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The Kindle-First Impressions

Big Dick McGee

Big Dick McGee

If you don't know, now ya know
I finally broke down and bought a Kindle just after Christmas. The new low price of $139 for the wifi version, coupled with the numerous "test drives" I'd given it in the stores, made it too attractive to pass up. I had already ordered a bunch of free books (Mark Twain, Edgar Rice Burroughs) which would download as soon as I connected. The Kindle and case arrived last night, so here are my very first impressions:

PROS:
-Extremely light
-Slightly bigger than a standard trade paperback
-Extremely portable
-The new e-ink is fucking genius. It looks just like ink on a printed page, so much so that that I thought the "welcome" screen was a plastic sheet on the screen
-Screen is non-reflective; I just tested it in bright CA sunshine and it's as readable as under your favorite lamp.
-Page turns are about as fast as an actual book
-Ridiculously large library of cheap and/or free books.
-Books arrive instantly, especially if you transfer them from your computer. We're talking less than 5 seconds, never mind the 60 seconds Amazon claims it will take using Whispernet.
-The cover is very nice leather, the Kindle sort of snaps in, and when you're holding it, it gives you the feel of reading an old journal or something.
-The light that's integrated into the cover is sheer brilliance. It's angled just perfectly to illuminate the entire screen, without being harsh or too bright

CONS:

The only CON I have is a big one, the fucking thing just would not connect to my home wifi. I downloaded new software, tried rebooting several times, just nada. I know it's not my wifi, because both of our laptops connect no problem. But it's not necessarily the Kindle, either; I took it to work today, and it connected to the wifi here no problem. I'm thinking perhaps my linksys router is 5 years old, and not new enough.

In any event, I was pretty mad, I mean, the thing should work right out of the box, no? It's not a HUGE deal; you can easily download the files to your computer and transfer them to the Kindle via USB. But I expect the thing to work flawlessly, and I'll have to play around with the home Wifi over the long weekend.

I'll post more as I start really using the Kindle, but so far it's pretty sweet!
 
cool
 
I just cannot make the transition from real books to e-books. There's just too much sensory loss from a machine. The feel, weight, and smell of a book, coupled with the eager anticipation of finding out what happens next while literally turning that page, all add to the literary experience.

I'm the Samuel Cogley of my time...

books.jpg
 
CONS: IT'S NOT A BOOK
 
Woah. Two karmas to one post. Maybe today is a good day to play the lottery!
 
Forgot one more minor con: not sure if there is a way to count the pages until the next chapter break. Like most people, I don't have a ton of time to read these days. So I mostly read at bedtime. Sometimes, when I'm exhausted, I like to scan and see if I can make it to the next chapter before sleep overcomes me, and I haven't figured out how to do that on the Kindle yet. I guess I could place a bookmark, and then scan forward and count, that would probably work.
 
CaptainWacky said:
CONS: IT'S NOT A BOOK
Click to expand...

Wacky, who defines what a book is? It looks like a book, especially when the cover is closed. The screen is exactly like words on a printed page. I find myself completely immersed just like I am with a traditional book.

Just because it's not a bound volume that's on "real" paper that has gone through a printing press, doesn't mean it's not a book, IMHO.

I mean, we all watch video on our computers now, right? Doesn't make it a television, but who cares, video is video, right?
 
You can't spill anything on the pages and find intersting stains years later = not a book.
 
Well, there is that. And it certainly doesn't have the smell of a book, which I love. Still, I think the pros outweight the cons to me.
 
I suppose audiobooks don't count as books either.
 
Yeah! And what about slash fiction with Hermione and Cho Chang that you pring out and staple together??
 
We could always see if you can staple that stuff to a Kindle.
 
I just like having lots of books on a shelf so I can look at them and impress girls.
 
Friday said:
I just cannot make the transition from real books to e-books. There's just too much sensory loss from a machine. The feel, weight, and smell of a book, coupled with the eager anticipation of finding out what happens next while literally turning that page, all add to the literary experience.
Click to expand...

I think that is in part why I could not/would not buy such a device.
 
CONS: For $139 I could buy more than 10 absolutely quality printed books.
 
Gagh said:
CONS: For $139 I could buy more than 10 absolutely quality printed books.
Click to expand...

that clutter your house up and take up valueable liqour cabinet space.
 
Nope. When you've finished with them, you take them to a charity shop. Done.
 
I could see devices like the kindle being useful if you're going on a trip and don't want to have to lug around several books.

Gagh said:
CONS: For $139 I could buy more than 10 absolutely quality printed books.
Click to expand...

Even more if you don't feel the need to buy them new.
 
Books on a shelf make an interesting talking point when someone comes by and you get the enjoyment of lending them something and discussing it when they return it. Not really the same with downloaded e-books.
 
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