kindle 2.0

Discussion in 'Technology' started by teamdragon, Feb 23, 2009.

  1. teamdragon

    teamdragon Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 16, 2008
    Just received an email saying the Kindle 2.0 is on its way. My order was put in for the 1.0. Somewhere along the way it became a 2.0. Does anyone here own a Kindle? Is it true that the 2.0 is not as good as the 1.0?
     
  2. Sachsen

    Sachsen Member+

    Aug 8, 2003
    Broken Arrow, Okla.
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  3. Naughtius Maximus

    Jul 10, 2001
    Shropshire
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    If you don't mind me asking.... WHY are you buying one? I've never quite seen the point of these things. It seems a very expensive way of buying an inferior product.

    I suppose maybe if you move around a lot of the time, (and read a lot), it's easier than moving a load of books. Is that it?
     
  4. That Phat Hat

    That Phat Hat Member+

    Nov 14, 2002
    Just Barely Outside the Beltway
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
    I do almost all my reading on the go, and combine that with news subscriptions and bare bones web access, I'd really love to own one.

    And my understanding is that the e-ink is incredibly easy on the eyes.

    But alas, even as someone who's willing to pay more for value, it's still a bit rich.
     
  5. Iceblink

    Iceblink Member

    Oct 11, 1999
    Chicago
    Club:
    Ipswich Town FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I wouldn't buy one.

    That said, last year, I was given one as a gift, and I absolutely love it.

    I find it actually easier to read than an actual book. It's easier to hold, to turn pages. If I get tired of reading a book for a while and need to take a break (like with some heavy piece of literature or something that I'm reading for work), I can read something lighter for a while.

    I can carry work books and pleasure books with me wherever I go.

    One of the best things is the ability to download samples of books. If I want to check out a book, I can just connect to the online store and read a chapter to see if I'll enjoy it.

    I don't have to head over to the bookstore every time I hear of something new.

    There's so much more... but I'll leave it at that.

    But, as I said, I would never have bought this thing myself. I will not be upgrading anytime soon. I don't think the changes in this version are significant enough, and there are no incentives for those of us with a Kindle 1 to upgrade.

    My mother ordered one the day they came out. She hasn't looked back.

    If you have any questions, let me know.

    I don't understand what Andy Bennett was saying when he called it an expensive way to buy an inferior product. Inferior to what? What the superior product? An actual book?
     
  6. Naughtius Maximus

    Jul 10, 2001
    Shropshire
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    IMO, yes. The fact that you can just stop and change what you're reading means you're more likely do precisely that any time the book you're reading becomes a little 'heavy'. The truth is that some novels require a little work before you appreciate what they're saying or the prose style and this type of thing seems perfect for today's society where people, (I don't mean you:)), have the attention span of a goldfish.

    There's also just something about holding and reading a book that means something in itself although I accept maybe that's just me. Well, my age, more accurately :D
     
  7. Sachsen

    Sachsen Member+

    Aug 8, 2003
    Broken Arrow, Okla.
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I know what you're saying, Andy. I love books. Especially leather, Easton Press-type books. Love the classics.

    Here's the thing though. With a career, a wife, and three kids, I rarely find myself these days with the time to sit down and enjoy a full book the way I used to. Well, what little free time I do have at home usually gets filled with BigSoccer anyway, or actually, you know, watching a soccer game on TV... ;)

    I don't have a Kindle, but I do have an iPhone, and I downloaded an ebook reader, just to try it. Didn't think I would like it. But I do, surprisingly. The best thing about it, for me, is the ease of it. If I suddenly feel like reading a Shakespearean sonnet, or a chapter from The Art of War, or pick up where I left off in The Wizard of Oz, I've got it in my pocket, any time I have a few moments to spare. Rather than waste my time playing solitaire or trying to surf the web on edge, I can break out Poe instead.

    I imagine those who like the Kindle have some similar enjoyments.
     
  8. Naughtius Maximus

    Jul 10, 2001
    Shropshire
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Well... yeah. I hear what you're saying. Maybe I'm being too reverential about it. Maybe the art is more in the reading than the 'book holding'. ;)

    A fella called Pirsig had a view on such matters that might be relevant although the fat that his 'musings' were initially rejected by over 100 publishers, (IIRC), might indicate it's not a very popular concept. :D
     
  9. prk166

    prk166 BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 8, 2000
    Med City
    2.0 hasn't arrived yet but it's in route... we'll see.
     
  10. Daniel from Montréal

    Aug 4, 2000
    Montréal
    Club:
    Montreal Impact
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    (right-click to view full image)
    [​IMG]
     
  11. teamdragon

    teamdragon Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 16, 2008
    Finally. It's probably the coolest book I've ever seen. A pleasure to look it, a pleasure to read from. Well worth the money.

