Amazon Kindle ebook reading device is a perfect RV appliance

Just got my Amazon Kindle ebook reading device today.  I am having a great time with it.  Book downloads are fast, the screen is very easy to see.  It'll be so much easier to read in bed with this than a flopping book. 

The reader is not cheap, but the books are about half price.  The way I buy new release hardcovers, it'll pay for itself in a year.  Most new releases are immediately available in the Kindle version.  Out of print books are also more likely to be available.  They're up over 130,000 books for it.  And several newspapers, magazines, other stuff.  Some internet access.  There's an internal dictionary that will define words during the reading, if needed.  Wikipedia access for more indepth info.  Amz are continually working to expand the Kindle's capabilities.  Book downloads can be made directly with the device or with the PC.  Books can be backed up on PC via supplied USB cable.  The device loaded in my PC right away.    The Kindle holds about 200 books.  It has a slot for optional memory card that will accommodate a couple thousand more books.  Also Amz stores purchases indefinitely for redownload.  With Sprint access (which is included free), the peripherals like the Wikipedia, purchases, etc., are very quick. 

It will play MP3 music and audiobooks.  Has an earphone jack and volume controls.  It has onboard speakers, which would probably work OK for books.

This is probably the most useful device I've bought for in this little RV.

--pat

By coincidence, I got my Kindle via UPS yesterday too.  So far, I'm enjoying it, it's much easier reading than holding a book.

For sources of free ebooks, do a Google search on free ebooks.  I turned up several sources that offer not just older books, but even some newer editions.  Some authors are releasing their works under the Creative Commons License at no charge.  I'm particularly grateful that many of these are science fiction authors.

Hey Ned,
I have had my kindle for almost two months now. LOVE IT!
It is great to put it down and pick it up later and start right where you left off. No time wasted finding your place again. And you can have several things going at once. I get the daily Amamzon blog. It is like a mini digest of just stuff. Sometimes interesting -sometimes not.
To use the kindle as a mini laptop is cumbersome but doable. We  went on a trip to WA without computers or Motorhome. It would have been great except the kids do not get a sprint signal at all so I was out of luck. But I did get plenty of time to read. And I can make the print any size I want.
I did put a bunch of MP3 files on it and played it through both the speakers on board and external speakers. Found out how much memories it took and took them all off. The Kindle is for books! I have other toys for music
I picked up some of the free books but have not had time to read them. mostley biographies.
Just finished Pillars of the Earth  and now reading the sequel. Have a bunch of other I want to read.
One thing I want to do is gather my own writings and send them in to be Kindle-ized and sent back. Then I wont have to search all over when i need one.
Have you put Velcro between Kindle and case. It needs it and mine has not slipped out since I did
Have you tried Now-Now. Ask it a question and in a few minutes you get three complete answers.

Have fun and enjoy it

Ned:  If you have time to read the discussions at the end of the reviews on the Amz Kindle page, there are also several websites recommended that have free books.

Today I'm playing with the SD card and audiobooks and music.  They've got a way to go to make the filing system on the Kindle more usable.

--pat (just as pleased with my Kindle on day #2)

H&W:  I ordered the M-Edge case reviewers seem to like best.  If you or anybody wants this Amz Kindle case, let me know, and I'll drop it in the mail.

--pat

I have already downloaded several dozen free books, mostly scifi.  I have to finish the double novel in hard cover I'm reading now before I start on the Kindle.  Mine seems to fit in the cover alright, but I'm not sure I want to use it for normal use.

As a web browser, it leaves a lot to be desired.  Partly because of the screen size and partly because of the lack of color.  It's ok for text only sites, but there aren't many of those around.  For Google searches, it's fine.

Helaine, get the Mobipocket Creator program, it can convert just about anything to .prc files that you can read on the Kindle.  I've converted a bunch of PDF files that way, but it will take HTML or TXT too.  And it's free   Get the Mobipocket Reader also to use on the computer.

