Hi Cindy and welcome. I really like the voice synthesizer of the Kindle 2 too (lol!), and probably have somewhat of a novel use for it. I use it help me proofread books. I've been told it helps your proofreading if you read out loud. Using the read-out-loud technology is even better. It will find things such as using "wreak" instead of "wreck" or vice versa (a bad habit of mine), something a spell checker will never catch. The two words look almost the same, but are pronounced quite differently.

The only thing I don't like is that there are some words that are spelled the same, but have two totally different meanings. Since my books are set mostly at sea with naval vessels the word "bow" drives me crazy. The Kindle pronounces it like the bow in "bow and arrow", not as the bow of a ship. So you get used to them and sometimes have to check something out that really isn't an error. Still, you find a lot of things that you might have missed.

It's also good for finding awkwardly constructed sentences that might look alright on the surface, but sound horrible when spoken out loud.

Hi everyone, I am new to Goodreads and this group and VERY HAPPY to be here. I recently bought a Kindle 2 second hand off of Craigslist, and just absolutely love it. I can't say that it replaces any of my other reading, but certainly augments it. I have been enjoying the free book downloads on Amazon and other places - and picking up and reading genres and authors that I may not have read otherwise. At the local bookstores, books can be expensive, but on the K2 they are much less. I enjoy increasing/decreasing fonts, as well as read-out-loud technology, especially while driving. I find the K2 very easy to use, and recommend it.

Eric_W wrote: "Mike wrote: "Eric_W wrote: "OK, I admit I'm an early adopter and a hardware/software junkie. I've had my K2 for about a year now and love it, but I've also become more than enamored of the B&N and ..."

Thanks Eric - good to know!

Mike wrote: "Eric_W wrote: "OK, I admit I'm an early adopter and a hardware/software junkie. I've had my K2 for about a year now and love it, but I've also become more than enamored of the B&N and newly release..."

You load the Kindle reader for the iTouch/phone. If you have a wiFi connection available, the iTouch Kindle reader will "see" and download the books you purchased for your Kindle. You can then pick the one you wish to download either from the iTouch or from "Manage Your Kindle" at the Amazon site. As long as you can log in to a public WiFi (libraries, Starbucks, etc.) the Kindle and your iTouch will keep track of the furthest point read in either device. Of course if you have an iPhone (AT&T has no coverage where I live) you don't have to care about WiFi coverage. I have a WiFi network in my house so it's very click. Once the book is downloaded, it's on both devices (or more - I use the Kindle reader on my laptop also), no WiFi needed.

Eric_W wrote: "OK, I admit I'm an early adopter and a hardware/software junkie. I've had my K2 for about a year now and love it, but I've also become more than enamored of the B&N and newly released Kindle ereade..."

Eric - How does the K2 work with the iTouch? Is the book downloaded into the iTouch whereby no WiFi is needed to read it or do you need to be in WiFi to access and read the book?

OK, I admit I'm an early adopter and a hardware/software junkie. I've had my K2 for about a year now and love it, but I've also become more than enamored of the B&N and newly released Kindle ereaders for the PC. I also read on an iTouch with both readers. I am truly astonished at the syncing ability of the Kindle. I can read a book on my Kindle in bed at night, highlight important passages, and then load up my laptop the next morning and the book I was reading the night before will be sync'd to the last location where I left off AND the notes I made are available also. That is just way too cool.

I have to admit that I've also ordered a nook (did I mention I was a junkie?) but find that reading on my iTouch using both Kindle and B&N free apps is amazingly comfortable and works better than both Kindle (haven't received the nook yet) and PC (although that has more to do with sized of the computer - my netbook is just about right.

B&N does not yet have the capability to sync between devices as far as I can tell, something I find very useful. I have to admit, for traveling now my preference for reading is the iTouch (where I live there is no iPhone coverage) which links very nicely at any open WiFi site.

Greetings.. newbie kindle 2 owner here!! Love it so far.

Hi - I'm Heather, and I've had my Kindle for about two months now (bought it the day before the price drop, and Amazon refunded the $40). I bought it because I was going on a lengthy trip and didn't want to carry multiple books - It was wonderful!!! I'm still adjusting to some aspects of using an e-reader, but I'm also really enjoying it - And I absolutely love that I can get a new book anytime :) It's portability means that no matter where I am I know I'll always have something to read - Love it :)

Hi. My name is Jerry Travis. I'm an author with a Kindle. I've had mine for about eight months now, and it is so great! You can do research right from your home, on a moment's notice, without having to take a trip to the library or bookstore; or worse, ordering on-line and having to wait around for days.

