E-readers - seriously?

[hermosabeach]

Kindle Fire
Watch movies on flights
Check Email while traveling
Ton of free books that are out of copyright
Cheaper books than costco for new
if you have Amazon prime for shipping - you get many books for free

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re reading books- how often does one actually re read a book? almost never

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drawbacks - not good with water... floating in a book... books are better

[Iknownot]

If you're a reader and have done any research, you'd know your cost comment is way off base. I've been a Kindle user since it launched. Kindle books cost less and many, including the Classics are inexpensive. I've gotten my friends to research overcome those illogical arguments and read more for less.

My Kindle library is mine. I can read, reread my books anytime. They are stored in the Cloud. No one is rescinding rights. Not a chance in hell of that happening.

If you are looking at new releases, kindle books often do not cost less. Even stuff that has been out awhile can be the same price or just a dollar or two less.

Kindle pricing on actual books is not competitively priced especially if you click the link that amazon so conveniently provides you with to take a look at the used books prices.

On your second point, it may not have happened to you but there have been instances of amazon removing books (due to licensing disputes or edition updates) from availability on the kindle store and if you had that version of the book stored on your kindle and you signed in, amazon would automatically remove it from your library.

So yes, you do not actually own any of the books you buy. You own the right to view them on your kindle and that is at amazon's discretion.

It doesn't happen often but it has happened. I would be happier if e-book files were treated like physical books in terms of licensing rights, instead of like digital media.

[gorn5150]

None of the books i've bought or gotten for free can be zapped by the seller. The ones with DRM get converted to non DRM so I can keep archive copies. I got burned with a couple of songs I bought years ago with DRM and not being able to use them after replacing laptops a few times. That doesn't happen anymore.

My wifes ereader has just under 11,000 books on it. I would need to build an extra room on my house to store them. She always liked reading. I bought her the reader a few years ago thinking she may use it a little. She uses it every day. Same with my inlaws. I bought them both a nook simple touch glow light reader and they were hooked after the first book. None of them even use the online functions of the readers.

[gorn5150]

On your second point, it may not have happened to you but there have been instances of amazon removing books (due to licensing disputes or edition updates) from availability on the kindle store and if you had that version of the book stored on your kindle and you signed in, amazon would automatically remove it from your library.

That is why you don't store your books on someones "cloud". You download the free program Calibre and store your books on a local hard drive.

[Bainter1212]

Well, not to sound like a prepper or anything but if the electrical grid failed, your ebooks vanish into dust.
My wife uses an e-reader but I just can't bring myself to use one. Owning a physical book just means something to me I guess......I can't really explain why.

[Peter.Steele]

It's been ... probably 3 years, maybe 4, since I've really picked up a paper book for reading. Virtually every book I could ever want is available on my iPhone. I go through at least one book every 2 days, at a minimum. I can read a couple quick pages when I have a down minute or two at work, while I'm waiting for the coffee maker or the microwave, while I'm laying in bed not getting any sleep, while I'm in line at the drive thru ... etc.

It's ridiculously convenient.

[Tripper]

Well, not to sound like a prepper or anything but if the electrical grid failed, your ebooks vanish into dust.
My wife uses an e-reader but I just can't bring myself to use one. Owning a physical book just means something to me I guess......I can't really explain why.

Umm, no, what's on my kindle is on there unless I remove it, internet or not, electricity or not, I use solar to charge it while camping with no internet.


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[bonusweb]

Everyone hypes the new fangled (ok, not so new) e-readers like Kindle and the like. But I absolutely don't get it. The only feature (for a bookhound like me) that is useful is that they can hold thousands of books. However, that does not outweigh the negatives I've read about them, which is everything:

1. You don't actually OWN the books, you've bought the rights to read them
2. These rights can be rescinded at the whim of the pereson providing them
3. You're paying the same price as an actual book, but don't own it
4. You can't just loan a book to someone without following the express guidleines the provider outlines
5. The cost of a reader itself

Now tell me, where in all of that is the appeal?

I have a Sony reader the small one.
Its pretty cool. Open box on Amazon for $50

Someone gave me a 3g keyboard kindle.
That's a pain if you not charge it often, it keeps drawing the battery until it goes bad. Getting new battery. So can't say its good for prepper.

The sony seems to be ok in this regard. Both do allow a lot of reading on on charge, a week maybe.

