Question about Kindle book reader

[sirineou]

I am thinking of purchasing a Kindle Paperwhite 32 GB. I know very little about it. (never had one) so any advice would be appreciated.

Presently I buy hard copy books and i save them because sometimes I like to re read them  or refer to them for quotes years later.

When you download a book on Kindle how long does it stay in the device. And is the device backed up on the cloud? in case the device gets damaged or lost.  

Edited April 13, 2020 by sirineou
typo

[AlexRich]

I have an iPad and I use the Amazon Kindle App. So I select a book on Amazon, and it downloads onto my App. It works perfectly, and the great thing is that I can travel around the world and still access every book I’ve ever bought. In the past even a few books would increase the weight of your suitcase substantially. And of course you have all the other functions of the iPad available to you.

 

i just think this is preferable to a kindle reader.

[AlexRich]

Another point.

 

You have an account on the Amazon website. And every book you have ever bought via kindle is on there. If you damage your device or replace it you simply just transfer the books onto your new device. So you never lose anything. I’ve just done that as I bought a new iPad mini recently.

[cmarshall]

You can also download the Amazon Kindle app onto your smartphone for free and try out the Kindle service.  Although I do have a Kindle paperwhite I almost always use the app in the smartphone instead.  Some people find the e-ink display of the paperwhite easier on the eyes, which is true, but the Kindle app provides full color display of photos, maps, graphs, etc. which makes it more useable.

 

Either way there is a world of free reading available on 
http://gen.lib.rus.ec/search.php?

 

which you can download.  Then you can download the free Calibre program to manage, convert, and transfer by wifi to whichever reading device you prefer.

[Laza 45]

My Amazon e-books download to my computer.. and my phone.. always there.  I like them on my phone because I always have a book to read when waiting for my wife to finish her shopping.. waiting for an appointment etc.. My phone has a largish screen and I find it ok for reading.  I do prefer a paper book but not readily available here.  You can set sepia background... easier on the eyes.. choose print size etc..

[sirineou]

2 minutes ago, Laza 45 said:

My Amazon e-books download to my computer.. and my phone.. always there.  I like them on my phone because I always have a book to read when waiting for my wife to finish her shopping.. waiting for an appointment etc.. My phone has a largish screen and I find it ok for reading.  I do prefer a paper book but not readily available here.  You can set sepia background... easier on the eyes.. choose print size etc..

 First I like to take the opportunity to thank you all for you comments and advice, It is helping me to make a decision and I appreciate it.  

Not sure if  my Iphone XR screen would be big enough for my 63 year old eyes .

I m also considering a  Fire HD 10 Tablet which is  the same price as the Kindle paperwhite but has the additional functionality of a tablet , such as surfing the internet etc. 

[ukrules]

I have an ipad, desktop computer and laptop, the kindle app is installed on all of them and I can read any of 'my books' anywhere.

 

They're available permanently once purchased across all the devices.

 

If you read part of a book on say the ipad and then pick it up later on the desktop or laptop it gives you the option of moving to the most recently read page on the other devices.

 

 

[tonray]

37 minutes ago, Laza 45 said:

because I always have a book to read when waiting for my wife to finish her shopping.. waiting for an appointment etc

I should be doing a lot more reading.....sigh

[sirineou]

I really wanted the functionality of a tablet so that I would not have to carry more than one device when traveling, but I read a lot, and sometimes for hours, and I was concerned with the strain  a backlight device would have on my eyes  so I ordered the Kindle. 

Thank you all for your comments and kind advice. 

[1FinickyOne]

I have had a kindle for many years... living in a small village and Thailand in general, the most amazing thing about it for me has been the ease of shopping. I hear about a book, decide I want it, and boom, it is there in seconds. Many of these books would not be easy to find in Thailand... anywhere. I am not really one who enjoys shopping. 

 

The other big plus is being able to adjust the type size as my eyes have faded...

 

I used to have a wall full of books and as you cited liked to look back for quotes etc... but you know, I did that rarely and do not do that w/all of my saved kindle books.. 

[Aforek]

1 hour ago, cmarshall said:

Then you can download the free Calibre program to manage, convert, and transfer by wifi to whichever reading device you prefer.

Of course, you can't have a kindle without have Calibre, the best software to convert anysort of books , so you don't need to buy only from  Amazon; I have the basic Kindle for about 8 years, read everydays and works perfect

 

I download thousands of books, put in my computer and when I want one in my Kindle I transfer it from my computer to the Kindle with Calibre 

they stay in my computer as long as I keep them 

[Laza 45]

1 hour ago, sirineou said:

 First I like to take the opportunity to thank you all for you comments and advice, It is helping me to make a decision and I appreciate it.  

