Hmmm... If the prices are comparable I guess it just comes down to which one has a larger array of available books to download. And which one I see first.
Don't Do It! You don't have to own a Kindle! Go to Amazon, the Kindle Store, and download Kindle for PC. There, I saved you $140! I like it better on my (full color) laptop than on the (B&W) Kindle, with its smaller screen. It's an interesting topic, DTBs (Dead Tree Books) vs. ebooks. I believe this ebook revolution is adding to the democritization of writing. For too long, the big publishing houses have acted as gatekeepers of what can be read. If you have a quirky, funny book that can't be easily pigeon-holed, forget having it published by the Big 6, who are looking to reproduce Steven King or Ms. Rowling, nothing against them. And, full disclosure: I'll be printing a DTB version of my book next month.
But the Kindle's "electronic paper" screen is far easier to look at than a PC screen. The backlit PC screen is hell on the eyes. I can't stand trying to read a book on a laptop. Also, it's hard to take to bed with you, and the Kindle is easy. The Kindle is worth the money.
Yes, some folks like the Kindle for the reasons you've mentioned. I live off-the-grid, and like to conserve power some times, so the back-lit laptop is great for that. Kindle-using friends who like to read in bed have to use clip-on lights, like a regular book. To each his/her own. I have an idea the ereaders will be very different in a few years...
You can download a free Kindle app if you have a smartphone, too. I would guess that reading on an actual Kindle is a lot easier, but I highly doubt that I'd ever use an e-reader often enough to justify purchasing one, so the app is perfect for me.
I will definitely be purchasing a Kindle for the following reasons: Keeping my book collection on an electronic device is a good idea. Book piracy is not quite easy enough. I often have to recharge my paperbacks before reading them. Having a million books at my immediate disposal will never lead to regretful impulse purchases. When I go on long trips, I often begin reading books, get bored of the content then move onto a different book. I do this several hundred times.
my stepdad has a kindle and my mom has a nook. The nook is way better. The kindle isn't even lighted.
I have one point to make - what is the point in getting a Kindle, when you can download the Kindle app for free on an Android phone - which costs half of what a Kindle does...
The Kindle is easier on the eyes than a backlit display, and is particularly daylight-friendly. I still prefer paper books for the most part, but the Kindle is a very nice way to carry several books without bulking your luggage, and it will hold a charge for a month or more. You can usually leave the charger (which is itself quite small) at home.
What Banzai said. I have the Android app, and it works fine for me because I only use it for like five minutes at a time on Saturday and Sunday mornings while I wait for my opening associate to get to work. If I were planning on actually sitting and reading something for longer periods of time, though, trying to do so on my phone would make me want to gouge my eyes out.
I'm nostalgic when it comes to what I read. Having a Kindle or Nook just seems impersonal in comparison. I'd rather have an actual book, bulky or not, for reading.
You can get Android tablets - that cost about as much as the phones. They are just a little smaller than the IPad, and you can get it on that... it is alot cheeper than a Kindle and it can do alot more than just read books.
How expensive is the Kindle where you are? Over here it's about £110. I haven't seen any tablets (of any make) that cheap.
Yeah, I sell a Samsung tablet, and it's like $400, plus you have to pay your monthly wireless fees...
My Kindle arrived yesterday and I'm hyped!! Still getting used to it. Still a hardcore paper back person though
Kindle is a life changing experience. My only wish is for them to include an export note feature so you can scroll through your notes/highlights easier. I love highlighting passages and sharing via Facebook or Twitter and this feature would never happen via paperback. I give most of my paperback books away and invest more time sifting through books, uploading interesting facts and then watching what others think of the information. Great work Amazon.
I got a kindle mainly because of how hard it is to fine Van Dine, Carr and other Golden Age writers in print nowadays. I really don't regret getting one. It's great!
If you can afford it, maybe consider an Ipad? That's what I have and I love it. Also, supposedly the second generation of Ipads are going to be released soon. I don't know what the changes will be, but it might be worth looking into.
I'm not sure an iPad would be better for ebooks. It's designed as a multi-function tablet computer, rather than just an ebook reader. The screen, in particular, is very reflective, whereas the Kindle's screen is matte to reduce reflective glare. That and the iPad is ****ing expensive. And it's touchscreen, which I consider to be evil on a similar level to Satan.
Don't get one. Wait a year or so, prices are already dropping, and in a few years they will be extremely cheap compared to now. Also, it takes out some of the fun of reading, doesn't it?
