Kindle purchase questions you may have: A play by play

A friend of mine was wondering whether to buy a Kindle or some ebook device, this mail conversation is what followed: (reproduced with permission)
My friend: "You have a Kindle, right?
Would you recommend I buy it? My main concerns are: it should be userfriendly (not too complicated) and it should be easy on the eyes - I am short sighted and my eyes strain when I read from a backlit screen.
One other factor is that I should be able to read non-purchased/downloaded books on it."
My reply: Long time no hearing from you - so glad you mailed me.
Let's get this out of the way : I *heart* my kindle. (that's why my blog is mostly dedicated to it and ebooks :D)

We should take this up point by point -
1. User friendly - really simple, too simple sometimes :)
Just drag and drop book from laptop to device, read book.
You can also check out Calibre: Paen to Kindle and Calibre

2. Backlit - The Kindle does not have a backlit screen.
Good points: Easy on the eyes, and very clear writing, just like on a page. No touchscreen means that the ink contrasts better with the white background.
Flipside: You need an extra light if it is dark (bedside one, or you can buy a cover from Amazon with a small light)

3. Non-purchased books - Of course you can! You download as usual, use Calibre as your library so it converts all formats (pdf, rtf, html etc) to mobi (Kindle format) so you can shift to the Kindle, reading the same book.

Follow-up Mail/Question from my friend: 
"I'm definitely getting it. Somehow I don't trust Infibeam's Pi, given that my priority is to make sure my eyes do't have additional strain. Did you buy the cover from amazon too, 'coz their covers cost half as much as the kindle itself! Was just wondering if there are cheaper options available."

(Deepali's note: You can read my post here for alternate covers - Skins for your ebook reader - Style over Substance)
Yes, I got the cover from Amazon - those are sturdy leather covers.
It was pretty expensive!! Try other options too...but make sure you plan for lights of some sort.
A bedside lamp, or a clip-on light of some kind is essential :)

*** 

That's All, Folks!

My word-for-word reply to questions you probably have too.

Inkmesh: The Ebook search engine and FREE Ebook by Ilona

The best website I've seen all week is http://inkmesh.com/
Crisp, clear search engine, dedicated to books - could this get any better?
Well, perhaps if you added features like these filters: Free, Below $1,  Below $5.
This is the easiest place I've found to find free ebooks.

Other filter choices: Amazon, B&N, and other retailers.
Even better, you can search by book type: Kindle, Sony, Kobo and more.  Screenshot below!

What you see at Inkmesh.com

Did you notice the "Free Baen Books" option up there? If you haven't heard of Baen before - here is why you should get free ebooks from Baen.com
I've already found one free book; with my recent Ilona Andrews mania, what else would have been my first search?
If you want to skip all these steps and download The Questing Beast by Ilona Andrews, here it is!
http://inkmesh.com/ebooks/questing-beast-ilona-andrews-ebook/?pc=0&qs=ilona+andrews

Blogger Spotlight #6 - Alisha!

Alisha @ My Need To Read is our featured blogger. This is one of the best interviews so far, so read on!

***

Give us an idea of who you are: I'm a native Californian currently residing in the musical capital of Vienna, Austria. The city happens to have one of the biggest cafe cultures (sorry, Seattle)…which lends well to being a bookworm and a fanatic of hot beverages. Score!!!

E-Reader: The now old-school (but classic!) Sony Reader PRS-505. It's still a tough act to beat.

Recent Read?: The Mysterious Lady Law by Robert Appleton. It was such a fun little steampunk tale, old-school mystery style.

A haiku about your blog: So I sort of need to read. A lot. If I don't have a book on me, I'm not happy. But what I don't like is reading in a proverbial vacuum. I love to swap thoughts on books, muse on reading-related topics, and connect with other readers. Thus, My Need To Read.

Did you consider other readers in the market? Why did you pick this one? 
I did do a lot of research. At the time the two biggies were the Amazon Kindle (version 1) and the Sony Reader 505. I really love libraries--borrowing, browsing, connecting with other local readers--and with the expanding e-holdings of these institutions, I wanted to be able to partake. The Kindle didn't allow that, so it was the Sony for me!

What's the top thing you like about it? 
Access to e-libraries, for one. But absolutely the best thing has to be the portability. Given that I'm currently living abroad (and this probably won't be the last time I do), it's such a blessing to keep belongings to a minimum. And for short-term trips? No more extra "book bag!"

