Why I've decided I don't like my Kindle

[Frontier Mom]

Well, to defend this one point, reading multiple books on a Kindle is actually easy. As soon as you close out of a book to return to the menu, it automatically saves your place just like a bookmark. When you click on the title again, it takes you directly to the page where you left off.

 

Actually, this is one of the things I love most about my Kindle. When my dcs have sports practice, I don't have to take a bag of books. Just pick up my Kindle and go!!

 

I do still borrow tons of books from the library. I don't buy that many books on my Kindle but would if I had some Amazon gift cards;) Santa? Hear me Santa?

[Word Nerd]

Agreed. It reminds me of some of the hype regarding microwaves a few decades ago. They were going to replace the oven, etc. Just because I have a microwave, I don't feel compelled to throw out my oven. There are things the microwave does well, but also many things it doesn't (like browning, baking, etc)---an oven is better for that. One can get by without a microwave, certainly, but they can happily coexist if one so desires. Same with e-readers and printed books.

 

I think that's a good analogy!

[Whereneverever]

Depending on the type of books you read it doesn't have to be expensive- I currently have 105 books on my Kindle and all of them have been free.

[Scarlett]

I think that's a good analogy!

 

Me too!

[KingM]

I was thinking about getting one for doing some work-type reading, but then someone said you had to pay a small fee to email docs and pdfs to your Kindle. Is this true and is there a way to get this type of file onto your device for free? It just grates that I'd have to pay to get something onto a computer that I might have written myself. I don't care how small the fee, I don't want to pay it out of principle.

[Mothersweets]

I saved for months to buy a Kindle and loved it at first.

 

Now, six months later, I've decided I'm probably not going to use it that much anymore. If I had to go back, I wouldn't have purchased it. Since I've never heard anyone else ever say that, I thought I'd share why:

 

1) I had been reading chapter books to my girls from the Kindle. One day, I was at the library and saw the book we were reading -- Understood Betsy -- and brought it home. The book had several illustrations, which the Kindle did not, and that made a huge difference in our enjoyment of the rest of the book.

 

2) I found I was spending way more money that I would like on books. Before I got the Kindle, I spent almost nothing, between the library and trades at the used bookstore. But in six months I spent over $90 on Kindle books. Worse, at least three purchases ended up being books I hated and/or never finished. And I probably could have gotten every single one (although not as quickly or impulsively) through the library and spent $0.

 

3) I found I often want to flip back and forth ... "Wait, who was that character? Let me read the section on "x" again," etc, and I found that very cumbersome, and sometimes almost impossible, on the Kindle.

 

4) I know most people don't feel this way, but I just feel like I'm not getting the "whole book" when I don't see the cover, turn the pages, physically see how much I've read and the distance, so to speak, between sections, see the fonts, etc. I feel like I'm missing an element of depth -- kinda like one of my senses is being left out of the experience.

 

So there it is. I know I'm in the minority. And I would definitely recommend the Kindle for anyone who travels a lot, or uses public transportation. But for me ... if I could go back, I would pass on that purchase.

 

 

I'm so glad you posted this! I feel the same way, although I didn't actually purchase a Kindle - my dd did. At first, it was fun to use but then the drawbacks you listed popped up. Where am I in the book? Wait, who said what a few pages ago? and to make things worse, I kept hitting the forward button instead of the back button while wondering why nothing on the page looked like what I just read. duh.

 

It seems that the price of the books has gone up, as well. They used to be just a few dollars, but now almost every book I see is $10 or so.

[RoughCollie]

I

It seems that the price of the books has gone up, as well. They used to be just a few dollars, but now almost every book I see is $10 or so.

 

A lot of them are $12 and up. That's because five major publishers got together and decided to charge whatever they pleased ($12.50 seems to appear the most) and Amazon had to do what they said or not sell their books. It's called "the agency model".

 

Previously, Amazon bought the books at wholesale and set their own retail prices.

 

That is the story in a nutshell, as I understand it.

Edited December 24, 2010 by RoughCollie

[Laurel]

I was thinking about getting one for doing some work-type reading, but then someone said you had to pay a small fee to email docs and pdfs to your Kindle. Is this true and is there a way to get this type of file onto your device for free? It just grates that I'd have to pay to get something onto a computer that I might have written myself. I don't care how small the fee, I don't want to pay it out of principle.

