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I got a Kindle


HoneyGirl

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I managed to get a Kindle yesterday, very pleased about it although I won't be giving up on the real books. I've decided to just spend up to £3 on books for Kindle and then any others I want which cost the same as a hard copy will be bought in a hard copy. But I am getting some bargains on Amazon for 99p, £1.99 and 86p.

I love it!

 

Is there anything I should know about the Kindle as a newbie to it?

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I made the same decision - if the books are only a couple of quid or less, I'm happy to get them on Kindle, but I'm not willing ot pay the same as I would for a hardback. So far the most expensive book I've bought was £2.15, but the majority have been eitehr under a quid or free. :)

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It is interesting to see you use the term 'real book'. I think you are trying to say that because Kindle books are not physical entities they do not seem as real, but a book is a book in no matter what format it was produced - in its crudest form it is a collection of words, although we all on here of course know that they can be so much more.

 

Getting a Kindle was one of the best decisions I made last year, that has revolutionised the way in which I read. I am probably somewhat unusual in that I buy books for their content rather than the price, and although kIndle books are sometimes more, I see it in terms of convenience rather than anything else. It is a myth that Kindle books cost less to produce anyway - it is only because people think that printing osts more than paying someone to do the conversion process (which not everyone can do themselves). The other costs - editing, indexing and so on remain the same, no matter which format the book is published in. The most expensive Kindle book I have got then was £11 something and the cheapest was free - the average though seems to be around the £5 mark.

Edited by Talisman
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As I rarely buy hardbacks and would usually wait for a new book I wanted to come out in paperback, I won't buy a Kindle edition that's close to the same price as a hardback. Once the paperback edition is released, the Kindle price usually reduces as well, and that's when I would buy it. I see the logic that I'm not getting a physical book and think the Kindle version should be slightly less than the physical book version simply because I don't have to pay the cost of printing, distribution and postage, but I appreciate that the actual end product is the story I get to read and keep, regardless of whether it's on paper or on a screen, and the author has put the same amount of work into it regardless of how I choose to read it.

 

I think the problem with pricing is due to publishers, as they are still allowed to set the price on ebooks rather than Amazon, and they're still sticking to the hardback and paperback pricing policies. I think that this will eventually change, but at the moment, it's inconvenient at the moment.

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Hi Honey

Welcome to Kindle World ! I hope you enjoy it and get lots of use from it . They are handy gadgets to have and very easy to learn to use. Not a lot of added doodads that are hard to figure out .

I have seen lots of people online who compare kindle books to real books,so I think it depends on the person .Some people prefer the kindle,because of convenience ,say if you go someplace and need reading material,it's easier to bring it along so you have several books in one small little item to carry .

As for book prices, I agree that some of the books seem pricey,but if it's a book I really want,then I still spend the money to get it .This is mainly the case if it's a new release of a favorite author, or even a new author but the book sounds so good .

We live in a little hick town,so it's quite a drive to a big bookstore with new books ,so the kindle is also nice for that reason .You want a book,but don't want to drive so far ? Press a button and it's right there in your lap.

Our library funding over here has been cut back to where the libraries cannot afford to get as many new books as they once did. We have inter-library loan,where we can reserve it from any library in the northeast part of our state,but if it's a popular book, you may be number 139 on the waiting list . I'm too impatient to wait that long .

I have also found so many really neat freebies on amazon. I have strange reading tastes ,I guess, but I like reading these really old tales that people have written ( not classics, just unknown or unheard of authors) . I have lots of them on my kindle because they are different type books and tell what life was like back in the earlier days .

The only downside to kindle that I see is that I wish the screen lit up like a computer screen does for easy reading at night ,and I wish the text-to-talk feature was better .

Enjoy your new kindle,and just fiddle with it a bit and you will learn your way around quickly .

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I made the same decision - if the books are only a couple of quid or less, I'm happy to get them on Kindle, but I'm not willing ot pay the same as I would for a hardback. So far the most expensive book I've bought was £2.15, but the majority have been eitehr under a quid or free. :)

Well I'm glad to see I'm not the only one to have thought this way as my friends said I was daft! Haha! I am loving the range of books I can get for just cheap for the Kindle - there are quite a lot of the genre I like knocking about. I'm not too impressed by the free books but maybe I'm not looking in the right place?

 

It is interesting to see you use the term 'real book'. I think you are trying to say that because Kindle books are not physical entities they do not seem as real, but a book is a book in no matter what format it was produced - in its crudest form it is a collection of words, although we all on here of course know that they can be so much more.