[Gryff]

Everyone hypes the new fangled (ok, not so new) e-readers like Kindle and the like. But I absolutely don't get it. The only feature (for a bookhound like me) that is useful is that they can hold thousands of books. However, that does not outweigh the negatives I've read about them, which is everything:

1. You don't actually OWN the books, you've bought the rights to read them
2. These rights can be rescinded at the whim of the pereson providing them
3. You're paying the same price as an actual book, but don't own it
4. You can't just loan a book to someone without following the express guidleines the provider outlines
5. The cost of a reader itself

Now tell me, where in all of that is the appeal?

- Because they can hold thousands of books.
- Because you can buy new books pretty much anywhere you have connectivity.
- New releases are cheaper than hardbacks.
- Most readers do something more than just show books (email, web, calendar, contacts, etc.
- And...because they can hold thousands of books.

I've been using a Kindle or an iPad for years. LOVE the flexibility that they provide, and I far prefer them to paper books. Old-school books are wonderful to hold and turn the pages, but that nostalgia isn't enough to eclipse the insane convenience of eBooks.

[Tripper]

E-readers - seriously?

I have a Sony reader the small one.
Its pretty cool. Open box on Amazon for $50

Someone gave me a 3g keyboard kindle.
That's a pain if you not charge it often, it keeps drawing the battery until it goes bad. Getting new battery. So can't say its good for prepper.

The sony seems to be ok in this regard. Both do allow a lot of reading on on charge, a week maybe.

My household has 5 kindles, 1 paper white, 2 keyboard and 2 not keyboard
I don't have battery issues on any of them, 1 is currently a spare that just sits in a bag in my truck, maybe once a month I'll charge it IF I think if it, it's say a couple months for sure and still had battery enough go read a bit, I use it to put PDFs on mainly.
Anyway, I don't have battery issues with any of them, you may have just got a bad one
I usually set them on a goal zero solar label for the day while at work to charge them




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[gorn5150]

Well, not to sound like a prepper or anything but if the electrical grid failed, your ebooks vanish into dust.
My wife uses an e-reader but I just can't bring myself to use one. Owning a physical book just means something to me I guess......I can't really explain why.

My small folding solar panel makes ereaders become off grid ereaders.

[dyson]

E readers are easy to hold, easy to carry, easy on the eyes

Multi functional.....carry around a tablet/laptop and a book, or.....

Many have digital highlighting functions, and click for definition functions

Find and buy a book in seconds.

You download the file, therefore you own it. There are ways to shed the DRM coding and share if you really want to loan a book. Wait til the next time you see your friend to loan? Nah just sent it via email right now.

[bonusweb]

My household has 5 kindles, 1 paper white, 2 keyboard and 2 not keyboard
I don't have battery issues on any of them, 1 is currently a spare that just sits in a bag in my truck, maybe once a month I'll charge it IF I think if it, it's say a couple months for sure and still had battery enough go read a bit, I use it to put PDFs on mainly.
Anyway, I don't have battery issues with any of them, you may have just got a bad one
I usually set them on a goal zero solar label for the day while at work to charge them




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Well I didn't use for it for months. I did a Google search and its a known issue on at least the 3g keyboard.

http://www.amazon.com/forum/kindle?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=Fx1D7SY3BVSESG&cdThread=Tx3JDQOIOAKRNHP

The Kindles use lithium ion batteries. Any time you allow a lithium ion battery to go completely dead it ruins it. The battery will no longer hold a charge. If you have gone several months between charges then this is likely what happened

Sony was sitting for same time. For some reason Kindles don't truly shut down. They still draw and there is no emergency shut off before battery death.

[Jimvh2]

I agree with everything Ray said. I have a Kindle from probably 5 years ago and have been thinking of upgrading to the newest one.

The other thing is the pure convenience of it. If I finish a book in a series at 10pm I can pay for and download the next one and keep reading if that is what I want to do.

You can also access your library from anywhere. I have some downtime at work and often times will read on the computer or phone, it also keeps track of where you left off.

Its great for vacation because you can load up a bunch of books (or even buy them from where you are going) and it is one small thing to carry vs. a stack of books.

Also, the e readers have made it possible for more people to get published or even publish their book themselves. Some young/unknown writers have books that are available only electronically so I think that is a great thing.

Maybe its not for you...That is ok too.

All of this, Plus I have discovered some cool authors because of the $1 deal or free books.

[Lifeon2whls]

Yep what they said. I was resistant too but it's better. You just don't get that smell or feel of a book, but you get over that pretty quick when you're sitting at home, finish a book and can download anything you want at anytime of the day.