A Little Kindle For My Fire
I have never owned an e-reader. I have not read any book electronically. My interest in doing so is somewhat minimal due to my own preference for books I can hold and keep, as well as the fact that my eyes don't handle reading electronic screens very well. However, Amazon's new Kindle device (or service, as Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon calls it) has snagged some of my attention.
First, I want to be clear that I have not seen one in person. I watched the introductory video on its features and I have read reviews on sites ranging from Amazon itself, professional bloggers and gadget review sites. My first instinct is... meh.
I am not a first-generation user. I don't buy the latest technology upon its first release, at least not usually. I like to make sure the technology will stick around (no Betamax experiences for me, thank you!) and I am far too broke to pay a large initial asking price. Even with my large budget for books, I can't justify a $400 initial outlay for an electronic device that hasn't worked out its kinks.
It does have some interesting features, I must admit. The downloading of newspapers and magazines into the reader is handy and could be good for a commuter. Functionality looks a bit clunky but mostly user friendly. The price for books, subscriptions and conversion fees seems reasonable. And the non-backlit technology could be wonderful for someone like me who gets headaches from staring at the screen too long.
However, I am against them collecting blogs that are free and charging for access to them (you can access the blogs through the experimental Web browser, but you are still paying for the access time). The files are not going to be accessible several years down the road, while a hardcopy book is. Granted, the technology will be different, but if so, why do I need this now? Also, sharing the downloaded files or giving them as gifts is not possible, and that just totally goes against my view on books in general. Overall, e-readers are not my cup of tea.
Reviews on the device are mixed. Maybe this is a reflection more of our instant-gratification society than of the Kindle itself, but so far, I am not impressed. I will stick to buying so many books that every time I change apartments, my friends groan at the thought of lugging my collection across town. For now, I would rather stick to the tried and true.
Nicole
First, I want to be clear that I have not seen one in person. I watched the introductory video on its features and I have read reviews on sites ranging from Amazon itself, professional bloggers and gadget review sites. My first instinct is... meh.
I am not a first-generation user. I don't buy the latest technology upon its first release, at least not usually. I like to make sure the technology will stick around (no Betamax experiences for me, thank you!) and I am far too broke to pay a large initial asking price. Even with my large budget for books, I can't justify a $400 initial outlay for an electronic device that hasn't worked out its kinks.
It does have some interesting features, I must admit. The downloading of newspapers and magazines into the reader is handy and could be good for a commuter. Functionality looks a bit clunky but mostly user friendly. The price for books, subscriptions and conversion fees seems reasonable. And the non-backlit technology could be wonderful for someone like me who gets headaches from staring at the screen too long.
However, I am against them collecting blogs that are free and charging for access to them (you can access the blogs through the experimental Web browser, but you are still paying for the access time). The files are not going to be accessible several years down the road, while a hardcopy book is. Granted, the technology will be different, but if so, why do I need this now? Also, sharing the downloaded files or giving them as gifts is not possible, and that just totally goes against my view on books in general. Overall, e-readers are not my cup of tea.
Reviews on the device are mixed. Maybe this is a reflection more of our instant-gratification society than of the Kindle itself, but so far, I am not impressed. I will stick to buying so many books that every time I change apartments, my friends groan at the thought of lugging my collection across town. For now, I would rather stick to the tried and true.
Nicole
posted at 12:32 PM
4 Comments:
I had to go over to Amazon to see what you talking about.
I too am a e-book virgin.
I agree with all you had to say about the gadget. I think some years down the road I might want to own something like this, but I dont want to have to pay for extra this and that.
I can wait.
Good article,thanks for the info.
I'm a gadget freak so my first reaction to the Kindle is I WANT IT! I WANT IT!
Then I calmed down and reminded myself that I already seem to accumulate more books than I can ever hope to read, and portability is not the issue--it's time.
I don't need to spend $400 for something that will then encourage me to spend more money to buy ebooks.
On the other hand, I was vastly pleased to see my own titles available for purchase in Kindle format. :)
The jury is still out for me as a reader. I like to read in the bathtub. One splash or an oops and I wouldn't just have a soggy book. Is the Kindle waterproof?
For me as a writer...if its "cool" factor gets the 15-29 year olds reading books, I'm all for it. :-)
Laurel Bradley
A Wish in Time
www.laurelbradley.com
Ms. Bradley,
I agree with the anything that gets young people reading. I am lucky that my siblings are all big readers - even the six-year-old!
At this time, the Kindle is not waterproof or even resistant. Amazon says they are considering that, but at this time, that is not the case.
Nicole
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