A friend gave me a 'Kindle'.
I'm not sure if he's dragging me kicking and screaming into the 21st century or he got a 'buy one get one' deal. Or he's maybe worried that my book collection will come crashing down into the shop.
He may also be unaware that this thing is registered in his name. So any book I buy on this thing he pays for. I'm sure he'll figure it out in the next month of so.
I find the horribly high prices of the available books shocking!
Here are a couple examples that might appeal to my fellow Fourmites.

" FAST AND FANCY REVOLVER SHOOTING by ED McGIVERN"
$2.51 is all to much for such a title!

"THE MAN-EATERS of TSAVO and OTHER EAST AFRICAN ADVENTURES by J.H. PATERSON,DSO"
This one is just uncalled for! $0.00!

OK. we're not talking about leather bound first editions. But for things that I don't have and want to read it's fine.
There a a lot of free or very low cost titles. Including some that should come preloaded from the factory.
"THE CONSTITUTION of the UNITED STATES" $0.99
" GETTYSBURG ADDRESS" $0.00

AND IT DISPLAYS IN LARGE FRIENDLY PRINT for we ancient flatulent types!

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Field Researcher. IGC

A Kindle was one of the best purchases I ever made. I just finished "The Rough Riders" and have started "The Journals of Lewis and Clark, 1804-1806". Next is "Lessons from Armed America".

wyo-man

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Live free or die

I got myself a Kindle Fire - books AND the internet - it doesn't get any better than that.

Thanks for the titles, guys, I'm adding them to my library!

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Don't kiss smiling dogs!

I'm thinkin' that's the way to go. I'm on my honey's notebook right now, and it's a good little maching, but I am a fan of tablets for their portability and clarity. I've also become a fan of touch screens, and I'm an even bigger fan of anything NOT Apple!

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Even older, even crankier....

Project Gutenberg...38,000+ books many Kindle-friendly. all downloadable one way or another and some of the real classics as well. Great website and a great project!

Project Gutenberg - free ebooks

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Run Fast, Bite Hard!

Just finished "61 Hours" by Lee Childs. "The Guns of August" by Barbaraq Tuchman is next. Had it on the Kindle for 2 months but I'm trying to read them in the order I downloaded them. Actually I have 4 going at the same time. It is now so easy to take the wife somewhere and wait.

Grin! April 1st is fast approaching!

The kids bought my wife a Kindle for her Birthday last year . . . one of the most used gifts that she has ever received. An avid reader during the Indiana wither months (flower garedner in Summer) she downloads 8-10 books most every week and reads 3-4 of them!

I like my Kindle but have one major complaint, I enjoy History, and with that comes pictures and maps which the Kindle does an absolutely horrendous job of reproducing, neither can one enlarge, or "zoom in" to them to see the info more clearly. Not sure if the "Fire" rectifies this downfall or not. The variable text size is a blessing to these old eyes though!
All in all, I still prefer the experience of a "real book" but the Kindle does have it's place around here.

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Tacticool?...NOT!

I bought my wife a Kindle Fire for Christmas. It does a GREAT job of zooming in on maps once you learn how to do it. Put your fingers on the touchscreen close to each other and then pull them apart while dragging on the screen, it zooms in when you do that. It zooms out when you swipe your fingers towards each other.

She was hesitant on the Fire at first having a profound love of reading paper books. Then she saw me use it to read a few books and finally she picked up her present. Now she loves it and reads all the time. She actually realized that it allows her to read better as she doesn't have to sit in the sun like she is used to (her eyes need a LOT of bright light to read these days). With the Fire, she can read in low light again and see the screen just fine (especially since you can increase the font size).

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"... shall not be infringed."

I bought Wifey a Fire for Christmas. It's her favorite "Words with Friends" item.

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Still Running Against the Wind

Glad they seem to have addressed that issue! Might have to check out a "Fire" next time I've got a couple of extra bills laying around...then again, I could probably just buy more gun stuff and be just as happy!

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Tacticool?...NOT!

Amazon has a program that can be downloaded(easy) to any computer to allow you to download books.
i prefer this as with old eyes also, i like to enlarge maps, pictures, words,etc. to a size that is easy to read.
wifey has kindle, but prefers her new nook.

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is it just me?

Got my wife a Nook last November.
The other day it was nice out, but windy.
She went out onto the porch to read and enjoy the weather.
When she came in she was pretty *up*.
"The pages don't blow around!"

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In dog years I'm dead.

