Thetownend.com

Just seen they have launched a new smaller cheaper version which has a UK site / store.

Does anyone have any experience / opinions of these?

I commute to work on a train for 2 hours each day and would seem like an ideal way to kill some time.  Are they worth the money or should i continue to buy 'real' books and newspapers?

Even more pointless than the iPad IMO

Saw the headline and thaught the rain forest was being cut down again for firewood.

I can see the point in a Kindle. Looks a little pricey for what it is, but I can see that its easier to download books onto it than buy lots to forever hoared on a bookshelf.

Not seen one in the flesh though.

What is the range of books like for these? For example, would one be able to get all the books required for a degree course?

I don't see the point in the Kindle, an expensive one trick pony with the books from Amazon priced pretty much the same as the print versions (Apple prices for iPad books are pretty much the same). I've been looking for something to read books on and would get an iPad but it's a bit big, too expensive and not available subsidised by any networks (yet).

I'm tempted by the new Dell Streak which you can get for free on a £25 / 24 month contract (includes 3G and Wifi). Though there are rumours Apple will be releasing an iPad with a smaller screen within the next 6 months or so, I'll probably wait for that instead.

Do you work for the Gadget Show?

Nowt wrong with paper books. And you can kindle with them once read. Particularly if you are a Nazi.

I was just checking out the new Kindle on the Amazon website and I'm tempted. Didn't realise they'd dropped the price so much and made it smaller and not so gay looking.

Personally, I go to the library and buy a batch of books that they are getting rid of for 25p each. Sometimes you end up with crap, but others you bick up some good ones!

I buy 5 books at a time from Marie Curie in Town, once read I give them back to them and buy another 5

about a quid each

Bonus

And there's nothing wrong with CD's, or even vinyl, but I can't imagine you'll all say you can't see the point of those fancy IPOD things.

I think the ability to carry 3,500 books around in your pocket would be quite useful.

I also like the number of copyright free books that are available for free download. I might want one of these for Christmas.

Wouldn't an iPad with a smaller screen basically be like a slightly more powerful iPhone 4 without the ability to make calls?

Pretty much all the books I want are technical / reference stuff, a Kindle is perfect for them especially if you download the books for free from torrents - it would pay for itself in no time for me.


It would, but then an iPod Touch is basically an iPhone without 3G. All three are pretty much the same device in different sizes and configurations, the different names are just for branding the products to certain markets.

Doesn't it only work with books you have bought through Amazon?

Assumedly once someone somewhere has bought the books from Amazon they can share them in the same way as with MP3s.

you can transfer word docs, pdfs and a few other file types to them.

ive pre - ordered one.  see what its like when it turns up.

I took delivery of my Kindle today and must say I'm incredibly impressed. To say it is like looking at a sheet of paper is not far wide of the mark. It looks like superb quality print out on a laser printer behind a thin piece of plastic. It really does.

When you first remove it from the box it comes covered with a sheet of clear plastic with some writing on. You then remove the plastic and realise it has no writing on it and the device is actually turned on! (The battery also lasts for 1 month, which is amazing. That's a month of use - as long as wifi is off.)

And to set the record straight, the iPad is not an alternative to this. The iPad is like looking at a computer screen and this is like reading a book. Really. I fucking love it. :)

Mine got delivered yesterday... need to pick it up next time i'm back from uni. Looking forward to trying it out and getting all my stupid History eBooks on it.

had mine for about 3 weeks now.  loads of free classics available which is ace.  really is just like reading a book, from the screen quality point of view.

not tried downloading newspapers yet though

Have you got Calibre http://calibre-ebook.com/ manc red? Just started using that and it seems quite good. Although I think converting in Fine Reader from pdf might be better, but haven't tried that yet.

To be honest Barry i haven't tried.  Just been downloading and creating folders on the Kindle.

Not really got enough books to worry about it yet

FUCK! I want one now! Can't you post again saying it's a pile of old shite?

I was sceptical but given the price and decent reviews I may get one for my mums birthday.

How easy is it to download and buy books from the kindle? My mum can get the hang of things on computers but is often slow at doing so. Also newspapers are mentioned, are all the daily nationals available?

There is a free Kindle Android app which I use on the Desire which I would imagine looks and works very similar to the real thing apart from the size obviously.

Yeah I have that. Given it's an app for Android I think the layout etc. may be a lot different. I may have to have a look on youtube for a walkthrough review or similar.

It won't look anything like similar. The main thing with the Kindle is the screen which is designed to resemble paper, the screen on the Desire and other phones is totally different.

I'm more concerned with the interface i.e. how easy it is to download books and possibly newspapers.

You download directly on to the Kindle don't you? No PC needed.

Yes but it's completely different to how the store looks on the Desire. I youtubed it and found the answer out. As simple as pressing menu and selecting the store.

Downloading books is very easy, paid ones that is anyway. You press the menu button, select shop in kindle store, then either search or browse. If you have Amazon 1 touch ordering on, then you then press buy and it appears on your Kindle in seconds (depending on whether you're using 3G or wifi). The whole process takes about 3 clicks and a minute or so.

The other impressive thing is you email [account name]@free.kindle.com with the subject line convert (obviously from a computer), then within a minute you have a document converted to native format and on the Kindle. If you leave the subject line blank it transfers it as is. Again, both wifi permitting. If you have no wifi the same thing can be done (with the 3G version), but the email is [account name]@kindle.com and you get charged 10p or something.

