Author Topic: Dragging myself into the 21st century, The Kindle  (Read 13010 times)

Bogstandard

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Dragging myself into the 21st century, The Kindle
« on: September 21, 2012, 10:15:23 AM »
As you may well know, my life is going through a bit of a change, and soon I will be spending more time upstairs in my house, away from my computer. I am an avid reader, and normally I read lots of books in PDF format, but taking my desktop computer to bed with me isn't an option, so a solution had to be found, and the cheapest Kindle on the market came to my rescue.

This is it, with it's leather protection case fitted (a separately purchased item)



The PDF files are easy to load, just drag and drop on the desktop, and because my eyesight isn't all that brilliant, I set it up so that it splits the page into two and goes the full width of the display screen (only takes seconds to do). There are all sorts of combinations you can use to get it just right for your type of reading, different sized fonts, magnified text etc, again, all very easy to set up.



And even drawings and photos are very well reproduced, but unfortunately, unless you buy the one that is released in a couple of months, a lot more expensive, they all come out in B&W, but with a very good rendition and crystal clear. In fact, unlike most screens like this, when in a darkened room, it benefits from a light being shone on the screen, so no need to worry about your bedside light causing reflections, it works almost exactly the same as a real paper book does.



This little gadget most probably does hundreds of different things that really I am not interested in, like WI-fi downloading from the net etc, but for what I need, and I think a lot of other people as well, it reads PDF books just perfectly.

So here are a couple of UK links to show where and what I purchased.

The Kindle itself.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Amazon-D01100-Kindle-Wi-Fi-Display/dp/B0051QVF7A/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1348218440&sr=8-3

The third party faux leather cover, about 1/4 the price of a genuine one.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SD-Clip-On-Reading-Amazon-Kindle/dp/B005QDM798/ref=pd_rhf_se_s_cp_17


John

Online Jo

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Re: Dragging myself into the 21st century, The Kindle
« Reply #1 on: September 21, 2012, 10:22:10 AM »
If you are going to have to spend more time up stairs I would recommend a "House Lathe" and converting a spare bedroom into a second workshop ;D

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Online Jo

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Re: Dragging myself into the 21st century, The Kindle
« Reply #2 on: September 21, 2012, 10:35:12 AM »
Forgot to mention: The other thing you need is a netbook so that when you are in bed you can still wirelessly access the web to enable you to continue to contribute to MEM and see what all your friends have been up to in their workshops ;D.

I think my little 10" Dell cost about ?169 and it is briliant I can use it in bed, on the dining room table etc.

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline ProdEng

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Re: Dragging myself into the 21st century, The Kindle
« Reply #3 on: September 21, 2012, 10:39:26 AM »
Best thing about using a Kindle or iPad is being able to read anywhere without having to find light.

Jan
Jan in Perth

Online Jo

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Re: Dragging myself into the 21st century, The Kindle
« Reply #4 on: September 21, 2012, 10:52:46 AM »
I also keep thinking about a Kindle but most of the documents I want to read are in PDF format rather than one of these wizzy Ebook formats.

I think you brought the best value for money one. Those touch screen ones annoy me no end,  :old: it is much easier to press the button to turn the page.

I see your cover came with a LED reading light..... I can see uses for that in the workshop ;D.

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline tel

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Re: Dragging myself into the 21st century, The Kindle
« Reply #5 on: September 21, 2012, 11:24:13 AM »
Thanks for the review John - I've been threatening to get one for a while now, you might have just pushed me over the edge.
The older I get, the better I was.
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Offline Maryak

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Re: Dragging myself into the 21st century, The Kindle
« Reply #6 on: September 21, 2012, 01:53:29 PM »
I also keep thinking about a Kindle but most of the documents I want to read are in PDF format rather than one of these wizzy Ebook formats.

Jo

Galina's E reader reads both formats PDF and FB2 but anyway it's easy enough to convert from one to tuther.

Best Regards
Bob
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Offline sshire

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Re: Dragging myself into the 21st century, The Kindle
« Reply #7 on: September 21, 2012, 02:25:18 PM »
John
You'll love it.
Where did you get Lautard in PDF format? I can't seem to find it anywhere. I'd want to buy all three even though I have them on real paper.
Best
Stan
Best,
Stan

Offline rleete

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Re: Dragging myself into the 21st century, The Kindle
« Reply #8 on: September 21, 2012, 02:41:15 PM »
I bought one about a year ago.  The wife was using it so much, that I ended up getting her another one so I could have mine back.  Best money I have spent in a long time.  If it were to die tomorrow, I still would have gotten my money's worth out of it.

Loads of free books out there, too.  A quick search will reveal hundreds of titles, from the classics to modern stuff.  My personal favorite, The Count of Monte Cristo didn't cost me a dime.