Another plus for the Kindle. It's proof positive of Santa! At least according to my great nephew Logan. He told another kid, " Santa is REAL !!! My Momma can't afford $200 to get me a Kinlde Fire for Christmas!"
Must be true. He and his brother and sister all got the 'Fire.
Did you know the 'Fire' has a Mind Control function?
Three kids, Xmas morning, silver light shining in their faces.
All of them silent!
For hours!
It was creepy! Ain't natural I tell ya!

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Field Researcher. IGC

You can unregister it if you want just go into settings.

I think these tablets are a great boon for education (personal or school). My son has one from Apple on which he can download hard to find books for a very low price. His school money goes much farther and he doesn't have to wait weeks and weeks for books to be shipped.

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and what his trumpet saith

My wife got me the Nook for my birthday. It is a fantastic gift. Just looked and there are over 38,000 books under $1 or free!

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Always bet on stupidity.

Which one has a lighted screen?

My wife bought me the Kindle 3G for Christmas in 2010. Not only can I read on that, but with Kindle on my smartphone, I can read anywhere. Great when you're waiting for your appointment at the dentisit, you don't have to read year old copies of Reader's Digest.

The Kindle Fire has a lighted screen and color. I have the Kindle with keyboard. Because it doesn't have a lighted screen, it is easier to read in the sunlight. I have a leather case with a built-in light that I use for reading in the dark. My Kindle also has limited capability to surf the internet. I've read about 8 books on my Kindle. I think it is easier on my eyes than a paper book. I'm now reading the free "Roughing It" by Mark Twain.

I have a question about this kind of technology. Do they have an enlarge function (like on this forum) where the print size can be adjusted easily? If yes, is it on all Kindles or just the more expensive ones?

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Miss My Buddy crsides!!

You can change the print size on mine(3G keyboard). And I just found that it will read to you in a rather creepy computer voice.

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Field Researcher. IGC

Mine is the one with the keyboard. It was $139. I can change the print size if I want.

I'm on my 3rd...... 2011 ( 7") still going strong..... a "Paper White" for outdoor reading and a 10" tablet........

Thinking about "Kindle Unlimited"...$9.99/month unlimited reading,audio book on any device.

Yes, you can enlarge the print on all Kindles or Kindle programs running on smartphones, tablets, etc.

On Amazon, you can buy refurbished Kindles for as little as $26 (Kindle, 6”, E-ink display). Refurbished typically means good as new but a generation or two old. Note that when it says “with special offers” it means with advertising displayed. Without special offers costs more.

Note also that public libraries now offer e-books, so you can borrow books to read on your Kindle.

I have two HP laptops that I use for my construction business and it's amazing how nice a lap top you can get nowadays for 300 bucks, one is larger for when I want the big screen and the other is smaller and lighter when I take it places. I had my IT guy load all programs, pictures, apps, etc. where both computers are identical and I plug them in to an external hard drive that cost about $50 to back them up once a week before I go to bed so all data is saved. If one computer needs updates I start them and work on the other lap top and same with repairs or viruses, I always have an identical working computer while the other is down. I've thought about buying a tablet but does it have any advantages over a small lap top?

I really enjoy my kindle. Glad I bought it.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

I am very happy with my Kindle Fire, easy to read with a lighted screen. Got a cover for it, I cracked the screen on my previous three, two with covers.

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Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

The small iPads and kindles are ideal for reading,surfing,texting,emails,videos,etc when sprawled out on the couch,but for serious work,a laptop is better,I think.

Sitting on a Caribbean beach with a beverage in one hand and a kindle in the other...Of course I'm usually just pretending to read. When actually I'm watching the beautiful scenery around me. Seriously though going on vacation and taking however many books you want, and the ease of acquiring them makes it a must have for me.

The Kindle app can be downloaded to any existing tablet, phone, or computer.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Why would he want to do that?

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Not in jail.

I usually prefer a paper book, but I have the Kindle app on my iPad. There is a lot to be said for instant gratification. With Amazon 1-click, I can have anything I want to read in a matter of minutes, usually at a pretty good price. Makes the quarantine almost tolerable.

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Not in jail.

I got a paperwhite for Christmas. Reader only. I have tablets, laptops, & a phone for internet.
It isn't any good for anything but reading, but it is GREAT for that. Battery life is amazing. Font size and page brightness can be adjusted to suit pretty much any level of eyesight short of complete blindness.
Really cool gadget.

P.S. Other than an NIV Bible, and a newly released book by my pastor, I haven't bought any content. The library allows me to download digital versions of nearly every title they have. I also learned that by keeping it in airplane mode my library checkouts don't get erased from the device, even though my checkout period has expired. If I take too long to finish a book I just don't let it connect until I finish the book. Of course that means I can't get any new content until I finish what I have, but that's OK.

