Amazon Kindle E-Reader

[Slava]

I got a Kindle last Xmas and it's awesome. Admittedly I can't give you an accurate comparison because I stopped caring as soon as I opened the box! There are sites where you can get free book (project Gutenberg) you can put PDFs on it, as well as buy the books from amazon. You do need a credit card for purchases from amazon, but maybe you can also buy gift cards to redeem?

I haven't checked this out either, but you might get some free options through Amazon?

Lastly for things like recipes I use my kindle and put it in the cookbook holder. I wouldn't use it to browse around online, but for pure text things it works well.

[Burninator]

Kindle owner here

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the new Kindle. I thought that the Kobo felt cheaper than the Kindle and I didn't think the screen or speed was as good as the Kindle. I know the format is an issue for some, but it hasn't been for me. I have an ever growing list of books on my wish list. Also I don't know if this means much since people are really hard on things in stores, but every time I've been in a Chapters most of the display Kobo's are broken. I have the WiFi model and don't miss the 3G because I have an iPhone. Others may want that. Battery is fantastic, I've only charged it twice since I've owned it from early September. I've been very happy with it.

[flambers]

My biggest concern with "Kindle" is you can only use ebooks that are bought from Amazon. I believe all of the others can use a wide range of formats (i.e. e-pub)

For example a person can buy a library card for ~ $12 a year. Rent e-books all the time (library rents e-books for 3 weeks at a time).

Kindle would not be compatible with Ebooks from the library.

[Mazrim]

The Calgary Public Library online does not have much selection though. The Kindle store has more books than any other store, and yes there are free books.

Originally Posted by Yamer

Where can you get these in Canada outside of ordering one online with a credit card?

I don't know. I suppose you could ask someone to buy a $100 gift card to amazon.com (remember it has to be .com not .ca) on their credit card, and then you don't have to worry about it for a long time.

[Yamer]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

I don't know. I suppose you could ask someone to buy a $100 gift card to amazon.com (remember it has to be .com not .ca) on their credit card, and then you don't have to worry about it for a long time.

I guess the person could also buy a Visa prepaid card and use it to buy some books. The person I am buying for isn't too savvy on technology so the simplicity of the Kobo probably wouldn't bother her. Also, being able to go to any Chapters and buy some books would be a big plus.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by Yamer

I guess the person could also buy a Visa prepaid card and use it to buy some books. The person I am buying for isn't too savvy on technology so the simplicity of the Kobo probably wouldn't bother her. Also, being able to go to any Chapters and buy some books would be a big plus.

My concern with "Kobo" is it seems quite slow, compared to the other products....

Benefit it has Wireless...

[Jordan!]

I vouch for the greatness that is the kindle 3G

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by Yamer

I guess the person could also buy a Visa prepaid card and use it to buy some books. The person I am buying for isn't too savvy on technology so the simplicity of the Kobo probably wouldn't bother her. Also, being able to go to any Chapters and buy some books would be a big plus.

Do you mean buy ebooks from a Chapters store? I don't know if you can do that. I believe all the ebooks that you buy are from the Kobo online store only.

[Yamer]

Originally Posted by Burninator

Do you mean buy ebooks from a Chapters store? I don't know if you can do that. I believe all the ebooks that you buy are from the Kobo online store only.

You are probably right. However, being able to get the gift cards (or whatever they are) by just walking into a nearby Chapters would be a bonus over having to use a credit card for everything on Amazon.

I don't have a CC to order the Kindle in the first place. I would have to go out and get approved, unless someone knows where I can get a prepaid/gift CC with $200 on it.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by Burninator

Do you mean buy ebooks from a Chapters store? I don't know if you can do that. I believe all the ebooks that you buy are from the Kobo online store only.

To clarify the "Kobo" device can support E-books from various online stores (i.e. e-pub is supported).

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by Yamer

You are probably right. However, being able to get the gift cards (or whatever they are) by just walking into a nearby Chapters would be a bonus over having to use a credit card for everything on Amazon.

I don't have a CC to order the Kindle in the first place. I would have to go out and get approved, unless someone knows where I can get a prepaid/gift CC with $200 on it.

Ah I see what you are saying. Chapters gift cards are very common on those gift cards racks that you see in grocery stores as well. I have never seen an Amazon gift card in the wild. You may want to check out that they work on Kobo books though. I asked a couple months ago and they didn't work on Kobo books at the time, but she said they were working on it.

[Ashartus]

I'm a bit torn on e-readers. I want to get one, and from what I can read the latest Kindle is probably the best one, with Amazon having the best selection of e-books and lowest prices. On the other hand I really don't like the idea of being tied to Amazon, especially given their history of doing things like banning publishers from their store, remotely deleting files on people's Kindles, etc., and would much rather have something that can read ePub files.

