bag. It holds about 5 batteries worth of charge so even on a long flight it should sustain power requirements.
I am not dissing Kindle. I have 2 of them and they certainly serve their reading function but even the new ones do not go much further than that. I find the 4.3 inch screen on my HTC works well with my book downloads, especially with the text slightly enlarged. The screen is only slightly smaller than the kindle screen. Turning the pages is done by a simple flick of the finger. The best benefit is that I no longer have to carry around so many different gadgets in my bag, except for the occasional exception of the battery charger.
Kindles are great and I love the availability of the books online with a quick browse but the Android does the same thing. I am glad I didn’t spring for the new Kindles and my old ones are being shipped to kids at home which is another advantage.
I enjoy reading on my Kindle, perhaps more so than a paper back book, but I wonder what the reading quality would be like on the Fire. Even the iPad with it’s larger higher quality screen doesn’t quite feel as comfortable over a long period of time. With an iPad in the house already I can’t imagine of any possible personal usage for a Kindle Fire but they might make a great gift for those who like to read and wouldn’t mind checking out a website or two afterwards.
I agree that reading on my kindle is as good as, or better than, a paper book; my son much prefers the kindle! In fact, he reads much more on this device than he did before, and he was a pretty good reader before. He’s asking for his own, and I may consider getting a new one and giving him my current one. I’d like to see the Fire, don’t want to buy it sight unseen, and anyway, it’s not available here yet. But we may soon be a two kindle family.
[quote=“housecat”]
I agree that reading on my kindle is as good as, or better than, a paper book; my son much prefers the kindle! In fact, he reads much more on this device than he did before, and he was a pretty good reader before. He’s asking for his own, and I may consider getting a new one and giving him my current one. I’d like to see the Fire, don’t want to buy it sight unseen, and anyway, it’s not available here yet. But we may soon be a two kindle family.[/quote]
Either myself or my wife are constantly asking the other if we’ve finished with the Kindle yet. I think another with be ordered shortly.
I just dropped my kindle down a flight of stairs! Dang it. Its screen is streaky now and it won’t turn on.
Anyone know of any place to get it repaired here in Taiwan? Amazon whats it sent back in the original packaging, which I don’t think I still have, and warrenty won’t cover dropping it down stairs. Of course.
Sorry, I don’t want to read through the last 25 pages of this thread. Where are you guys getting this from? I noticed Ironlady ordered on 9/29 and got hers on 10/2? Did she pay extra for overnight shipping or is there someplace in Taiwan that sells these?
[quote=“MPenguin”]Sorry, I don’t want to read through the last 25 pages of this thread. Where are you guys getting this from? I noticed Ironlady ordered on 9/29 and got hers on 10/2? Did she pay extra for overnight shipping or is there someplace in Taiwan that sells these?
[quote=“housecat”][quote=“MPenguin”]Sorry, I don’t want to read through the last 25 pages of this thread. Where are you guys getting this from? I noticed Ironlady ordered on 9/29 and got hers on 10/2? Did she pay extra for overnight shipping or is there someplace in Taiwan that sells these?
Thanks.[/quote]
Ironlady is in NY.[/quote]
/facepalm. Well, that certainly explains it.
Are they shipping Kindles to Taiwan or do I have to family/friends forward it to me?
[quote=“MPenguin”][quote=“housecat”][quote=“MPenguin”]Sorry, I don’t want to read through the last 25 pages of this thread. Where are you guys getting this from? I noticed Ironlady ordered on 9/29 and got hers on 10/2? Did she pay extra for overnight shipping or is there someplace in Taiwan that sells these?
Thanks.[/quote]
Ironlady is in NY.[/quote]
/facepalm. Well, that certainly explains it.
Are they shipping Kindles to Taiwan or do I have to family/friends forward it to me?[/quote]
Yes, they ship to Taiwan. Takes four or five days.
Except that for the new models coming next month out they are currently only taking pre-orders for US customers, though presumably they will open it up to international customers once they’re really out.
Just installed Kindle-for-PC on my Windows XP SP3 Netbook. Works nice, a pleasure to read. Installed Kindle on 5 Notebooks so far and it makes no trouble, syncing like a charm. Entry drug to the real kindle I suppose.
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