With regard to newspapers and magazines there's quite a few, but as I don't read them I can only go by the ads I've noticed and most seem £9.99 a month and some are £1 for first 30 days and some are free for 14 days and the like.

One thing I would say though, is although it supports pdfs, using pdfs directly is a pain and it's simpler and less painless to convert using the amazon service or Calibre.

I bought the 3G one, but given the higher price I now think it's not really required unless you truly want stuff NOW and you have no wifi.

After living with it for but a few days, I absolutely love it though. I've got about 20 books on it and love going between them and the way it always resumes from where you were. I also like the way you move the cursor next to any word (apart from short simple words) and it gives you a dictionary definition automatically in a subtle pop-up. If you also start typing somewhere on screen you can leave the quivilent of margin notes and even browse these like contents or something.

It's by no means the most technologically advanced piece of equipment out there, but god it does simplicity and function well. I also still find myself impressed by the screen even after hours of use!

Yeah I'd get the wi-fi one. Thanks for the info, very useful. Having looked at youtube vids and feedback on here I think she'd get on well with it. Now to buy it before they sell out for Christmas.

Are you still loving the Kindle, Barry?

I'm sorely tempted to get this for my birthday next month.

I probably won't take it out of the house much, if at all, so would I be better off just getting the normal one instead of 3G wi-fi as it's £50 cheaper?

Very much. If you like reading it's almost a must have. I've used it everyday since I got it. I have only 2 criticisms: one is that some of the markings on some of the buttons appear to be coming off, but that's quite minor really. The other criticism would also be document support, although that's me being very picky, because it's only when converting them from mainly pdf, and it leaves headers, footers and page numbers in the converted docs, which I find annoying. It would also be nice to have a desktop converter because I can't email 100mb+ pdfs and I'm not in love with Calibre's converter.

It's £40 cheaper for no 3G (£109) and it's really not that necessary.

Kindle editions = no page numbers = not really helping me with my degree. Oops.

I read enough articles, reviews and advice to know that I want one now, can't wait :D

Bumping this as it appears my long suffering near 4 year old Kindle mentioned earlier in the thread is getting a kind of screenburn.

Has anyone tried both the Paperwhite and the basic £59 kindle? I use the keyboard on my current one, so imagine the cheap one to be a pain, but is it worth the extra £50?

Left my old original on a bus last year, got a paper white, love it. Being able to read in dark without a light is worth the extra cash alone I'd say

Cheers, I do kind of want it, but I'm both a cheap cunt and suffer from buyers remorse when cheaper and equally capable stuff is available.

I'll sit on this for a week. And page 1 of this thread is cool.

I have had mine for nearly 3 years now & still love it, I can't see the point of the 3g one, as if you need to download books do it over WiFi. I have the basic version so I have no keyboard but then I always search my books on my laptop and download them with amazon one click buying. The only real downside is that the battery does drain quickly if you leave it for long period without using it, I know that sounds stupid but the picture that is on the screen does drain the battery.
The good points far out weigh any bad points, having suffered from insomnia I found that reading the kindle really helped me, as I would fall asleep while reading it & it never lost my page, it even knows when you leave your finger on the next page button & returns you to the page you were on.

You can get Kindle Apps for different tablets.

I've just got a new Samsung tablet and downloaded the Kindle For Samsung App for free

It does sound stupid and it doesn't drain the battery. It's magnetic ink, the same way that an etch-a-sketch maintains a picture without a battery.

The battery will just naturally discharge itself if you don't use it for a long period.

Got a new screen on eBay for £40. Didn't even know you could get replacement screens.

Got 2 kindles the old type and a paper white for the wife and between us we have probably read about 1/2 a book each, had the original about 18 months keep saying I'm going to get back into reading and end up doing something else, maybe one day I'll get into reading books again, not sure why the wife has got one as she rarely reads books anyway

I don't own one, and I've never used one. Am I missing out?

Yes.

It took me a while to move away from books but the ease of downloads and the syncing with the Kindle App on my phone/tablet which enables me to pick up where I left off the previous night is fantastic - perfect for when you have to wait for any length of time like at the dentist.

Agree, having one and also having the app is what really sold it to me. If you have a few minutes spare, even if you haven't got your Kindle on you, just dig out your phone and you can pick up your book where ever you left off.

Yes.  I have had a Kindle for about 3 years and love it. Especially handy when away from home.  Got a tablet more recently and, by coincidence, downloaded the Kindle app for it earlier today. All my Kindle books synced across within seconds. Very impressed! Lots of free books available from various sources, too. What's not to like?

That said, I still buy quite a few reference books and travel guides etc and prefer the traditional paper variety for these.

I'd actually say no. Holding a book, doesn't hurt your wrists after 15 mins, and a book doesn't run out of battery on the last chapter. And you don't buy genuine crappy books every other week and not read them.

My original kindle weighs less than a book, I only buy books I would have bought in paper form and in this day and age when everything needs charging there is no excuse for the battery to go flat.

.....and why would you buy crappy books every other week?

Drink and late night special offers..

Being lazy the best thing about the kindle for me is being able to get a new book by clicking a button.

Obviously I could do the same for mail order books, but what's the point in waiting !

+1

Ah! That explains it. Whatever you do, don't mix drink and eBay then.  God knows what you'll end up with!   :)

Yeah tell me. I once ended up in the frame for 10 gold and platinum discs at £150 a pop..

 :D