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Is it worth it to buy a kindle?
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Sarah
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Jun 08, 2012 08:59AM
I really really enjoy reading books and have refused to buy a Kindle until now. I'm still not sure if I should or if it is worth it to get one. Any suggestions, or should I just stick with regular books?
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I LOVE my nook. When I moved I donated most of my books because I have them on my nook now. I kept a select few but I move at least once a year and could not imagine keeping hundreds of books.
Most of my friends who read have a kindle and love it. I am glad I went for the Nook though because it has more storage space and can support additional storage through a micro SD card.
I would recommend it to anyone who is a frequent reader. I love knowing that when I move overseas next month all my books get to come with me!
I have a Kindle Fire and I love it! I wasn't the least bit interested in buying one but I got it for Christmas from my bosses and I absolutely love it. I play on the internet more than I read though.
I discovered last week that my library now has 6 basic kindles to loan. Got on the waiting list & picked up one this Tuesday. Loved it so much that I ordered my own kindle fire yesterday (Thurs).
I love my Kindle Fire. I waited a long time ... knew that I was going to get something, but wanted to make sure I got the one I wanted. I don't mind that it has less storage because everything else can be stored in the cloud. If we're going camping and I want video to watch on it, before we leave I download something I've bought or rented and then move it back to the cloud when we get home. I also have games and great apps for my preK grandchildren. My husband likes it so I got a Kobo touch (I think it's called touch) in case we both want to read on them at the same time. It was cheaper than the KF and has tons of storage.
Do you still pay for the books you put in your kindle or does it become free once you have a kindle?
You have to pay for them, but they have many available for free (not just the classics) and at a really reduced price. They offer a daily deal also ... usually 99 cents or 1.99. I check every day in case it's something I want. I kept the Amazon Prime membership (you get it free for 30 days with the KF) & with that I get instant streaming of many videos and can borrow a book a month. Need to decide what I want to borrow this month. :-) Amazon Prime is a bit cheaper than Netflix, but not sure it can be watched on the tv. I could give up Dish if it weren't for the Cardinals games my husband loves. LOL
I have a kindle keyboard and I love it! I have it hooked with my iPhone so if I am without my kindle I can use my phone and enjoy my book where I left off. You do have to pay for the books, but most are cheaper than they would be in print. And they have daily deals in the free kindle section, I got a book that everyday is $14.99 on kindle, it was on sale one day only for $0!! I picked it up and have enjoyed it!
I have all the apps on my iPhone and that helped me to sample them prior to buying. They all have deals. I like the Kobo app the best, but loved the Kindle Fire when it came out. B&N had to lower the price of theirs like the KF ... I think they were charging $269 and the KF is $199. Now they're both that price. Both have good sales and cheap books ... just get on the websites and check out the prices. I've found some fairly unknown authors that I love by buying the cheap books. Some are not so good, but that's how it goes. LOL Good luck with your shopping. I still read real books as I have over 1,000 in my house, but I'm trying to get rid of most of them as I read them. It's so nice to just carry the ereader when we go anywhere.
I have a kindle touch and have over 700 books on it all of them were free - i never though i would like the kindle as i always loved paper books but i love it . A good site for free books is ereader iq
Hi My hubby bought me a kindle. I had a sony reader but never took to it. So I was surprised at the kindle. It is so simple and quick and to be honest lighter than a lot of books. Love it plus space is an issue and these babies store loads so yeh!!! Get one. Now.
I use my ipad for reading but i'm also thinking of getting a kindle or a nook just because i find it distracting to have many apps on a device that sometimes i neglect reading
It wouldn't be worth it for me. I like that bookish smell and feel. Also, a part-timer at my library told me that e-books disappear after two weeks if you borrow them from the library, and it doesn't sound like you can renew e-books like I can with regular library books.Besides, I don't have to deal with customer support, charging it, or changing the battery with regular books. Having to charge an e-reader, change the battery, or call customer support if there's a glitch on my e-reader would be a hassle.
I have a kindle fire and a regular kindle love both of them use the fire for web movies and looking up books my kindle has the keyboard it is easier onto do on the fire.to read I use the kindle because of the epaper it is easier on the eyes than the touch screen on the fire
Melissa wrote: "It wouldn't be worth it for me. I like that bookish smell and feel. Also, a part-timer at my library told me that e-books disappear after two weeks if you borrow them from the library, and it doesn..."Hi I still use my local library (more for the kids though) and I still buy the odd DTB but I have thousands of books and the room I had for them has gone to my kids. So I have loads of books in boxes in the garage and no easy access. Plus the kindle charges in an hour or two and the charge can last weeks. Plus they are great for travel. Plus never had a glitch or problem with mine touch wood. Very simple.
