Monday, December 10, 2007

Kindle Is It All That It Is Fired Up To Be?

Kindle is the lastest attempt to create an ebook reader by Amazon. I don't have one so I am not really offering a review, but I am just offering some impressions from a bibliophile. My initial thoughts are that it holds some promise. It is completely wireless, capable of holding numerous books (a feature I find attractive for trips), and has a highly readable screen. However, is it worth it?

400 bucks seems mighty steep for something I am only going to use to read books I have to buy @ $10 a copy, plus I am trying to save for my 1080p flat-panel tv. My second thought is too many buttons, couldn't they have hidden the keyboard? I can see it now, I will have trouble getting comfy without hitting a button. Oh yes, I nearly forgot it only comes in B&W, I can't believe in the age of iPhones and high-def laptops they couldn't develop a working color display.

Right now, unless they drop the price of Kindle significantly to the less than $100 range, I am not even going to consider buying something purely for the convenience of having 100 of titles in one paper back size gizmo. Besides they don't offer it in book smell (I love the smell of a book).

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

If you want to save some money it you should take a look at http://www.booksinmyphone.com

They give away public domain and creative commons books that are packaged so they can be read on regular 'dumb' cell / mobile phones. If you have the internet on your phone you can install directly, otherwise via your PC.

I found the reading experience to be quite intimate and immersive. If you have a story you like you forget that its a phone. I have about 20 books, but with a memory card you could probably fit a library.