I've pigeonholed my writing as science fiction, but it's really about a lot of other things as well, such as social issues, politics, psychology, philosophy, science & mathematics, religion, and so on. I try to back all of this with an interesting and novel storyline. I don't try to imitate anyone, or tailor the work according to profit making formulas. I just let the work speak for itself.

I look forward to getting to know the people on this site better. I'm already friends with one person, Maria Savva, another author I met elsewhere and recommended Goodreads to me. Her work is very interesting (I've read it all including a novel and second short story collection which isn't even published yet). I've been trying to get her to port her stuff over to ebook format for the Kindle. Hopefully that will materialize in the near future.

Please feel free to contact me, if anyone would like to talk with a real live (and struggling, lol!) author, and I'll let you know what makes me "tick".

Connie wrote: "Margaret wrote: "I got my Kindle 2 this summer with my Amazon credit card "miles" right before the price reduction - and Amazon gave me a credit for the amount of the reduction. Of course I used t..."

Oh my goodness, some people are just too nosy for their own good. Who cares what someone else is reading - especially someone that you do not even know.

Margaret wrote: "I got my Kindle 2 this summer with my Amazon credit card "miles" right before the price reduction - and Amazon gave me a credit for the amount of the reduction. Of course I used the credit to buy ..."

Funny - I saw a forum on ebooks on CSPAN's book T.V. last spring and one of the women on the forum commented that part of the reason some "book snobs" don't like ebook readers is because they can't tell what someone is reading say on the bus or subway so they can't "pass judgment" on that person's book IQ so to speak. LOL.

I got my Kindle 2 this summer with my Amazon credit card "miles" right before the price reduction - and Amazon gave me a credit for the amount of the reduction. Of course I used the credit to buy books for the Kindle. I do love it, especially the instant gratification aspect. What I don't like about electronic readers is the absence of the books themselves. I love books - piles and stacks of them all over. They are constant reminders of characters and places and plots. I always think that houses devoid of books say something about the people who live there . . . and the Kindle hides the books. Gone is the opportunity to look at someone's book shelf or pile and comment on a book I loved - because it's hidden away on the Kindle . . . But I do love that instant gratification.

Just joined the group. My husband gave me the Kindle 1 last year for Christmas and it is undoubtedly the best Christmas present ever. I use it for books, for news, for magazines and for a UNC-CH sports blog.
I live in a small town which does not have a bookstore. That means either going to the B&N when I am out of town or ordering. I did quite a lot of both, but now whenever I want a book I can simply go straight to the Kindle store, place my order and immediately the book is sent via Whispernet. I also love traveling with the Kindle. It fits nicely into the purse. I can easily change the font as my eyesight if not what it used to be. I would love the read to me feature from Kindle 2, but I would give nothing for having Kindle 1 for almost a year now.

Hi Folks:

I've just had my Award winning trilogy, Dushau, go "Live" on Kindle, so I'm taking another look at what Amazon is doing with ebooks.

I've been an EPIC member (ebook professionals) since 2005 when my first ebook editions came out on fictionwise, and a SFWA member much longer than that.

Free chapters etc on jacquelinelichtenberg.com or just search Amazon for Jacqueline Lichtenberg.

You can find me on twitter as jlichtenberg, facebook.com/jacqueline.lichtenberg, and on LinkedIn as Jacqueline Lichtenberg. And of course Goodreads though I haven't gotten my author's page up to date.

Jacqueline Lichtenberg
simegen.com/jl/

Hi Douglas here from Idaho. I've had my Kindle 2 since March. While I still read some paper books, mostly leftovers from the reading pile and gifts, about 90 percent of my book reading has been on it. My wife thinks my reading has doubled since then.

I have a daily subscription to the New York Times and monthly ones for One Story, Asimov's Science Fiction and Living Breathing, Writing. I've had a dozen or so subscriptions to other magazines and blogs since March but have canceled them during the two-week trial period.

I've found several public domain books, some on Amazon and some on other sites, and sent them to my Kindle for reading (Walden, Alice in Wonderland, Flatland, The Art of War and poetry collections by Kipling, Yates and Service). Some of these lack the formatting making them easy to read but they are free nevertheless. I also bought a version of the Bible for $5 which word for word is quite a bargain.

With 30 bought books and a dozen or so free ones I already have a hundred pounds of paper books inside my Kindle.

My brother is an author and I'm his first editor – mostly for continuity. I have downloaded his manuscripts onto my Kindle for reviewing. This has exposed one of the few times where the Kindle comes in second to paper – you can't make editing marks on a Kindle document. I've also sent several extended articles found on the internet to my Kindle for reading. (This may be a service some sites might think of offering.)

