Large Scale Central

Got a Kindle for my Birthday

General Discussion
#1

Came early. So far, I really love it. It’s very easy to read. I just finished the latest George Pelecanos novel, The Turnaround, and it was just like reading the book, except now I don’t have to find shelf space for the book. Downloading new books is absurdly easy and takes about 30 seconds. Download works anywhere a cell phone works. The screen is just like reading on paper

Downsides are you can’t get it wet and you can’t loan the book to your wife to read–you have to loan the kindle itself.

The Pelecanos novel is great, by the way.

#2

My wife got one a couple of months ago. She’s addicted to the thing. She used to read a lot but now she’ll go through a book a day on days she’s not working. I’m glad I’m not paying that bill.

-Brian

#3

There is something to be said about feeling the heft of the paper in your hands that cannot be replicated by this toy.

#4

Yep, not only that. The price at the library is really hard to beat and the selection is outstanding. :slight_smile:

#5

Yes and why wire your house for lightbulbs when sunlight is free?

Seriously, books are a real physical problem in our house and my office is already packed to the limit. I love to read but I lost my zeal for the physical form of the book a couple dozen boxes full ago

And of course you can still use the library–I still do, there is nothing about a kindle that stops you from using the library. But if you’re like me, when you take a trip a lot of your luggage is taken up with books. No more!

#6

Didn’t know what a Kindle was.
Looked it up.
What is this world coming to?
Pretty soon you won’t even have to learn to read!
The gizmo will read it for you.
No, thanks.

#7
John Bouck said:
Didn't know what a Kindle was. Looked it up. What is this world coming to? Pretty soon you won't even have to learn to read! The gizmo will read it for you. No, thanks.
JB,

Where have you been? haven’t you heard of audio books? Apart from deciphering the title and description no reading required. Put it in the CD or cassette player and away you go.
SWMBO listens to them all the time; takes her a long time to get through a real book - too quiet, so she quite often falls asleep :lol: - audio books are much easier. :wink: :slight_smile:

#8

Did I mention that I READ the thing? Sometimes I really wonder. It’s just text, text on screen. You read it. With your eyes. Like a book. And as H-J points out, we’ve had audio books forever. I tried the read aloud function and thought it was terrible.

I think the arguments against the thing are good and interesting–but yeesh. To my mind the biggest downside to the kindle is the DRM that Amazon attaches to it.

But hey, have you heard about this new thing, “the internets?”

#9

Yes, HJ, I know what an audio book is. In fact when I travel alone, I put a few in the truck.
My point is that electronics of any kind are now ruling our lives.
My contractor carries a freaking phone stuck in his ear, and another pocket computer for notes, dates, etc.
My cell phone stays off unless I want to make a call on it.
I’m just too freakin old to keep up with all you young 'uns. :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

#10
mike omalley said:
Yes and why wire your house for lightbulbs when sunlight is free?
Yes your correct! I'm not gonna argue technology however the advancement without consequences has exceeded it's limit IMO. My home was built before Elect-tricity... As I age/get wiser I'm finding that old school practices are the way to go anymore. Not disrespecting the technology as I find it pretty cool. However todays technology in order to function somehow or another relies on old school practices? Central PA rules for railfanning ....I was 9yrs old when TMI breeched and that is my problem! Rough day at work I'm drunk ...somebody call me a cab please! ;)
#11

Holy s#it Mike I jacked your thread on page 1…
I’m so sorry
The Kindles are pretty neat!
My cabs here
:wink:

#12

I think it’s an interesting technology. I just wish it was cheaper. There are lots of free or low cost books available for it.

I’m with Mike; I hate to store all the books. Worse is when I want to find a particular one. Is that in the den, family room, basement? I’ve got them stacked two deep…

What I would really like is to have key articles from Model Railroader, Garden Railways and Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette on line. When I buy old magazines, I scan the articles that I’m interested in and store them as PDF on my computer. Not quite the same, but at least I have LOTS of room on my computer.

#13

Congratulations and Happy Birthday, Mike.
I’m glad you are enjoying your Kindle.

The concept is good. My objection is having to buy another appliance.
I would rather the books be available to download to a PDA/Netbook/laptop.
Ralph

#14

They dropped the price some Bruce.

good point ralph–too many appliances,too many cords, too many passwords–I agree

The difference with this thing is the screen–it’s not a backlit screen, like you’d have in a PDA or a cellphone. It’s not an LCD display. It looks like paper.

You can subscribe to magazines and newspapers and it delivers them to the device every month. But the images are black and white and the resolution is only fair. Garden Railways articles would be fine, but the pictures would be much lower quality

#15

Happy Birthday, Mike!

#16

Happy Birthday, Mike.

I am glad that you are enjoying your kindle. I can see the advantages.

Steve

#17

Could you attach it to a power truck for the layout? Nah, it would be hard to read when chasing it around the layout! Hqppy birthday!

#18

In my drunken rant I neglected to say “Happy belated Birthday” Mike…
:wink:

#19
John Bouck said:
Yes, HJ, I know what an audio book is. In fact when I travel alone, I put a few in the truck. My point is that electronics of any kind are now ruling our lives. My contractor carries a freaking phone stuck in his ear, and another pocket computer for notes, dates, etc. My cell phone stays off unless I want to make a call on it. I'm just too freakin old to keep up with all you young 'uns. :) :)
I'm hooked on the age of electronics. I said years ago that I'd never use a cell phone because only drug dealers and pimps use them. Now a days if my cell phone don't work I go into panic mode. If my computer don't work or my internet goes down I get stomach aches. Now I'm thinking about getting a GPS. Tired of reading maps and navigating with one hand on the wheel and one hand on the Mapquest bundle of papers. But I'm keeping the tradition of old school going by carrying a notebook with a calender in my pocket along with a pen instead of something electronic.
#20

GPS is a wonderful thing, as long as everything works right.

I was involved in the search, so I know this story is true. A guy got lost in the mountains east of Sandy Eggo. he called 911 on his cell phone to report himself missing. He was wearing the “California Death Suit,” jeans, T-shirt and sneakers, and had no “Essential 10” items with him. He did have a GPS with him, but could not get out of his predicament. He gave the coordinates to the 911 operator, but when we got to those coordinates, he wasn’t there. Then it started to rain…

He was called by the 911 folks, he said he hadn’t moved, and that he was getting really cold and wet. Duh!

When we finally found him, he was shivering, barely coherent. He hadn’t calibrated his GPS, so the coordinates he gave us were miles off.

Some people should not be allowed to operate a toaster.

When I go into the bush, I always use a map and compass. As my Navy CO once said, “The stars don’t lie.”