 

You can email the docs to amazon and they will send them back converted to kindle format. Then you can transfer them via USB to your kindle. That is free. For a small fee, you can email them to amazon and they will send the converted doc directly to your kindle. More convenient that way but it does cost.

[jplain]

I was thinking about getting one for doing some work-type reading, but then someone said you had to pay a small fee to email docs and pdfs to your Kindle. Is this true and is there a way to get this type of file onto your device for free? It just grates that I'd have to pay to get something onto a computer that I might have written myself. I don't care how small the fee, I don't want to pay it out of principle.

Get a Sony. In my opinion, it is a better ereader. But you do pay a premium for it.

[Amira]

Get a Sony. In my opinion, it is a better ereader. But you do pay a premium for it.

 

We're a Sony reader family. We do have a Kindle and it gets used, but we like our Sonys a lot better.

 

And you won't necessarily pay more for a Sony. Since they have a trade-in program, you can get their pocket reader for $75. We got an old ereader from a friend and traded it in. They'll take any brand (and it doesn't even have to be a dedicated ereader; I've heard of people trading in old palms and ipod touches).

[katilac]

You can email the docs to amazon and they will send them back converted to kindle format. Then you can transfer them via USB to your kindle. That is free. For a small fee, you can email them to amazon and they will send the converted doc directly to your kindle. More convenient that way but it does cost.

 

It's about ten cents per document. Just to clarify, Kindle can now read native pdf (meaning, it can read pdf documents, no conversion required). I have never had a problem with any of the many pdf docs I put on my Kindle, but they don't have complicated diagrams and such.

[sagira]

Oh well, I got a Kindle for Christmas from my MIL. I was still psyched -- a gift! It's the latest version. I'll see how it goes :)

Edited December 27, 2010 by sagira

[Desert Rat]

My BIL surprised me with a Kindle for Christmas! I'm disappointed in the fact that I can't get ebooks from the library (although I could if I had the Sony or Nook. Grumble) And I don't think that it will replace the books I get from the library, etc. I like have books around. BUT, I think I will enjoy having the Kindle to keep with me at sports and when I need to wait. I plan on keeping classics on there (free) and I've put a compilation of fairy tales on there to read to the boys if we're stuck somewhere.

For me, it won't come close to replacing paper books (I love the smell, the feel....) but it will be a nice tool. Plus, I love the dictionary on there and it will be so handy for school!

[Jenn in Mo]

I was thinking about getting one for doing some work-type reading, but then someone said you had to pay a small fee to email docs and pdfs to your Kindle. Is this true and is there a way to get this type of file onto your device for free? It just grates that I'd have to pay to get something onto a computer that I might have written myself. I don't care how small the fee, I don't want to pay it out of principle.

 

Amazon gives you a Kindle email address which allows you to send a pdf directly to your kindle. Also, there are pdf converters out there that you can download for free. You can then open the document you want to convert and click "Print", choose "Print to PDF" as your printer device, and then email the new pdf to your kindle.

[Jenn in Mo]

I didn't think I would like mine, but my sweet hubby surprised me with one and I didn't want him to feel bad so I gave it a true try. I fell in love with it immediately. It doesn't replace books, but it is wonderful all on its own. The only thing I don't like about it is that I can't take it in the bathtub with me. I guess I could, but it wouldn't be wise. I do love a good book with a hot soak though.

[_melody_]

I didn't think I would like mine, but my sweet hubby surprised me with one and I didn't want him to feel bad so I gave it a true try. I fell in love with it immediately. It doesn't replace books, but it is wonderful all on its own. The only thing I don't like about it is that I can't take it in the bathtub with me. I guess I could, but it wouldn't be wise. I do love a good book with a hot soak though.

 

A friend of mine puts her kindle in a zip top baggie and seals it up to read in the tub. There are also water proof cases available on Amazon, but they cost a lot more than a baggie. :lol:

[RoughCollie]

Melody posted the same idea I had posted.

Edited December 27, 2010 by RoughCollie

[katemary63]

My eyes also prefer a good quality, and most screens give me a glare headache.

 

Someone Probably already said this, but the Kindle screen won't give you a glare headache. There's no glare. It's called "liquid paper" and is nothing short of amazing.

 

We got a Kindle for my bookworm daughter (DD19) She's in love with it! But she also loves real books. I don't see her ever giving up on real books. But there's room for both in her life. The convenience of a Kindle can't be overstated.