 

Getting a Kindle was one of the best decisions I made last year, that has revolutionised the way in which I read. I am probably somewhat unusual in that I buy books for their content rather than the price, and although kIndle books are sometimes more, I see it in terms of convenience rather than anything else. It is a myth that Kindle books cost less to produce anyway - it is only because people think that printing osts more than paying someone to do the conversion process (which not everyone can do themselves). The other costs - editing, indexing and so on remain the same, no matter which format the book is published in. The most expensive Kindle book I have got then was £11 something and the cheapest was free - the average though seems to be around the £5 mark.

Thing is Talisman I do still love the feeling and smell of a "real" book in my hands - and some books I would just have to own physically, like one I especially love or a special hardback edition with nice photos in. I do love the idea of Kindle and it is certainly going to help me in a lot of ways - the cheaper books and the ease of having a few books all in one place for journeys and sitting in the garden with in the summer. It is so light too which is a bonus as sometimes when lying in bed reading, the weight of a book can start to hurt.

 

As I rarely buy hardbacks and would usually wait for a new book I wanted to come out in paperback, I won't buy a Kindle edition that's close to the same price as a hardback. Once the paperback edition is released, the Kindle price usually reduces as well, and that's when I would buy it. I see the logic that I'm not getting a physical book and think the Kindle version should be slightly less than the physical book version simply because I don't have to pay the cost of printing, distribution and postage, but I appreciate that the actual end product is the story I get to read and keep, regardless of whether it's on paper or on a screen, and the author has put the same amount of work into it regardless of how I choose to read it.

 

I think the problem with pricing is due to publishers, as they are still allowed to set the price on ebooks rather than Amazon, and they're still sticking to the hardback and paperback pricing policies. I think that this will eventually change, but at the moment, it's inconvenient at the moment.

I do not buy hardbacks very often either - only if it is a special book that I especially want as I do think that hardbacks are over-priced. There are a few books I am wanting to get but currently they are only out in hardback which means they cost over £10, and for just words and no pictures, I would rather have a paperback just for the price difference and ease of holding when reading.

 

Hi Honey

Welcome to Kindle World ! I hope you enjoy it and get lots of use from it . They are handy gadgets to have and very easy to learn to use. Not a lot of added doodads that are hard to figure out .

I have seen lots of people online who compare kindle books to real books,so I think it depends on the person .Some people prefer the kindle,because of convenience ,say if you go someplace and need reading material,it's easier to bring it along so you have several books in one small little item to carry .

As for book prices, I agree that some of the books seem pricey,but if it's a book I really want,then I still spend the money to get it .This is mainly the case if it's a new release of a favorite author, or even a new author but the book sounds so good .

We live in a little hick town,so it's quite a drive to a big bookstore with new books ,so the kindle is also nice for that reason .You want a book,but don't want to drive so far ? Press a button and it's right there in your lap.

Our library funding over here has been cut back to where the libraries cannot afford to get as many new books as they once did. We have inter-library loan,where we can reserve it from any library in the northeast part of our state,but if it's a popular book, you may be number 139 on the waiting list . I'm too impatient to wait that long .

I have also found so many really neat freebies on amazon. I have strange reading tastes ,I guess, but I like reading these really old tales that people have written ( not classics, just unknown or unheard of authors) . I have lots of them on my kindle because they are different type books and tell what life was like back in the earlier days .

The only downside to kindle that I see is that I wish the screen lit up like a computer screen does for easy reading at night ,and I wish the text-to-talk feature was better .

Enjoy your new kindle,and just fiddle with it a bit and you will learn your way around quickly .

Thanks Julie :) I am loving the Kindle already and to be honest, I can see all the sides of the coin as regards to everyone's preference over a Kindle or a "real" book. Personally I will never stop buying real books, and like I said before, I won't buy a book for the same price of a paperback on the Kindle - but thats just me as I like to save money where ever I can, as with not working at the moment money is a bit tight. I've learned to be very patient when waiting to buy something! Haha.

 

I can understand that it must be great to have a Kindle for people like you who live far from a bookshop. Luckily I am very near town and also have a good mail order service here too so I can get books very easily. I have taken to browsing charity shops too for second hand books, I have picked up some great ones for bargain prices too - some even that are now unavailable in the shops, so I am always very pleased then!

 

I think I will have to invest in a one of those Kindle covers with the light attached. I am so used to a computer screen that sometimes I think the Kindle screen looks dark but I know that this makes for easier reading as its supposed to be like paper so I will soon get used to it.

