ebooks: thumbs up or down? Which brand?

[Aviator]

If all you want to do is read, then the Kindle appears the way to go. I have several friends who own them for that specific purpose and are very happy. I want to replace my laptop while on the road, so I am waiting for the second version of the iPad to come out in the Spring of 2011.

[rickandsandi]

Originally Posted by JBinKC

Love the Kindle but its charger adds another needle to the haystack.

Hmmm..... the USB charger cable is the same as for my Nikons so no big deal there. Just received the newest 3rd generation Kindle and so far it is great. Tons of free books out there for it and the discount on the others is good. I still need to hold paper in my hands once in a while and many of the books I use for research and learning are either out of print or not on kindle yet. Very light weight, battery lasts for ever and never thought I would like it till I received it.

[Boondocker]

For the Kindle users, do any of you have the newspaper subscriptions? Do you like them?

[Davern1]

We have both an Ipad and a Kindle. For reading books, hands down the Kindle is better for bright light plus it weighs a lot less. I read a book a week on average and the Kindle kinda disappears when you are rading it. You wont notice after a while that you arent reading a paperback. To get pdf's to your Kindle you just email it to your Kindle email address.

Now if you are reading magazines or newspapers, I would choose the Ipad as it is color and larger in size. The Ipad is great for watching movies, surfing the net, having navigation on the go, etc. etc. We just flew back from Hawaii this week and we played Scrabble for two hours on it and then watched a two hour movie. The plane flight really "flew" by.

[az-streamer]

as a confirmed contrarian, i'd like to add a few reasons why i think that the old fashioned 'paper' books are still better than those new fangled 'e' things.


WHY PAPER BOOKS ARE BETTER THAN E-BOOKS

You can use the pages to make paper airplanes

You can fold a page to save your place

You can throw a book at the dog or the t.v.

You can rip a book in two and share with a friend

You can eat the pages to survive

You can use it for a survival fire

You can use the pages for TP [if absolutely necessary]

You can use it for a beer coaster

You can use books for wheel blocks [Tom Clancy Hardback Novels are best]

You can write in them

You can press a flower in them

You can hide money in them

You can cut out words for ransom notes

You can level a coffee table with a book

You can dry a damp book in the microwave

You can draw a ‘flip-page’ movie on the pages

There are no moving or electronic parts

Books can be repaired with tape, glue, staples or rubber bands

Books do not have a planned obsolescence

Books are OK when exposed to sand, surf and beer foam

You can use a folded page corner to clean lettuce from your teeth


Books don't die - their content cannot be erased. There is something
special about 'cracking' open a new book or picking up a treasured old classic.



[don't even get me started on 'texting']

[rickandsandi]

Originally Posted by Boondocker

For the Kindle users, do any of you have the newspaper subscriptions? Do you like them?

I gave up on newspapers a long time ago, but if I understand it correctly, you have a 30 day trial for magazines and newspaper with Amazon. Check it out I just may be right!


AZ-STREAMER, that is exactly why I read both. Although I don't think I would use any of my historical out of print books for any of your noted other than uses for a book other than reading.

[Royce]

I bought the iPad primarily for reading books. It is a great eBook reader but I use it for so much more now, the desk top 'confuser' has not been turned on for many days. In addition to that mentioned by others, I use mine to communicate with a fellow ham in Tuscon over the internet using Ham radio link and a repeater. As far as news papers go, I find the WSJ to have the best format for the iPad. Much like reading a newspaper but with out the transfer of ink to the hands. Think I may glue a piece of leather to the back to enhance the tactile experience of holding a book.

[SmokelessJoe]

The iPad may be the best thing I ever bought for Airstream ARGOSY travel but signing up for ATT service in the USA was not seamless and painless like the Apple Store claimed it would be.

It was exactly the opposite.

Believe this or not, ATT will NOT accept a VISA credit card issued by a Canadian bank.

After frustrating hours spent in a three way call with Apple and ATT both on the line the only solution was to line up at a WALMART counter and purchase a PRE-PAID Walmart VISA Card, as if I were someone recently released from a Michigan State Prison with no credit standing.

Then there was another, last, frustrating step were you need access to both a phone and the internet to activate the card.

And the fees are horrendous: $3.00 a month regardless, $3.00 every time you add more funds at a Walmart .... on and on.

A not so nice welcome the America ingenuity.

Sergei

[Stefrobrts]

Originally Posted by az-streamer

Books do not have a planned obsolescence

For all those uses, it sounds like yours do

[Boondocker]

I didnt ask for all the reasons books rock, they do.

I have had my Kindle a couple weeks now. IT ROCKS!

[JamuJoe]

Love the Amazon Kindle bookstore - particularly the ability to load and read your purchased book on multiple devices. I read 'go to sleep' books on my iPod Touch - it's a one-hander and and doesn't bother my wife. We use the Kindle for more involved reading, especially in daylight, and I can use my laptop if I want. The iPad might have replaced my MacBook Pro for travels, except for my financial and marine navigation programs.

[tkasten]

We also like the Amazon Kindle store. We also download to multiple devices. Very easy to use. The Kindle works best outdoors during daylight. Love all my Macs though.

[njoysrvin]

we have a Barnes and Noble Nook. Love it . We were able to get rid of all of weight in airstream. The only difference I can see is that when the battery goes on Kindle , you have to send it to Amazon for replacement. There is a replacement battery you can put in yourself with the Nook. Also the Nook has come out with a new all color one for your magazine , etc.

[dlb435]

I've been using Audible.com for years. The audio plays on my GPS. Very nice while traveling. For ebooks I download LIT files and can read them on my computer. I have no dedicated ebook reader.

[RangerJay]

We're pretty much neophytes on this subject .... and are glad to have come across this thread.

Although we are reasonably computer literate, till recently we never considered anything except good, but now old-fashioned, paper ..... for an extended read.

My wife is a voracious reader in the car when we're travelling - next year is Alaska - so there will be lots of reading time - and we're wondering about a "reader" - no one seems to have directly addressed the question of reading in a car or truck.

Our questions are: are these readers comfortable to use when driving? - on bright days? is an extended "read" easy on the eyes? can you download new book purchases over the internet? - directly? - through the computer?

Thanks,


Jay

[Boondocker]

I hope you mean while in the passenger seat on the road.....

In any case; the Kindle is VERY good in the sun. It does not use a traditional screen. The screen has a look very much like paper and is very good in the sun. Glare is not an issue any more than if you were using paper. The screen is very easy on the eyes, in fact, I often forget it is not a book. Additionally, on the Kindle you can adjust font size.

Delivery of books depends on the model you purchase. I think all Kindles employ wifi now. I paid the extra for 3G so I can both buy and receive deliveries direct to the device anywhere there is a signal. I have had my Kindle a couple months now and could not be happier.

[Woosch]

Wife has had a Kindle for several years now and loves it . Thought when she got an ipad that she would use that but still likes the Kindle.

[cclarkego]

I've had my Kindle for a couple of years now and love it too. Especially that you can download for free the first chapters of a book to see if you like it or not.

[RangerJay]

Originally Posted by Boondocker

I hope you mean while in the passenger seat on the road.....

Yes - guess I mighta been a little clearer .....

Thanks - looks like your advice - and others - point fairly clearly towards the Kindle.

Much appreciated!



Jay

[Kevin245]

Originally Posted by Boondocker

I paid the extra for 3G so I can both buy and receive deliveries direct to the device anywhere there is a signal. I have had my Kindle a couple months now and could not be happier.

Rodney,

Having used the Kindle for a while are you glad you spent the extra $$ for the 3G function?

Kevin