Grehan
Well-Known Member
Thanks
Amazon Kindle to free up shelf space
- Thread starter SHUG
- Start date
Caretta
New Member
I am in the US and many people here have no problem connecting to Wifi as you describe. If you do have a problem connecting to a hot spot or wifi with the Kindle, don't forget you can always download the book to your computer and then transfer to the Kindle. If any of you are on Facebook, check out Amazon Kindle FB page, lots of useful info posted and many people willing to help and answer any questions.
goosewing
Well-Known Member
It's in the first part of the users guide under section 'Power Switch'.
I've had my Kindle for less than a week and know my way around it pretty well, which is says something for the Kindle as i'm not good with technology.
I think it's great, I've bought books via my PC and using the 3g. Both times the book has arrived before i've had chance to go back to the home page. You can also read the first chapter of a book before purchasing. I love it.
Pics as well as text can be enlarged to suit. It's easy to read in dim light and sun light. I'm actually finding i'm reading faster with the Kindle than a paperback for some reason
Mine was from Amazon.com but i registered it with Amazon.co.uk.
DaveRo
Well-Known Member
Having googled a bit, I think that the problem my son was having is as described here:
http://www.kuforum.co.uk/kindleusersforum/thread-584.html
But as it describes in that thread it seems you can get round it with a bit of faffing about.
coromar
Well-Known Member
macd
Well-Known Member
I posted the other day about free software, Calibre, which converts PDF to MOBI (as used by Kindle) and promised to report back.
The software's a bit clunky and not altogether intuitive, partly because it has far more otions than Luddites like me are likely to need, but works well enough. I converted a couple of books from PDF, the originals of which were single column, all text. That worked well, with the addition of just a few small spurious artifacts. By default Calibre also inserts a line between pars, which is not how most books are laid out these day. There's a menu option to override this.
As suggested before, the results are less impressive if the PDF has lots of pictures/diagrams (especially if not laid out uniformly) and/or columns. More complex PDFs also take an age to convert. This means that many manuals etc are still a bit of a struggle to read on the Kindle.
Calibre also includes an e-book viewer, should you ever wish to read them on your laptop.
The download's at http://calibre-ebook.com/download_windows
On a more general topic, I'm delighted with the new Kindle (and bet Amazon are, too, the rate I'm downloading their stuff). I'm a book buff and fully expected reading to be a less rewarding experience than with a tangible book, but in no time I was completely comfortable with it. There's no doubt that the device's best feature is its screen, which by all accounts surpasses anything else on the market. It simply isn't like reading a computer screen at all: it really does hit you more like ink on paper.
I did wonder about the size of each 'page'. Selecting print of similar size to that used in 'normal' paperbacks, the six inch screen offers around 200 words, compared to 320 or so with the real thing. I did wonder whether that might interrupt the 'flow' of reading, but it doesn't at all.
How's the old girl going to cope, I wonder, without all that booky ballast?
The software's a bit clunky and not altogether intuitive, partly because it has far more otions than Luddites like me are likely to need, but works well enough. I converted a couple of books from PDF, the originals of which were single column, all text. That worked well, with the addition of just a few small spurious artifacts. By default Calibre also inserts a line between pars, which is not how most books are laid out these day. There's a menu option to override this.
As suggested before, the results are less impressive if the PDF has lots of pictures/diagrams (especially if not laid out uniformly) and/or columns. More complex PDFs also take an age to convert. This means that many manuals etc are still a bit of a struggle to read on the Kindle.
Calibre also includes an e-book viewer, should you ever wish to read them on your laptop.
The download's at http://calibre-ebook.com/download_windows
On a more general topic, I'm delighted with the new Kindle (and bet Amazon are, too, the rate I'm downloading their stuff). I'm a book buff and fully expected reading to be a less rewarding experience than with a tangible book, but in no time I was completely comfortable with it. There's no doubt that the device's best feature is its screen, which by all accounts surpasses anything else on the market. It simply isn't like reading a computer screen at all: it really does hit you more like ink on paper.
I did wonder about the size of each 'page'. Selecting print of similar size to that used in 'normal' paperbacks, the six inch screen offers around 200 words, compared to 320 or so with the real thing. I did wonder whether that might interrupt the 'flow' of reading, but it doesn't at all.
How's the old girl going to cope, I wonder, without all that booky ballast?
goosewing
Well-Known Member
I love the way you can download the first chapter of a book before committing to buy.
I've had mine just over a week and on my third book, being able to just brows the books online, buy then read them within seconds is just great. No more rummaging through book swaps in marinas.
