[YAK] I got a Kindle

And boy do I ever love it! After 4 days… It’s ridiculously easy
to use - battery lasts a month. I got the 3g because we don’t have
wireless and I can shop the Kindle store in my living room and get a
book in 30 seconds. I don’t much read fiction anymore - just got out
of the habit along time ago. You can get most all of classic
literature for free - So crates, Dickens, Shakespeare, Twain,
Dostoyevsky. I’ve read all of those to my own content, already. But
you can get a lot more for free, too.

I just downloaded a Goldsmith’s manual of alloying and more, and a
really interesting book on design, from http://www.archive.org Then
there’s http://openlibrary.org/ And then there’s
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page I say this because some of
those can be read online, too. Of course there’s Google books, too,
but it’s not Kindle friendly (except PDFs).

So, no, I’m not a Kindle salesman but it’s a potential library of
3,500 books in your pocket. I also have a book by Lavoisier (my
hero) and a really, really interesting manual of how to trek across
the prairie in a wagon train in the 1850’s. Lots of stuff out
there…

I got the wifi-only version just recently. I love it as well, I’ve
become a voracious reader of fiction. In the space of a month I read
all four ringworld prequel books, a discworld novel (Making Money)
and another one I forget. I still like physical copies for certain
purposes, but it is very useful.

Paul Anderson

I’ve had one since September last year, still find it strange that
it still has a picture on it when turned off. Read about 19 books so
far and counting.

I’ll have to go and try and find some silver and goldsmith books to
read.

I love mine, too. I especially love finishing a book in bed late at
night, and not having to get up to go find another book downstairs –
just download one from the sky. :slight_smile:

Lorraine

I too got an eReader for Christmas and just LOVE it! Mine is called a
Pandigital” and can display just about any content that is in
e-format. I do get some jewelry magazines I wouldn’t mind putting on
it, but I decided that I prefer to keep a library of the “good ole
fashioned hard copy” of all my jeweler books & stick with that for my
studio library.

Maybe I am old-school, but I prefer to have hard copies I can turn
the page on an hold in my hand for my research materials. I have
always wanted a big library for my jeweler & glass info. and have
worked hard to build that up. I find I enjoy leafing through books
for inspiration or to look up a procedure.

What IS real nice, the ability to go onto the web and read a digital
copy of something when I am not in the studio, like when waiting in
line somewhere or when I just plain don’t want to go down to the
studio to find an article. Here’s to hoping that some of the Art &
Jewelry Mags will start making e-copies for this new toy!

Teresa

I got the Sony Reader. It, unlike Kindle, is compatible with the
ebooks in my local library. I got a version that just works through
my computer, since we don’t have the magic air at my house.

M’lou

I've had one since September last year, still find it strange that
it still has a picture on it when turned off. 

If a pic is showing, it’s only in sleep mode, not truly turned off.
Slide that top button and hold it in place for about 7 seconds to
turn it off-off. If you turn it all the way off, it’ll hold a charge
for a couple of weeks at least.

Lorraine

And if you turn off the WhisperNet (or whatever they call it) when
you are not planning to download the charge will also last longer.

Terry Binnion

With e-ink, no power is used to display the picture. According to
Amazon customer service, shutting down and restarting uses more
battery than sleep mode.

To save battery, turn off the wireless unless you’re downloading a
new book or using the browser.

Al Balmer
Pine City, NY

If a pic is showing, it's only in sleep mode, not truly turned
off. 

So it does, thing is how much longer will it hold it charge in this
state. Currently I get about 3-4 weeks of use between charges. I read
it about 2-3 hrs a day. Thats about 60 odd hours of use!

I have mine read the morning newspaper (Washington Post) to me on my
daily commute of 2 hours to and from work.

Donna in VA

I got a Nook Color for the holidays and I use it constantly. I looked
into Kindle and it just didn’t do what I wanted, but the Nook has the
versatility that I really needed. I couldn’t be happier with its’
performance and versatility and with the use of conversion programs
such as Calibre.com the world of books is broadened into many
different formats which can be converte and added to epub formats.

Sandra Graves, Isis Rising

If a pic is showing, it's only in sleep mode, not truly turned
off. 

Not true, I am afraid.

The Kindle only uses power when turning pages and when it is
connected to the Whispernet ( who thinks up those creepy names?) I
have had a Kindle for a year or so and when I finish reading, I just
put it down and it switches off automatically.

Brilliant thing, though. I don’t have a pulp fiction paperback in my
possession anymore, just reference books and the like. I gave away
over 2000 paper backs in the last year. Freed up a lot of living
space. And I love being able to get the latest book from my favorite
author NOW, here in St Maarten-- under $10 via computer. Truly a
sweet gadget.

http://www.meevis.com

Teresa,

What IS real nice, the ability to go onto the web and read a
digital copy of something when I am not in the studio, like when
waiting in line somewhere or when I just plain don't want to go
down to the studio to find an article. Here's to hoping that some
of the Art & Jewelry Mags will start making e-copies for this new
toy! 

They already do. You can buy past years of Jewelry Artist Magazine
(Lapidary Journal) on CD as well as Step-by-Step Wire Jewelry.
Granted they’re old issues but still, you view them on your computer
or handheld as long as it supports pdf.

Michele