Kindle books versus oldfashioned ones ??

[steve12553]

Just keep in mind if you get a Kindle, you can't read .epubs so limited to books purchased solely on Amazon - although as mentioned, you can convert it with Calibre. I believe there is annoying things calibre does to the file though, isn't there? I remember trying it out once and it added comments that the file was made in calibre every 10 or so pages...

I'd strongly recommend considering all the other major brands, Sony, Nook, Kobo, before deciding if you want to get a Kindle over them.

I was given a Pandigital Supernova which costs roughly the same as a Kindle Fire. My advantage here is that it will run a Kindle program and a Nook reader program. What this does for me is allows me to buy books that are exclusive to either Amazon or Barnes and Noble.Both have huge selections but certain books are exclusive to one or the other. Their reader programs for Android and several other formats are free.

 

[Timba]

I was given a Pandigital Supernova which costs roughly the same as a Kindle Fire. My advantage here is that it will run a Kindle program and a Nook reader program. What this does for me is allows me to buy books that are exclusive to either Amazon or Barnes and Noble.Both have huge selections but certain books are exclusive to one or the other. Their reader programs for Android and several other formats are free.

This is how I use my tablet also and it gives maximum flexibility which I appreciate.

 

[nightdreamer]

A world of advice for anyone thinking along the same lines as I was:

I had hoped to use my kindle to read academic papers on the bus, as it claims to support PDF. I found this didn't work out too well for two reasons:

1) It is difficult to navigate around. Either the page is too small to read or you have to do a lot of panning, which turns out to be awkward and tedious.

2) PDFs tend to lock up the device. Apparently there are a few bugs yet to work out.

I had specifically chosen the Kindle Touch over the Kindle Fire for the bright-light readability and the long battery life, but there are times I wish I had gone with the Fire for more versatility. The Kindle is awesome for e-books, though. No comment on other readers; I haven't tried them.

 

[Vertigo]

A world of advice for anyone thinking along the same lines as I was:

I had hoped to use my kindle to read academic papers on the bus, as it claims to support PDF. I found this didn't work out too well for two reasons:

1) It is difficult to navigate around. Either the page is too small to read or you have to do a lot of panning, which turns out to be awkward and tedious.

2) PDFs tend to lock up the device. Apparently there are a few bugs yet to work out.

I had specifically chosen the Kindle Touch over the Kindle Fire for the bright-light readability and the long battery life, but there are times I wish I had gone with the Fire for more versatility. The Kindle is awesome for e-books, though. No comment on other readers; I haven't tried them.

You could try converting them from pdf to Mobi. However if they have figures, diagrams, pictures etc. you will still have problems. Also when I have done this you tend to find the page numbering comes into the text which can be a little annoying. However they should end up somewhat easier to navigate if you do convert them.

Calibre, as mentioned several posts up, will do a pretty good job of converting pdf to mobi (or epub, etc.)

 

[anivid]

Hi Nightdreamer et al.
I discarded the Kindle as for Academic Literature because of one single feature which seems to lack from that point of view - it cannot take underlinings and notes in the margins - isn't that true all you wise guys ??
My Kindle will be only for fiction

 

[nightdreamer]

You could try converting them from pdf to Mobi.

Don't know why I never thought of that. My routine for converting PDFs is to convert them to epub, clean them up with Sigil (something always goes awry with the conversion), then convert them to mobi. I never tried converting a PDF with images. I might give it a try when I get some time.

 

[Vertigo]

Arrrgh,grumble mutter grumble. I typed in an answer to these two and then my connection died. And naturally I didn't make a copy first. Mutter grumble...

Hi Nightdreamer et al.
I discarded the Kindle as for Academic Literature because of one single feature which seems to lack from that point of view - it cannot take underlinings and notes in the margins - isn't that true all you wise guys ??
My Kindle will be only for fiction

My Sony can do that really easily. Well, it can't underline, but it can highlight it making it a 'note' and to this you can also attach an actual note if you wish. The highlighting itself can be quickly turned on or off, and later you can view of list of all your notes, sort them, and jump directly to them in the book.

