Review - Ipad And Kindle

[sceadugenga]

That's pure logic if you take the time to think about it isn't it?

Someone said they have them at Pantip in Chiang Mai so I'll try to get down there this week for a look, otherwise I'll probably buy one in Australia next week. The prices are usually pretty good there, particularly if you claim the GST back on leaving the country.

[angiud]

New Amazon Kindle announced: $139 WiFi-only version:

Smaller, lighter, faster, one month life battery, etc.

Edited July 29, 2010 by angiud

[AmericanInExile]

New Amazon Kindle announced: $139 WiFi-only version:

Smaller, lighter, faster, one month life battery, etc.

Yeah...just announced yesterday and already added to my Wish List! Supposedly 2x better contrast, 1 month battery life (no 3G sucking up power), and better [more clear] fonts [maybe better screen resolution. WiFi version is all I need and will have friends bring one from USA in about a month.

I already read Kindle books on my PC and smartphone (Android HTC Desire) but a dedicated Kindle would be nice to have as well.

Edited July 29, 2010 by AmericanInExile

[negreanu]

They have the same new model with 3G+Wifi for only $60.00 more over the wifi only model much better option when lying on the beach with no wifi and you need another book.

Edited July 29, 2010 by negreanu

[Will27]

They have the same new model with 3G+Wifi for only $60.00 more over the wifi only model much better option when lying on the beach with no wifi and you need another book.

To someone who is not computer savvy like myself.

Do you actually need the 3G and WiFi?

What's it all about then?

Regards

Will

[negreanu]

Well lets say you are not in range of a Wifi router. In a Taxi on the skytrain on the beach. You can still download content to your kindle anywhere there is a cellphone signal.

So when you finish your novel on the beach you can just browse on the kindle and have a new book you want to read delivered via 3g/GPRS/Edge in a couple of minutes without leaving your beach chair.

With a Wifi only model you would have to get up and go search out a Wifi signal and a lot of these especially in hotel resorts are not free and pretty expensive.

[Phil Conners]

With a gadget like that I'd have dozens of unread books on the device ready to be read. Wouldn't need 3G (which isn't available in Thailand outside Bangkok anyway) to make panic purchases. Even if I did I'd just go through my Android phone's wifi tethering.

[negreanu]

Wouldn't need 3G (which isn't available in Thailand outside Bangkok anyway) to make panic purchases

Kindle drops down to Edge and then GPRS if not in a 3G area automatically. For only $60 more it's pretty much a no brainer. Even if just for resale value in the future.

The other good thing with the Kindle 3G it is more or less free worldwide. Gets a bit expensive if your international roaming with wifi tethering to your android phone.

Nice to have the newspapers/magazines delivered automatically without having to do a single thing anywhere in the world wifi or not.

[CDNinKS]

The other good thing with the Kindle 3G it is more or less free worldwide

Not sure about newspaper/magazine subscriptions, but for books, unless you are in the USA, it is an extra $2.00 to download via the cell network.

But I agree, for the few extra $ it would not make sense to get the WiFi only model.

Edited July 29, 2010 by CDNinKS

[nikster]

New Amazon Kindle announced: $139 WiFi-only version:

Smaller, lighter, faster, one month life battery, etc.

The wonders of competition! It's way cheaper, and looks way better than before. Cool stuff from Amazon!

[nikster]

Wouldn't need 3G (which isn't available in Thailand outside Bangkok anyway) to make panic purchases

Kindle drops down to Edge and then GPRS if not in a 3G area automatically. For only $60 more it's pretty much a no brainer. Even if just for resale value in the future.

The other good thing with the Kindle 3G it is more or less free worldwide. Gets a bit expensive if your international roaming with wifi tethering to your android phone.

Nice to have the newspapers/magazines delivered automatically without having to do a single thing anywhere in the world wifi or not.

Thats pretty neat, really. So the data connection works anywhere in the world, and is free, and you just pay a bit extra for the books? Very cool.

[tominbkk]

If I have a bunch of my own books on my com, I can put them on a Kindle myself (after whatever conversion I need to make with Calibre)? Or do they force you to only download from Amazon?

[sarahsbloke]

A very nice American lady from this forum just brought me a Nook over from the USA.

It works very well, looks smarter than the Kindle, does exactly the same job but with EPUB files.

I suspect there is nothing between the Nook and the Kindle apart from the price (Nook wifi $150)

[CDNinKS]

If I have a bunch of my own books on my com, I can put them on a Kindle myself (after whatever conversion I need to make with Calibre)? Or do they force you to only download from Amazon?

