Written by Jeff
After several hints, I was shocked, shocked to receive my Amazon Kindle DX for Fathers Day. For those of you unfamiliar with the Kindle it is an electronic reader that allows you to download books (at about 1/3 of the cost of a new hardcover), newspapers (for about $10 a month) magazines (about $2 per week) and blogs into a 9 inch screen (they also have a 6 inch model).
The neat features of the Kindle include a text-to-speech option and a headphone connection to have these items read to you. With the powerful 3G wireless network attached for free (wait until you hear the purchase price and you will know why the options are free) you can also browse the web without looking for a wireless hot spot. The 3G network is available almost everywhere. The speed of the 3G allows you to download an entire book in less than a minute.
The screen is adaptable (5 different fonts with portrait and landscape views by simply turning the screen) and you can also input your MP3 songs and enjoy music as you read.
I have downloaded 5 books (it will hold about 3,500 books, magazines and newspapers) and read the USA Today and Chicago Tribune daily. It downloads while you sleep and the battery last for weeks without recharging.
I love my Kindle. Now that I have it I take it every where I go. The downside? $495 for the 9 inch model and $299 for the 6 inch model. Pricey but fantastic.
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Comments
10 Responses to THE AMAZING KINDLE – REVIEW
Sounds great, Jeff. I’ve been curious about the Sony Reader for a while. Nothing against the Kindle; just that the Sony Reader is a bit less expensive, I think, and if I understand it correctly books need to be purchased through Amazon to work on the Kindle. But it does sound like it has a lot of great features.
What’s it like reading on the screen? Do you miss “real” books? That’s been one of my hesitations – I like the idea of loading books on the reader because you would have access to tons of books in one small device. But I’m not sure if I might miss the paper-and-ink experience. I’m used to reading on a computer screen, but that’s a little different, and I don’t read books on the computer.
What a thoughtful family you have Jeff, giving you such a nice gift for Father’s Day. They must really love you.:)
Ha! Yeah, Jeff is a lucky man….
Very interesting. I actually didn’t know the Kindle had so many additional features. For example, I didn’t know the 3G network was thrown in for free. Sweet.
It seems like one of the items you could convince yourself will pay for itself over time (saving on cost of books, newspaper subscriptions, etc.)
Like Jennie, I think I would miss the “ink and paper” experience, but I like to think I am still young enough to adapt to something new.
I may have to drop “hints” to my “thoughtful family” too!
I have never heard of these. Completely new to me. Jeff, I agree with Pam, your family must really love you.
What does the text to speech sound like? Does it flow or is there a stutter/pause?
I thought there was some litigation issue between Amazon and authors over the text to speech issue? Has that been resolved?
The Text to Speech took me a little while to tweak (you can use a female or male voice and you have 3 speeds) but once I got it down I like it. Some of the authors have not allowed their books to be used for speech but I have downloaded 4 books and only one had the speech blocked. I am thrilled with the Kindle so far. (and my family does love me. What’s not to love?)
I have also found that I like to have the Kindle for reading books because it is so easy to handle. I like to read at work while having lunch and one of my previous problems was how to hold the book with one hand while I try to each a sandwich. It was difficult. You can prop up the Kindle, change the font so that it matches how far you have to prop it up from your eyes and go crazy. I love the font change feature as you know books have different font size and depending on your lighting you have to search for the right way to read your book or newspaper. Not with the Kindle. Perfect screen, no glare and easily read words. I also subscribe to the Chicago Tribune and find that I don’t miss the pictures or the color. All in all, if you can afford it, buy the Kindle.
It sounds lovely. You can also browse the web? I have seen this advertised at bn.com. I think I might want this. Like an ipod for people who read instead of listen to music (like me.)
Jeff, good point about the Kindle being easy to use when eating lunch. During workdays, I always eat at my desk and surf the internet. Some days I’d prefer to escape and read my book instead, but it isn’t that easy to do. Sounds like the Kindle solves the problem.
“What’s not to love?” LOL.