Are you a Villager with a Kindle?

[beady]

For sometime I have been thinking of buying a Kindle...the problem is I am a tactile shopper. I like to touch and study a product before I purchase anything. That is difficult with a Kindle because they are only sold online.
I am wondering if any of you folks here on TOTV ,living in TV, have a Kindle and would be willing to allow me to check it out. Also, I would appreciate any reviews from personal experience with the reader.
Sony has a similar product and I liked the look of it but was unable to actually hold it because it was locked, barred and bolted in it's display case at Target. Not very helpful that. It is a bit less expensive and has a few features I would most likely never use.

[shooby62]

I received a Kindle as a gift when I retired in January. At first I was a little intimidated by the concept. After a few months of using it, I LOVE IT. We justs recently bought in the Villages, but probably won't be back down for a few months. If you read a lot, you can save a lot of money buying the down loaded books on Amazon. Don't know much about the one you saw in Target, but I would suggest that you find out how to buy books for that model. Amazon book prices are amazing and the selection is wonderful. Good luck!

[barb1191]

Considering the price of that "new toy," and then having to pay for the downloads, I guess my choice would be the library. I often buy from Barnes & Noble as well as used-book shops and just can't imagine holding a frame to read.

So pleased that you're happy with your gift, shooby. I imagine that if I received one as a gift, I too would learn to like it. :shrug:

[jblum8156]

My brother-in-law, who lives in TV, also received a Kindle as a gift and he's crazy about it. Why don't you ask a salesperson at Target to let you see the Sony version?

[deano_hoosier]

My Son gave me a Kindle for Christmas and it arrived several weeks later. I too had reservations about reading in a "non-book" environment, but quickly found that I enjoy the Kindle experience.

Being able to change the font size is very handy since I don't always have my reading glasses with me. I've downloaded maybe 15 books so far... about half were at no charge. Have also downloaded several issues of different newspapers. Never had any problems establishing a network connection and sometime hit a 3G connection on LSL square. The downside of Kindle --- can only download within the US. We travel quite a bit and I was hoping I could use it to read USA Today, etc. when outside the States -- but doing that requires hooking Kindle to computer, downloading the paper to the computer and then dumping it over to the Kindle, so not very handy.

We are snow-bird renters so not in TV, but will be back in January.

[BogeyBoy]

Bought my wife one for her birthday back in May. She loves it.

As a side bonus - I can download the books she buys on my iPod Touch.

[KayakerNC]

Are you buying the books....or just "borrowing" them? :shrug:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/168654/amazon_removes_ebooks_from_kindle_store_revokes_ow nership.html

[beady]

Very interesting article...buying or borrowing indeed.

I would guess that all those Kindle owners who purchased the Orwell books and then deleted them into the supposedly retrievable library are due a refund from Amazon. Doubtful that will happen but it certainly raises a valid question about publishers and consumers rights should a publication be withdrawn from the e-library.

Thanks KayackerNC

[Muncle]

I've heard from several people who've gotten Kindles and they all love them. Of course, if you hated it, you'd probably not brag about having one.

Personally, I'm a bit of a Luddite. My PC is gas powered and my big-screen is wood-burning. Maybe it's just that I'm old, but I like the feel of a book in my hands. Nothing smells quite so good as a brand new hardback, freshly opened (like a new can of tennis balls, and I don't even play) and the feel and sound of that book spine being broken in. Granted, my fingers have lost some dexterity of late and often it's a real pain to turn just one page, but it's worth it. And depending upon the book, I often like to jot notes in the margin -- no, not in my "comfortable" mysteries but in some non-ficts.

I suppose there will soon be a day where electronic books are affordable and traditionals will cost a fortune. And I would not be overly shocked to see a Greenie movement to outlaw production of books since they use up a valuable resource in the fight against the dreaded global warming/climate change. Think of the trees that would have been spared if Harry Potter hadn't come on the scene. But I digress . . .


""Give me my books, my golf clubs and my leisure, and I would ask for nothing more. My ideal in life is to read a lot, write a little, play plenty of golf and have nothing to worry about." Lord Balfour





`

[Herb]

I have a kindle and love it, amazing to have a dictionary and encyclopedia ready at your touch. I use it at home and i pod touch when I go out. I do miss the colorful front cover of the book but the kindle more than makes up for it. I will be happy to let you play with mine 3506517. I have some physical problem and its difficult to turn a books page, no problem with kindle. Herb

[RVRoadie]

The Amazon kindle app for the iPhone and iTouch work very well for me. If you have your phone with you, you can read whenever you have a few spare moments. Despite the small screen, I find it very easy to read on the iPhone. The last two books I read were Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth and World Without End, both large volumes. You can easily read without external light, and I find that the small page is easier for my eyes to scan than the full size page of a book. If you already have an iPhone, or just want to buy an iTouch (requires wi-fi), no need to also have a Kindle.