I have put music files on my Kindle so I can read and listen to music. While I have used this feature I am surprised at how little I take advantage of it. I have yet to put an audible book on it. I have contemplated but have yet to upload my own static photos to replace the ones that grace the cover of the Kindle when it is turn off.

I have checked my email on it and have preformed some limited browsing with it but find the molasses like slowness too frustrating.

I took my Kindle on a five day backpacking trip into the Idaho wilderness. I read for about three hours a day and still had some battery charge when we came out. This was because I turned the wireless off before we left for the mountains.

In short I have embraced the Kindle experience and had put it through it's paces. Here are a few comments regarding my experience:

Bigger Books
I'm reading longer books since getting the Kindle. Since I don't know how big a book is – not being able to see or feel how thick it is – I have downloaded and read books I'm sure I would not otherwise ever bought and read. If the books were not good I would not have finished them so this is mostly a good development.

Read to Me
When cooking for the family or riding in the car I have used the Text-to-Speech option. For the most part I liked using it. However you never know how names are going to be pronounced. For example Obama is pronounced O – BAM – AH. I hope for more improvement in the quality of voice and pronouncement in future editions.

“What is That?”
I get asked about my Kindle all the time when I'm reading in our town's only expresso shop. I have probably shown my Kindle to 40 people. A little under a third said they would never buy one. These are all retirement or older aged people. About a third said they wanted one. I don't, however, know of anyone who bought one after I showed them mine. In fact I've only ever seen one other person with one. I live in a town of about 6,000 in rural Idaho so I shouldn't expect to see many or any. The owner of that other one was visiting her sister in town.

Problem Discovered, Problem Solved
Within a few months of getting my Kindle I noticed small cracks appearing on the front left edge right above were the hook on the Kindle Cover attached to the eReader. When I saw the visitor's Kindle I noticed she also had the same cover but her attachment hook did not bend up at 45 degrees like mine and so was not causing cracks. I called Amazon and asked for my Kindle to be fixed since their cover was causing my Kindle to crack. No problem at all – a new Kindle arrived in two days and it took ten minuets for all my content to be downloaded into the new one.

Best Three Things About the Kindle:

1) Text size adjustment. During the day I need a larger text size - 3rd or 4th from the smallest, but at night when my contacts are out I can hold the Kindle very close so the smallest text works best and means I'm advancing the pages less often.

2) When reading late a night my turning the pages of paper books would come to the attention of my sleeping wife and she would tell me it was time to turn out the light. With the Kindle there is none of the moving around to turn the pages so I'm reading later into the night. While mostly good it has meant many groggy mornings.

3) The ability to look up a word without having to find and use a dictionary. Gone are the days when I look at an unknown word and wonder if it's worth the effort to find out.

Strange Things Can Happen on a Kindle:
Apparently there needs to be more quality checking of books converted for reading on a Kindle. The Stuff of Thought, by Steven Pinker, was a great book but about half way through the letter “r” started showing up in sentences in place of the word “English,” such as in “People who have learned r as adults have terrible trouble with all this.” Some books have had formatting errors and one book was missing two chapters. Amazon needs to have a place were readers can report these errors and then someone at Amazon needs to read them and act on them. I'm convinced Amazon reads very little of what people are currently saying on their hosted discussion boards.

The verdict: I love my Kindle, I use it more than I thought I would. While not perfect it's apparent to me that the Kindle and other eReaders are the future of books and other reading materials. The only thing I truly did not like was it's initial cost.

I still have my K1 - wanted to get the K2, but the budget doesn't allow for it yet. It's funny, I now preface the answer to questions people ask about the K1 with "Well, this is the 1st version...."

Laura wrote: "Hi - just found this group on GR & it's exciting to see a group just for Kindle addicts. I bought my Kindle the day it was announced. (I had previously looked at the Sony ereader & the Rocket book,..."

do you still have the K1 or did u get the K2? I still have my K1.

Hi - just found this group on GR & it's exciting to see a group just for Kindle addicts. I bought my Kindle the day it was announced. (I had previously looked at the Sony ereader & the Rocket book, but for some reason they just didn't do anything for me.) So I got my Kindle around the first of Dec 07. I love love love it!

Hi, I,d like to introduce myself. I'm Vicki from Kansas and I got my Kindle back in August and I absolutely love it. I tokk it to work the first day and I think at least 3 other people decided to buy one because of checking mine out. Maybe I could get a kickback from Amazon or something!! I didn't think I would really like it because I was always a snob and said that oh no I need to feel a real book in my hand. But since I started using it, I have to keep reminding myself that I still have stacks of "old fashioned books" that I need to read. I am going to Cancun in December to lay on the beach and instead of having to carry a stack of paperbacks like I did a couple of years ago in Cozumel, I only need to take my Kindle.