Not sure if  my Iphone XR screen would be big enough for my 63 year old eyes .

I m also considering a  Fire HD 10 Tablet which is  the same price as the Kindle paperwhite but has the additional functionality of a tablet , such as surfing the internet etc. 

Try your phone.. the Kindle reader is a free download.. as I mentioned you can adjust the print size.. the sepia background set is a must in my opinion for easy reading.. have fun  ????

[sirineou]

7 minutes ago, kenk24 said:

I have had a kindle for many years... living in a small village and Thailand in general, the most amazing thing about it for me has been the ease of shopping. I hear about a book, decide I want it, and boom, it is there in seconds. Many of these books would not be easy to find in Thailand... anywhere. I am not really one who enjoys shopping. 

 

The other big plus is being able to adjust the type size as my eyes have faded...

 

I used to have a wall full of books and as you cited liked to look back for quotes etc... but you know, I did that rarely and do not do that w/all of my saved kindle books.. 

My eyes are fading also, I resisted wearing glasses for the longest time , as I am told  it is a slippery slope that accelerates the decline, but I finally submitted to the inevitable.  

  It would be nice to be able to adjust the type to a size where I would not need glasses, and perhaps reading without glasses might straighten the eye muscles and regain some of my  eyesight.  

One can always dream  

[izod10]

8 minutes ago, Aforek said:

Of course, you can't have a kindle without have Calibre, the best software to convert anysort of books , so you don't need to buy only from  Amazon; I have the basic Kindle for about 8 years, read everydays and works perfect

 

I download thousands of books, put in my computer and when I want one in my Kindle I transfer it from my computer to the Kindle with Calibre 

they stay in my computer as long as I keep them 

Remove the RGB with Calibre and Kindle will suck all of your books out of you tablet

[LomSak27]

24 minutes ago, sirineou said:

a backlight device would have on my eyes  so I ordered the Kindle

I have that kindle. YES, recommended. It is much better on the eyes. All books can be re downloaded from your account, if somehow they wont play or get deleted.

[Bangkokhatter]

I just received my Kindle at the weekend after years of resisting progress. Had no choice really as all the local book shops are closed and on-line ordering ends up expensive. I also hated the drive into BKK every couple of months to replenish my supply.

 

My initial reaction was i don't like this, it's too small, the Paperwhite is adveritised at 6" and i took that to mean page size but it seems nearer 4.5".

 

However i downloaded a couple of cheap books and gave it a go and now i am happy with it. Can adjust font type and size to suit your style and i really enjoyed sitting on my porch at night being able to read without the lights on.

 

Thanks for the hint on Calibre.

[ramrod711]

30 minutes ago, izod10 said:

Remove the RGB with Calibre and Kindle will suck all of your books out of you tablet

Always have your Kindle in airplane mode and you will lose nothing.

[Aforek]

32 minutes ago, izod10 said:

Remove the RGB with Calibre and Kindle will suck all of your books out of you tablet

sorry, don't understand what you mean ( RGB, what this, English is not my language ? ) 

[cmarshall]

1 hour ago, sirineou said:

I really wanted the functionality of a tablet so that I would not have to carry more than one device when traveling, but I read a lot, and sometimes for hours, and I was concerned with the strain  a backlight device would have on my eyes  so I ordered the Kindle. 

Thank you all for your comments and kind advice. 

When I got my Paperwhite I found it was much cheaper to order it from Amazon US and pay the customs duty than to buy it at B2S.  If you did not order it from Amazon US, then you might check current prices and customs to see if it is still an advantage to do so.

[1FinickyOne]

1 hour ago, sirineou said:

I resisted wearing glasses for the longest time

me too.. I got my first reading glasses 1.25 at age 60... and my eyes seem to get a little worse every year... my night vision used to be good but that is going too... 

[phuketrichard]

2 hours ago, AlexRich said:

I have an iPad and I use the Amazon Kindle App. So I select a book on Amazon, and it downloads onto my App. It works perfectly, and the great thing is that I can travel around the world and still access every book I’ve ever bought. In the past even a few books would increase the weight of your suitcase substantially. And of course you have all the other functions of the iPad available to you.

 

i just think this is preferable to a kindle reader.

I'll second this, I had a kindle ages ago and when it died, brought a 7" tablet and that is what i use now all the time with the kindle reader app,  I get 2 sims, wifi, apps and more, so why limit ursleve to the kindle?

