kindle2handson - Gizmodo

posts about #kindle2handson more →
Kindle 2: First Hands On

Your version of Internet Explorer is not supported. Please upgrade to the most recent version in order to view comments.

Dsmvwl Admin Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×

Pope John Peeps II
02/09/09

In reply to Kindle 2: First Hands On
The kind of person who would actually buy this and read things on it is exactly the kind of person who would bother to read garbage like "Twilight".

You deserve each other.
Reply

Pope John Peeps II was starred

Charles R. Lawson
02/09/09

In reply to Kindle 2: First Hands On
If you can't imagine this as the future of reading, then you're being a big narrow-minded. The textbook industry is shaking in their boots also. When the proposed larger kindle for college books is released and textbook prices drop by half then maybe you'll see the point.

I absolutely love physical books and physical DVDs (I have 855 of them). I just think that digital delivery is the natural progression of media. I think it will exist side-by-side with print and physical deliver media.
Reply

Charles R. Lawson was starred

Pope John Peeps II
02/09/09

@Charles R. Lawson: riiiight. 845 DVDs and 10 books does not a library make.
Reply

Pope John Peeps II was starred

sos10
02/09/09

@Charles R. Lawson: Going digital, I can agree.. but the Kindle? just a short time solution. And regarding textbooks... again, when you need 2 open books, you need 2 kindles...
Reply

sos10 was starred sos10 was unstarred

stretta
02/09/09

In reply to Kindle 2: First Hands On
Why a kindle over buying books at amazon?

1) instant gratification

2) traveling - you can carry 20 (or 1500) books in the space of one

3) you don't have to pay for shipping (green)

4) kindle books are cheaper

5) you don't have to store the books when you're done

6) doesn't require pulping trees (green)

why not kindle over buying books at amazon?

1) initial expense of the reader

2) doesn't replicate the experience of reading words off dead trees

3) can't loan a book to a friend

4) DRM

why kindle over a netbook or laptop or ipod touch

1) e-ink (battery life, mainly)

why not kindle over a netbook or laptop or ipod touch

1) greyscale only

2) another gadget to carry around
Reply

stretta was starred stretta was unstarred

sos10
02/09/09

@stretta:

The no list can also include:

-You cannot resell the book after you've read it.

-Second hand books are often cheaper than a Kindle book.

-You cannot buy second hand Kindle books.

-Your public library has more choice of books than Amazon digital

-Library books cost almost nothing

-If your studying, you cannot open 2, or 3 books at the same time if all you hve is Kindle digital books.. unless you buy another Kindle

-Your hooked into one system
Reply

sos10 was starred sos10 was unstarred

Bryan Hooper
02/09/09

In reply to Kindle 2: First Hands On
What's the point of this thing? Who wants to carry around yet another electronic gadget that is less than half as good as the cheap and real book it replaces?

What happened to those rumors of a software kindle project that would run on the iPhone. That at least made some sense....

Forking at $360 for a device that lets me read a book in a very awkward and uncomfortable way that I can buy for $15 is just nuts to me. The idea of having every book every printed available in 60 seconds sounds like a good idea....but I thought that's what a good library already provided, more or less. And what about alternative and large format books? Are we just going to forget about those and make everything work on a 6 inch screen?

I can't believe this is the future of reading....I just can't.
Reply

Bryan Hooper was starred Bryan Hooper was unstarred

Unpossible
02/09/09

@Bryan Hooper:

As someone who rides the subway everyday to work, and someone with a small-ish apartment, the Kindle would be perfect. I read a lot and it gets problematic to carry and store all the books I buy. I also read quickly, so there are times when I will carry two books around as I'm close to finishing one. I'm the Kindle's target audience, one of them anyway. I would have one by now if it wasn't for the price.
Reply

Unpossible was starred Unpossible was unstarred

sos10
02/09/09

@Unpossible: So, you say you are the Kindle's target audience, but you wont buy one because it is too expensive... so the target audience cannot afford one.. great!

Anyay, ever heard of the library? Without buying books, you can read them while paying a tiny fraction of the price. No need to store them either, you just bring them back to the library.

