Gadget!!!!!!!!

[katmills2005]

Very cool! I wonder if you can download text books onto something like that yet. Would save college students a lot of lugging tons of books around.

I'll wait a year or two before getting one. Let technology improve on itself a bit and let the price come down to within my budget.

[O'Neille]

I have an arthritic patient that loves his. He doesn't have to flip pages. He can also read without his reading glasses due to the great contrast. I can't read paperbacks without reading glasses because the paper is so crummy. His was great and I like being able to select my text size. I'd get one if I had more reading time. Maybe when I finish the hundreds of books I've already got but not read.

[berserkbishop]

This could never replace my REAL books, (I understand that it is not intended to) but I do admit it is a nice idea. I dont think I would enjoy it near as much as grabbing a hard copy of the real thing. There is something about touching and owning something TANGEABLE, not just a file that is more appealing to me. I had looked at them but I dont ever think I will buy it. Right now any extra time I have to read is spent thumbing through research for 2 big end of the semester papers anyway.

BB

[Coinneach]

I guess I'm a little confused.

I can buy a Kindle and then also buy and download books and read them on the Kindle, which is about the size of...oh, say...a book. Or I could just buy the physical book...it's still wireless, easy to use, no batteries to wear out...I can read it in the back of a taxi or at the airport. I can even do something I can't do with a kindle...I can open it and sniff the wonderful aroma of paper and ink. (Oh right, like none of you do that.)

I have to say one of its really good points is not having to worry about a bill for a wireless connection. It's got some good points, but I think I'll stick to the traditional method for now.

[Tattoo Bradley]

Soooo.....

Like all gadgets that peak my fancy, I have finally surcome to the call of the Kindle.

It'll be here tomorrow. Not too bad a Jones really, wish I had it already though, so I could read the Boston Globe on it in the morning with my coffee and toast.

[Yaish]

Too big, too expensive, and the options suck.

I'm a big fan of ebooks, I read them all the time. I use my Dell Axim PDA, which also has wireless connectivity but can also do a ton of other things. It's a lot cheaper too. My wife uses an old Palm Pilot we got from Ebay for $25.

If you like Science Fiction check out Baen Books free library, or sign up for their Webscriptions and get new books every month. Baen is about the only publisher that really "gets it" when it comes to ebooks and how to make money on the market without gouging your customers. (Baen is a Scottish name of course)

Then of course there are also free projects likes Project Gutenberg, which is attempting to host electronic copies of all past copyright texts.

Check the links.

Main site http://www.baen.com/
Free Library http://www.baen.com/library/defaultTitles.htm
Copies of the CD's, where Baen gives away hundreds of e-books for free http://baencd.thefifthimperium.com/

Project Gutenberg http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page

[McFarkus]

Soooo.....

Like all gadgets that peak my fancy, I have finally surcome to the call of the Kindle.

It'll be here tomorrow. Not too bad a Jones really, wish I had it already though, so I could read the Boston Globe on it in the morning with my coffee and toast.

I've been reading more about it and have almost overcome my initial concerns. I'd be really interested in your reaction to it.

How long ago did you order it?

[ardchoille]

Wow! I gotta have one of those!

Oh great.. another addiction.

[Tattoo Bradley]

Well, I've done e-books on a Palm T|X (super device btw, just not for e-books IMO.) The back light eventually got to me, and the font and size issues all played in. And, also take note that the "wireless function" of the Kindle is NOT WiFi like the Axim or other PDAs, but EVDO/1X on the Sprint data network. So, no need for a "hot spot." AND, the data is all free, you just pay for the content you DL. I liked that about it quite a bit. Also thanks for the Baen and other suggestions. I've been lurking on a Kindle forum, and had found that. I will most certainly check them all out.

And I'll definitely post my thoughts.

Oh, I ordered it on the 23rd. It comes with 2 day shipping. UPS shows it departed Albuquerque last night (about 4-5 hrs north) so, it should certainly be here today.

[sharpdressedscot]

Wouldn't e-books hurt your eyes after awhile,\? I mean it is a screen that you are looking at.