Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/05/14/this-affordable-e-reader-is-a.html
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I’m extremely biased, but I think the Kindle is an excellent device. But the real reason people buy it is that it’s virtual vending machine for books.
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I 've had an ebook reader, a Kobo, for about eight years ago, and I’ve barely used it. It paid about fifty dollars for it.
One immediate reason is the books often are the same price as ebooks. No real advantage, and since so many books I buy are used, ebooks are a premium price compared to a dollar or two used.
I hate hardcover books, too expensive, and too heavy. Even bought used, I think twice.
I actually bought a tablet before the ebook reader, figuring I’d get more out of it. But I realize now I want the break from electronics, real books are different.
I shoukd point out that the Kindle Fire HD I bought last year was abkut $60 Canadian (on sale). Too much distraction, not the same low current as an e-ink reader, but dirt cheap.
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They must be nice. The first one is comparatively expensive and the second one is ridiculously expensive.
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I use my Kindle Paperwhite for reading ebooks from the library, it works great for that. You can even get around the borrowing time limit if you just switch to “airplane mode” until you’re done reading a book.
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I’m glad you like it! I was the bootloader and diagnostics developer for Kindle 2, DX, and 3. It’s pretty nice to have ebooks when traveling, very compact and when you’re done with a book you can download another.
Main takeaway from Amazon’s statistics gathering, people with Kindles buy a LOT more books (both ebook and some physical) after they have an ebook reader.
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for my money, a used 3rd gen keyboard kindle is about the best option.
I keep them charged up, stick them in a bag, and even if my phone is dead and there’s no wireless, the 50mb/month free 3g service is always there, forever.
I keep breaking the screens is the only problem… Even with a case! So I am starting to think the problem is that ereaders just aren’t good travel devices.
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Hey nice to meet you. I bought my paperwhite in 2014 and it is still perfectly okay to use. The big advantage for me is that I don’t have to physically store my books. I ran out of room years ago. Biggest disadvantage is that not everything I want is available on amazon.
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Yeah I’m not sure where the “affordable” part comes in. Full color Kindles without ads are cheaper than those.
I haven’t paid attention, but at a couple of libraries here, in Canada, they specifically mention that their system doesn’t with Kindle. So there may be competing systems the libraries use, or maybe a way to configure.
The app that lets me get Kindle books from my library is called “Libby” (which is part of OverDrive). It lets me filter available eBooks by format so I can just see the ones for Kindle, but probably you’re right that availability varies by library. I notice that a lot of libraries will now let you open a digital account even if you don’t live in the area though.
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It’s great. But traveling internationally can be a pain. A relative had their account locked when they tried to purchase or re-download a book while traveling overseas (I’m not sure which). That isn’t allowed because of regional copyright restrictions. That’s not an issue for traveling with paper books.
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I have a $200/month storage unit with about 1000 books in it (and about a 800 anime DVDs). Some of them should go, but some of them are reference books that I theoretically might need again one day.
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I suppose you could scan them to PDF. There must be services which do that, possibly for a couple of months rental on your storage unit.
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It’s fairly quick to scan books in a document feed scanner if you cut the spine off - I did that for a book I need to be available on location with me on my phone. It made me uncomfortable to mangle a book like that, but I bought it as a tool so I need to get over it. However, it was easy because it was under 8.5 inches wide and fit in my scanner. A text book might not.
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I believe you have just confessed to circumventing copyright protections in violation of the DMCA.
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My lawyer has suggested that maybe I just fly a lot.
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These Onyx devices are less ebook readers, and more fully fledged Android tablets, that have an eInk screen. They even do a 13" version for about $800.
Apparently they work ok as a substitute for a laptop, if you really want to avoid a backlit screen:
(That’s an earlier version)
And this is your perennial reminder that Calibre in conjunction with Apprentice Alf’s help will let you buy and read books from any store, on any device. You you’re not tied to Amazon if you have a Kindle (eg).
It’s weird that they choose to market as affordable. A premium alternative would make more sense. Or focus on the uses for textbooks and pdfs, which the kindle doesn’t do all that well.
It’s like the boingboingstore can’t help itself but put misleading ad copy.
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Does copyright allow me to scan material for personal use and discard the originals?