I love my Kindle (key board, 3G). I first got it because quite simply, it was a space issue! I was running out of places to store all the books I loved. There are a lot of up sides and a few down sides to kindle. I don't like that sharing books is so controled, some can't be shared at all and even if they are loanable, they can only be loaned once. I DO like all the free books I have been able to down load, I like being able to change font size and text to speech. I listen to books on the way to and from work. I can carry a whole library in my purse where ever I go. I used to always have a seperate bag of books whe I traveled.On the whole, I think it is a good thing. I still love paper books too and some things I would not want on Kindle, like cookbooks, gardening books, things with instructions or lots of pictures would not work as well for me anyway.
Barbara you have summed up what I think about my kindle completely! :)
I've only had one issue with my Kindle Fire & it only took the tech rep 2 minutes to straighten it out. Our power had flickered and it messed up the signal. Apparently, this rarely happens as we've had power outages since and nothing happened. Amazon has amazing customer support for the Kindle!
I love my e-reader, too! I was one of those people who was against it for a long time because I love the feel and smell of books. Until I realized... Wait a second, I don't have to give up regular books just because I own a Kindle! Plus, it works with Audible, which is awesome.Oh, and with an e-reader, you can take advantage of stuff like Baen Free Library.
I always said I would never swap over to a reader, as I love the feel of a book, turning nice crisp pages, or even old, well read ones. But...I downloaded a book on my iphone as I didn't want to wait for it to be posted to me, and now I'm hooked! I think I've read more since I started doing this too, as everything is available at the press of a button. Not so good for my purse though ;-)
I would keep in mind that Amazon is actively working to monopolize the book industry and if successful will likely kill off the ability for publishers to publish a range of novels, instead of just bestsellers.So, yeah, it's cool, but if you're going to go with one, go with the Nook.
Mod
If you live or spend lots of time outside of the US without a VPN the Kindle may be the way to go because B&N will only allow you to purchase books inside the US.
I personally have a Nook because it allows for use of microSD card and I wanted extra storage. At the time of purchase I lived in the US and had no plans to go overseas. In a month I am moving to Taiwan to teach English so I may regret that decision.
My only advice would be to go with an e-ink device. I have the Nook Color and LOVE it but the e-ink versions are lighter and easier on the eyes.
yeah I would second this. In the UK the two main types of reader are kindle or the sonyreader. The kindle is in my opinion easier and cheaper to buy books for and a better screen.
It all comes down to what you want. Personally, the only electronic reading I do is for reviews and friend's books that aren't published in paperback, and these are read on Kindle and Nook for PC. I'm a paperback girl all the way. It's important to me to have actual covers and pages that I can underline and put book plates on the front for my favorites. I'm old fashion and proud of it. :D
Best of luck in your decision.
Hi Denise, I think that electronic readers are really handy especially for holidays and travel. Like you I love the covers of books and the feel of them but I now have a space issue as I own thousands of books. Hence the kindle. I wonder what will happen in the future?
I just got my Kindle Fire a day and a half ago and cannot believe I waited so long... I love it already...
I got my Kindle Fire for Christmas, and I love it. I brought books to work a lot and I hated lugging around the extra weight in my bag. The kindle is a lot kinder to my shoulders. It's also much more convenient to read two books at the same time. So I can switch between lighter genre stuff and a (free) classic or non-fiction. Plus the Fire has apps and other features. So I can read something and then instantly check Goodreads, Amazon or anything else.
I love the feel and smell of books, but keeping several hundred books on my Kindle takes some beating! The ability to enlarge type to read comfortably has been great for my 94 yr old mother! Another advantage is that if you are reading a new author and the books if free for a few days on a Kindle promo it enables the reader to sample and decide if that author is worth buying. I put 3 free short stories on Smashwords (links on blog) and the feedback to me as a writer has been incredible. I could not have done this with print except at great cost. Hopefully, I will have gained a few - incredibly intelligent and discerning :) - people who like my style and will continue to read my work when my novel comes out shortly.
There will aways be a place for paper books, but the future belongs to electronic reading.