[villager99]

i got my kindle reader several months ago. it's a big part of my reading experience but not the only piece. i read on my computer, borrow from the public or mark twain library

download audiobooks to my mp3 player sometimes and still buy many printed books. each has it's own place in my life.

not all books are available in kindle format and sometimes i just need to scan a printed book. so i'd advice anyone thinking about the purchase to review their prior year's reading habits and check to see if and where the kindle might have been useful.
i do enjoy the kindle's ability to switch from small to large print or even text to voice at the push of a button.-

[TrudyM]

i got my kindle reader several months ago. it's a big part of my reading experience but not the only piece. i read on my computer, borrow from the public or mark twain library

download audiobooks to my mp3 player sometimes and still buy many printed books. each has it's own place in my life.

not all books are available in kindle format and sometimes i just need to scan a printed book. so i'd advice anyone thinking about the purchase to review their prior year's reading habits and check to see if and where the kindle might have been useful.
i do enjoy the kindle's ability to switch from small to large print or even text to voice at the push of a button.-

Or is it really electronic and hard to understand. I listen to more books than I read as I can walk or clean (yea well maybe) or paint the house as I listen.

[villager99]

for all of us who are technology challenged, the kindle arrives from amazon fully initialized with your name and personal link to amazon.com account.
just plug in to charge battery and you're good to go.
when you order a new book from amazon your kindle receives it immediately or the next time you turn it on. and you can mange your account online or from your kindle reader24/7.

[tony]

Who would have ever thought that Amazon can reach into your Kindle and remove books that you have already bought.

Click here to see David Pogue's blog about this in the New York Times (http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/17/some-e-books-are-more-equal-than-others/)

I am not sure, but if you have to join, you can register for free at the New York Times for much of the content.

[Shire]

I do not have one as yet, but will defintely be purchasing one soon. In my investigating, I was told variations of the Kindle are also sold at Barnes & Noble. I have not been able to confirm this, but intend to, if no other reason just to be able to gather some info on it. The Kindle is particularly intriguing as I love my audio books, and I understand the Kindle can also be used as audio. Hope you are succesful in your quest...

[beady]

Shire.....there is another electronic book out by Sony called the E-Reader. I looked at that at Target. It is about $20.00 cheaper than Kindle.
It has most of the same features as the Kindle ...the differences being the Kindle books are much less expensive....and Amazon's list of books much larger, plus the E-reader does not have the audio feature.

[Herb]

On Amazon Kindle dropped to $300.00

[uujudy]

How heavy is it?
Can you read it in the dark? If I wanted to read in bed, would I be able to do that? Does it give off enough light to keep Mr. Judy awake? Would it annoy the person next to me on an airplane?
Does it get hot?
How often does it need to be recharged?
If you switch to voice mode is it a real voice or is it the national weather service guy?
Can I use earbuds with it?
Can I connect it to the speakers in my car?

Just wondering out loud. Thanks for any info.
Judy

[Herb]

Judy, very light
no, can't read in dark
charging depends on type of use. I now charge every 3 days
voice is a little stiff but not real bad however no excitement or inflection
Headphones a yes
car, possibly depending on other equipment
Hope this helps, I'll be happy to show mine
Herb

[uujudy]

Thanks for all the great info Herb, but not being able to read in bed is a huge minus for me. :sigh:
Could I clip my bitty book light to it?

[barb1191]

Thanks for all the great info Herb, but not being able to read in bed is a huge minus for me. :sigh:
Could I clip my bitty book light to it?

Yes Judy, you can easily clip a "bitty book light" to the Kindle. I received a "bitty book light" with my updated cell phone and it's perfect to clip onto the Kindle. Works out just fine.

[uujudy]

Thanks Barb. That's good to know. I checked out the Kindle at Amazon.com, and I had no idea they were that expensive! Yikes! I think I'll stick with the Villages library for now. They have plenty of books I haven't read yet. lol
Cheaply yours,
Judy

[mzmom3]

They have book lights made just for the Kindle ........ both sold on Amazon.

[BBQMan]

Kindle is the best way to go today, IMHO. Any book you purchase is not only on your Kindle, but in your personal library on Amazon. You can buy newspapers, I get the WSJ and The Orlando Sentinel. I can buy the magazines I want to read and have them show-up wherever I am in this country. You can get samples of books before you buy and two week trial subscriptions. Since subscriptions are on a month-to-month basis you can cancel anytime you want.

As you may have surmised, I am a Kindle fan and own both Kindle 2 and Kindle DX. I can go on and on about he advantages of Kindle, but urge you to see for yourself. Anyone is welcome to come and try mine (352 751-1059) or just order one from Amazon. If you do not like it for any reason, you have thirty days to return it.