i’m going on holiday and had a sudden thought to buy a Kindle to read while im away. i’m looking at the touch (non 3G)- Should i bother?

A few questions:

– can i download dodgy e-books and load them on for free? like MP3’s?
– Are the other e-readers better? (i’m not interested ina full tablet)
– Can you read them in the dark?

should i get one?

Can you read them in the dark?

with a torch, yes. they’re lcd with no backlight. lot’s of clip on lights are available.

I woudl say get one – love mine.

Yes. No questions, do it.

To answer your questions:

1) yes
2) no, although there’s not much in it
3) only with a light – just like a normal book.

You can have any number of books with you at any time, so if you get bored of one you can start another, or if you are not in the mood. I have factual and novels on mine, to suit my whim. As long as you have connetivity you can buy any book you like immediately – it makes the ‘you might also like’ bit quite compelling 🙂

they’re lcd with no backlight.

Not really – it’s actual ink that is moved to the surface of the paper as required. So it looks like ink on (slightly off-colour) paper.

Depends how many books you normally take/read on holiday, and what you do with those books once you’ve finished them

Kindle can’t be read in the dark, it’s not backlit. However, brilliant in sunshine.

Not sure you can download dodgy books mind. You might, but I don’t know how.

What’s nice with the kindle is that it doesn’t take up space. You can carry it in your pocket of your shorts. And you can leave it on the beach and not freak out if it does get stolen – that was my reasoning.

Battery lasts weeks despite full use. Basically.

I love mine. I’ve got the wifi version only. You don’t have to use a keyboard often. I usually buy the books on my iphone or PC – and then the Kindle syncs to what you’ve bought. It’s a bit fiddly to type by just using 3 buttons (two that scroll and one that “selects”) but you don’t buy books often. 1 minute job for each book maybe.

well, dead sophisticated lcd, then 🙂

I meant they’re not like a smartphone screen, really.

is it really real ink?

It’s more like photocopier toner, I think. But it’s a real pigment, which is why it stays put when the power is off, and it uses no power when it’s not changing. This is why the battery lasts so long.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_Ink

Yes you could download dodgy books
It doesn’t really matter what make you get if you run calibre to manage your books it will convert what you have to what you need. I’ve just downloaded it and am very impressed – wish someone would do something as good for music.
Screen is not backlit so you need a light to read by in the dark, the kindle has a cover available with a light built in that is powered by the internal battery. it’s not cheap though.

Should you buy one? If you spend time travelling then yes.

Yes buy one. Best technology purchase ever in terms of value for money, and yes loads of free books legitimately available.

The large number of old books that are available for 79p when their paper versions are still £5.99 could be a significant factor.

i’m going on holiday and had a sudden thought to buy a Kindle to read while im away

So long as it’s not a skiing holiday, the screens don’t like cold temperatures as my wife found out whilst sat reading waiting for us outside a mountain top cafe.

Kindle cust service were very good and exchanged the unit straight away, apparently it happens a lot.

Yes. No. No.

BUY ONE!!! You’ll wonder how you ever managed to make baggage weight restrictions without it.

I got one…i read so much more now than I did before.

I can’t be bothered to carry books about on my commute (train/tube), but I always read my Kindle…I look forward to it if I’m at a good bit in the book!

Mine freezes sometimes (usually fixed by a reset, and if not charging it will resolve it even if it still has plenty of juice left) and I had to send one back, but I asked a guy on the tube who had one and he said he hasn’t got the saem problem. I read on my iPad sometimes too, but prefer reading on the kindle as it’s more like reading on a book and is v. light.

oh, and…

Yes (not done it but understand you can)
Dunno (no experience of other ebooks, only iPad)
Yes (with external light source)

Can you get library books on the Kindle?

<sneaks back off in case this is a really dumb question>

i cant help but comment on these threads even if i have on all the other ones as well!! definite yes.

ive got the 3g and keyboard one, which was handy recently in poland for free internet use.

its got me back into reading. I like the fact you can sync it with your smartphone and carry on reading on your phone, surprisingly handy.

you can get lot of legit free books from amazon and lots of “free” books from elsewhere like ebay etc. im still ploughing through my proper free ones.

Can you get library books on the Kindle?

depends on your library for ebooks in general. but not compatible with kindle. im sure there will be a sneaky way to make them so. Yet to try and find out though.

Customer services are brilliant wife dropped her kindle on Sunday night and damaged the screen phoned on Monday and they sent her a replacement which arrived yesterday just told her to put the damaged one in the box the replacement came in and send it back to them. It was out of warranty so great service.

I have had one since they came out great bit of kit only downside is It far to easy to buy books that you want to read then never getting round to it I think I have about 40 books on it that I haven’t read yet 🙁

Tried a variety of ereaders. Why? Too big, have to be held a certain way which I don’t like. No backlight. Freaky page turning effect.

I like the IPAQ 3950 which you can pick up s/h for £35-40. Small, lightweight cradle charger, takes an SD card with all the memory you need. Has a lot more functions than just reading books (and the Ipaq version of Bejewelled utilising the touch screen is the BEST EVAR!!!)

Functional reading? Put backlight on low, open a book, set font and print size, turn scroll on and adjust the speed to suit your reading speed. Laid on your side on a bed in a darkened bedroom the thing can be propped up and you can just lose yourself for as long as necessary.

Now there is practically a unanimous agreement to buy a Kindle…

Any recommendations for a light that is powered from the Kindle? Ideally I’d like something low profile like a strip along the base that lights from the bottom up. It also needs to fit the standard slim Kindle case, the one that has a flap that opens like a book.

Got a clip on light at the moment but its too bright, takes silly button cell batteries, and it reflects off the screen (cos its so bright)

When you have bought it make sure you also buy the books written by STW forumites:-

Three Bent Links by Samuri

The Shamen and Snow White by simonralli

Obsessive Compulsive Cycling Disorder by DavidB

Kok and Tvatt by neil the wheel

I think the only light from kindle’s battery is the official case, isn’t it?

In reality the kindle itself is fairly neutral, it’s the user experience that is cool, and how it’s integrated with Amazon. Finish a book, you see ‘you might also like’. Click one, and voila, there it is.

Think of a book you want to read? Type the name, and buy – takes seconds. Think of a subject you want a book about? Browse and buy. Very potent.

Kindles are great

Find reading off paaer a bit more of a shore now

I too am finding it a chore to get through all the paper books I have outstanding. Seriously considering re-buying some of them on kindle!

Dividing the Great is worth a download too