When do you read a paper book and when do you pick up an ebook? I still vastly prefer hard copies for reference material. I've learned to embrace using an e-reader for fiction titles…although I will likely always have a problem with leaving a bookstore/library without a having bought or borrowed a book.

Have you transformed your reading style or frequency? For short-term trips, e-readers have made a huge difference. And instead of the previous ritual of visiting the bookstore once a week for a "fix," finding interesting material is now a constant possibility.

If your e-reader could have one magic feature, what would it be? Water-proof reader. Then I could read in swimming pools and other bodies of water…who hasn't wanted to read while scuba-diving? Really, though…I can't wait for color e-ink to become widely available.

***

Meet and greet Alisha over at  My Need To Read 
(p.s. by Dee - can I just say how much I love *LOVE* this photo of her reading spot?)

Blogger Spotlight #5: Tiffany!

Introducing *drum-roll please*: Tiffany from A Cozy Reader's Corner Reviews

Tiffany's ereader: I actually got a Kindle for Christmas. 

A recent read: A Chesapeake Shores Christmas by Sherryl Woods

Who I am: I am a stay at home mom by day. My typical day is filled with the duties of mommyhood including bringing my oldest to school and back. When I am not taking care of things around the honest, or ignoring them... I am reading! If the book isn't great my house is cleaned faster!! At night I work for a call center as a member of our Work Force Management team. My job consist of making sure all calls are routed and being answered by agents promptly. We also make the schedules and do many reports on each of the agents. My job pays attention to detail and troubleshoots quickly and efficiently. Attached is a photo of my most recent Library Book Sale treasure!

Did you consider other readers in the market? 

I did. I looked at all readers, for me it came down to the Kindle because I feel it is simply the best and most widely accepted reader. I like the design and attributes it offers.


What's the top thing you like about it? 
 The price in comparison with what it offers. I like that everyone knows the kindle. Every book is made to work with the kindle.

Bloggiesta Ole! This Weekend - Begins Now!

The Fantastic Bloggiesta event is a 3 day event across 21st to 23rd (this weekend), to celebrate blogging! It is a blogging marathon, and I'm going to use this time to refresh my blog as well.

1. Send Mail to authors confirming or requesting for Q&A and Guest Post events (at least 2) (completed one)
2. Writeup on my first post lauding paper books over ebooks
3. Schedule blogger spotlight interviews for next two weeks (Wednesdays)
4. Figure out my Blogging Goals
5. Put out three invitations for Guest Posts, and get one invitation for a guest post
6. Back up my blog
7. Get help or figure out a new background (I'd like more white in the background)
8. Start a Google document for Reviews Requested and when they are due. (Thanks to Jenn for the idea!)
9. Make a button? Lookit at my beyootiful button on the right!
10. Re-arrange/re-do sidebar

I'll be visiting other bloggers, and editing this page as the weekend progresses. 
oh, and HAVE FUN!

Blogger Spotlight #4 - Karen @ The Slowest Bookworm

WELCOME TO BLOGGER SPOTLIGHT!
Featuring Karen - The Slowest Bookworm


My eReader:  Ooh yes.  I have a Kindle (pic attached)
I'm reading now:
The Riddlers Gift by Greg Hamerton
A Typical Day
My day usually starts with me having an argument with my alarm clock at somewhere between 6 and 6.30am.  Sadly, the alarm clock always wins and I drag myself out of bed and get ready for work.  I work for the local council in an admin post and start at 7.30am.  I enjoy my work and have great colleagues, but I’m always glad when home time comes around at 4pm as it means I get to spend some time with my 4 year old son who has just started school and is learning to read :-)  After we’ve eaten our evening meal and the young one is bathed and tucked up in bed, usually get a bit of housework done and my lunch ready for the day after, then I get to settle down on the sofa with my cat and a good book/my Kindle and RELAX until hot chocolate and bedtime.  

Did I consider other readers?
Yes and No.  I shop quite a bit on Amazon.co.uk and every time I opened the home page there it was, The Kindle, shouting at me to buy it.  I did do just a tiny bit of research (for about 10 minutes), but I’d got my heart so set on a Kindle that it won hands down.

The thing I like most about it?
I love all the features on my Kindle, but the top thing, which is why I wanted one in the first place, is the ability to increase/decrease the size of the font.  As I’ve got older my eyesight has gone from near perfect to well, not so perfect and I’m not impressed!  The Kindle helps me forget I’m not a teenager anymore!  I also love that I can make the line spacing bigger.  I find I'm not reading the same line over and over again now - I know, I'm getting OLD!

