Amazon Kindle - ebooks & readers v "traditional"

[GatorDeb]

I hated Feedbooks because for the full feed, you have to use EVDO. Mobipocket collects all the feed content and places it in a file to be read later.

[Liver&Onions]

Does the browser support Javascript? Also is there any info on the browser that Kindle has on it?

[Duran]

Originally Posted by GatorDeb

I hated Feedbooks because for the full feed, you have to use EVDO. Mobipocket collects all the feed content and places it in a file to be read later.

So does Feedbooks. Perhaps you're confusing it with Bloglines or Feedburner?

Does the browser support Javascript? Also is there any info on the browser that Kindle has on it?

No support for Javascript. It's definitely not a full-function browser, and frankly the e-book format doesn't really lend itself to one. It's adequate, though, and free to use, which is a big plus for me.

[Liver&Onions]

Originally Posted by Duran

So does Feedbooks. Perhaps you're confusing it with Bloglines or Feedburner?



No support for Javascript. It's definitely not a full-function browser, and frankly the e-book format doesn't really lend itself to one. It's adequate, though, and free to use, which is a big plus for me.

but Deb said it's perfect.

Thanks!

[Duran]

Originally Posted by GatorDeb

I hated Feedbooks because for the full feed, you have to use EVDO. Mobipocket collects all the feed content and places it in a file to be read later.

I understand what you were getting at. Feedbooks gives you the full feed, but links to additional content for feeds that only include teasers wouldn't work unless you are on Whispernet.

I'm playing with Mobipocket now - how do you generate the file to put on the kindle?

[GatorDeb]

Definitely thinking Feedbooks when it comes to incomplete feeds.

To create a feed from Mobipocket: Download version 6.0, which recognizes the Kindle. Right click the news feed(s) wanted, Send eNews to, Kindle. Alternative, get the latest version, put your memory card in the PC, Right click news feed(s) wanted, Send eNews to, Removable Storage (Drive Letter).

[Duran]

Got it - thanks. Stupid Mobireader 6.2!

[GizmoDVD]

New Amazon Kindle pictures have been leaked...


Looks pretty cool. Will wait now for the new version. It has 1.5GB of space.
http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/03/a...2-in-the-wild/
http://www.boygeniusreport.com/galle...azon-kindle-2/

[GatorDeb]

There is a good chance that the picture is a fake. I myself do not believe that's a real Kindle 2.0.

[GizmoDVD]

The site has a dozen other photos as well. I doubt someone would go through so much trouble.

[GatorDeb]

It's 10 pictures of the same device. The number of pictures does not add to its credibility.

[GizmoDVD]

$5 say's it is

[GatorDeb]

Originally Posted by GizmoDVD

$5 say's it is

How about just public humiliation and ridicule on this forum for a week for the loser?

[GizmoDVD]

Originally Posted by GatorDeb

How about just public humiliation and ridicule on this forum for a week for the loser?

Ok! Could be fun!

[drmoze]

Just FYI, the Kindle (and other e-ink devices) are best suited for people who like to read books. The Kindle is *not* a very good tablet-pc replacement, nor is it intended to be a mobile browser device.

The main attraction of an e-ink device is that it is very easy on the eyes compared to LCDs and other active displays. They also have great battery life (weeks), except that the Kindle eats more battery because of the built-in wireless. They are great for reading novels and 'feel' like a book to the eyes.

If you like to read lots of books, there are tons of free ones online. The Sony Reader is easier to get books for than the Kindle (it takes lots of formats, incl. Adobe Digital Editions) and file conversion is pretty easy (including MS Reade--.lit--files). The Adobe DE lets you borrow ebooks from online libraries.

Check out mobileread.com for lots of info on e-ink devices (and other ebook stuff), incl. many sources of books, hacks, file conversions, etc.

[GatorDeb]

Hey DrMoze are you also DrMoze at mobileread? I've been there since December

[Josh-da-man]

I'm still not sold on eBooks yet.