Theresa wrote: "Bev wrote: "Hi My hubby bought me a kindle. I had a sony reader but never took to it. So I was surprised at the kindle. It is so simple and quick and to be honest lighter than a lot of books. Love ..."I'm absolutely with Bev. My Sony Pocket of a couple of years back was a present and I dutifully read it from time to time, mainly just the hundred-and-odd free books that came with it, I admit. I just wasn't that fussed, it didn't feel good in my hand or to my eye like a real book and 5" was just too small (enormous self-restraint being practised at this point - I must NOT make off-colour jokes!!) for the screen. However, it broke late last year and I got a 3G Kindle Keyboard for Christmas and I feel totally different about it.
Practically, it's lighter, the storage capacity is much better, as is the screen size, though not the battery life (especially if I forget to switch off the wireless connection when I don't need it). You can download books directly (if I remember rightly the ereader needed all books to be downloaded to computer and then transferred), added to that, the variety of books is far greater and they are generally a fair bit cheaper. As a book replacement the screen is larger and clearer. I also like the idea that if I want to check an obscure fact while reading I don't have to go and get on the computer to do it.
Having said all of that, I do love real books. I think both have their place. It's the kindle that lives in my handbag and provides my books on the move, while at home I'd rather have a real book in my hand, if possible. For cost and sometimes practicality (any book over 500 pages is better on Kindle for me since it is so much lighter and I'm running out of space on my bookcases) I'm reading more on the Kindle at home too, though, as the months pass. Though I half regret it, the eReader's time has come.
I love my kindle, but even in the UK there are other options (I'm making an assumption about where you are because Sony and Kindle are the two main competitors here, ignore this if I'm wrong). Kindle is forcing them out though, it's just too dominant. Hopefully this will lead companies to really strive to make theirs the best product rather than just rolling over and dying. I suspect, though, that that is far too optimistic of me. Tellingly, I've read really good reviews of the Kobo, for instance, but I know no-one who has one.
Theresa wrote: "Bev wrote: "Hi My hubby bought me a kindle. I had a sony reader but never took to it. So I was surprised at the kindle. It is so simple and quick and to be honest lighter than a lot of books. Love ..."Well for a start its lighter and the screen is better and its thinner and more ergonomic but mainly it is so simple to use. No more messing with USB ports and computers. Just switch on wifi and download and 2 seconds later book arrives. fabulous. Really easy. Give it a go you wont be disappointed.
Elise wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Bev wrote: "Hi My hubby bought me a kindle. I had a sony reader but never took to it. So I was surprised at the kindle. It is so simple and quick and to be honest lighter than a lot..."I think you are right as I am in the UK too. Sony or Kindle are the main ones there is kobo but its not popular. I think in Canada or the States its kindle or Nook that are popular. I love my kindle and its so simple my 8 year old has one too.
Bev wrote: "Elise wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Bev wrote: "Hi My hubby bought me a kindle. I had a sony reader but never took to it. So I was surprised at the kindle. It is so simple and quick and to be honest ligh..."I have a Kindle 3G/4G here in the states and a Kindle Fire. I love both of them. The 3G/4G Kindle works best for reading. I have about 300 books on it and haven't begun to fill it up yet.
The Kindle's so versitile and light I can, and do, take it anywhere.
I know exactly how you feel. When I see my fellow peers at school reading on an electronic device, all I can think is "Traitor" while I continue to read my book in the traditional print. But because our world has become so digital and ebooks are a lot less than paying for a book, despite the part where you have to pay for the kindle, nook, ect. it is beginning to sound a lot more logical to buy one. However, I have read an electronic book a few times and it just doesn't feel the same to me as holding an actual book. Call me old fashion if you will. If you have a friend or relative who have a kindle, nook, etc ask to try it out or go to the store and try their's out. You should really go by feeling. Like I said, I don't prefer electronic books to traditional because I don't like the feeling, so to speak. If the electronic book is more conviently fitting to your lifestyle, than you should consider investing in a kindle.
Kendyl wrote: "I know exactly how you feel. When I see my fellow peers at school reading on an electronic device, all I can think is "Traitor" while I continue to read my book in the traditional print. But becaus..."The only think I might add to that is, that, I thought I liked paper books better, but, when it comes down to it, I had only rad a handful in a handful of years.
Then, I got a kindle and read 30 books an a few months. I hadn't realized how hard the simple act of "reading" had been getting for me. How hard it was on my eyes, how much of pain it was to mess with pages, and figure where I was, even my finger turn numb (outside two fingers of each hand) when I read.
With kindle the simple act of setting the font size and words per page made it easier, pluse the "e-ink" was actually easier on my eyes (though some of that may have been due to the font size).
I've even adapted to where I can use the text to speech in my car and listen while I drive. (that took some getting used to, but less than I thought.)
