blonde poker forum

A good xmas gift or a gimmick?

I've got one and love it. Useful for people who travel a lot in particular as it means you don't have to carry books around with you.

Probably not the best present for someone who doesn't read a lot though :D

the problem with something like this as a present for someone who hasn't actually asked for it is you're giving them something they have to spend money on to use

Only partially true. There are a lot of out-of-copyright books you can download for free.

Not got a Kindle, but have got the Kindle app on my android phone. Browsing free books list gives long list, but obviously only if you fancy reading "classics".

I thought about giving my wife one for xmas (kindle that is  ;D ). She reads a lot so thought worth while. However she likes to swap books with the people that she works with so it wasn't met with too much appreciation :( . 
It looked okay just not for someone who likes the paper versions.

I've got one and love it (although I'm on my second after cracking the screen on No 1 - insurance maybe no bad thing). I didn't get the one with free mobile connection - I don't see me being that desperate for a new book to read that I couldn't get to a wifi connection.

I find the kindle versions a little bit cheaper when newly out & like Kin says they're great for when travelling. I would normally pack 3 or 4 books for a trip down to the main offices in Reading (I go by train so have roughly 8 hours there, 8 back) or at least 8 for a week's holiday - the weight really adds up.

I also like being able to buy a book & maybe not be in the mood to read it at the time, but still take it with me as I can sometimes have 2 or 3 books on the go depending on what I'm in the mood to read. Rex's point about the free books is a good one as well - I've been back through a lot of the books I loved as a kid, and also been able to start some classics that I've never got round to.

My Dad hates me having it as his book supply has dried up, although a lot of what I've got on it is sci-fi/fantasy which he won't read anyway.

I've just bought a couple of DVD's of books off e-bay & will try them out, if they're any good I'll let you know.

In the end I probably prefer real books, but the Kindle's a great thing for any bookworm who travels a lot.

Can you give the books you have bought to other kindle users after you've finished with them, much the same as you would give real books to other readers?

Also, would it make sense for libraries to stock electronic books to lend out?

Cheers..interesting comments...its for the missus,and Im undecided still...I have an app in my phone....but miss the tactile feeling n page turning a book gives....hmmmmm

I had to look it up. You can share them, but it's complicated - you need to de-register the kindle from your account, re-register it in the person you want a book from, then download the book, de-register, re-register as yours & you've got the book.

Another disadvantage I'd not thought of.

got one a few weeks back and really like mine. The only downside is the swapping books but thats not an issue for me and would highly reccomend it to anyone who was unsure.

On the plus side, it means you can't lend books to aged poker players/tv legends and then never see the books again.

The library idea is an interesting one. Can't see amazon facilitating that one though.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304915104575572883554230588.html

Mentions lending and libraries.

Amazon are selling refub'd Kindles at the moment for just £67.99 for the Wifi and £98 for the 3G  - link here if anyone is interested http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B002Y27P46/sr=/qid=/ref=olp_tab_refurbished?ie=UTF8&coliid=&me=&qid=&sr=&seller=&colid=&condition=refurbished

Where does everyone get their e-books from?

don't really feel like paying £6 for a new book, hell even in the supermarket new paperbacks are only £3.50 and I can give them to others when I'm done.

Was really tempted to buy one but have then found out that there's no backlight on it.

Has anyone bought one of the covers to use with it that includes a light?  Any good or not?

I tend to read with the light on, as I would with a paper book ;)

Some of the covers with built-in lights look good and might be what you're after, but not tried them.

Thinking about getting one of these for the missus this Christmas.

She likes reading the "classics" and I see lots of sites offering these for free as they are out of copyright so I might buy it just for this reason however...

A quick search on Ebay has people selling entire collections of current popular authors for £5-£10 where as on amazon these books cost £5 each!

What's the catch?

That Ebay is even worse with pirated books then it is with pirated dvd's etc maybe?

Bittorrent the books, I downloaded about 1000 books, not entirely legal but cheap.

Perhaps if Amazon didn't sell Kindle books for more than the price of hardcover books there wouldn't be quite the demand for snide copies.

It does tilt me when the kindle version is more expensive than the normal ones yes. But kindle has some really good books for 49p or just over, no excuse not to get the odd one from there.

Some books include photographs or illustrations. How does Kindle handle that?

Kindle daily deals now available.   They've been about in the States for a while apparently but now they're available in the UK.  Just go to the Kindle Store on Amazon, click the blue banner on the right.

(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc43/kinboshi/Kindle_Wi-Fi1.png)

Great!