I was wondring if anybody on here has got or ordered the new Amazon Kindle?

I've got one, although my hubby is currently using it as I still have some actual paperbacks to read.

I've been interested in ebook readers for a while but thought there wasn't enough support for them in the UK and the prices of the ebooks seemed too close to the cost of an actual paperback. 
The kindle is light and easy to use and I think I will probably stop buying physical books, especially as it is so easy to buy through the kindle store on the actual product itself....far too easy!!!

But it's not like a computer screen as it uses something called e-ink to try to replicate the colouring and view of a real page.

I was very dubious of the earlier types of ebooks but am really happy with the kindle

The gf's daughter got one recently, she seems to like it. I've downloaded the 'Kindle for pc' application but haven't got around to checking it out yet. Free books sounds like a winner to me.

ChesterChestertonPhD

It doesn't hurt your eyes like...burn em...in the way a screen can sometimes?  I'm still dubious as to how good it would be for your eyes to be honest, despite the e ink.  But I've never seen one. 

The things that hurts your eyes with normal screen, are the backlight and the refresh of the screen. Even the best screens flicker continuously as they refresh, even though you don't consciously register this it does over time strain your eyes.

E-ink works by magnetic pigment being drawn towards the screen in the areas required to display the text. This pigment remains in place so there is no refresh and significantly less strain on the eye. This also means that power is only used when the page is changed, so the battery lasts ages.

Another advantage is, if your eyes are getting tired (as they would reading a traditional book), you can increase the size of the font. I've had a Kindle for the best part of a month and they really are spectacularly good. I think it's easier on my eyes than a traditional book, as for some reason, I seem to be able to read faster using the Kindle.

The only issue I have with the Kindle is the temptation to buy loads of books. I'm very strictly making sure I've read what I've got before buying anything else.

i still like the feel of a real book, oh yer, and i work for Waterstones so if you would all buy real books please.

your welcome.

sabbathbloodysabbath

i still like the feel of a real book, oh yer, and i work for Waterstones so if you would all buy real books please.

your welcome.

So I take it that you only buy music from bricks and mortar shops to support other retail staff then .

I don't miss the "feel" of a real book, it's so much easier to get into the zone with an e-reader. Especially when at the start/end of a thick paperback, opening the pages wide enough that the position of the page is flat enough so as not to be reading around a curve can be problematic and distracting.

ChesterChestertonPhD

TheManFromDelmonte
The things that hurts your eyes with normal screen, are the backlight and the refresh of the screen. Even the best screens flicker continuously as they refresh, even though you don't consciously register this it does over time strain your eyes.

E-ink works by magnetic pigment being drawn towards the screen in the areas required to display the text. This pigment remains in place so there is no refresh and significantly less strain on the eye. This also means that power is only used when the page is changed, so the battery lasts ages.

Another advantage is, if your eyes are getting tired (as they would reading a traditional book), you can increase the size of the font. I've had a Kindle for the best part of a month and they really are spectacularly good. I think it's easier on my eyes than a traditional book, as for some reason, I seem to be able to read faster using the Kindle.

The only issue I have with the Kindle is the temptation to buy loads of books. I'm very strictly making sure I've read what I've got before buying anything else.

Interesting stuff, cheers. 

I think I'll stick to paperbacks for now.  They've got character for me.  They don't break.  You can tear off bits of the cover for roach, you can chuck em haphazardly in your bag or whatever, you can pass em around.  You can read em in the bath. 

How fragile are Kindles?

Can't imagine the unit itself being that tough, it's plastic and only about 5mm thick. There are some pretty sturdy covers for it, which I think would take haphazard bag treatment and there is also a waterproof cover, so you could read in the bath.

Not being able to pass around or make roaches are issues that Kindle doesn't have an answer to though. Don't overestimate the character thing though, I think it's an association thing, you attach emotions based on your enjoyment of a book's contents on the book itself. Imagine holding in your hand an object that you've read dozens of your favourite books on, how much character would you associate with that. I think that's why I've become a Kindle evangelist, which it seems a lot of people who have one have.

Or I could just be trying to justify my spending money on it, and be in denial of that lol. Nah, I think it's as much my being a massive nerd and feeling all Star Trekie and Hitch-hiker's Guidey when I'm using mine.

i buy from HMV, discount biatch!

I don't usually do gadgets (probably coz I'm a bit of a technology retard - if the "switch it off and on again" trick doesn't work I'm f*cked) but I bought a Kindle a month or so ago. It's excellent, can't say enough good things about it. It's dead easy to use and you can archive off what you've read then retrieve it later if you want to read to read them again.

The battery life is great - after a month I recharged it but it wasn't at the point where it was about to die.

Also the free books are pretty decent and it's encouraged me to go back to classics I read years ago, or ones I always said I would read but never got round to.

But I've found the prices of newer book to be quite fair as well, I've saved anywhere between £1 and £5 each book. Best bargain so far is Mat Hoffman's autobiography - free!

That said there are certain authors I'll always buy the actual hard copy (Stephen King, Tim Willocks, Don Winslow) just coz I like their books so much. King especially as I've got most of his in hardback and want to keep up the collection.

Oh, and you can put music on the Kindle as well. Not tried it yet but think that could be a winner.

i've been dubious about ebook readers for a while (mainly because i like having an actual book, although obviously owning a kindle doesn't automatically mean i must stop buying physical books), but after hearing nothing but glowing reviews i'm seriously considering getting one. would be very useful as i'm going around europe next year, and i imagine those long train journeys get very tedious, and taking a collection of books just isn't realistic.

Hmm... I'm still not convinced. But it might be useful... I'm a techie person, but I still don't think you can beat an actual physical book...

http://www.engadget.com/2...-faster-performance-r/

Colour e-ink is here. Will take a while to come down in price, but a colour Kindle DX will compliment my Kindle 3 wifi well.

/crosses fingers for Watchmen colour e-graphic novel.

well, seems i'm getting one for christmas. excellent.

I've been thinking of getting one for my wife for Christmas but I'm torn between the Kindle and the Sony equivalent. Reviews on the web seem to be split 50/50. The only difference I can see is that Kindle is supported by Amazon and Sony by Waterstones.

got one today. fantastic, absolutely love it. lots of quality free books available too. just got dracula, sherlock holmes collection and frankenstein, all for nothing.

I bought my mum (54 yrs old) one for xmas and she's loving it already!!!
Then again so is my dad as it means their holiday luggage will be much lighter without all the books she always takes to read whilst on holiday!!!

Got one for Christmas, very impressive, downloaded several books already. Only problem seems to be getting the books I REALLY want (Rainbow Six for example).
 
Loving the free books tho...

Mate got one for Xmas, the screen is fabulous.  It is pretty flimsy but he has done the wise thing and got a sturdy leather case for it.  Think I shall be treating the Mrs to one for her birthday.

My parents got me one for Christmas to save space; my books were taking up too much of the stuff.
I love it! Such a great piece of tech. The e-paper screen is so convincing at times that I find myself reaching for a bookmark before I put it down

I know this is quite an old thread but how is the glare on the screens on one if I wanted to read outside if I was on holiday or something?