Yes. Of course I now don't remember which books worked on, but I remember there being more than one that became available, which reminds me, there are a couple that I need to check on!

I've had my Kindle 1 for just short of a year (got it late November last year, before the Kindle2 was released.

Hi all,

I'm new here. I'm Marc from Boston. I've had my Kindle2 for some time now and really enjoy it. It's especially helped with night reading and train reading.

The only challenge I've run into is that there are several books I'd like to read that are not available in Kindle format yet. I know that apps like Stanza can help me import eBooks in other formats, so I'm sure I'll track these books down somewhere else. It's just a shame. I wonder if anyone has had any success with Amazon's "I'd like to read this on my kindle" link.

It depends what you're going to be reading. The DX is a better platform for reading newspapers, PDFs and textbooks. If you're just going to be reading regular books, I'd go with a K2 (its smaller size is also a plus for me).

I won't be doing too much travel, but what I'm more concerned about is the readability of the screen. I had a chance to hold a DX, and I liked the size of the screen, but I've not had a chance to look at the K2 in anything but pictures.

If you like traveling around with your device, the K2 might be a better bet, and I think they dropped the price. The DX is bigger.

Hi I'm Michelle and I will be purchasing a Kindle in the next couple of months. I'm an avid reader of paperbacks, and look forward to being able to hold hundreds of books in my hand:) I am also very excited about the built in dictonary. I tend to carry one around with whatever book I'm reading, just in case:) I do have a question for all of you. Would you reccomend the Kindle 2 or the New DX version? I'm not going out of country, so that part doesn't matter, but I have heard that you can get some books for free in the PDF format, so if that's the case...would it be worth the extra $200?

Hi, I presently use the Kindle for iPhone for some reading. I'm planning on getting the Kindle itself in December. I'm even looking to sell and donate a lot of my book library in the garage. The Kindle seems like it's going to be one of the best ways to store and read books for now on.

I read quite of bit of academic books and out of print books, so I have not got rid of a lot of my books. (Keep adding those titles, Amazon!!) However, I am more inclined to buy new ones on the Kindle, so my library is not growing so fast these days.

Maryily, me too. I have gotten rid of most of my paper books. Only kept the reference books (IT mostly), a few signed copies, and even fewer books with sentimental value. Before the Kindle I would never get rid of books. Now it's no problem.

I'm a Kindle addict too.

Bought two Kindles in March 08 (my husband and I share many books) and immediately stopped reading paper books. The ability to increase font size, carry a supply of books wherever I go, read a sample before I buy, get free or cheap books, and buy & have a book in a minute from virtually anywhere in the US is a joy.

Am in the midst of donating 1000s of paper books that I was unable to part with before Kindle...

Hello all! I too am new to Goodreads and I'm still trying to figure out all the components. As much as I love the smell and feel of a hard cover book, I couldn't imagine liking a Kindle. Was I ever wrong. Now I spend time in the bookstore when I want to absorb the appearance of a book, and then I download it on my kindle2 to sample or read. If I find myself unable to sleep, how else can I go to the bookstore at 3:00 am and never leave the comforts of my bed? I seldom leave home without it! Since we order a lot from Amazon, we get gift coupons which of course I use to purchase Kindle Books. Just love it!

Hi everyone,

I'm new to Goodreads but I've had my Kindle 2 since February. I moved to Japan in July, and I don't know what I would have done without it!

Britt

Hi everyone I'm Christi and I have had my kindle since June and I LOVE it. Can't go a day without it. I am going broke buying books all the time. Does anyone know how often Amazon updates their site?

Congratulations, and welcome!

Hi Everyone!

I just got my kindle today. Downloaded a half dozen books to start and can't wait to start reading them!

I am so excited I got my first kindle today it is a kindle 2...i am looking to download my ist book right now

Hello all!

I am a current Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine and my Kindle was a gift from my parents six-months into my service. I'm not sure what I would do without it at this point! Travel is much easier and it is wonderful to have access to so many wonderful titles again.

Hi I'm Doug and I am a Kindle addict. I read the NY Times everyday and a couple of books a week. I can't leave the house without it. My wife is jealous. (I think she wants one for Mother's Day).

Got my kindle 2 on Feb 24 and have read 20 books already. This is great for me since my eyesight has been deteriorating for years. I can set the font size and read again!

Maybe after retina surgery next month I can use a smaller font and read even more.

Hello to all. I'm male, retired, 67 years.