Blogger Spotlight - Julie from Book Hooked Blog

Introducing: Julie from Book Hooked Blog

Fav Recent Read: Falling Home by Karen White

What e-reader do you own and how did you get it?

I have a basic Nook.  I did some last minute edits on a book for my pastor.  As a thank you, he gave me a very nice gift card to Barnes and Noble and I made a quick decision to purchase a Nook!

Julie's Favorite thing about the Nook?

It is so easy to travel with!  In the past I've been the person trudging through the airport with a 20 lb carry-on full of books.  I never know what I'll be in the mood for, so even for overnight trips I'll end up bringing 3-5 books just in case.  Having the Nook makes it MUCH easier to have a variety of books in my purse at all times.

Click to read on about Julie and her reading habits! Mail me if you want a spotlight of your own!

Black Friday Sale Roundup: Gone in 60 seconds

How many of you are getting/giving ereaders for Christmas or other occassions?

The Black Friday Sale on Amazon listed the older, Amazon Kindle 2 (for $89 ) - and sold out within Seconds!

Barnes & Noble had a similar sale on the Nook - the refurbished Wi-Fi Nooks were listed on eBay for $79, and later $99. The sale also included the refurbished 3G models for $119. The sale ended after a couple of days, having sold 6,777 Nooks in total.

Some reasons for the difference in the speed of sales (seconds vs. days) was the Amazon Kindle 2 Sale was on Black Friday, when buyers are madly refreshing their browsers for deals!
Still, gone in seconds?? My theories why -

• It was hugely publicized, and word spread via facebook, twitter, before blogs and newsfeeds could pick it up.

• The estimate is that half a million folks saw the update through these sites.

Let me mention here that we tried to buy a $139 WiFi Kindle for a friend 2 weeks ago, and Best Buy was out of stock, both the times we went. 

Tuesday (November 23rd) Amazon reported on their Facebook wall: “We had our biggest sales day ever for Kindle devices yesterday. Thank you, customers!”

What I want to know now is:  
How many readers are gifting/getting ereaders this season?

More info:
Kindle sale results in the news

Blogger Spotlight - A Brand NEW Feature! #1: Charlotte

Introducing: Charlotte from Lit Addicted Brit

Favourite recent read: 'No and Me' by Delphine de Vigan

My eReader:  A Sony eReader Touch Edition

About Charlotte: I've recently taken up a job as a lawyer after a LOT of studying to get here so every day is frantic, hardwork and intense but I lOVE it!!  I usually start out by commuting to the city from my village and get to squeeze in 45 minutes of reading.  I work quite long hours so it's all work until I commute back and manage to indulge in a book for 45 minutes on the way back!  Most evenings I just enjoy being at home with my boyfriend of four hours, reading and blogging and ignoring housework!!  At the weekends, I'm a sucker for a big comfy chair, big fire and long hours curled up with a book - big surprise! :-)

Click to read on about Charlotte and her reading habits! Mail me if you want a spotlight of your own!

Amazon Kindle now to Lend Books!

The wait is over - Amazon announced on Friday that the Kindle will finally allow lending books out to friends.

This feature is set to be in shape by the year end, and will bring the Kindle on par with what the Barnes and Noble Nook already does!

• The books can be on loan for a two week period, but the owner will not be able to read the book for that time (rather like a real book, no?)
• Not for all books, that depends on author/publisher
• Kindle Apps will support this as well

In a year where the Amazon sales of books on the Kindle has so far already been 3x what they were last year, this is going to help people begin to bridge the gap between paper and ebooks. I have heard some comments on this blog, saying that people would miss lending books to friends if they shifted to ebooks.

Well done, Amazon - Better late than never!

Content is King

I've blogged earlier about ebooks, evolving publishing and ereaders, and a lot of the conversation so far between us has been about using ebooks vs. paper books.

While researching ebook-related ideas to write about, I came across this nugget from the Harvard Business Review:

This year marked a critical shift, however. With the advent of a plethora of ereading devices, the conversation was no longer about whether such devices will be viable replacements for books, but about ways to make them vastly better than books ever were.

That makes me think. Instead of an "either or" situation, would it be a hugely different way to experience books?
Lets talk about that.
There has been talk about adding new features to enhance your reading experience. Kindle now has Scrabble, Nook comes with Sudoko and chess, and eventually, someone (probably Apple) will build community.
I don't care to have my reading interrupted (most of the time) by IMs or games, but its a neat feature to have. What do you say?
More importantly, I echo Stephen King* when I say Content Rules.

*What Mr. King said was "The Book is not the important part. The book is the delivery system. The important part is the story."