 

I am living in gadget city at the moment - my dad was laughing at me yesterday as I had a laptop, an iPad, a Kindle and my mobile phone all strewn round me on the couch - as well as two or three books - haha!

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Thing is Talisman I do still love the feeling and smell of a "real" book in my hands - and some books I would just have to own physically, like one I especially love or a special hardback edition with nice photos in. I do love the idea of Kindle and it is certainly going to help me in a lot of ways - the cheaper books and the ease of having a few books all in one place for journeys and sitting in the garden with in the summer. It is so light too which is a bonus as sometimes when lying in bed reading, the weight of a book can start to hurt.

 

I know what you mean - there are certain books that I too would prefer to have as paper editons (or maybe both) - especially non fiction and of course reference books (arguably the same thing), and I also know what you mean about the weight of books - some of them are very heavy, and you have a have huge handbag to carry them around in so that you end up with back and shoulder pain. This I guess is where the Kindle really comes into its own - especially when travelling - I know that the weight of my own baggage will probably halve. This is great, as it means more room for the wheat free food that I have to take with me as well, especially when certain airlines only one bag and you can't take it seperately ...

 

I think the problem with pricing is due to publishers, as they are still allowed to set the price on ebooks rather than Amazon, and they're still sticking to the hardback and paperback pricing policies. I think that this will eventually change, but at the moment, it's inconvenient at the moment.

 

Actually this is another misnomer - yes the publisher does set their own RRP, but Amazon and other retailers are perfectly free to place books on promotion any time they like, thereby changing (or setting) the price, whichever way you look at it. I don't see that ever changing, as we have gone too far down that route for it now to be otherwise - the public would not tolerate it. It has become the norm for not just books, but everything to be discounted by the retailer, and there are people that I know who refuse to pay full price for anything. I have nixed feelings about it personally, and as an author myself, can see it from both sides. It is more relevant I suppose for paper books than e-books, as with e-books the author can publish them him or herself directly with Amazon, Google Books etc, cutting out all those middle men that make publishing such a cut throat business. The danger is that Amazon are becoming so large and so important that they are starting to dictate terms to the publishers (of in some cases up to 60 percent discount), and this understandabnly leads to resentment on the part of both authors and publishers, as the lower a book is sold for, the less profit the publisher makes, and the less they can afford to pay their staff and their authors. It also of course means that they have to much more choosy about which authors they choose to work with. The public may think that lower book prices are a good thing, but it ain't necessarily so - it seems to me that it's a lose, lose situation all round.

Edited by Talisman
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Actually this is another misnomer - yes the publisher does set their own RRP, but Amazon and other retailers are perfectly free to place books on promotion any time they like, thereby changing (or setting) the price, whichever way you look at it. I don't see that ever changing, as we have gone too far down that route for it now to be otherwise - the public would not tolerate it. It has become the norm for not just books, but everything to be discounted by the retailer, and there are people that I know who refuse to pay full price for anything. I have nixed feelings about it personally, and as an author myself, can see it from both sides. It is more relevant I suppose for paper books than e-books, as with e-books the author can publish them him or herself directly with Amazon, Google Books etc, cutting out all those middle men that make publishing such a cut throat business. The danger is that Amazon are becoming so large and so important that they are starting to dictate terms to the publishers (of in some cases up to 60 percent discount), and this understandabnly leads to resentment on the part of both authors and publishers, as the lower a book is sold for, the less profit the publisher makes, and the less they can afford to pay their staff and their authors. It also of course means that they have to much more choosy about which authors they choose to work with. The public may think that lower book prices are a good thing, but it ain't necessarily so - it seems to me that it's a lose, lose situation all round.

 

I'm not sure that this is the case Talisman, as I believe Amazon.co.uk are forced to use the agency model for ebooks from some publishers (including Penguin) where it is publishers who set the price - you still see ebooks where there is the comment "This price was set by the publisher". Amazon.co.uk may be able to discount ebooks from some publishers, but I think a lot of the bigger publishers still use this agency model and set the price.

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I managed to get a Kindle yesterday, very pleased about it although I won't be giving up on the real books. I've decided to just spend up to £3 on books for Kindle and then any others I want which cost the same as a hard copy will be bought in a hard copy. But I am getting some bargains on Amazon for 99p, £1.99 and 86p.

I love it! Is there anything I should know about the Kindle as a newbie to it?