Bob

Hello all. My name is Heather and I ordered my Kindle with gift cards at Christmas and was on that horrible waiting list. I got my Kindle 2 (so glad Amazon bumped me up) in March and loooove it! I'm hoping to check out more strands in this group to possibly find some inexpensive/freebie books because buying through Amazon adds up too quickly.

Hello all. I just found this web site today and have been exploring! It seems like a friendly place. I wanted to introduce myself. My name is Laura. I've owned a Kindle since Dec. 07. I have a Kindle 2 now. I gave my KK to a friend, who couldn't afford to buy the device, but can afford books. So that worked out well, and allowed me to tell the hubby that it really would be best if I got the new one. Actually, he probably couldn't tell the difference between the two if I hadn't told him, but live and learn. Well, I'm off to explore the site now.

Jamaie wrote: "I'm afraid I think to take my Kindle out of my home...like it's been so awful hot here in GA & I'm afraid it will ruin my Kindle if I leave it in the car for any length of time. One other thing I do is let the Kindle read to me while I'm in the tub taking a bubble bath...ahhhh."

I was the same way when I first got my K2... I carried around in a neoprene sleeve for a netbook. Then I got the Octovo sleeve cover and I felt a little bit better. I just got a pocketbook big enough to carry it around, and now it goes with my everywhere! I take it to work, to school, it's sort of a constant companion.

As far as the bath, I'm a big bath reader myself. Someone suggested using a gallon-sized Ziplok freezer bag (as opposed do sandwich bags which are thinner.) Ever the cautious one, I actually double-bagged it. You can still operate everything, and it's still easy to read even with small text selected.

Man I love that thing!

I have had my K2 about a month & it is my first Kindle of any kind. I love it! But what's really funny is..most of the time I use my Kindle in my bedroom right before going to sleep for the night. During the day I read an actual paperback book & when I'm in my car waiting for my kids to get out of school I read magazines. I read everywhere...but I read in all sorts of ways. I'm afraid I think to take my Kindle out of my home...like it's been so awful hot here in GA & I'm afraid it will ruin my Kindle if I leave it in the car for any length of time. One other thing I do is let the Kindle read to me while I'm in the tub taking a bubble bath...ahhhh.

I've had my K2 for a couple of months and love it. I watched the Godfather movie and I was able to start reading the book in minutes! Fantastic.

It feels a little odd to read from a regular book, but with a large home library, I try to balance the two, although it is hard.

Hello. I had had the Kindle for one month. I love it, but I still take my books when going out of town. I would hate to have to stop reading when taking off or landing.

Brian #37, I agree that there are still a lot of books not on Kindle. Half of what I want to read is not on Kindle, so I am going back and forward between paperbacks and Kidle all the time.

I got my kindle about 3 weeks ago. so far i love it. i was interested in the kindle as soon as i saw it, but held off because i would go through reading phases, and didn't seem to read that much. after talking to another friend who has an ereader i thought it really would help me read more. so i treated myself and so far no regrets. i do think i have been reading more and it's not just infatuation with a new product. it's just easier to take with me here and there. I'm glad i waited for the K2 also because they made so many improvements in the design.

Hello, everyone. I am a writer and have just received the Kindle treatment for both of my books. Avenging Autumn and The Wintermen are now only $3.80 a piece.
You are all welcome to come by my profile and read the chapter 1 previews of each book as well as a short story called The Glass Vampire that is a spin off of sorts and will give you an idea of my writing style.

I don't have a kindle just yet, but it something I intend to purchase in the very near future. It seem like a really cool little device. Thanks, everybody.

Is Russell Brand that weird British guy? I had no idea he had a book!

I just finished The Road by Coramac McCarthy and would recommend it to anyone (read it before the movie comes out!)...not exactly an uplifting story though.

Hello,

I just got my K2 during the February release. I'm really happy to have it.

I'm being discerning about what a buy/add to it simply because I have "shelf guilt" over all the regular books I've acquired over the past couple years (thanks to paperbackswap.com & half.com).

I just finished Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death. Laurie Notaro is one of my favorites and I was happy to see that the book was free for awhile. Anyone else looking forward to Cook's Illustrated How-to-Cook Library? It's still free on Amazon.

Hey everyone! Had my K2 for about a week now & I just finished my first book, The Kite Runner on it. Feel free to throw good books my way that I can read on it. I have noticed there is still many many many books not available for it.

Book 2: Russell Brand's Booky Wook. Should be interesting to say the least.

-Brian.

Hi,
I've had my kindle since october and love it. Don't really know what i'd do without it. I'm also new to Good Reads and would like to meet new friends and talk about favorite books. So please fill free to hit me up.

Russ