New Feature: Readers with e-readers

I love getting to know all you bloggers and visitors better, and I thought others might as well!

Hence, this blogger spotlight will feature folks with ereaders of any kind.

Here are some sample questions below - I'd like to end up with a few really interesting, funny questions, and will need Your help with those!

*****

Give us an idea of who you are:

Describe a typical day or send me a Photo of the region u live/your bookshelf/whatever. You can do both - photos are better! 

• What e-reader do you own and how did you get it?
• Did you consider other readers in the market? Why did you pick this one?
• What's the top thing you like about it?
• What is your favourite recent read?
• When do you read a paper book and when do you pick up an ebook?
• Where do you like to read? Did that change with an e-reader?
• Have you transformed your reading style or frequency?
• If your e-reader could have one magic feature, what would it be? (Top of Wishlist, really)

Now it is your turn!! Leave a comment if you would like to be a "Readers with e-reader" spotlit blogger.

And don't forget to help me with the questions - I need your suggestions!

Save the Date! Advance Buzz for Scott Nicholson Blog Tour

Scott Nicholson Kindle Giveaway Blog Tour

 Author Scott Nicholson and Amazon are giving away two Kindles as part of his fall book blog tour from September through November, including a stop here at e-Volving Books on Nov 11th. A Kindle DX will be given away through the participating blogs, and a Kindle 3 will be given away through the tour newsletter. A Pandora's Box of free ebooks will be given away through Nicholson's "hauntedcomputer" Twitter account.

"The digital era coincides with Act II of my career," Nicholson said. "The Kindle has broadened many people's horizons and given readers more power than ever, and this is an opportunity to celebrate them and the book bloggers who spread the word."

Nicholson is author of 12 novels and five story collections, as well as four comics series and six screenplays. His paranormal thrillers The Red Church, Drummer Boy and Speed Dating with the Dead have all hit #1 in the Kindle "Ghosts" category, and his new releases are the sci-fi thriller Forever Never Ends and the multiple-personality romp As I Die Lying.

As a bonus, if Nicholson hits the Top 100 in the U.S. or U.K. Kindle Store during the tour between Sept. 1 and Nov. 30, he will give away an extra Kindle 3 through the blogs. Sign up for the newsletter at scottsinnercircle-subscribe@yahoogroups.com to get daily links to the participating blogs. Winners will be selected at the Watauga County (NC) Public Library in December. No purchase necessary, and the contest is international. Co-sponsored by Kindle Nation Daily and Dellaster Design. 

Details at www.hauntedcomputer.com.

Multiplying Like Rabbits

I'm talking about ebook readers!

Not only are there a plethora of e-readers on the market, now you can buy them for as low as $99

We are also going to see a lot of color coming into dedicated e-readers:

1. The NYT article is here, talking about Literati, planned pricing at $159, coming in October; However, This is one of just many! 
2. The buzz is that "Cool-er Reader", which went off the market, is re-launching with 5 products, tailored for different pockets. At least one of these will include a color reader.
3. We can also expect a 5-inch $99 device from Copia due this fall.  With color, 2 GB of memory, it seems to make a basic reader. The only problem could be the 4 hour battery life - who wants to be plugged into a socket while reading? How many people will be able to charge the reader every day? For myself, battery life has to be the Number ONE most important factor in deciding which ebook reader to buy.
4. Pandigital also has an ebook reader, which plugs into the B&N book site and comes with a color screen.

Given the challenges that this market is going to face (the early adopters who first bought the Kindle are done buying) and the intense competition we are going to see, the best thing for us users would be to 

• Buy shares in the company making the E-Ink technology most e-readers use and
• Celebrate the decreasing cost of e-readers and probably ebooks!

Bring on the Price Wars!

Skins for your ebook reader - style over substance

Those of you who know me might also know that I am an apple fangirl. I also have a gelaskin on my mac to make it stand out.
Imagine my delight when I discovered that the creative folks and artists at www.Gelaskin.com have designs for ebook Readers!
For the Kindle, for the iPad, for the Nook, even for the Kobo!

Gelaskin Main Store

 Click the link below to get to the store or enter into your browser window. There is no referral involved. Pure fun!
http://www.gelaskins.com/store/skins/ipad_and_ereaders
Still here? Check out a few images of my favorites:

Free Ebooks Download - Do you want some?

My last post on Ebooks for Beginners covered the reasons to read an ebook. My next post highlighted Baen publishing, one great resource to discover ebooks.
Today, I'd like to give you three free ebooks to read. Click any one of the below books for a free download.