Offline steamboatmodel

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Re: Dragging myself into the 21st century, The Kindle
« Reply #9 on: September 21, 2012, 03:02:53 PM »
My wife picked up one of the Sony Ebook readers and I think it is great. Our library system has ebooks that you can borrow just like regular books.
Regards,
Gerald.
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Offline Ken I

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Re: Dragging myself into the 21st century, The Kindle
« Reply #10 on: September 21, 2012, 03:28:43 PM »
Bogs,
         My family are determined to drag me into the 21st century as well and bought me a Kindle for my birthday a week ago and I still haven't turned it on.

I suppose now I'd better get onto it this weekend - thanks for the push.

Ken
Never look up at the mountain - just keep digging !

Offline Don1966

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Re: Dragging myself into the 21st century, The Kindle
« Reply #11 on: September 21, 2012, 04:15:32 PM »
John I am sure you will enjoy it, I had a kindle three years back and loved it. I also like to read, but the best thing about the kindle is it can read to you. On long trips for work I would have it read to me....in female voice of coarse.
Now my wife and I both have IPADS. And she's on Facebook and I am on the Forums. This year she wants a new IPAD. These are over two years old and will be giving them to the grand kids. Enjoy you new toy, technology is wonderful isn't it?

Don

Offline gmac

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Re: Dragging myself into the 21st century, The Kindle
« Reply #12 on: September 21, 2012, 07:56:54 PM »
+1 on this technology. I waffled on buying one due to the whining about the ability to read pdf's in the general press, claiming you needed the 8x10 Kindle to even consider it. Then I tried them in the store and found that for most pdf's I plan to read (old machining books, tech documents etc) if I wore the glasses I usually wear for machining I was good to go without using the zoom function for all but small drawings. I went with the Kobo Touch (at the time cheaper than the Kindle) and don't regret getting the touch screen. The new models of Kobo are out (smaller screen version, new backlit version etc.) and the Kindle Fire is out. My main concern about the newer stuff was that battery life was shorter, and prices seemed to have doubled, creeping up into tablet price territory. I'm amazed that all the data stored on my computer was loaded on a single MicroSD card, with plenty of room to spare. Like John I wanted simple and it's turned out great - no regrets. I'd encourage people to load their pdf's on a MicroSD card and wander into the stores to roadtest these eReaders (all brands). The one downfall I've found with the Kobo Touch is a poor filing system - alphabetical filing only. Not sure how the Kindle does that.

Cheers Garry

Offline Alan Haisley

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Re: Dragging myself into the 21st century, The Kindle
« Reply #13 on: September 21, 2012, 11:20:09 PM »
I also keep thinking about a Kindle but most of the documents I want to read are in PDF format rather than one of these wizzy Ebook formats.
I got a Kindle Fire some time back. It turns out that you can download PDF files to it and read them; I have to believe that John's newer, more expensive model can do the same.
In addition you can USB connect the Kindle as a "file system" to a PC and read/write/etc. files. Turns out that the Kindle also supports Microsoft Word files for reading.
I found a ton of PDF files in places like Project Gutenburg. Some are scanned image books but some are text plus image books.
Only trouble with the Kindle Fire is my eyes don't like it in bright light but in the shade it's just fine.
Alan

Offline AussieJimG

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Re: Dragging myself into the 21st century, The Kindle
« Reply #14 on: September 22, 2012, 01:05:39 AM »
We bought Kindles to read on a European River Cruise early last year. The great thing was that when we had finished a book, we could purchase another one and have it in hand in minutes. Sometimes we read the same book at the same time which was good for conversation.

I bought the large Kindle because I had a great heap of magazines in multi-column pdf format and I wanted to display the whole page rather than trying to read it through a small "keyhole". But it really didn't have the resolution to make reading comfortable and  it was too hard to read when "zoomed in" so that didn't work very well.

But I am amazed when I look at our Amazon archive to discover that we have purchased over 90 books since we got the Kindles.

I found the big Kindle too heavy and awkward for general reading and carrying around to read in the doctor's waiting room and so on so I was given a small Kindle for Xmas. Thus we have three Kindles between the two of us.

And then everybody else seemed to have an iPad or similar so I bought an android - a small one about the same size as a small Kindle. So now I can read my book on either the Kindle or the android. And the android reads lots of different formats so I am not stuck with Amazon (Gutenberg is great) and I can keep an eye on you blokes from my bed, or my car or in the doctor's waiting room!! :happyreader:

My wife borrowed my android to use Skype and check emails when she went away for a few days but found it a bit small. Now she has her own 10" android.

So now between the two of us we have three Kindles (two small and one large) and two androids (one small, one large) in addition to the plethora of desktops, laptops and notebooks scattered around the house.

Questions seldom remain unanswered for long with Google so close to hand. :noidea:

Jim

 

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