An electronic book that works? - Page 6

Strangler Lewis · 12-29-2009, 10:55 AM

The desire to get a Kindle or something similar has me focused on clearing out my huge backlog of unread books.

Alex · 12-29-2009, 10:58 AM

That might be a good plan. My huge backlog of unread paper books remains in my nightstand getting dustier, untouched since I got my Kindle 18 months ago.

Every once in a while I look at the pile and actually think "I do want to read that, maybe I should buy it on Kindle" before deciding that ludicrous and I should just read the book. But the thought of actually lugging books around with me seems vaguely unpleasant to me at this point. How can it possibly be true that I ever read thick hardcover books one-handed standing on BART? How is it I subjected myself to the silent scrutiny of others by so ostentatiously displaying exactly what I'm reading and how far along I am in public places? Oh the horrors of my pre-technological past.

scaeagles · 12-29-2009, 11:18 AM

Thanks, Alex. I will look into that thread immmediately.

Moonliner · 12-29-2009, 12:05 PM

As this thread documents I struggled with the concept of an eBook reader for quite some time.

eBooks are an emerging technology. I went in knowing it's going to be a bumpy ride for at least a year or two until authors, publishers, and retailers figure out how to deal with this issue. Right now it does not look like the needs to the consumer is a primary concern for any of them and that will only lead to more problems. In the long run I think authors, publishers and retailers will all have their roll to play and the only one to really suffer will be printing companies who will see their market shrink significantly.

Still, I really like the idea of being able to carry a mini-library with me in an easy to carry reader friendly format (as opposed to say a laptop or Smartphone). In making my choice of an eReader I focused less on the hardware and more on the content. After all if I can't get the books I want to read what's the point? While no device is perfect at this point, the Kindle has more of the books I want to read than either the Nook or Sony products. So I went the Kindle path.

Having had the device for 3-days now, I know a couple of things. I'm reading more and watching/surfing less which I see as a plus, and I'm spending way too much money on books including the 'ludicrous' practice of buying books I already own just for the convenience of having them with me. I'll have to reign in the spending soon or see if there is a Kindle Anonymous group out there....

Also, I've noticed that I'm using it more like an Internet connection and less like a book. I'm reading about five books at the same time. A few pages at a time as the mood strikes me and time allows. I can't say yet if that's the way I will use the device in the long run or if it's just the newness.

Alex · 12-29-2009, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Also, I've noticed that I'm using it more like an Internet connection and less like a book. I'm reading about five books at the same time. A few pages at a time as the mood strikes me and time allows. I can't say yet if that's the way I will use the device in the long run or if it's just the newness.

That was a big thing that prompted me to get an e-ink reader. I was always reading a half-dozen books simultaneously, each good for a mood or circumstance ("this is the smallish paperback genre novel good for reading on BART with frequent interruptions while this is the 500-page hardcover review of artificial intelligence for when I've got a solid hour to read and reread the same pages if necessary").

So now, the thing was, I'd always have all the books with me. The result now is that I very rarely read multiple books simultaneously but plow through one and get to the next. Still reading the same amount, though.

alphabassettgrrl · 12-29-2009, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex

How can it possibly be true that I ever read thick hardcover books one-handed standing on BART? How is it I subjected myself to the silent scrutiny of others by so ostentatiously displaying exactly what I'm reading and how far along I am in public places?

I make a game of reading books in public with ... provocative titles. Haven't done it in a while but it entertains me to gauge who will come ask me what I'm reading and who won't. And having mental debates with myself as to how much I'll tell someone who asks. Do I want to be nice, or let them be uncomfortable?

Strangler Lewis · 01-03-2010, 12:47 PM

Query: when you download a title for a Kindle or similar reader, can you transfer the file to someone else the same way you can a hard copy of a book? Will the seller buy it back for a portion of the original price?

Alex · 01-03-2010, 12:52 PM

No, not if it is in a DRM format. For books in non-DRM formats you can share all you want (though not directly from the Kindle)

Barnes & Noble's new reader, the Nook, does have a very limited sharing capability. Every book you buy through them you can loan to another Nook owner. While you have it loaned out you do not have the ability to read it on your Nook.

However, it is very limited. Each book can only be loaned out once in your ownership lifetime and for only 14 days at most.

That said, with the Kindle you can have up to five Kindles linked to the same account and any book on that account can be downloaded to any or all of the Kindles. Since only one payment account exists per account, though, this means somebody will have to trust other people if they want to link accounts.

But since I do have two Kindles and Lani recently wanted to read a book I had already read on my Kindle, I just gave her my old one and she can read it on there. If she wants to buy new books that is fine since we're financially comingled and I trust her. If she does so, I'll have access to that book as well on my Kindle.

There is currently no concept of a "used book" in the eReader marketplace. I have advocated for it (and it could even be done so that the publisher/author gets a cut of the resale) but I know of no seller planning to do such a thing and I'm guessing the publisher would **** bricks at the thought. That said, because etext versions tend to be significantly cheaper than paper versions of the same thing I think you'd still generally come out ahead on price buying it cheaper up front than buying paper and selling it to a used bookstore.