 

I bought my Kindle just over a year ago. At the time I had some doubts, being (and remaining) a lover of physical books, but I have to say I have to come to love it. Like you, I tend to stick to the cheaper end of the market. I don't have a problem with hardback pricing being applied to ebooks, regarding it as simply paying a premium for buying a book in its first year of publication, but I have yet to want a book sufficiently to pay it, although some hardback prices have come down to paperback prices (just like for physical books) and I have once or twice bought them then. (This is in contrast to physical books, where I do occasionally buy the hardback, almost always non-fiction though, mainly because so many non-fiction paperbacks have horribly tiny print). I am also a keen reader of the classics, so I have loads of books that have been free.

 

I think the thing that I have been most surprised about is how much its changed my reading habits. I'm actually reading a lot more, particularly on the move. The Kindle is just so amazingly convenient, especially when you've only got one hand free! It really proved its worth when on a three week cycling holiday this summer, where we (OH and I) loaded the Kindle up with not only reading, but foreign language dictionaries and guidebooks. The only other 'reading' material we took were maps. I also appreciate the fact that, with my over-50 eyesight, I can change the font size, and it's so clear to read (equally, no lines disappearing into gutters as on badly bound paperbacks). It also means that I'm using less bookshelf space (a major issue in our household) I am therefore now finding that I'm buying the Kindle version in preference to paperbacks. I now also have Kindle for Android on my phone for that emergency situation where I don't have a Kindle to hand! I also subscribe to the Guardian/Observer (to my mind the best of the on-line papers), which means that I'm reading the papers a lot more (not for the news, but the rest!!). In summary, my buying is now more and more moving to Kindle books plus physical books where I want something special that the physical version offers, e.g. the illustrations, or a 'beautiful' version of a loved book, or one for reference dipping (the Kindle is not good for that). Which is why I don't think the ebook will kill off the physical book - rather complement it, with maybe the style of physical book publishing changing.

 

So the 'tips' you asked for. My apologies if, as is likely, you already know much of it, but they are things that have helped me. Firstly, be careful! The Kindle is addictive, and you may well find your approach changing insidioiusly! Secondly, do get a decent cover - the Kindle needs protecting, especially the screen - and some are outrageously priced. I don't think a sleeve is much good. I use one of the Cover-up covers. Having dropped mine a couple of times whilst reading, I can vouch for the fact they work, and I find them very comfortable, attractive, and reasonably priced. Finally, I keep the wireless facility switched off most of the time, only switching it on when I'm actually needing it - the battery lasts for weeks then.

 

Have fun!

Edited by willoyd
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I've just got a kindle for Christmas and at the minute I'm sticking to the low price books or the free ones. Some of the Kindle books are quite expensive (not all) but Id rather spend money and have a physcial book if they are the same price.

 

Although I have downloaded a fair few free ones that have been quite good.

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.The only downside to kindle that I see is that I wish the screen lit up like a computer screen does for easy reading at night ,and I wish the text-to-talk feature was better .

 

Indeed. I bought a one two days ago, and I automatically assumed it would have a back light. I never even thought to check. I would have liked a one but I'm not that sad about it. It's something to do with the screen technology from what I've read. Adding a backlight would have had to change it.

 

 

Anyway, I'm of the same mindset as I gather most people posting here are. I'll only be buying the cheap books or downloading free ones. Otherwise it could become an expensive habbit (with so many available at a touch of a button).

 

I like the product anyway. I've hardly put it down. I nearly bought a Sony e-reader because it was touch screen and played audio but that would have cost £47 extra, I just got laid off work unfortunately, so I have to budget. I sure would have liked an audio option, as I do listen to a lot of audio books (I walk a lot). When it comes down to it it is too big for a pocket anyway and I have my ipod so it's totally unneeded. It is what it is and doesn't pretend to be an ipad. In a way I'm coming to like the basic functions, and black and white as there are less distractions. I might actually end up reading more.

 

Some pro's or 'neat' little things I've noticed about it also:

- It saves space. Or it will in the future, as book collections can take up some room (especially if you are a hoarder like me and don't sell your old books). It's probably reasonable to say they are more environmentally friendly, saving on paper and ink.

- The built in dictionary is well responding and covers most words from what I can see, although if you are reading an academic text for a specific subject I can see it holding less vocabulary. The dictionary also saves time when you don't know a word, because you don't have to put down your book and go to your shelf or go to your pc to check.

- Arguably you've just spent £89 and then have to buy books but there are plenty of older free classics available and recent-ish books fairly cheap.

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Indeed. I bought a one two days ago, and I automatically assumed it would have a back light. I never even thought to check. I would have liked a one but I'm not that sad about it. It's something to do with the screen technology from what I've read. Adding a backlight would have had to change it.