 

Also use Calibre to convert books to mobi and have never had any problems.

 

Quote

 

...I transfer it from my computer to the Kindle with Calibre 

they stay in my computer as long as I keep them

 

I never do it that way

 

download from.xxx  .covert to mobi using calibre and than use;

https://download.cnet.com/Send-to-Kindle/3000-2125_4-75883472.html   

to send to my tablet

 

Still miss books BUT........
 

 

Edited April 14, 2020 by phuketrichard

[recom273]

With all due respect to the guys suggesting to buy a tablet, maybe they have never owned a kindle.
 

A kindle has no weight, which means you don’t need to worry about carry it in addition to tablet. I have a cheap protective sleeve for my iPad and the kindle slides into a pocket on the outside. When I use a tablet, after a while I feel the weight of the tablet on my wrist, when you use a kindle you don’t, you can hold it in a variety of ways.and you can read in comfort for hours. I watch my parents reading on their iPads and they rest them on their legs or flat on a desk, it looks the most uncomfortable experience, but whatever is good for others.

 

The battery life is amazing, for a 2 week holiday, you would probably only charge it before you left and forget about it until you got back.

 

The reading experience with the epaper is great, it’s comfortable on the eyes and you can adjust the text size as you read. I have had 3 gray ones, and see no reason to spring for the paperwhite, but I have no experience of paperwhite kindles.

 

The whole thing is distraction free, when you read, you aren’t being tempted to play a game, answer an email or search the net for something that springs to mind, although you can hilight the text of a book and search for info or a dictionary definition. It’s really refreshing.

 

Yes, all your books are backed up to the cloud - the size of the books are so small anyway. 
 

No idea about the fire tablet, I have an iPad Air which Is essential travel kit ( Its still the best mobile pdf reader ) and a kindle which makes a great combination.

[GalaxyMan]

1 hour ago, kenk24 said:

I have had a kindle for many years... living in a small village and Thailand in general, the most amazing thing about it for me has been the ease of shopping. I hear about a book, decide I want it, and boom, it is there in seconds. Many of these books would not be easy to find in Thailand... anywhere. I am not really one who enjoys shopping. 

 

The other big plus is being able to adjust the type size as my eyes have faded...

 

I used to have a wall full of books and as you cited liked to look back for quotes etc... but you know, I did that rarely and do not do that w/all of my saved kindle books.. 

I could have written that. ???? I also have approximately a 250k volume digital library, so I can easily transfer files from my computer to my Kindle. Calibre is perfect for converting any format to AZW3. I never go anywhere without my Kindle, not even to the toilet. Why waste the time? I am a life-long, avid reader. It fits nicely in the pocket of whatever shorts I'm wearing and makes waiting for anything a non-issue, as I just pull it out and read. It's probably my favorite digital toy in life after my computer(s).

 

I just wish that they'd finally come out with the color edition so that I could see my art books in color. That's the only real advantage as an eBook reader that tablets and other devices have.

[Laza 45]

1 hour ago, Laza 45 said:

Try your phone.. the Kindle reader is a free download.. as I mentioned you can adjust the print size.. the sepia background set is a must in my opinion for easy reading.. have fun  ????

...another tip.. if you are not familiar... turn on 'auto rotate' on your phone to get a wider page for easier reading... if you have a problem with setting any of this up message me.. happy to help...

[donnacha]

TL;DR   This post is about the different models in the Kindle e-reader range, why a lifelong bibliophile like me thinks ebooks are far better than "real" books, and where you can get ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines for free or on a cheap monthly subscription.

I have always read a lot, about one book a day since I was a kid. I bought my first Kindle over a decade ago to reduce my luggage when traveling.

I presumed that in my normal, non-traveling life I would continue to read paper books but was surprised to find that ebooks provide a far deeper reading experience. Any avid reader I say that to finds it hard to believe until they actually get one for themselves and give it a proper go. You end up reading a lot more when it is more convenient, and the ability to quickly add notes, save and share excerpts, translate, and search any word in the dictionary or Wikipedia means you comprehend more.

Last October I pushed the boat out and paid £260 for the 3rd generation Kindle Oasis. I was still very happy with my Kindle Voyage, bought six years before for £169, but the reviews for the new Oasis were very good and I liked the idea of a 7-inch rather than a 6-inch screen. I need all the inches I can get. I also liked the better side-lighting, the adjustable light warmth for reading at night, and being waterproof is handy for reading in the bath, so relaxing.

