But two things have happened to make my own Kindle a reality: first, Amazon has seen fit to lower the price of it’s most basic model to just $139, just within the reach of our budget. Second, I’ve been able to convince the Safety Director that moving some of my library from paper and ink books to digital format will take many pounds of weight out of the bus-house that could then be used for more girl-clothes, shoes, or maybe just keeping the bus-house light and nimble.
I wasn’t sure I really wanted to give up on books just yet. There’s something friendly and practical about a book. It’s a tangible thing that one can own in the traditional sense… share, pass it around. They’re easy to transport and don’t require batteries and a charger. After being dropped onto concrete books can usually still be used… they're very durable. Dropping a digital reader onto concrete is usually fatal… for the Kindle.
Not nearly as slick as an I-pad, it’s a purpose-built device designed for one thing… reading text. It connects to Amazon through any open Wi-Fi system and hundreds of thousands of books are available, most for 10 bucks or less. Another bonus… books out of copyright and in the public domain are free. If I hear about a book that sounds interesting to me, all it takes is a few clicks and I can have it in my Kindle within minutes. All this is done through Amazon.com, who also maintain a record of your book purchases and allow you to download books you’ve purchased to other devices like an I-pad or your pc. In the event your Kindle is stolen or breaks, your purchased books can be loaded into a replacement Kindle for no charge.
I don’t intend for this to be an ad for Amazon and the Kindle. There are other e-readers out there… the Nook from Barnes and Noble, and many others that function similarly and work just fine I’m sure. But considering the new low price, I thought Amazon and the Kindle was the best overall package for me.
So how’s it working out for me? So far… so good. I’ve been a reading machine the past few weeks. The monochrome screen?… it’s as close to the look of paper as I’ve seen. Just like a real book, it’s usable in bright sun or under your reading light at night. Because it doesn’t display color and it’s not a touchscreen, it’s certainly not going to replace your I-pad. But I’ve still got my laptop pc for all that internet browsing, blogging, and communicating.
I don’t think I’ll ever give up on regular paper and ink books completely. But this little device sure does a good job of keeping my nose in a book instead of pointed at the TV.
T
2 comments:
I bought a Kindle last year for my bonnie bride, Marti. She loves it. She is a big fan of book series and she's able to get the next book when she's ready instead of hunting all around for it.
She keeps it in her purse.
Good thought on convincing Dar how she'd benefit from you buying one!
Congratulations Thom... I knew you were considering one. I'm glad to hear that you bit the bullet and bought one. IMHO well spent money.
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