Yes, it's because e-ink screens are designed to be as easy on the eye as reading from paper. If there was a backlight the screen would have to be like a mobile phone or iPad or computer screen - and extended reading sessions would ruin your eyes. That won't happen with the Kindle screen. After all, hardbacks and paperbacks don't come with a backlight ;)

 

My primary reason for wanting a Kindle - other than it being shiny - was to save shelf space. I was getting fed up with regularly having to go through my books and decide on which ones I felt I could part with. I can't tell you the number of times I have subsequently had to re-buy a book because I suddenly got the urge to re-read it. The Kindle saves me that hassle, which is great.

 

Regarding the pricing of the books, if it's something I want to read but is not a series/author I am collecting, I'll buy it for the Kindle regardless, so it's not taking up shelf space. There have been a couple of books that are part of series that I'm collecting (Steven Erikson's The Crippled God and George RR Martin's A Dance with Dragons) where I've paid hardback prices for Kindle editions - £10 - £12 - because I couldn't wait for the paperbacks. The hardback editions of those novels are huge, would take up too much shelf space and would be a real chore to carry around and read. I just wouldn't do it, but the Kindle versions are light as a feather ...

 

I've found that the Kindle has made me try books and authors I probably wouldn't even have considered beforehand, which is great, purely because of not having to worry about that precious, limited shelf space of mine. I do still like the feel of treebooks, though, and with paperbacks I will always buy the series/authors I collect (and will inevitably buy the paperbacks of the 'hardback' versions I've got on Kindle, like the two books mentioned above).

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We bought our Kindles back in May of 2011, and so far so good. For the most part I've downloaded the sale books, but have popped for three so far that were more expensive. The three were huge tomes that were frankly uncomfortable to carry around and just too heavy and bulky. 1Q84, Reamde, and now Cryptonomicon. It's worth it to be able to schlep them around with no problem. But we do have the physical hardbacks as well. Three out of 92 isn't too bad. :)

 

I love the adjustable font, and the fact that it isn't backlit, as mentioned above it's hard on the eyes.

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I sure would have liked an audio option, as I do listen to a lot of audio books (I walk a lot).

 

You can play audiobooks on the Kindle as long as they are MP3 or in either of the Audible.co.uk formats.

 

I agree with you Lauraloves - I prefer the lack of backlighting too.

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You can play audiobooks on the Kindle as long as they are MP3 or in either of the Audible.co.uk formats.

 

I agree with you Lauraloves - I prefer the lack of backlighting too.

 

Maybe I should have been more specific. Mine is the none keyboard, £89 version. I don't believe you can. This is for other models I assume. Or am I missing something?

 

I would have linked the Amazon page but I'm assuming that's advertising.

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Not having a backlight doesn't bother me either - you can some very low prices and good reading lights these days - I got mine from Robert Dyas for around the £5 mark. As for the audio book thing, I have never really bothered with those, I much prefer reading to listening, although it would be good for driving long distances. The read to me feature that is on my keyboard Kindle only reads in an annoying American accent, which I would probably just end up screaming at !

Edited by Talisman
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How is your Kindle DRESSED ?

 

Do you have a Kindle skin,cover,or some other type gadget to protect it ,decorate it, or carry it in ?

 

Or is it NEKKID as a newborn babe ?

 

I have a neon green kindle skin( kinda rubbery,not the colorform-types of things with the pretty designs. Then I have a kindle cover for carrying it in my purse,which is a soft padded cover that zips shut, with a little zippable compartment on the front . It is black,edged in neon green .

I guess by now you can tell green is my favorite color . :)

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I made my own out of some greeny velvety material, some padding and the backboard of the box my kindle came in. It works well, doesn't look like a kindle case, and never gets lost in the depths of any of my big bags.

 

I've had my Kindle for almost a year now, and love it to pieces. It currenly holds about 250 books, although I haven't spent more than around £40 on them.

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Laura

Pink sounds pretty too. It's my second favorite color . I know what you mean about carrying it around .My case isn't hard,so not sure how well it'd protect it against drops or thumps . The hard coers are probably best if you stick it in your purse or tote bag ,since it might get smashed by something else in there .

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When we bought the kindles, we bought the case that is a heavy[ish] leatherish and straps the kindle in very effectively. Mine is brown, OH's is black. Not very pretty, but I've dropped mine, and it's been ok. I'd like to find a pretty one, but when I look on Amazon, it's unclear to me which one fits which kindle. So, as I notice they carry covers at Best Buy I suppose I'll end up buying one there that I can actually test.

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