I've had mine just over a week and on my third book, being able to just brows the books online, buy then read them within seconds is just great. No more rummaging through book swaps in marinas.
macd
Well-Known Member
Grehan -- have sent you a PM.
whipper_snapper
Well-Known Member
I have been using the kindle app on my Android recently and am very pleasantly surprised at how usable it is.
I am now seriously considering getting a kindle as well, the big difference is battery life, the Android only goes 12 hours or so between charges.
Interested to read the comments above about the screen needing some ambient light. Does that mean I can't read in bed at night without the lights on ? Or even on an aeroplane with the lights right down ? That would be a killer for me.
I am now seriously considering getting a kindle as well, the big difference is battery life, the Android only goes 12 hours or so between charges.
Interested to read the comments above about the screen needing some ambient light. Does that mean I can't read in bed at night without the lights on ? Or even on an aeroplane with the lights right down ? That would be a killer for me.
macd
Well-Known Member
'Fraid it sounds like death, then. The screen needs ambient light just like a book does, and to much the same degree. There's no screen illumination at all. It is a drawback, the trade-off for which is the wonderful, book-like clarity and lack of eye-strain of the e-ink display, not to mention the impressive battery life. (Once a page is 'printed' to the screen, it takes no power at all to maintain it there indefinitely.)
Maybe somewhere down the line a hybrid e-ink/backlit screen will appear.
In the meantime, someone (a third party on the Amazon web site, I think) sells clip-on LED Kindle lights. Yes, comparatively clumsy, I know.
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poggs
New Member
Amazon Kindle
"Lights Out"
If you buy a cover for your Kindle it has a built in light which overcomes the problem of light so makes it easy to read in the dark. I have one and it works perfectly. Doesn't wake my husband either. Also protects the Kindle.
"Lights Out"
If you buy a cover for your Kindle it has a built in light which overcomes the problem of light so makes it easy to read in the dark. I have one and it works perfectly. Doesn't wake my husband either. Also protects the Kindle.
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charles_reed
Well-Known Member
Another alternative is to use MP3 audiobooks - the player is smaller than a Kindle (or tablet) and downloads, over the internet at an Amazon cost of £3.99.
The screen on a smartphone really isn't a feasible reading size for those of advancing years and hypermetropia.
The range of books is smaller but so is the size of the download - a potential factor if you're using cellular data.
The screen on a smartphone really isn't a feasible reading size for those of advancing years and hypermetropia.
The range of books is smaller but so is the size of the download - a potential factor if you're using cellular data.
DaveRo
Well-Known Member
calibre will also convert from and to other formats - epub for example - to 'mobi' format for the Kindle. It won't convert a copy-protected kindle book to other formats - though you can get software which will strip the copy protection (DRM) off them.
I have used it as a reader on a laptop - it's OK.
I use it to store ebooks I download from free sources such as Project Gutenberg, whence I upload them onto our two Kindles via usb.
It will also send an ebook to a kindle via email (every kindle has an email address) so someone back home could find and convert a book and send it to you. (I haven't tried this feature.)
http://calibre-ebook.com/
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page
I have used it as a reader on a laptop - it's OK.
I use it to store ebooks I download from free sources such as Project Gutenberg, whence I upload them onto our two Kindles via usb.
It will also send an ebook to a kindle via email (every kindle has an email address) so someone back home could find and convert a book and send it to you. (I haven't tried this feature.)
http://calibre-ebook.com/
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page
Caretta
New Member
A couple of things:
I've found that many books can be "read" to me. To turn on "Text to Speech" press the shift + sym keys simultaneously. There are also audible books that are compatible for Kindle.
As far as the official Amazon cover that has the built in light, I would be wary of it. This cover uses a hinge system and has metal tabs that connect to the Kindle. Amazon has taken this same cover without the light off the market because it caused many issues with the Kindle, freezing, rebooting, losing place in a book. Although, most people have not have these problems with with the lighted cover, some do report the same problems. They then take the Kindle out of the cover, and the problems go away. There are many inexpensive clip on lights that can be used for the Kindle. Or another alternative would be an M-Edge cover and its compatible LED light (that uses 1 AAA battery) and with some of their covers the light stores inside the cover. M-Edge will ship internationally. http://www.medgestore.com/ A bit pricey, but, very well made.
I've found that many books can be "read" to me. To turn on "Text to Speech" press the shift + sym keys simultaneously. There are also audible books that are compatible for Kindle.