If you convert an ePub file to the Kindle file type, or vice versa, do you lose any formatting etc.? If I can buy a Sony e-reader and then buy books from Amazon and convert them to ePub without losing anything I think I'd go that route.

[Mazrim]

If you're really concerned about being locked into the Kindle store, then you're not an average user. I suggest you search their kindle store and see if the books you read are there. If not, then maybe it's not for you, but they have more selection than any other bookstore, which means one stop shopping and not having to hunt for elusive titles all over the place.

Their history of deleting books or banning publishers is not very common at all and gets blown out of proportion from what I've seen in the past. Every online book store does the same thing, only it's never as big a scene because they're not in the spotlight to start with.

[Ashartus]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

If you're really concerned about being locked into the Kindle store, then you're not an average user. I suggest you search their kindle store and see if the books you read are there. If not, then maybe it's not for you, but they have more selection than any other bookstore, which means one stop shopping and not having to hunt for elusive titles all over the place.

Their history of deleting books or banning publishers is not very common at all and gets blown out of proportion from what I've seen in the past. Every online book store does the same thing, only it's never as big a scene because they're not in the spotlight to start with.

That's my problem though - Amazon seems to be more likely to have what I'm looking for, but other books I want may only be available as ePub. I guess I'm greedy and want it all - access to Amazon but also all the other sellers.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by Ashartus

That's my problem though - Amazon seems to be more likely to have what I'm looking for, but other books I want may only be available as ePub. I guess I'm greedy and want it all - access to Amazon but also all the other sellers.

Couldn't you just convert the e-pub books you want to mobipocket format that the Kindle will read? I have never used it, but when i checked into buying a Kindle a while back, I found Calibre would do the job for free.

Sure it is a little bit of hassle but gives you the best of both worlds.

[Slava]

Not only are there ways to convert books, but seriously between the legitimate free books, conversions and buying books (you are going to buy books whether you own an e-reader or not, right) you will have enough to read! I couldn't guess how many books I read a year...a lot I would say on a wide variety of topics though. I've never sat with my kindle and thought about needing to go to Chapters for some other book or anything like that.

The only drawback to the Kindle is the lack of sharing. So if you buy books, read them and want to be able to lend them to your sister for example, that is not possible. Otherwise it doesn't seem to be an issue for me personally though. I would like to be able to get library books...but you might figure a way around the DRM (and PM certain others in that case!) and it won't be a big deal for you. I guess it also depends how often you use the library to begin with as well. If you don't take books out constantly to being with though, you aren't really missing anything.

[fundmark19]

I have a question just saw this black friday deal for kindle 2 for 89. Is this a good price for one? Also it says it has global 3g so it shouldn't be a problem using in canada right?

Amazon Black Friday deal – Kindle 2 for only $89

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by Slava

The only drawback to the Kindle is the lack of sharing. So if you buy books, read them and want to be able to lend them to your sister for example, that is not possible. Otherwise it doesn't seem to be an issue for me personally though.

Amazon is working on that. The latest I heard was you would be able to lend a book to someone through the Kindle software on your PC for two weeks. They are shooting to release it before the new year.

[photon]

Converting isn't as clean as one would hope, I've had to convert a few books and sometimes the results are not very nice, the formatting being lost or messed up. Still readable usually though.

The BIG think with Kindle is the tie-in.. and not so much for the present, since the Kindle devices are the best now that the price is so good. But more for the future.. what happens if down the road there's a much better eReader, a colour one that some company comes out with and they don't share the colour technology to attract customers. I can't switch. Or if I find out Amazon kills 3 kids to make each Kindle, I can't change; I'd have to re-purchase every single book.

Or if Amazon goes bankrupt, I lose my ebooks forever.

[onetwo_threefour]

I bought a WiFi Kobo for my wife for Christmas. (don't think she'll read this thread, because it's not a funny pictures or political thread) The library books decided me against the Kindle. It seemed fast enough for me in the store, and I just don't need the extra features of the Kindle. The Calgary Public Library seems to have a few thousand ebooks now and I'm loving the idea of downloading from the library remotely (assuming that's possible) and not having to go in to do it. Even the one hundred classic books that are included on the reader were a nice touch, there's a bunch of stuff in there that I've always meant to read (like Paradise Lost, The Pircture of Dorian Gray, Beyond Good and Evil, Dr. Faustus and quite a few others) but have never picked up or thought of while at the library.


ETA: I just realixed it sounds like I bought this for myself, but it's actually on my wife's wishlist and we do go to the library all the time. Also wanted to mention that my nine year old is a voracious reader as well and this will be something he can borrow books from the libraqry on as well. I may end up getting another one soon after Christmas if he takes to it.