LISNEWS on the Kindle

Submitted by Bibliofuture on October 30, 2008 - 2:10am

It was not Oprah that convinced me to get a Kindle
but the $50 off I got by using her discount code didn't hurt. (Use OPRAHWINFREY code at checkout for $50 off, good until Nov 1) My Kindle arrived in the mail today. I have used it for a couple hours and here are my initial impressions.

The e-ink screen is easy to read. Equal to reading a page out of a book in my opinion. There is the added plus that any book can be made into a large print book by changing the font size. With ebooks I also select a larger size font. I figure that since I can make things even easier on my eyes why not do it.

The Kindle has the ability to go on the Internet. I checked out LISNEWS and was able to read the site fine. You can follow the links out to other sites but not every site works great on the Kindle. Just like looking at the web on a PDA there are certain limitations to how well things display on a smaller screen. Sites that are formatted for PDAs display well on the Kindle. In fact they are better than on a PDA because the Kindle screen is significantly bigger than a PDA screen.

I have downloaded the first chapters of some books to peruse. First chapters of most books can be downloaded for free. I bought an issue of Time magazine for .50. The issue of Time downloaded onto my Kindle within 30 seconds. Kindle uses the Sprint data network for wireless data transfer so I was able to do this download straight to the Kindle without involving my PC at all. Access to the network, Amazon refers to it as Whispernet, is included with the price of the Kindle. The next time I fire up my Kindle I think I am going to purchase the book The Back of the Napkin: Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures. I have already downloaded the first chapter and I liked what I saw enough that I think I will buy the book.

As I continue to use the Kindle I will probably post some updates as I learn more about it and find features that I like or don't like.

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Comments

Submitted by Bibliofuture on October 30, 2008 - 2:37am.

I forgot to mention that I also experimented with Kindle's ability to load your own content. Amazon provides you with a personalized email address that you can send attachments to. The attachments are then sent over the Whispernet to your Kindle. I sent a photo as an attachment. I then turned on the Kindle and the picture was right in the list of content on the home page of the Kindle. I clicked on the picture name and it displayed. The Kindle screen is gray scale so the picture was not in color but the picture still looked very good. You can also send text files as attachments and then read them on your Kinlde

Submitted by Dan Bernitt (not verified) on October 30, 2008 - 9:42am.

I received my Kindle shortly after they came out and think it is still the best electronic reader on the market. Not perfect but quite acceptable. My main complaint, strangely enough, has to do with the physical packaging. The "notebook holder" is pretty essential in order to hold and manipulate it comfortably. The one they supply is not adequate, however. The Kindle falls out too easily.

Submitted by Bibliofuture on October 30, 2008 - 11:10am.

Did you find a replacement cover that worked for you? If you did and it is available online I would be grateful if you would post a link.

Thanks