Pat, I've read those reviews and I have several good sources for free books.  More than enough to keep me reading for a few years.  And Lorna won't complain about the weight of the books  

Kindle looks to be the iPod of the printed media.  It is high on my I gotta have it list.  Is there a difference from buying thru Amazon or a reseller?  eBay has a bunch on thrre, from gently used one time for 305 to somoene that wants 425 + 42.50 shipping. 

Book prices are a little high vs. a paperback at Sam's, but probab;y available a lot sooner.  LOTS sooner than the book showing up in the swap library at the CG.

OK, they hold a ton of books, but thre isa limit, and when you reach it, can they be stored on the PC?  Is there an offline storage or do you end up deleting?  Can you share a book like you can a printed book?  Or does that become a copyright issue? 

Bill,

The Amazon price is now $359.  Buying direct from Amazon automatically registers the Kindle with them, with a reseller you'd have to do that yourself, but if the savings are big enough, that's not a big deal.  If buying a used one, be sure it's been unregistered with Amazon or you won't be able to register it to your account.

Book prices are almost all $9.99, about half of the hardcover price or less.  And then there's the free books if you don't need the latest best sellers.

The Kindle will take a SD card up to 4GB.  That should hold enough books to last a lifetime.  If that's not enough, you can keep them on the PC and only transfer them when you want to read them.  When you connect to a USB port, the Kindle looks like a removable disk drive and you can copy documents, image files, and MP3s to it and they'll show up on the Kindle home page.  Or you can email books to the Kindle via a special email address that's unique to your reader.

Remember....Any book you buy from Amazon is forever stored in their library just for you, complete with your notes, highlights and bookmarks.  If space on your kindle gets to be a problem you can delete a book and know you can have it back later.

Helaine

A question I will be asking Amazon and Kindle.....

How come the print version of Pillars of the Earth starts differently than the kindle version. I had read this book twice before. It is a favorite and remembered that they had started with a hanging. Kindle version does not
How Come???
Helaine

Which version has more content?  Did they shorten the ebook version or the printed version?

Ned said:

Which version has more content?  Did they shorten the ebook version or the printed version?

Click to expand...

The first chapter  is missing it dealt with a hanging and why the village people thought the lady with the gold eyes was a witch. I think some of her story is missing and I feel that the kindle version is shorter. I dont recall that it was listed as abridged. I have posted the same question on the Kindle forum, We will see what answers I get.

How Come???

Click to expand...

Maybe they're trying to accommodate people who watch the same movie time and time again - hoping for a different ending?  :

Half price, half story?   I would hope they don't make a practice of abridging the ebook versions.  That would make me unhappy.  I'll be watching the Kindle forum for the responses.

Ned said:

Half price, half story?   I would hope they don't make a practice of abridging the ebook versions.  That would make me unhappy.  I'll be watching the Kindle forum for the responses.

Click to expand...

I got an answer all ready. Print is the same as Kindle.
It was my mistake. I started at Chap one. I didn't see preface or prologue and that is what I was remembering as Chap one. Hey! give this old gal some slack. At least I can remember a book I first read some 20 years ago.

Helaine

Start with the cover, then you won't miss anything

Ned said:

Start with the cover, then you won't miss anything

Click to expand...

Doesn't everyone start with the front cover and then end with the back cover? And read each and every page in between? Even on an electronic book gizmo??

As for the Kindle, I don't think it could ever replace the feel and smell of a real book.

Wendy

Smell the book, then read it on the Kindle   The weight difference alone makes it a better solution.  I'm having a real problem reading my current double novel hard cover book in bed.  If it were available in ebook form I'd buy it right now.

And when you fall asleep reading, the Kindle won't lose your place

Ned said:

The weight difference alone makes it a better solution.

Click to expand...

Did Lorna make you say that?

I guess the weight makes it worth a try. And if you can get lots of downloads for FREE (not too excited about the $9.99 per book otherwise). And I guess I could always go into a library if I wanted to smell books.

Right now, I'm working on getting the Books for the Blind downloads. That way, I don't have to hold anything, just listen.

Wendy

What would be nice is...if you could make your ebooks, audio.  And have the Kindle read to you one or two chapters a night.  Than you could fall asleep without holding anything.

Are there decent speakers for the audio books you can purchase, or get free?

Barb