1) Scott Adams
Click Below to Download the PDF:
God's Debris or from another source here
The Creator of Dilbert, Scott Adams, has this to say about his book -  "It's a religion/science book written by a cartoonist, using hypnosis techniques in the writing. It's a thought experiment. It's unlike anything you've ever read."

2) Paul Carr
Click Below to Download the PDF:
Bringing Nothing To The Party - True Confessions Of A New Media Whore
A TechCrunch writer, (http://www.paulcarr.com/columns/techcrunch) his ebook is free for download by the CCL. His website is http://www.paulcarr.com/
Quick Review - Paul has a quirky, self-deprecating style of humour that permeates this book. I hesitate to call this an autobiography as the book also gives you a timeline of how publishing and journalism has evolved. A good read.

3) Seth Godin
Click Below to download the PDF:
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/files/what-matters-now-2.pdf
The EBook has over 70 ideas from 70 important thinkers - Tim O' Reilly, Ariana Huffington to name two. Seth's blog post on the free ebook, including the new updated Part 2 is here

All these PDFs are DRM free, and available for free download.
Finally, a shoutout to Cory Doctorow, the pioneer of Free.
Do follow me if you liked this post, I have several more planned along these lines!

Starting with EBooks - for beginners and explorers

Have you ever tried reading an ebook?
Most readers would have read one or two non paper-based books, at least.Usually, this is the point that you decide that you do or do not like reading this way.
Perhaps those books weren't the right ones to read in the ebook format, perhaps the device being used was a laptop. Perhaps it just wasn't a good day!
Give ebooks another chance...Technology has improved so much - lighter, faster, better.
 
FIVE Quick Advantages of an Ebook -
1) Super convenient - simply load an entire series
2) Font size is easy to change and Contrast is better than on paper
3) Easy to scroll down or turn pages (even with just one hand)
4) Look up dictionary immediately and on the fly
- I love this, it allows me to get a deeper understanding of words I might have just read contextually before.
5) Make notes as you read
- If you want to make a quick note to yourself, or put a bookmark into a favorite scene, e-readers will give you this freedom
Finally, it saves trees and the rainforest! Now, what are you waiting for?

Posted via email from readseverything's posterous

New ebook reader Wink to enter India

Big news this weekend - India is getting a second ebook reader, called "Wink".
The first one, Pi, didn't strike me as a major contender in the market at that point in time - photos and more information are here and the review is here.

Pi sales seem to be in the ten thousand range, though I wasn't able to find any independent numbers with any specificity (yes, I watched Inception. This word stuck).

The new reader, Wink, looks exactly like the Kindle. Priced at Rs. 8,000 for the basic model, it undercuts the 9,999 Pi comes at. It also releases Aug 15th, a celebratory weekend for India, and also before the new Kindle versions launch internationally. Smart.

Couple of smart things Indian ebook readers do that set them apart from international ones -

1) Language support for multiple regional languages. Wink supports 15 languages.

2) Local magazines have digitized versions available on the Wink.

3) Wink offers pan-india GPRS and Wifi connectivity for free

The Wink's fancy-pants version costs Rs. 22,000  - the equivalent of a high-end phone here.

The Kindle announced its new version recently - my post is here and its release at the end of the month at $139 (~Rs. 6,400) will be lower than home-grown competition. It still might rule the roost with metropolitan readers! Wink seems to have strategically planned its launch, and the pricing. Competition is heating up...

Which ebook reader will win?

 

Posted via email from readseverything's posterous

Graphic meme compares ALL Tablets

I 've never seen this before!

Ima gonna keep looking for one that compares just ebook readers.

Credit:  - Kudos to Jamais Cascio for being a gizmo lover and I found it over at http://9gag.com/gag/20938/ i.e my addiction for the week.

Make sure you hover your mouse over the photo, each device has a label with its name, and the year the product was released.

Posted via email from readseverything's posterous

Amazon's Kindle patent, a competition killer?

This week, the U.S. Patent office finally granted Amazon's ebook reader patent from 2006. While this might not in itself seem like news, what is surprising is that the patent granted is far more over-reaching than everyone had assumed. They also seem to have enough legal basis to sue the Barnes & Nobles Nook if they wanted to.

You can read a very detailed and encompassing analysis of the patent via Crunchgear.

What interested me here is that Amazon's patent covers the LCD being touch-sensitive as well. This pretty much hits most of their competition. So far, the war between the ebook readers has remained a price war. Will it turn into legal battles? What do you think?