Strangler Lewis · 01-03-2010, 01:02 PM

Interesting. Very interesting. Thanks for the summary.

flippyshark · 01-03-2010, 01:12 PM

So, can a Kindle be linked to the account of another Kindle and still have its own private account? In other words, could I be linked to my (theoretical) wife's Kindle and have access to her books while keeping my Doc Savage novels and Mickey Spillane thrillers to myself? Can she buy vampire lesbian erotica without my knowing about it? Or must our linked Kindles share exclusively and exactly the same libraries?

12-29-2009, 10:55 AM	#51
Strangler Lewis Doing The Job Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: In a state Posts: 3,956	The desire to get a Kindle or something similar has me focused on clearing out my huge backlog of unread books. __________________ Live now-pay later. Diner's Club!
	Submit to Quotes

12-29-2009, 10:58 AM	#52
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	That might be a good plan. My huge backlog of unread paper books remains in my nightstand getting dustier, untouched since I got my Kindle 18 months ago. Every once in a while I look at the pile and actually think "I do want to read that, maybe I should buy it on Kindle" before deciding that ludicrous and I should just read the book. But the thought of actually lugging books around with me seems vaguely unpleasant to me at this point. How can it possibly be true that I ever read thick hardcover books one-handed standing on BART? How is it I subjected myself to the silent scrutiny of others by so ostentatiously displaying exactly what I'm reading and how far along I am in public places? Oh the horrors of my pre-technological past.
	Submit to Quotes

12-29-2009, 11:18 AM	#53
scaeagles I LIKE! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,819	Thanks, Alex. I will look into that thread immmediately.
	Submit to Quotes

12-29-2009, 12:05 PM	#54
Moonliner 8/30/14 - Disneyland -10k or Bust. Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 9,022	As this thread documents I struggled with the concept of an eBook reader for quite some time. eBooks are an emerging technology. I went in knowing it's going to be a bumpy ride for at least a year or two until authors, publishers, and retailers figure out how to deal with this issue. Right now it does not look like the needs to the consumer is a primary concern for any of them and that will only lead to more problems. In the long run I think authors, publishers and retailers will all have their roll to play and the only one to really suffer will be printing companies who will see their market shrink significantly. Still, I really like the idea of being able to carry a mini-library with me in an easy to carry reader friendly format (as opposed to say a laptop or Smartphone). In making my choice of an eReader I focused less on the hardware and more on the content. After all if I can't get the books I want to read what's the point? While no device is perfect at this point, the Kindle has more of the books I want to read than either the Nook or Sony products. So I went the Kindle path. Having had the device for 3-days now, I know a couple of things. I'm reading more and watching/surfing less which I see as a plus, and I'm spending way too much money on books including the 'ludicrous' practice of buying books I already own just for the convenience of having them with me. I'll have to reign in the spending soon or see if there is a Kindle Anonymous group out there.... Also, I've noticed that I'm using it more like an Internet connection and less like a book. I'm reading about five books at the same time. A few pages at a time as the mood strikes me and time allows. I can't say yet if that's the way I will use the device in the long run or if it's just the newness. __________________ - Taking it one step at a time.
	Submit to Quotes

01-03-2010, 12:47 PM	#57
Strangler Lewis Doing The Job Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: In a state Posts: 3,956	Query: when you download a title for a Kindle or similar reader, can you transfer the file to someone else the same way you can a hard copy of a book? Will the seller buy it back for a portion of the original price? __________________ Live now-pay later. Diner's Club!
	Submit to Quotes

01-03-2010, 12:52 PM	#58
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	No, not if it is in a DRM format. For books in non-DRM formats you can share all you want (though not directly from the Kindle) Barnes & Noble's new reader, the Nook, does have a very limited sharing capability. Every book you buy through them you can loan to another Nook owner. While you have it loaned out you do not have the ability to read it on your Nook. However, it is very limited. Each book can only be loaned out once in your ownership lifetime and for only 14 days at most. That said, with the Kindle you can have up to five Kindles linked to the same account and any book on that account can be downloaded to any or all of the Kindles. Since only one payment account exists per account, though, this means somebody will have to trust other people if they want to link accounts. But since I do have two Kindles and Lani recently wanted to read a book I had already read on my Kindle, I just gave her my old one and she can read it on there. If she wants to buy new books that is fine since we're financially comingled and I trust her. If she does so, I'll have access to that book as well on my Kindle. There is currently no concept of a "used book" in the eReader marketplace. I have advocated for it (and it could even be done so that the publisher/author gets a cut of the resale) but I know of no seller planning to do such a thing and I'm guessing the publisher would **** bricks at the thought. That said, because etext versions tend to be significantly cheaper than paper versions of the same thing I think you'd still generally come out ahead on price buying it cheaper up front than buying paper and selling it to a used bookstore.
	Submit to Quotes

01-03-2010, 01:02 PM	#59
Strangler Lewis Doing The Job Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: In a state Posts: 3,956	Interesting. Very interesting. Thanks for the summary. __________________ Live now-pay later. Diner's Club!
	Submit to Quotes

01-03-2010, 01:12 PM	#60
flippyshark Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,852	So, can a Kindle be linked to the account of another Kindle and still have its own private account? In other words, could I be linked to my (theoretical) wife's Kindle and have access to her books while keeping my Doc Savage novels and Mickey Spillane thrillers to myself? Can she buy vampire lesbian erotica without my knowing about it? Or must our linked Kindles share exclusively and exactly the same libraries?
	Submit to Quotes