I got the model with 32GB of storage because, with room for around 30,000 books, I won't ever have to worry about running out of space. The model with 8GB would have been £30 less. I did not bother with the "free 4G" capability for an extra £60 because I bought that on my first Kindle and found that I never once had a situation in which my Kindle needed Internet access but did not have WiFi available.

On a whim, I blew a further £65 on Amazon's "premium leather" cover and am very glad I did. It is a dark brown worn leather that just gets nicer the more scuffed up it gets. It makes reading a far more tactile experience. That uncharacteristic purchase turned out to be the cherry on the cake. It also allows me to prop my Kindle up so that I can read hands-free while eating etc.


Which Kindle Should I get?

The most important thing to remember is that Amazon's line of iPad-like tablets are also under the Kindle brand, but they have color LED screens, making them good for games and video, but too bright to read comfortably for long periods and will artificially keep you awake at night. The specialized Kindle e-readers have black & white e-ink screens that are far more suited to reading.

All the Kindle e-readers are terrific value. On the cheaper models they offer you £10 off if you agree to allow them to show you "special offers" on the screensaver that appears when you are not reading. I see that as a terrible deal. One of the main advantages of a Kindle should be that you can dive straight into your books without any distractions, having it display adverts detracts from the purity of the experience.

So, without the special offers, the regular Kindle - now with built-in sidelighting - costs £79, white the Kindle Paperwhite, with almost double the pixel density providing crisper text, costs £129. Amazon also quite often provide discounts, you could probably save around £20 if you're willing to wait.

All the Kindle e-readers now also allow you to store audiobooks from Audible (Amazon-owned) which you can listen to via Bluetooth earphones or your car's Bluetooth audio system. Obviously, audiobooks will take up a lot more storage space on your Kindle than ebooks do.


Is the Kindle Oasis worth paying double the price of the Paperwhite?

Yes. If you think you will use it for at least a few nights per week, over at least four or five years, the nicer experience is definitely worth it (there is no reason why your Kindle should not last a decade). The slightly larger screen is also handy if your eyesight starts to go and you need a larger font size. To my way of thinking, anything that encourages you to spend more time reading is worth a lot.


Free Books, Paid Books, Book Subscriptions

One thing worth noting is that you can get hold of almost any book for free and email it directly to your Kindle account, meaning it will appear on every Kindle device or Kindle smartphone app you own.

You can, of course, buy ebooks, or even get certain books for free, from Amazon directly on your device. You can search Amazon for books just as you would on their website and, then, download the first chapter for free to try it out. Alternatively, you can search on their website and send sample chapters to your Kindle, or make the purchase from there. In general, ebooks are cheaper than the paperback version.

Amazon also have a subscription service for $10 / £8 per month, for access to over a million books, thousands of audiobooks, and a selection of magazines. Essentially, it is a Netflix for books, but it is important to note that new bestsellers might not appear on Kindle Unlimited, at least not for a while. Also, once you stop subscribing, you no longer have access to any of that content. Other book subscription services exist, such as Scribd for $9 a month. I don't know much about them, but the model is terrific if you are one of the rare people who read a lot.

In the same way that Apple allowed iTunes users to "rip" the music CDs they already owned to their iTunes accounts, along with adding any MP3 files you happened to have, Amazon allows you to add any ebook file you already have to your Kindle account, meaning it will appear on every Kindle device or Kindle smartphone app you own.

The most convenient way to do this is to use an app called Calibre. It is available for MacOS, Linux, and Windows, and is, essentially, an iTunes for ebooks, allowing you to store and browse through your entire library. From within the Calibre interface, you can email individual books to your friends' Kindles.

You can also hook up any Kindle to your computer via USB and, in one go, use Calibre to transfer over as many books as you want. It also automatically converts your ebooks from any format, such as the popular epub format, to the mobi format that your Kindle uses.

Legal sources of free books include the famous Project Gutenberg, an online library of over 60,000 books that are now out of copyright in the United States.

Other sources of free books, some of which may still be under copyright in your country, would include various download sites and all the famous torrent trackers have book sections. Hundreds of trackers specialize entirely in ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines. On such site is My Anonymouse.

Ebooks files are tiny (meaning they download in seconds) and easy to find. Most books are available on their day of publication. Once you have a book you can send it to as many of your friends as you want, and they can then do the same.

As far as I know, it is only possible to add audiobooks to your Kindle if they were purchased via your Amazon account, so, for audiobooks I get from the torrent sites I just use an audiobook player on my phone, the same way I listen to my podcasts and music.
 

 

Edited April 14, 2020 by donnacha