Another concession to old age...

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shouldazagged

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I love books. I've been reading since I was four. Even after thinning the herd a lot before moving to my present place, I still have a lot of books.

Unfortunately I can't read a a number of them except very slowly and with a lot of effort, because my vision has gone to hell and the type is too small.

The eye problems are among various physical, dental and automotive problems I simply can't afford to fix, so last night I did something impulsive and gave myself a Christmas present.

I bought a factory-refurbished Kindle reader through Amazon. Not a fancy one, just fairly basic.

I always said I wouldn't do that, that I love real books too much. But clearly it was time. I've always been a fast reader, but it took me forever to read a paperback edition of Roughing It. and made my eyes very tired.

Any tips on using the Kindle? I've never even handled one.

First one of those folding grocery carts, and now an e-reader. Old guy adaptations.

Damn.
 
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I've got the Kindle app on my I-pad; it has its place. Lots of stuff I read is long out of copyright, and so free. And lots more out there cheap from Amazon. What the thing will "hold" is incredible. So I like it, up to a point. You could say that sometimes I like it a lot.

Not that it replaces a real book. If it's a good book--really, really good--I am a diehard highlighter. Then I go back, sooner or later, and underline the highlighted parts that are crucial. It's on a shelf, and you can look at it, take it down, and hold it in your hand. You can highlight on a Kindle as well, but it's just not the same. Sort of like typing on a manual typewriter, with the keystrokes, carriage return, and associated noise is the real deal.

As to tips, I just learned on the job. It's not like you can break it.
 
I think you will like it,I have a Nook and I use it a lot. Not a real book but very handy. You will be able to store a lot of books that would take many shelves of space if real paper.
 
I have got old enough that my fingers can't turn pages very good. When the Reverend has us jumping from one scripture to the other I can't keep up. My wife bought me an IPAD and I really like it. I can stay right with the Rev. and it doesn't matter how much he jumps around. When I go shopping with her and stay in the car I play Solitaire. The Bible and Solitaire are all I can do. Larry
 
I've had a kindle for about 3 years.. they are great..... but.... keep an eye on the charge........ nothing worse than sitting down to read and have the low charge (15%) start flashing.........make sure you turn them off....... battery can drain down pretty low overnight.......

Not so great outside in direct sunshine................

Lots more stuff than at the local library....

......lot of cheap books

Winter is coming.... a fire in the fireplace, two fingers of single malt and a good book........ perfect evening!!!!!!
 
Just got a Kindle myself. Another bonus is the cost. Like Military History and often cheaper. Cost often half of buying a hardcover book.
 
Magnilink Voice is a device much like a desktop lamp that you slide your book into and it reads for you.

Your state should have a Talking Book program that will provide audio books, audio magazines, and you should be eligible for NFB (National Federation of the Blind) that provides news sources.
 
I really like mine. I have it linked to cell phone. Great to be able to read while I'm waiting in Drs. office, pharmacies, lab testing areas, etc. Mike, lets hold off as long as we can on velcro tennis shoes and lobby for more roadside parks with comfort stations. I am officially my Father, with Kindle app added.
 
I can surely empathize with your situation. My dad had macular degeneration. He was also hearing impaired. Things went down hill for him until he had to quit driving and drop out of the Baylor University Senior Choir. He loved his music and has always enjoyed traveling around the state to entertain folks in hospitals and retirement homes. He was heart broken when he could no longer read music or hear.

He was also an avid crossword puzzle lover and could do even the most advanced ones. He didn't quite get to stick around long enough to take advantage of any of the high tech stuff coming out these days.

He didn't like computers and never would get one. But he was not an unreasonable man, he just hadn't reached that point yet.

The Marines have a saying, "Adapt and overcome". I find that the ability to do this is a key to thriving in old age.

I've had to "back up" on a couple of my statements too and I don't feel a bit bad about it. It isn't about stubbornness or pride it's about getting along and getting the most out of what we have left. I still have a couple of "lines in the sand" which I don't believe I'll cross but I am not going to be stupid about it. I'll do what's best for me if/when it becomes a good idea, and I'll be the to decide when that is.

I wish you good luck with your new Kindle. I may be headed that a way myself. I'm at the point where the drugstore reading glasses aren't doing it for me any more. I just had an eye exam and got new glasses. I, too am an avid reader and it isn't getting any easier. I'm not quite ready for the e-reader yet but it may not be too much longer.

Please let us know how it goes for you. Your experiences may be a portent of things to come for me and it'd be good to know what I might expect.
 
I'm with zagged-I love books. The feel of them in my hand, the turning of the pages, the smell of the paper and ink, being able to mark my place, put it down, and come back to it later-all of these things make up part of my life-long love of the printed word. I have traveled the world and had more adventures through books than almost any man alive. My store of interesting, useless-except-to-me facts is vast and varied, and I wouldn't trade it for gold or cash money. I wish I had a dollar for every hour I have spent with a book in my hand-I would be monetarily wealthy as well as knowledgeably wealthy. Somehow, the idea of a digital screen just doesn't appeal to me. You can't hear the rustle of a page with a Kindle.
 
I have a Kindle Fire, and love it. You can adjust the size of the type to make it much easier to read. You can make the background beige, white, or black (with white print). You can get books from your local library, you can get classic books from Amazon at no cost. You can order new releases of your favorite author that will automatically be delivered when first available. Since my "age" allows me to not have great recall I have been re-reading a lot of the books I bought several years ago. I must have a couple hundred on the Kindle. In addition, I can get my email on it, I have several other app's to play solitaire, bowling game, bible reading, calculator, gun laws by state, national weather service, etc. It is almost as good as a tablet. (P.S. you can go on the internet and get to Gunbroker and buy guns with it also.)
 
I put the Kindle reader in my lap top and my PC. Makes reading a lot easier on these old eyes of mine. I can make the pages stand out a lot larger and don't have to squint to read, heck I can even read without my glasses if I want to.
 
shaggist said:
I'm with zagged-I love books. The feel of them in my hand, the turning of the pages, the smell of the paper and ink, being able to mark my place, put it down, and come back to it later-all of these things make up part of my life-long love of the printed word. I have traveled the world and had more adventures through books than almost any man alive. My store of interesting, useless-except-to-me facts is vast and varied, and I wouldn't trade it for gold or cash money. I wish I had a dollar for every hour I have spent with a book in my hand-I would be monetarily wealthy as well as knowledgeably wealthy. Somehow, the idea of a digital screen just doesn't appeal to me. You can't hear the rustle of a page with a Kindle.
Click to expand...

I'm the same way. I'd much rather have a book in hand which also doesn't require a charge.
 
I guess I'm the techie sort. I read e-books on my iPad and my iPod. in fact I've got two iPods. I've got a gen 4 that goes everywhere I go except the gym, it carries a Nook app and iBooks app for my waiting times. The gen 1 iPod I use at the gym 'cause it's small and I can listen to the audio books. I get most of those through iTunes though there are other places. My local library has a limited selection as yet.

The iPad has Nook and iBook apps and is used mostly for reading at home. Works fine for quick on line look ups also. No audio books yet. It's nice to plug a headset in and listen to some classical music while reading.

Yeah I'm a techie! :cool:
 
I've had a Kindle for several years. I use it now and then, but not that much. I like "real" books, but they sure do take up a lot of space.

Saw a study a few days ago that the type of light emitted by e-readers and tablets affects a person's ability to sleep. They claimed that using one will cause you to sleep less. I don't know if that's true, but a good book CAN make it harder to sleep if you read before bed.
 
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