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I Love My Kindle!
I have had the most fun news for a long time now – I am the proud owner of a Kindle
I’ve been thinking about Kindles ever since they first came out. My knee jerk reaction was to be indignant. I would never read a book in electronic format. I am a purest. The only sense I don’t love books with (or at least not since I was a toddler) is taste. I love the way they look on my bookshelves and in my bag. I love the way they feel in my hands, especially how comfortable old favorites fit inside them. I like the way it sounds when I close a wonderful book when I’m finished. I love the way it sounds when I throw a bad book across the room (Jodi Picoult’s Perfect Match, I’m talking about you!). By far, my favorite thing about books is the way that they smell. I remember Gregory Macguire’s Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
At $200 odd dollars plus the cost of books, I never became terribly serious about buying a Kindle. With Danny’s help, I did look around at other brands, but I never really got inspired enough to buy one. Then, Danny found a refurbished 1st generation Kindle much closer to my price range. We just so happened to have a $25 gift certificate at the time, so I decided to take the plunge. I get a new MP3 player every few years and pay around the same price as the Kindle. So, I figured that if I didn’t like the experience of using a Kindle, I could gift it to someone close to me. If I loved it but wanted to upgrade in a couple of years, it would be no different than with my MP3 players.
I LOVE IT!
I find it to be really comfortable to hold and fairly intuitive to use. The buttons used to turn the pages on either side of it took a little getting used to (and part of the reason for the second generation), but they do not bother me. I like how it takes you right back to the last page you were reading when you turn it back on or go back into a book after going to the table of contents. I love the lookup, notes and highlighting features even more than I thought I would. My girls even like the pages that come up with it goes into sleep mode. I think they’re pretty neat, too.
I love how portable the Kindle is. When I went on my trip to Orlando in November, I took 18 books with me – and they were all on my Kindle. It was a revelation! I know darn well I’m not going to read more than two or three books on a business trip, but I have always liked to have 6 times as many books because you never know what might hit me. Being able to lug all those books around on a single device is so decadent. Reading with my Kindle on a warm Florida beach is a trillion times more decadent. Thanks for taking the pictures, Lauren!
There are some great resources out there for those who have Kindles and other eReaders. When my Kindle first arrived, my husband sent me a link with a ton of free books (was that a subtle hint?). I have found Marcia from The Printed Page to be the most wonderful resource. She loves her Kindle, too. On top of world class advice, she also directed me to the Books on the Knob blog, which provides information on discounted and even free ebooks (not just for the Kindle).
I don’t know what the future may hold for eReaders. There are many different options available and there isn’t a single consistent format. The Kindle uses a proprietary format and there are some disadvantages to that. At this point I’m content to see what happens. I enjoy reading the books I have available on my Kindle and I don’t think that I’ll ever get to a point where I’ll only read books on an eReader anyway. There will always be special books and “keepers” that I’ll read and reread in print. Books that I can’t find for my Kindle and don’t want to purchase and print should be available in my local library. If not, I’m at a loss for other things to read.
End result? I still love books for all those things I mentioned earlier. I just love my Kindle now, too.
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December 8, 2009 | Filed Under About Literate Housewife, Kindle
Comments
20 Responses to “I Love My Kindle!”
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Ti
Posted: Dec 8th, 2009 at 1:26 pm1Reply to this comment.I’m still on the fence. However, if I won one or was given one as a gift I’m sure it would get used. Does that make sense?
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Toni
Posted: Dec 8th, 2009 at 1:29 pm2Reply to this comment.I am so with you on this. I love my Kindle. I won’t be making a 100% switch to ebooks, because some books I have to own. I figured this out recently after finishing an audio of a book that I have recently enjoyed. I feel I “need” to own the book in printed form. I was thrilled to read your post. I LOVE your photo on the beach! I have always HATED picking what books to take with me… I love the option of having a library at my finger tips. I could go on and on…
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Jo-Jo
Posted: Dec 8th, 2009 at 1:38 pm3Reply to this comment.I’m glad you’re enjoying the Kindle! Man, we decided to not exchange many gifts this year since we are planning a spring vacation…but if it weren’t for that the Kindle would be at the top of my list! Guess I will have to wait for next year.
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Serena (Savvy Verse & Wit)
Posted: Dec 8th, 2009 at 2:43 pm4Reply to this comment.There are so many ereaders to choose from and I haven’t taken the plunge because of that cost! I really like the idea of an ereader for trips, etc, but I love my books and want them always.
I also wouldn’t know where to start with an ereader…what features do I want, etc.
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Florinda
Posted: Dec 8th, 2009 at 4:09 pm5Reply to this comment.I got a Kindle this summer, and I love it for many of the same reasons you mentioned! It’s much more comfortable to use than I would have imagined. It definitely makes traveling with books much easier – I don’t intend to take a trip without it (and its charger) ever again, if I can help it. I also like the fact that the e-books cost so much less than hardcovers, and even trade paperbacks, so I can buy those intriguing new releases so much sooner!
I’d been waffling about an e-book reader until my mother-in-law let me try her Kindle out, and then I fell instantly in love. I have NO plans to stop buying conventional books, but I’m glad to have my Kindle library in addition to them.
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Kathy R (Bermudaonion)
Posted: Dec 8th, 2009 at 4:52 pm6Reply to this comment.You look so cute and happy on the beach with your Kindle. Aren’t they fantastic for traveling? I think it’s almost too easy to buy books on them, though.
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Rebecca Reid
Posted: Dec 8th, 2009 at 4:56 pm7Reply to this comment.I’d love to give a try but I’m so suspicious of whether or not I’d love it that I’m a no at this point…
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Lisa
Posted: Dec 8th, 2009 at 5:24 pm8Reply to this comment.I think I’m feeling the same way you did so maybe I should see if I can borrow one long enough to see if I, too, could fall in love!
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Karlene
Posted: Dec 8th, 2009 at 5:58 pm9Reply to this comment.I got a Kindle about a year ago and I love, love, love it. Especially when I finish a book at 2:00 a.m. and it is part of a series and leaves me dangling off that proverbial cliff—I can have the next book in less than a minute!
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Sandy
Posted: Dec 8th, 2009 at 6:35 pm10Reply to this comment.I am in love with my Kindle also. When I went to Poland this summer, that is all I needed in the whole wide world. (I felt like that scene in The Jerk…it’s all I need!) Last time I went overseas, I brought all the Harry Potters with me, so you can see why my husband thought this was a good idea! It will never replace a hard book, but I’m loving life with it (same as my iPod). Love those pictures of you lounging there at the Grand Floridian!
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luanne
Posted: Dec 8th, 2009 at 6:37 pm11Reply to this comment.Jealous! But really glad to read what you think – it’s my future at some point. Most likely when the library’s format supports it.
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Kim
Posted: Dec 8th, 2009 at 7:52 pm12Reply to this comment.Well, now, I don’t think I’m making the switch just yet
but you do look like you are really enjoying yourself! Thanks for the helpful info. -
Lori Anderson
Posted: Dec 8th, 2009 at 9:16 pm13Reply to this comment.I adore books, collect them, hoard them, but still really want a Kindle. I can’t cart around the number of books I want to in my purse, after all!
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softdrink
Posted: Dec 8th, 2009 at 11:49 pm14Reply to this comment.I’m seriously considering a Nook.
I was listening to something the other day (I think it was the audiobook I’m listening to, “The Case for Books”) that mentioned a company in France was giving out stickers with that old book smell for people to put on their computer so they got the book smell when they read a digital book.
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Kathleen
Posted: Dec 9th, 2009 at 1:30 am15Reply to this comment.Glad you love your Kindle. I bought one back last spring before I went to Germany. It was great to load it full of books before I went on my long, transatlantic flight. I still brought a few books but felt great knowing I had 20 books on my Kindle!
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Veens
Posted: Dec 9th, 2009 at 2:54 am16Reply to this comment.ohh ou look so cute on the beach! I would love to buy one, but it is not available here… eReaders are yet to hit Indian market!
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Heidi
Posted: Dec 9th, 2009 at 9:58 am17Reply to this comment.I knew you’d love it! I haven’t met any serious readers who didn’t fall in love with a Kindle once they had it a few days. It’s just too much fun to carry so many books around and be able to access them with such ease. The fact that you can be read TO and hear MP3 files on it is a super huge bonus. So glad you’ve joined the club!
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Kim (Sophisticated Dorkiness)
Posted: Dec 9th, 2009 at 3:09 pm18Reply to this comment.Thanks for posting about this! I’ve been back and forth about ereaders and so I read every post a book blogger does about the one they have. I always take way more books than I need on vacation because I’m paranoid I’ll run out — having a ton on an ereader would make things so much easier
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caite
Posted: Dec 9th, 2009 at 9:09 pm19Reply to this comment.You now have an Evil Kindle?? E-readers will mean the end of civilization.
well, I hope you enjoy it…lol
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SubAstute
Posted: Dec 10th, 2009 at 12:54 pm20Reply to this comment.Mossberg slams the Nook in the WSJ today: http://online.wsj.com/article/personal_technology.html
Based on this, seems we may need to wait until they improve it a bit. The consensus on Kindle vs Sony is that the Kindle wins out for ergonomics & for folks who read more current books & who don’t have a lot of computer knowledge. If you read more classics & like managing content & fiddling with gadgets, then the Sony is a good choice.
Refurbished 1st generation Kindles can sometimes be found at Amazon Warehouse for $150: http://www.warehousedeals.com/category/30000231161/1/Kindle.htm
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