LAist: Kindle: iPod for Books or More Like the Good-for-Nothing Segway?

Callie Miller

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 16:02:35 -0800

Worriedman - I've seen one in person and held it - so I agree with you on that. The screen is MUCH better for viewing than LCD. Interesting hacked article...

Jim Treacher

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:34:46 -0800

That's the whole point. I can't read long-form text on an LCD. And from what the Amazon guys have been saying, they don't expect the DRM to last long. It was a concession to the publishers.

worriedman

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:24:24 -0800

Its been hacked. For the peeps who think the Kindle has a typical LCD screen... it does not. The screen is grayscale, and non-backlit. So in the dark, you can't read it. Closer to a book than an iPhone... imagine a digital and sharp etch-a-sketch screen.

Callie Miller

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 10:13:59 -0800

Ah, well, hopefully early '08! I'd love to check-in with you after you've had a chance to use it for a month or so. To see what you love, what you wish you could improve, etc. You can email me at: callie@laist.com if you are interested.

Jim Treacher

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 08:48:31 -0800

It's looking like it won't be in '07...

Callie Miller

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 07:51:12 -0800

Jim -- Very cool that you are getting one. I know people who were skeptical and now that they have theirs, they don't know what they ever did without it. Especially people who travel all the time -the sheer volume of books you can bring with you is the major selling point. How long is the wait for yours?

Callie Miller

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 07:50:56 -0800

Jim Treacher

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 03:35:50 -0800

"What would LAist look like on it, I wonder?" Probably something like this. "Only 200 books? Doesn’t that number seem small for $400? As many have pointed out, I could buy a ton of disk space for way less." Yeah, but you'd have to read them on an LCD screen. I can't read a whole novel that way. And if you're reading 200 books between USB or SD card transfers, the desert island you're stuck on probably doesn't have anyplace to recharge the thing anyway. To all the people bashing it: Thank you! I've been waiting weeks for my Kindle, so the more people you convince not to buy it, the sooner I'll get mine.

worriedman

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 14:35:41 -0800

Just like all other 'secured' media, the Kindle will be hacked and content will be ripped/torrented in .. 3 ..... ..... 2 ...... ........ 1 ......

starman

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:52:42 -0800

Callie - Your point is well taken. But the kindle has only been available for one month. If it is really selling as well as it seems to be, then given time a wider selection of books will become available. I have a kindle and I'd like to see more books available via Amazon. The 90k number is misleading because it's not 90k books you might want. Much of it is crap uploaded by those looking to sell something they could not otherwise get published. (I suppose in some limited cases this might be a good thing and and a dimond in the rough can be found.) But if the kindle takes off I expect the amount of available mainstream content to improve, especially in the backlist area. Your mp3 analogy is a good one.

Callie Miller

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:28:49 -0800

This reminds me of when mp3.com first came out. Yes, you could download tons of songs right away. But none of them were anything you'd really want to listen to, because none of the big labels got on board for a long time. In the Amazon Kindle scenario, at least the big publishers are on board. It's just a shame they're only on board with Amazon and not making their content available through some of the sites you mention.

Callie Miller

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:22:00 -0800

Starman - Thank you for pointing out that these sites (as well as others) offer "multi-format" unsecured books that can be read on the Kindle. The post has been updated to reflect your comments. I think it's important to point out, though, that none of these outlets offer any of the books found on the NYT or LAT best-seller list. The books available on Fictionwise are primarily erotic and romance fiction. The books offered on Many Books provide a broader range than erotic and romance fiction and many classics, but neither offer any of the just-out books that Amazon does. The "big" publishers have, for now, gone with Amazon.

starman

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 10:50:08 -0800

The statement that you cannot buy Kindle-ready books anywhere else is wrong. Manybooks.net and Fictionwise.com are but two examples of sites where kindle-ready books can be downloaded. Fictionwise will even directly email your purchased books to your kindle if you want(subject to the 10 cent charge of course). Please update your story so that it is accurate.

Jacy Young

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 08:13:06 -0800

I think it's the first step in a good direction. I bet you have to turn it off for take-off and landing, which would drive me nuts! Remember when you could play your walkmen over take-off and landing? Nothing like coming in over LA at night to music.

worriedman

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 02:17:56 -0800

A super-overpriced mobile electronics device that (poorly) performs two functions... thats some throwback, retro 2002 shit.

Andy Sternberg

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 01:48:10 -0800

I can't possibly imagine spending hundreds of dollars on a device that allows me to do little more than read books electronically. Will the Kindle even make it to fad status like the Palm Pilots and beepers of old? I'll take almost anything digitally, but I'm can't help but be a traditionalist when it comes to my magazines and books. Besides, if Amazon really wanted the Kindle to succeed, they'd be giving it away.

avagee

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 18:09:46 -0800

I have been reading books on my cell phone. It's pretty good, so good that eReaders like Kindle will have to get much cheaper and more open before I can justify buying one. I carry the phone everywhere anyway, so now I have a small library with me everywhere, an effect I think large readers like Kindle will always lack. I get free books from http://www.booksinmyphone.com they have hundreds of free titles you can install direct to your phone from their mobile site or via a PC.

Rocktageous

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:15:26 -0800

What about reading on a plane? You don't have to turn off a book in the middle of a chapter.

Rocktageous

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:15:08 -0800

What about reading on a plane? You don't have to turn off a book in the middle of a chapter.