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Send lawyers, guns & money...

I used to be a bookstore hound, and regret the hard times that e-readers have caused for the trade in physical books. There is something to looking at well-stocked shelves and reaching out when a title catches your eye. Going through electronically generated kindle recommendations isn't quite the same.

That said, I haven't bought more than a dozen real books in the several years I've had my kindle, and those were all picture-heavy reference books that just don't work as well on kindle or are not available.

I also usually read several books at the same time, and having all at my fingertips and being able to switch at a whim is very nice.

I was an early adapter to the Kindle, around 2011 or 2012. I believe I got my 1st one for free (or nearly) when I upgraded my cellphone at a Best Buy. It has traveled thousands of miles with me and spent endless hours in the waiting rooms of doctors & hospitals.
Several years ago I added a Paperwhite, lighter weight(for reading in bed at night) and longer lasting battery but the original still works just fine.

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Super Snooper

I received a Samsung Tablet A for Christmas. I downloaded all my songs, music and the YouVersion Bible app (free) to it. It is much easier to read the Bible on it with the larger screen.

I keep it in "Airplane" mode most of the time, which keep a lot of junk off of it.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

Very similar to Pawngal. When I was "gainfully employed by Uncle Sam" I used to travel extensively to international destinations. Being in peasant meant that at least i could read my choice of books on a kindle. Worn out a couple over the years (from roughly 2009 or so). Still use it when traveling. Dave_n

I thought Kindle was what you started a fire with.

I'm on my second Nook, the 1st was no longer supported by B&N so they made me a deal on a new one, like $15. I've been an avid reader my whole life, and love books, but the convenience of the e reader is undeniable. As I age I appreciate being able to increase the font size for my aging eyes. B&N always has a selection of books for under $5.00, and I've got lots of history reads on mine, 150 plus last I looked. Some classics, some new, but it's nice to have a portable library. My last download was "Shots Fired in Anger" for 1.99. I have some physical books I'll never get rid off, but do really like the Nook.

I like real books because they are not electronic. Do not have to be plugged in or recharged. Last indefinitely with reasonable care. Do not take up RAM or disappear when my software is updated.

And, they can be left to someone in a will. I haven't figured out any way to do that with E-books.

73,
Rick

You can purchase a copy of several editions of the Standard Catalog (They're not cheap) but you will have a reference book on your Kindle pr your phone with the app......

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Dean
SWCA #680 SWHF #446

Printed books definitely have their advantages.
But so do electronic books.
Like the ability to carry several dozen of them on my Kindle Paperwhite, which is smaller, lighter, and easier to carry around than even one paperback.
I can even read it in the dark.
Plus there are a lot of books published electronically that have never been published on paper, or are very hard to find in paper format, but that are readily available electronically.

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Send lawyers, guns & money...

Some of my printed pages are showing wear from me trying to expand them with my thumb and forefinger.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

I've had a Kindle for years and love it. I started out years ago with a refurbished Kindle for a few dollars and I was hooked.

If you are a Prime member, there is a selection of hundreds of eBooks and periodicals you can read for free, the only caveat is that you can only keep 10 of them on your reader at any time. Plus the selection changes every so often so there should always be something new. It goes under the label of "Prime Reading" and is one of those little-known Prime benefits.

But if you are a hardcore reader like me, there is also the Kindle Unlimited program that has access to over 4 million books for $10/month. I read around 5-10 books per month and can overindulge my passion for sci-fi whenever I want.

Most books I read these days I read in my Kindle app on my iPad. Initially it was just an easy way to acquire English books cheaply and quickly when I lived in Japan. Now back in the US, I continue the practice out of convenience and habit.

Most of my reading is fiction for passing entertainment though. Books I care about, and especially reference books, I much prefer hardcover. I don't find skipping back and forth in a Kindle book easy, which I like to do with reference books.

I also like having hardcovers of authors I particularly enjoy, like Patrick O'Brian, C.S. Forrester, Isaac Asimov, J.R.R Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Robert Ruark...

Plus, with a Kindle, you can stop reading your book and then pick it up 4 years later right where you left off. Sort of like this thread.

I got one about the time this thread started that eventually died. Planning to buy another one soon as I'll be taking a trip to Thailand in November and want to do some reading on the plane.

Got my first Amazon Fire tablet 12 years ago. It came with the Kindle app. I am now on my second, an HD10.

I am still taken by the fact that this amazing device is an untethered portal to the literary, scientific, information and entertainment worlds.

Technology wise this is a great age in which to live.

No cave drawings for me.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan