kindle2 - some thoughts on ebook reading

[Viin]

I keep them in my Dropbox and grab them via the Dropbox Android app over Wi-Fi - although at this point all the ones I regularly use are just stored on there now.

I read a lot of PDFs too, and that's how I do it (Dropbox on iPad). I use GoodReader to sync with various folders in my Dropbox.

[Engels]

I've heard few people here talk about the kindle fire as a plain ole web browser. I take it that folks don't find it handy for that. Is it the screen format, is it the slow java script curn, or some other factor?

[MahrinSkel]

If it's the same problem I have with the Nook, it's just a little too small to read without squinting (and thanks to the Chrome/Android core, there's no way to change the base font size).

--Dave

[Draegan]

I have no issue with it.

[Viin]

I have no issue with it.

[Merusk]

After DLing a few samples of books I've decided E-readers are still totally useless for design and art people. (And probably medical and mechanical repair folks too, now that I think about it.)  The books either have no pictures (  ) or are black and white so you miss the entire point of having photos in the first place. 

Novels, technical writing and other straight reading they seem great for.  They won't be replacing books entirely any time soon, though.

[Cyrrex]

Meanwhile, I now have an Ipad 2 (since Christmas), and it is really excellent for reading.  For that matter, the thing just kicks ass in general.  The only reason I got one is because I had run out of ideas to wish for...but I am really surprised by how much of love this thing.  I hereby retract all my snarky "it's just a giant itouch!" comments.

[Tebonas]

In theory it really reads like a dumb device. Until you found your uses and don't want to miss it anymore.

On topic, it is infinitely worse as an ebook-reader than e-ink devices for text only. But with graphics and color its the other way round.

[slog]

Going on a cruise in two weeks, and I'm looking for a cheap reader that is easy on the eyes and supports file transfer between my pc and the reader.

Thoughts?

[Numtini]

I just got an ipad2 yesterday for work and it strikes me as too heavy for an ereader, though I may be more sensitive to that as I tend to read while laying down on my back. I also don't think it's quite as easy to read as the e-ink, but at least for short items the readability is far better than I expected. Otherwise a nice netbook competitor, but at the price point, I can't quite fathom it.

Slog -- A kindle will do that.

[Salamok]

Going on a cruise in two weeks, and I'm looking for a cheap reader that is easy on the eyes and supports file transfer between my pc and the reader.

Thoughts?

You can hook a kindle up via usb and drag files over to it, can't get easier on the eyes than e-ink and $80 isn't too bad.

[slog]

Going on a cruise in two weeks, and I'm looking for a cheap reader that is easy on the eyes and supports file transfer between my pc and the reader.

Thoughts?

You can hook a kindle up via usb and drag files over to it, can't get easier on the eyes than e-ink and $80 isn't too bad.

So this one?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051QVESA/ref=sr_tc_sc_2_1?&pf_rd_r=C37255CF3FC44C198E16&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_t=301&pf_rd_i=kindle&pf_rd_p=1343222322&pf_rd_s=structured-results-2&qid=1328819197&sr=8-2-tc

What is the "special offers" all about?  Ad content that I have to cancel or something?

[dd0029]

What is the "special offers" all about?  Ad content that I have to cancel or something?

The special offers thing means it's ad supported. I've only seen one person come in with one at the library. What I have saw was a single line of crawler text across the bottom of the screen. I seem to recall the person I saw with it mentioned that that disappears when you are reading a book, but don't quote me on that.

[Numtini]

I don't have one, but I've heard the same thing. There are ads on the file listing and the sleep screen, but not during the actual book.

[Johny Cee]

There are ads on the file listing and the sleep screen, but not during the actual book.

This.  My second kindle is the ad supported one, and the ads are incredibly unintrusive.  Actually, I've redeemed a couple of the $.99/1.99/2.99 buy a book ads when they were good deals. 


The only complaint is that the wireless seems to switch back on more often than my old kindle.

[slog]

ok thanks!

[Salamok]

ok thanks!

Not sure if you can still find a deal but I also went with an ad supported kindle graphite keyboard+3g (the generation prior to current) ended up paying like $10 more than the current generation low end kindle but it seems to be a fair jump in build quality.

[Numtini]

Just a confirmation, reading on an iPad in bed is essentially impossible. Too heavy and keeps changing orientation. My arms literally hurt. It just plain sucks,only positive is being able to whine directly about it on the device itself.

[caladein]

Yeah, no orientation lock is one of the things that made me go for an Android phone, but I thought the iPad had that feature without any subterfuge (well, it went away for a patch for idiotic reasons).

[Viin]

On the iPad, you can set it so that switch next to the volume control buttons locks the orientation. Mine is usually locked.

[Cyrrex]

Uh, yeah, mine is locked as well.  You can program it to that switch on the side.

As far as the reading in bed thing goes, I think it depends a lot on the position you are in.  But in any case, it is still easier to manage than your average hardcover book.

[Tebonas]

Are we talking ipad or ipad 2 here? Because on the ipad2 there is an orientation lock hardware switch directly on the device, plus is is weights noticeably lless than the ipad1.

Still not enough to comfortably use it for large streches holding it in one hand in bed, though. I have a case that does the holding for me in bed when I decide to be decadent and watch some videos in bed.

[Numtini]

I google it and figure out the orientation switch. Thanks because I'd never have found it otherwise. It is a ipad2 and I can't imagine reading with something that heavy. The kindle is very comfortable in one hand, with a button resting on the page turning button. The ipad was heavy enough that I needed both hands or to rest it against something and trying to get a good grip kept hitting the touch screen and changing pages.

[Cyrrex]

Yeah, I wouldn't want to hold it like that for long stretches either.  Fortunately, I never read (even regular books) in any position that requires me to hold the book up off of something, so it isn't a problem for me.  I always have it on my lap, on the couch arm, or on the bed while I lay on my stomach.

[Tmon]

Last week while I was in Iowa the screen on my nook simple touch locked up on me .  Cedar Rapids has a Barnes and Noble store so I took it in to see if they had a way to recover it.  They tried all the stuff I had then the manager ended up swapping it out.   Thanks to the 'laptop' seating near the gate and free wifi I had it charged up and synced with my B&N account before my flight boarded.

[Chimpy]

I google it and figure out the orientation switch. Thanks because I'd never have found it otherwise. It is a ipad2 and I can't imagine reading with something that heavy. The kindle is very comfortable in one hand, with a button resting on the page turning button. The ipad was heavy enough that I needed both hands or to rest it against something and trying to get a good grip kept hitting the touch screen and changing pages.

Pretty sure it is in the user manual how to lock rotation.

Of course, it is one of those devices that reading a manual for seems to be something people don't do.

[naum]

I google it and figure out the orientation switch. Thanks because I'd never have found it otherwise. It is a ipad2 and I can't imagine reading with something that heavy. The kindle is very comfortable in one hand, with a button resting on the page turning button. The ipad was heavy enough that I needed both hands or to rest it against something and trying to get a good grip kept hitting the touch screen and changing pages.

Pretty sure it is in the user manual how to lock rotation.

Of course, it is one of those devices that reading a manual for seems to be something people don't do.

Originally, that function was controlled by the hardware button but then Apple changed it for all iOS to be mute, which triggered an outcry (you could still toggle it from settings) from many iPad owners, so they also added it to the "multitask tray" (double tap the "home" button to activate the bottom dashboard of app icons, slide to the left and along with audio controls, there is an icon to enable/disable rotation)… …or they might have changed it again, do not have an iPad at my side right now…

[Sky]

It is a ipad2 and I can't imagine reading with something that heavy.

Heavier than an Erickson novel?

[Viin]

Originally, that function was controlled by the hardware button but then Apple changed it for all iOS to be mute, which triggered an outcry (you could still toggle it from settings) from many iPad owners, so they also added it to the "multitask tray" (double tap the "home" button to activate the bottom dashboard of app icons, slide to the left and along with audio controls, there is an icon to enable/disable rotation)… …or they might have changed it again, do not have an iPad at my side right now…

yes, yes and yes. Then they changed it so that you can specify what the switch did in Settings. Default is still mute though (which is ghey, I can just hold the volume button down to get to mute).

[bhodi]

So it looks like the theory that Amazon will use their leverage as the sole delivery pipe to strong-arm publishers was correct. Amazon pulled all IPG books from the marketplace after not getting as many price concessions as they desired. Many on here called this, and it seemed like common sense that it would happen eventually.

It looks like the internet is watching this one, along with all the major publishers, since it's the test case for things to come. I did like this quote:

Doctorow takes the occasion to observe that offering ebooks DRM-free would have thwarted Amazon by providing a work-around for Kindle owners, who could have then bought IPG’s books elsewhere and still been able to read them...

This, right here, is the entire reason I bought a nook.

[HaemishM]

God-damnit.

At least I always make my books DRM-free. I am getting most uncomfortable with Amazon's growing eBook power, considering 95% of all my book sales come from Amazon. Part of this is the fact that they have multiple channels for me to market the book (forums, tagging) that the other retailers just do not have.

[Chimpy]

I am buying a Kindle Touch (plain wifi, subsidized) here shortly. Not planning on buying many books from Amazon, but the ability to download dozens of classics which I have not read for free and be able to carry one book-sized item on my trip to Ireland is worth it for me.

[Hawkbit]

My folks want to buy my kid a Kindle Fire for her 7th bday.  Any opinions?  an iPad at $500 is a bit out of the question for her, but the Fire is a nice pricepoint.

How easy to access are the kid's books? 

She would like having some of the little game apps and Netflix on it.  How much trouble can she get into?  Is there a lock on the wallet so she doesn't rack up a ton of charges on her own?

[caladein]

Parental controls on the Fire (or the Amazon Appstore in general) seem pretty weak.  You can't require a password for all purchases, just in-app stuff or you can disable in-app purchases entirely.  On the device itself, you can only password lock the whole device or the WiFi, both of which aren't terribly useful for what you might want to do with it.

Not sure about third party solutions.

[Hawkbit]

There are no third party solutions, apparently. 

So we bought the fire with Prime and registered it to my account.  And, just as you said, in order for Wifi to be enabled, one-click purchases must be too. 

Option A:  Return the fire, buy her an iPad.  But then I have to ask myself "Does a 7yr old need a $500 iPad?"

Option B:  Remove all payment methods from my account that the fire and Prime are attached to, essentially disabling purchases from the fire unless there's a gift card attached.  Create second Amazon account to only buy gift cards for the first account whenever we want to buy something using Prime. 

All this because Amazon can't develop the ability to have simultaneous Wifi on and purchases password protected.  As it stands, just trying to learn the device I've already bought apps I didn't want while trying to test the parental controls.

How is the iPad as an ereader?  How do I go about finding books on the iPad?  Does iTunes do all that stuff?