You Don't Need a Kindle to Read Kindle Books

[Hilary]

I keep running into people who don't seem to be aware that you don't need a Kindle to read Kindle books. Amazon puts out a freeware program called Kindle for PC you can download to your desktop and laptop. I use it, and actually prefer it because you can read full screen, or two pages side-by-side.

The link for it is here: Kindle for PC

There's also Nook for PC program from Barnes and Nobles, too. The link is here: Nook for PC

Considering you can now download free books from these two sites once you install the programs, I wouldn't pass it by.

[[deleted user]]

There's also, y'know, apps for that. :P

[Paul]

Ronald wrote: "Pretty much every cell phone in existence has a kindle app, as well. It's pretty hard to find something you can't read a kindle book on."

The things that an ebook has above a pc monitor is portability and a non-backlit screen. Reading text off a monitor screen is horrible. And phone screens are just too damned small.

I do have an ereader programme on my laptop, but for the moment i'm sticking with paper.

[RB]

Same here. Earlier this year I bought this ereader: Booken OPUS. The device itself is pretty good. I can see the benefits of using an ereader - for instance it's lightweight, unlike a computer you can use it in direct sunlight (like a real book), and the fact that you can adjust the font size is awesome, but for me reading on an ereader is not the same as reading a printed book. I like the feeling of paper in my hands, I like the smell of books.

[Paul]

Rita wrote: "I like the feeling of paper in my hands, I like the smell of books. "

Just one of many reasons why walking into an Apple store will never be able to compete with a second-hand bookshop!

[Paul]

Cheers for that Ronald, that looks useful. I think the way it mutes colours will take some getting used to, but I immediately felt it much easier on the eyes. And easy to disable when needed; I do a lot of photo editing so that's essential.

[Weenie]

Paul wrote: "The things that an ebook has above a pc monitor is portability and a non-backlit screen. Reading text off a monitor screen is horrible. And phone screens are just too damned small."

It was trying to read on pc/phone that convinced me that I had to get the real thing!

[Michelle]

eh, i read on a phone screen alright, just not as my major reading device. any short-story collections i get for kindle also go to the phone - nice to have little bites to read if you're unexpectedly going to be stuck in line at the dmv for an hour.

[Bill]

I have trouble with e-ink. Aging eyes need more contrast. So I'd rather read on my iPad than my Kindle. That said, I still prefer physical books.

[Evilynn]

Ronald wrote:"I use my blackberry playbook for ebooks and change it to a black background with white text. Makes it so much easier on my eyes, and no problems with reading."

I do that with my Android phone too, and it works pretty well for me for shorter texts at least.

[Lara Amber]

Kernos wrote: "I have trouble with e-ink. Aging eyes need more contrast. So I'd rather read on my iPad than my Kindle. That said, I still prefer physical books."

Which version of the Kindle do you have? There was a major e-ink upgrade between the Kindle 2 and the Kindle 3 & gen 4 (current gen). I had a Kindle 2 and now have a Kindle Touch and the difference is amazing. Plus now in addition to picking the size of the font, you can change font and adjust the space between lines.

I was a "real book" person until I got my first Kindle and realized "no more ink coming off on my hands, no more fat paperbacks splitting apart when I read them, no more dust making me sneeze, and no more where-will-I-put-this-if-I-buy-it."

[Bill]

@Lara Amber - I have a Kindle 2 which is a bit better than a Kindle 1 re contrast. I have also heard the more recent ones are even better. But I have gotten to using my iPad iBooks and Kindle app. THe back lighting doesn't bother me.

I find white text on black very irritating and fatiguing.

[Polenth]

Kernos wrote: "I have trouble with e-ink. Aging eyes need more contrast. So I'd rather read on my iPad than my Kindle. That said, I still prefer physical books."

I read on an iPad for a similar reason. I can't handle the poor contrast of Kindle (the newer ones may be better, but they're still not high contrast enough).

The Kindle app itself is nice though, and doesn't have the same loading lag as iBooks.