Amazon Kindle

[The Coon Dog]

I am looking at getting my wife an Amazon Kindle for Christmas, but know very little about them.

Does anyone on here own one? If so, would you recommend them?

Are there different types?

Thanks in advance if anyone can assist.

[mjp]

Re: Amazon Kindle

I have one. It is the epitomy of AWESOME.

I think there is a new fancy one that allows you to web-browse and acts as a kind of mini-tablet, but mine is just the reader. Once you get the wi-fi set up (takes 3.6 milliseconds) you can download books from Amazon and they are delivered straight to your kindle...the downloads take 4.7 milliseconds. If you have 1-click ordering enabled (like I do) it can be a little bit of a trap - very easy to order books you want but will never have time to read...

Because the kindles aren't backlit like a tablet/laptop it is just like reading a book - no eye burn or glare - and you can still change font sizes, make margin notes, underline sections etc. It then allows you to email the collected notes/underlines if you want too...

If you like reading, you have gotta have one.

[Greystache]

Re: Amazon Kindle

I've got one too, and like MJP said it's brilliant. I've had one for a while and if you buy a lot of books it becomes cost effective very quickly, particularly as a lot of the classics are free, or only $1-2 each. I paid a bit more and got the 3G version, that allows you to download books anywhere, anytime, at the same speed as WiFi but you don't have to have a connection. Amazon has a deal with Telstra that allows Kindle's to use their 3G without having to set up an account.

I've also got a credit card that offers free international transactions so I have been making out like a bandit with the recent exchange rates. If she wants to read without the lights on, you'll need an external light, it might be worth considering Amazon's cover with in-built light, the benefit is it uses the kindles own battery to power the light, and the Kindle's battery lasts forever.

[GVGjr]

Re: Amazon Kindle

I am looking at getting my wife an Amazon Kindle for Christmas, but know very little about them.

Does anyone on here own one? If so, would you recommend them?

Are there different types?

Thanks in advance if anyone can assist.

A mate of mine has had one for a couple of years and thinks it's a great purchase. He gets papers from America loaded on there daily plus he gets a lot of books. Uses it every day.

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Amazon Kindle

Thanks so much, you've convinced me. Much appreciated.

[JohnGentStand]

Re: Amazon Kindle

I didn't know anything about them until a chat with a bloke today.... Quote "brilliant" I think I may have just sown up Xmas..!

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Amazon Kindle

I bought my wife one for last Christmas. To say she was underwhelmed would be putting it mildly.

Now she loves it and on our recent holiday she wrecked the charger cable and cracked it when the battery gave out.

[KT31]

Re: Amazon Kindle

I didn't know anything about them until a chat with a bloke today.... Quote "brilliant" I think I may have just sown up Xmas..!

Hope its for the Misses.
Otherwise you can read the Puppesse's John and Betty books.

[BulldogBelle]

Re: Amazon Kindle

Got one and love it. Only criticism is it is rather USA-centric in terms of available books,papers, mags etc. Found a way to acquire thousands of titles for gratis also. Overall a great purchase, I quite enjoy an audio book whilst going to sleep.

[Hotdog60]

Re: Amazon Kindle

I was thinking the same for my wife this Xmas, but I'm torn between the outright book reader or the tablet. I see Kindle fire is on the way which is more like a tablet, I just wonder if she would use all the functions of a tablet.
We are planning a cruse next year and I thought a book reader for her would be good when relaxing and I then thought a tablet to put photos on. So confused and then there is the dreaded ipad.

[Bornadog]

Re: Amazon Kindle

I was thinking the same for my wife this Xmas, but I'm torn between the outright book reader or the tablet. I see Kindle fire is on the way which is more like a tablet, I just wonder if she would use all the functions of a tablet.
We are planning a cruse next year and I thought a book reader for her would be good when relaxing and I then thought a tablet to put photos on. So confused and then there is the dreaded ipad.

The Kindle Fire is made by the same company that made the Blackberry tablet and is a pretty good unit (from what I have read) for those that don't want to spend the $600 to $800 plus for a full tablet. I guess you have to weigh up the finance side as Amazaon are selling the Kindle Fire for US$199, plus postage of course. If you can afford an IPAD, or an Android version then go for it, otherwise the Kindle is a pretty good little unit for reading books. The Kindle Fire also has access to movies, and other functions.

Do some research on Google and you will find lots of articles on it.

This site reviews and compares the fire to IPAD - http://digitaldesi.com/ (This Desi makes some sense)

[Hotdog60]

Re: Amazon Kindle

Thanks BAD, still very confusing. I like the Fire. Storage maybe the issue but it has cloud access, which at this time I wonder about privacy and who can hack into the cloud.

I know it's encrypted but I still wonder as there is some clever teenagers out there.

Has anyone purchased the kindle from Amazon and how did they go with the power supply, being US are on 110v.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Amazon Kindle

I happen to have my hands on some of the above, so here goes:

If mostly for reading -- no question, Kindle. The Fire is probably a better bet -- have only played with it a bit but the lack of glare is the big selling point for Amazon tablets, and the broader utility of the Fire compared to the pretty limited Kindles is also nice. Not that much difference from a price perspective. Power supply should be no issue, just get an adaptor off ebay or order one from Hong Kong. Most tablet power supplies are 110 - 240v anyway (check with Amazon), just need an actual plug adaptor.

If mostly for entertainment -- iPad. It's just seamless. It's a frustratingly closed system, but it's foolproof. The Apple ecosystem is actually pretty awesome as a home entertainment system, just be careful of becoming an Apple zombie. There's a lot more to the computing world!

If mostly for work/business -- Android tablets. Of these, I have the Asus transformer and it's fantastic, especially with its specially designed keyboard dock so it works like a laptop and closes like a clamshell and extends battery life to 16 hours. A real lifesaver on those long inter-continental flights. Much better productivity apps than available to the iPad.

There is a Kindle app for both the iPad and Android Market so you can run Kindle (exactly as you would on an actual Kindle) on other tablets -- ie. buy books, annotate etc. The screen glare is the biggest issue.

ps - on a totally side issue, I'm really waiting for Windows 8 for tablets. It's going to be the first full-feature OS (so you can run full applications like Photoshop and MS-Office) for tablets, so I hope it's actually good!

[Hotdog60]

Re: Amazon Kindle

Thanks for the info Lantern, I've been reading that Amazon and Apple are in the courts over the apps branding terminology. This and some other issue with Amazon and Australia may limit the functionality of the Fire.

Something to do with media rights and selling to Aus, I like the Fire but if there are issues with what you can do with it I may go down the tablet path and the ASUS has caught my eye.

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Amazon Kindle

My wie is very impressed with her kindle. Apart from the Amazon store, is there anywhere else one can go to download books?