Still... the truth is, if your not going to like it, why spoil your reading experience with a hundred dollars on a kindle? If you 'want' a book, read a book buy a book. We get the same goal accomplished.
Its about what makes things more enjoyable and easier, sometimes that is a book.
The Kindle Fire I got mostly for the multi-media capabilities. It works very well for that.
I agree Curmudgeon about that side of ebooks. Great for people with disabilities and for worsening eyesight. Now I have reached my 40's my eyes aint what they once were so changing font size is great.My friends grandad listens to his books.
I am guessing for the elderly with arthritis and so on that readers would be a boon.
Plus you can get a kindle in the UK for £90. As most DT books cost an average of £5 - 7 (pbk), then it is the equivalent of buying around 15 books. After that you can get loads of free classics or very cheap ebooks sometimes lots cheaper than the DT book version.
I liked paper books but the kindle touch has changed that! and now the charity shop has most of mine. I like to read most types of book but always found myself buying the same authors (King/Laymon/Koontz/etc) But with the vast amount of free books available, I now finding myself looking for NEW authors to try and have found lots of good stuff to read..
Brian wrote: "I liked paper books but the kindle touch has changed that! and now the charity shop has most of mine. I like to read most types of book but always found myself buying the same authors (King/Laymo..."
Yes, and they are not all Indie pubs. Amazon has tons of free books and books for 99cents. You can find most of the classics "free."
If your tired of that, there are all sorts of projects that have free books and classics.
go to "manage my kindle" there should be a help link to instructions for importing books. Basically, you have an email address that feeds your kindle. you basically email books fom sony (or wherever the book came from) to your Amazon kindle account. follow the instructions. its not hard.
Mod
The Kindle is cheap e..."
There is a program called Calibre that will allow you to change the format of books. I use it when I download free books in PDF to transfer over but I am not sure how you get the books from the Sony to Calibre. Perhaps that will help though...
Lauren wrote: "Helen wrote: "I have a Sony eRead which I do love... but I'm beginning to feel like Betamax woman (showing my age there!), especially that Waterstones have decided to go the Kindle route. The Kin..."
Calibre is easy, it's what I used to convert my old Sony books when I got my kindle. Mobi is the format you need to convert them to (pdf will work, after a fashion, but not nearly as well as mobi on a kindle). You then just connect your kindle to the computer and drag and drop the files from your Calibre library to the "documents" folder on your kindle, or even easier, you highlight all the files, in Calibre, then right click on them and tell the computer to add them to the kindle and a few seconds later there they are on your kindle ready to read!
I have been on the fence for awhile about getting an e reader. I love to turn the pages, put my book mark in and see how far through the book I am, and close the cover when I am finished. I have almost 100 books that I have bought (paperbacks) and haven't read yet. I really wish there was a way for me to plug these into an ereader and not have to pay for them again. If that was ever possible I would probably go ahead and buy a kindle right now. I think I would feel guilty having all these books still to read then buying even more on an ereader. Also, what happens to my books on an ereader 50 years from now? I'm sure the technology will be obsolete and we will be onto something more advanced. I like to know that when I have a book, I have it, I can hold it and pass it around to whom ever I want.
Dilemma.
Those of us in Canada have a hard time acquiring Kindles. Or Nooks even. So our choices here are between Sony and Kobo.I went with Kobo. It's a Toronto based company that's affiliated with Indigo/Chapters. So you can get a Kobo at Best Buy, Future Shop or an actual Indigo/Chapters store.
As for the books, you can still get thousands, if not more, cheap, or practically cheap books on the Kobo website. Kobo's motto is "Read Freely" so if you download their Kobo Desktop app you can save your books to your ereader, then pick up where you left off on your smartphone, and finish on your computer. (Kinda like authorizing other computers to play your music in iTunes.)
Another bonus, since Kobo is part of Chapters/Indigo, you can buy giftcards at the store and redeem them on either the Kobo or Chapters site and put them right in your ereader.
I'm not sure if Kobo is available outside Canada yet, but it's been a pretty good little purchase for me!
Hi yes in the UK one of the book shops W H Smith are using Kobo. They sent me an email asking me to transfer my sony reader library across to them.As I no longer use the sony and have a kindle I couldnt be bothered. How/where do you get Calibre from?
Yes of course. it is just love it.Tara Hamdi
I absolutely love my kindle and never leave the house without it. It was the best present that I have ever got for Christmas and it has helped me enjoy reading more and got me even into reading more :-)
I never leave home without my Kindle or one of my two Sony Readers and/or a book or two as I read more than one book at a time.