You are free to download what ever content you want to your Kindle, if it is not in a format that Kindle reads, just run it thru Calibre to convert to Mobi. Basically the Kindle is just another drive and appears as such when you connect it to your computer.

Books you buy from Amazon are in a proprietary format (.AZW) that can only be read on the Kindle.

The new Kindle looks great.....I wish my old one would die so I had an excuse to buy the new model

I suspect there is nothing between the Nook and the Kindle apart from the price (Nook wifi $150)

Except you need to buy books from B&N, as with the Kindle only from Amazon......so I guess it depends on which company offers more e-books.

Edited July 30, 2010 by CDNinKS

[negreanu]

it is an extra $2.00 to download via the cell network.

A lot of the titles are giving free worldwide delivery by whispernet. Gives the info in the book description.

[sarahsbloke]

My Nook works quite well

I put about 400 books onto mine yesterday, transferred from my PC

Edited July 31, 2010 by sarahsbloke

[tutsiwarrior]

what about having a kindle/amazon book account in Thailand? my UK credit card billing address is in Thailand and there have been problems in the past with amazon not wanting to do online business (music, etc) in SE Asia. any problems with barnes&noble?

also, I will be in Vietnam long term on assignment...anyone know if there is a whisper-sych connectivity problem here or any other consideration that would limit an e-reader's download capability?

Edited August 1, 2010 by tutsiwarrior

[Meridian007]

Is there anywhere in Bangkok that I can physically compare the different e-books? The last time I was in Pantip I don't remember anywhere having them, but I wasn't really looking.

Also, have there been any convincing "alternatives" from China? I know about the I-Ped, (an android-based I-Pad copy), but are there any e-book readers (with electrophoretic displays) that use Android or Linux? It would be great to have something that isn't tied down to any one format, so that I don't have to re-format anything that I want to read.  

I think being on a more open format like Android or Linux would allow for more app availability and therefore push the reader closer to the regular computer usability of a notebook or similar.  

Now if only they could create a display that would have the low eye-strain of an electrophoretic display, with the versatility of an lcd...

Edited September 29, 2010 by Meridian007

[TheLaughingMan]

My Nook works quite well

I put about 400 books onto mine yesterday, transferred from my PC

I know you think Im a nutjob but that Nook looks sweet, finally some colour. I wouldnt mind using a device like that.

[Meridian007]

Is there anywhere in Bangkok that I can physically compare the different e-books? The last time I was in Pantip I don't remember anywhere having them, but I wasn't really looking.

Also, have there been any convincing "alternatives" from China? I know about the I-Ped, (an android-based I-Pad copy), but are there any e-book readers (with electrophoretic displays) that use Android or Linux? It would be great to have something that isn't tied down to any one format, so that I don't have to re-format anything that I want to read.

I think being on a more open format like Android or Linux would allow for more app availability and therefore push the reader closer to the regular computer usability of a notebook or similar.

Now if only they could create a display that would have the low eye-strain of an electrophoretic display, with the versatility of an lcd...

I almost forgot, has anyone seen any of the colour e-books? I've heard rumours of their development, but I don't know if they've come out yet.

[XAR]

.... As for the ebook reader comparison, like I said I stil dont understand how a 70's looking amigo black and white screen is better than full colour, big and bright?

I am with you all the way. Maybe one day they will come up with a way to make books in color and I won't have to read novels in black and white...oh, i guess those are called comic books. Come on, the whole point in reading is not the background colors and looking cool with your new toy. I can understand those that do not read much using the iPad for this, but the black and white format in no way detracts from a book. There are certainly applications that can be done with the iPad that cannot be done on the Kindle, but if you read the first post carefully, the gentlemen opted for a Kindle because he wanted to read books and did not enjoy reading on an iPad.

I would like to purchase a Kindle, but do not want to pay the additional import fees. The only other drawback is that the e-books really are overpriced. They are for the most part cheaper than the books, but to my knowledge, there is no second hand e-book store for when you finish up your novel.

[sarahsbloke]

I would like to purchase a Kindle, but do not want to pay the additional import fees. The only other drawback is that the e-books really are overpriced. They are for the most part cheaper than the books, but to my knowledge, there is no second hand e-book store for when you finish up your novel.

E-books are just as easy to 'get' as movies and music. If you are a bad person, you don't pay for anything apart from your internet connection.

I actually put up a post on TV asking for someone to bring me a Nook over from America. A very nice American lady was kind enough to agree to me having my Nook delivered to her house in America, then brought it over for me. Thai Visa is a great contact point (Thanks Lissa)

Edited October 2, 2010 by sarahsbloke