You say you often carry 2 books around, I presume not to versions of the bible, so probably smaller and lighter books... is that such a huge problem? If so, I wonder how people got true life all those centuries, without a Kindle.
Reply

sos10 was starred sos10 was unstarred

bonedog73
02/09/09

In reply to Kindle 2: First Hands On
I think a great market for the Kindle is education. Give one of these things to all high school students and or college kids. All your books in one place, no more marking in books and damage to them to worry about. Sure you'll have a broken Kindle here and there, but overall I think this would be a great tool for kids. It wont be too long before all books have a digital version.
Reply

bonedog73 was starred bonedog73 was unstarred

sos10
02/09/09

@bonedog73: Yeah buy the books online for slightly less and be unable to resell them after use. Great for students!

Actually, many student would prefer to buy a used book, but used Kindle books? not available.

And what about when you need to use 2 books at the time? Happens a lot when studying...2 Kindles??
Reply

sos10 was starred sos10 was unstarred

macpatrik
02/09/09

In reply to Kindle 2: First Hands On
I'm sorry. I just can't get excited about the kindle. They are starting to incorporate them in classes around my college. And I still prefer a book I can highlight/ take notes on.
Reply

macpatrik was starred macpatrik was unstarred

weatherman
02/09/09

@MacDaddy901: you can highlight and take notes on this one - that's what the keyboard is for. It's not the same as writing notes in the margin, but if you're handwriting is as bad as mine, that's actually a good thing.
Reply

weatherman was starred weatherman was unstarred

ripfire
02/09/09

@weatherman: How do you highlight with this thing? I know that on the Sony Reader, it has a touchscreen.
Reply

ripfire was starred ripfire was unstarred

weatherman
02/09/09

@ripfire: It's cursor controlled, so you just navigate to the place where you want to start highlighting, press a button, then go to where you want to stop. Add a note, forward that paragraph to someone via email, etc. And the notes are saved on Amazon's servers so they can't be lost.

I don't own a Kindle, but that's what it looks like on the new videos they put up on Amazon.
Reply

weatherman was starred weatherman was unstarred

Jhwk
02/09/09

In reply to Kindle 2: First Hands On
I still don't understand folks interest in this 'thing'.

$359 for a device that does what my Palm has been doing for over a decade? Pass

I'll just keep getting my texts free from the over 27,000 free books in Project Gutenberg.

NEXT!
Reply

Jhwk was starred Jhwk was unstarred

jetRink
02/09/09

@Jhwk: You might be able to argue that $359 is too much, but you have to see the screen to appreciate the difference from an LCD. It's static and not backlit and has that quality of paper which makes it comfortable to look at for an hour.
Reply

jetRink was starred jetRink was unstarred

sos10
02/09/09

@jetRink: short read? use your laptop or smaller.. longer read? buy the book. Savings? a lot.
Reply

sos10 was starred sos10 was unstarred

ripfire
02/09/09

@jetRink: I used to read books on my old Sony Clie. I would have the backlight turned off and I can still read it under normal light. The thing would last several hours.
Reply

ripfire was starred ripfire was unstarred

citizen024
02/09/09

In reply to Kindle 2: First Hands On
better contrast please. would be nice when e-ink actually looks like paper print.
Reply

citizen024 was starred citizen024 was unstarred

citizen024
02/09/09

@citizen024: and the fact that none of the books i have read this past year (all of which are on amazon) don't exist on the kindle store. FAIL until they make their whole selection available.
Reply

citizen024 was starred citizen024 was unstarred

ripfire
02/09/09

@citizen024: Better contrast? Have you actually seen this (or Sony Readers) up close? I would have to say its comparable to newsprint or paperback.
Reply

ripfire was starred ripfire was unstarred

Earlier discussions Other discussions Show all discussions Show featured discussions only Start a new discussion

#kindle2handson

Gizmodo

Gizmodo Team

SUBSCRIBE TO Gizmodo

Kindle 2: First Hands On

Login

Reset Password

Register

Submit Your Comment