Seems like there are too many competing formats out there, many of them proprietary, and I also don't like the idea of these things being DRMed. For example, Amazon could kill my account (and they've lately been killing people's accounts for various reasons like making too many returns) and effectively brick your Kindle. Or we've also seen Microsoft stop selling music and also effectively rendering people's DRMed music collections unable to be transferred to a new machine.

[GatorDeb]

You can buy from Fictionwise.com and use in your Kindle. Also I've decided I like Amazon's selection so I'm staying with the Kindle line and its future iterations, so I don't mind being "locked" to it.

P.S. the more I find out about those pictures, the more I'm convinced they're fake They're saying that those picture are probably a very early Kindle prototype that ultimately led to the current iteration.

[Deke Rivers]

Originally Posted by drmoze

.

The main attraction of an e-ink device is that it is very easy on the eyes compared to LCDs and other active displays. They also have great battery life (weeks), except that the Kindle eats more battery because of the built-in wireless. They are great for reading novels and 'feel' like a book to the eyes.

just an fyi - you dont have to have the wireless on all the time. I only turn it on when I want to dl a book .

[GizmoDVD]

I just want it to do ebooks. I don't care about web browsing or any of that other stuff.

[GatorDeb]

I would really really recommend mobileread.com ... there's a lot of information there that's worth a read (I'm GatorDeb there also).

[GizmoDVD]

Originally Posted by GatorDeb

How about just public humiliation and ridicule on this forum for a week for the loser?

http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/25/a...-season-accor/

So we heard from Amazon back in August not to expect that rumored Kindle 2 anytime this year... but then there were those leaked photos of the new device, so people kind of went back to expecting it again, but, apparently we should stop doing that now (again). According to unnamed sources talking to TechCrunch, the Kindle 2, will arrive in a vaguely termed "early next quarter." The source says the device has been 'delayed' by Bezos himself, that the leaked photos we saw a while back are the real thing, and that a student version of the reader, which will ironically have a larger screen and be better than the standard one, will hit in the first half of 2009 as planned (rumored). Hard-copy of Wuthering Heights, your execution has been stayed another few months.

So when can I start

[GatorDeb]

Originally Posted by GizmoDVD

http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/25/a...-season-accor/



So when can I start

When it's confirmed

[GizmoDVD]

Originally Posted by GatorDeb

When it's confirmed

*rubs hands together*

[innocentfreak]

They had a Sony ereader on display at Target. It was the first time I have seen an ereader in person. It was decent looking though and easy to read but I found the flash annoying from flipping pages. I still don't get the draw though then again I don't get the draw of services like Itunes for buying albums.

I understand being able to carry a large number of books with you especially if you travel or if you do most of your reading away from home. This doesn't apply to me since I rarely if ever take vacations anymore and all my reading is done at home. My library also has a pretty slim ebook selection based off their website so that doesn't help me either. Obviously the Kindle or any other ereader isn't for everyone, but short of carrying most of your collection with you I don't get it.

My biggest gripe with ebooks are the cost. They are not significantly cheaper than the paper alternative and in some cases cost even more or the same as the paperback. You don't have the option to do anything with the electronic book once you are done reading it so no trading, lending, or selling the book. I doubt you can even donate it to the library.

I could understand, which I have probably said before, if Amazon had some deal where every book you purchased came with the Kindle edition for free or maybe a $1 more. You would have access to the Kindle edition anytime so you could choose to buy only the ones you wanted if say you knew you had a trip coming up. Or you could buy any Kindle book for 50% or more off the current price of the physical book.

At $2-3 dollars per kindle book currently in paperback, it starts to make sense to me but not at 6.39 when the paperback is 6.99. Obviously there is a better deal in buying the Kindle book versus a new hardback but at that point I couldn't justify more than 6.99-7.99 for the Kindle edition. At the same time when you can pickup the hardback for $4-$5 on clearance, I doubt we will see the Kindle edition drop in price.