    The backlit issue that worried me a bit turned out to be a non-issue. In fact it resembles a book better this way and easier on the eye. The feature that allows you to sample books is great. Saves me trips to the bookstore. The text-to-speech feature is also great. Voice is a bit robotic but is still probably one of the most neutral narrating voices out there.

    My only gripe about it so far is that not all books have a kindle version. So it looks like I still have to keep my bookshelves around for a while. I actually didn't know about this before I bought it. Had I known it, I probably would have thought it over a bit more, but then still ended up buying it.
     
  12. Foosinho

    Foosinho New Member

    Jan 11, 1999
    New Albany, OH
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm intrigued by the Kindle. About half of my carry-on space when I travel is committed to books; it'd be nice to reclaim that. It'd be even nicer if the Kindle could somehow integrate with the top-notch library here in Columbus, as that's how I get most of my books. I'd love to be able to borrow books from a library in an electronic format - and with DRM, that should be possible.

    It's the portability of e-books that is the most interesting thing to me. The fact that something so small could contain every book I'm currently reading, and thus make them all available to me at any time I want, is pretty cool.

    One of my coworkers has one. I'll have to ask her for a demo, particularly of the capabilities with non-AZW books.
     
  13. prk166

    prk166 BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 8, 2000
    Med City
    I like reading on the Kindle 2 more than reading from a book. It's lighter, easier to hold and easier to "turn a page".
     
  14. teamdragon

    teamdragon Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 16, 2008
    I agree it's better than a book in many aspects.

    But now I have another gripe about it. Unlike with the book, you can't write on a Kindle.
     
  15. Foosinho

    Foosinho New Member

    Jan 11, 1999
    New Albany, OH
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    My understanding is that you can, in fact, annotate.

    [​IMG]
     
  16. teamdragon

    teamdragon Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 16, 2008

    "Annotating is disabled for sample content." I guess that explains it. :D
     
  17. Naughtius Maximus

    Jul 10, 2001
    Shropshire
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Can you alter the size of the text?
     
  18. teamdragon

    teamdragon Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 16, 2008
    Yes, 6 different sizes.
     
  19. prk166

    prk166 BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 8, 2000
    Med City
    Yes, but it's not very practical to write in a book. You can't write much. With the Kindle you can add you're own notes. More importantly you can easily do searches to look for information.


    Still, it's a bitch of a thing trying to find enough books out there for the Kindle that I'm looking to buy.
     
  20. That Phat Hat

    That Phat Hat Member+

    Nov 14, 2002
    Just Barely Outside the Beltway
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
    Kindle DX is out. I like the big screen, and I'm guessing portability isn't that much of an issue, since it'll easily fit in briefcases and messenger bags:

    [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-DX-Amazons-Wireless-Generation/dp/B0015TCML0"]Amazon.com: Kindle DX: Amazon's 9.7" Wireless Reading Device (Latest Generation): Kindle Store[/ame]
     
  21. Daniel from Montréal

    Aug 4, 2000
    Montréal
    Club:
    Montreal Impact
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
  22. Naughtius Maximus

    Jul 10, 2001
    Shropshire
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    They're down to £109 now...

    [ame="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kindle-Wireless-Reader-Wifi-Graphite/dp/B002Y27P46/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289962766&sr=8-1"]Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6" Display, Graphite - Latest Generation: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store[/ame]

    What's the web-browsing experience like on these or the earlier ones? Might consider it if I can browse the web as well. :)
     
  23. Naughtius Maximus

    Jul 10, 2001
    Shropshire
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Never mind. I bought one anyway. :)

    Pretty good tbh. They allow you to read, (or re-read), stuff you wouldn't actually go out and buy. Well, that published prior to 1923 anyway coz it's available on the Gutenberg Project website. Just finished 'The Brothers Karamazov' and before that 'The Communist Manifesto'.

    Of course, you CAN d/l them and read them on your PC but, who wants to sit there reading a book on a PC screen?
     
  24. That Phat Hat

    That Phat Hat Member+

    Nov 14, 2002
    Just Barely Outside the Beltway
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
    I don't think anyone wants to, but I can see it being useful for academic stuff - it'll make quoting and citing a hell of a lot easier, for one.

    Now, getting the Kindle app for an iPhone or an iPad makes a little more sense.
     
  25. AnxietyCoachJohn

    AnxietyCoachJohn Red Card

    Nov 23, 2010
    Santa Monica,CA
    Does anyone here own a Kindle? Is it true that the 2.0 is not as good as the 1.0? I have one but i'll love the 2.0 so many features... buy some :cool:
     

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