As far as the official Amazon cover that has the built in light, I would be wary of it. This cover uses a hinge system and has metal tabs that connect to the Kindle. Amazon has taken this same cover without the light off the market because it caused many issues with the Kindle, freezing, rebooting, losing place in a book. Although, most people have not have these problems with with the lighted cover, some do report the same problems. They then take the Kindle out of the cover, and the problems go away. There are many inexpensive clip on lights that can be used for the Kindle. Or another alternative would be an M-Edge cover and its compatible LED light (that uses 1 AAA battery) and with some of their covers the light stores inside the cover. M-Edge will ship internationally. http://www.medgestore.com/ A bit pricey, but, very well made.
K
Kunstkamera
Guest
I just got a Kindle, and have finished reading the users manual. Pretty cool gizmo I do most of my book reading on airplanes, so this will be perfect for travel. It can also have newspapers delivered, and do some limited web browsing. I can transfer mp3 files from my desktop to the Kindle, as well.
I have not yet downloaded any books to the Kindle, as Im working on a print book right now.
How do you existing Kindle users use your device? What tips do you have?
Keytickler
I have not yet downloaded any books to the Kindle, as Im working on a print book right now.
How do you existing Kindle users use your device? What tips do you have?
Keytickler
Caretta
New Member
I've had my Kindle for about a month and so far only use it to read. I know that you can play games and do crossword puzzles on it. I'm not sure if all games are available in all countries. You would have to check on Amazon. Already loaded onto the Kindle is the game minesweeper. To access it from the home screen press the alt, shift and m keys simultaneously. After you see the minesweeper screen press menu for game options. Check out this blog for some keyboard shortcuts and tips http://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/2010/08/29/kindle-3-shortcuts-hot-keys-and-hidden-features/
I'm in the States and I found a great website, www.ereaderiq.com. This site will list free books, new books, but, what I like best about it is that it will sync with my Amazon wish list and keep track of the Kindle books I have on the wish list. When the price drops, they send you an email to let you know. It also has a great search engine for looking for Kindle books on Amazon.
I'm in the States and I found a great website, www.ereaderiq.com. This site will list free books, new books, but, what I like best about it is that it will sync with my Amazon wish list and keep track of the Kindle books I have on the wish list. When the price drops, they send you an email to let you know. It also has a great search engine for looking for Kindle books on Amazon.
silver-fox
Well-Known Member
Just got a Kindle and it is so damn good that after 30 mins you forget you are not reading a book.
Amazon announced that, excluding free downloads, they sell 115 Kindle books for every 100 paper based books. So we are not the only ones to find them good.
One of the strange things about a Kindle, that is so passive and one dimensional compared (say) with an iPad. Its not multifunctional and its monochrome.... in fact its like a book. Whilst my initial reaction was "is that it? - how boring ". In fact this is the Kindle's main strength. It sets out to be an electronic book and nothing else and it does that marvellously well. Reading the screen for hours is no more taxing than reading the printed word.
A remarkable product if you enjoy reading
Amazon announced that, excluding free downloads, they sell 115 Kindle books for every 100 paper based books. So we are not the only ones to find them good.
One of the strange things about a Kindle, that is so passive and one dimensional compared (say) with an iPad. Its not multifunctional and its monochrome.... in fact its like a book. Whilst my initial reaction was "is that it? - how boring ". In fact this is the Kindle's main strength. It sets out to be an electronic book and nothing else and it does that marvellously well. Reading the screen for hours is no more taxing than reading the printed word.
A remarkable product if you enjoy reading
demonboy
Well-Known Member
Sorry, Charles, but this is completely wrong as the average Kindle book is under 1mb. I think you've got your file types muddled up!
Also I would argue that audiobooks are not an 'alternative' to e-books. They address two very different markets, IMHO.
SHUG
Well-Known Member
As the Original Poster for this thread I was sufficiently encouraged to buy a Kindle. I have not been disappointed!!
I have also downloaded some music but that is where it hits the wall with its limited memory. I realise that it is not meant to be an MP3 player but memory is so cheap these days that I think there will be Kindle4 along shortly with say 40Gb of memory. I also expect that Apple are playing the usual game of waiting for the market to establish itself and then bomb in with a superb product........if they can get their hands on the same amazing screen technology.
Anyway, thanks for all the interesting and very useful comments including some of the mystery keystrokes to access hidden functions. Is there a comprehensive list of these anywhere?
All great stuff!!!
I have also downloaded some music but that is where it hits the wall with its limited memory. I realise that it is not meant to be an MP3 player but memory is so cheap these days that I think there will be Kindle4 along shortly with say 40Gb of memory. I also expect that Apple are playing the usual game of waiting for the market to establish itself and then bomb in with a superb product........if they can get their hands on the same amazing screen technology.
Anyway, thanks for all the interesting and very useful comments including some of the mystery keystrokes to access hidden functions. Is there a comprehensive list of these anywhere?
All great stuff!!!