I have found this really handy recently since I've started getting into the idea of writing. Very useful to note an interesting phrase, metaphor, description, etcetera but not be unduly distracted from the book. After the book is finished I then go back and have a closer look at the bits I've noted. I'm finding it really useful. Sad isn't it

Don't know why I never thought of that. My routine for converting PDFs is to convert them to epub, clean them up with Sigil (something always goes awry with the conversion), then convert them to mobi. I never tried converting a PDF with images. I might give it a try when I get some time.

I have had very mixed success doing this with images in techie pdf documents. Sometimes it's fine other times a mess. I actually helped Gutenberg get some images into one of their older books which was fun!

 

[Warren_Paul]

Hi Nightdreamer et al.
I discarded the Kindle as for Academic Literature because of one single feature which seems to lack from that point of view - it cannot take underlinings and notes in the margins - isn't that true all you wise guys ??
My Kindle will be only for fiction

Cannot speak for the Kindle, but as Vertigo pointed out already, making notes and searching up words in dictionaries, Wikipedia and Google is really easy with the Sony Reader.

I've had some good experience with etextbooks so far, but that's because I've used versions of the textbooks that are designed to be read on ereaders. They are formatted to suit the smaller screen size. Coupled with the ease of note-taking on the Sony Reader I've found it a really good device for taking into a classroom - certainly a lot easier to carry around than a laptop. I can highlight or search dictionaries by pressing down on the word for a few seconds, or bookmark the page by tapping the corner of the screen - easy. If I want to make a note, I follow the same process as highlighting, but choose the Add Note button instead, and it brings up an on-screen keyboard - where the bundled pen pointy thing comes in handy, but fingers can suffice, especially in landscape mode.


On another note:

If anyone is using a scanned pdf it's A: probably illegal, and B: not designed for reading on ereaders, so of course it's going to be awkward to use. If you are having to scroll/zoom the screen to see all the text, then you're probably not viewing a legit ebook - or at least one designed for reading on a Tablet PC rather than ebook reader.

 

[creynier]

Hi there,

I too have quite an extensive library which I LOVE! I wouldn't trade in any of my books for a kindle or nook, however I do have a kindle and it is very useful when travelling, easier to shop online especially when there is something I want to read right away. I use both.

 

[Mangara]

Not tried a Kindle yet, but I'm not sure it will replace the feel of a book in your hands! Although I'm sure I said similar things about CD's and MP3's and we know how that went!

 

[Janga]

I find since I started reading e-books I have been reading more. I think it's because I have access to so many books so easily now.

 

[Nerds_feather]

i greatly prefer tactile, actual books to ebooks.

but i read ebooks too. why? because:

a) i travel a good deal, and it's much more convenient to bring an ereader/tablet when you're off somewhere for longer than a weekend.

b) i have limited space on my bookshelves, and preserve this for hardcovers or nice trade paperbacks. mass market paperbacks are something i can live without, and don't have space for anyways. ebooks solves this problem.

 

[Parson]

I find since I started reading e-books I have been reading more. I think it's because I have access to so many books so easily now.

I find this to be true too. Especially because I can get the next book in a series immediately, and I don't have to wait until the bookstore has it in stock or they order it. Also the elimination of "shipping and handling" charges reduces my cost and the time I had to wait until I had a "sufficient" order to forgo those costs.

I wonder if it isn't part of the reason that ebooks were developed.

 

[Grunkins]

I got an ebook reader a couple years ago but haven't used it yet.

 

[Overread]

Not tried a Kindle yet, but I'm not sure it will replace the feel of a book in your hands! Although I'm sure I said similar things about CD's and MP3's and we know how that went!

It won't replace the feel of a book in your hands, but it won't change the story within the book. This is why I think they catch on strong with readers, because whilst we associate with the book and new book smell and the like - we also attach a lot of our fondness for a book to the story and the characters within.

Further, unlike an audio book, the sound, pace, feel and tone of the story remain unchanged - so its the same reading experience.

 

[steve12553]

Last night, as I sat in bed, I acquired The Robert E Howard Omnibus, The Collected Works of Edgar Rice Burroughs and The H. Rider Haggard Omnibus. I paid $6.97 (American) and could read them within 3 minutes of purchase. Twenty years ago I would have stumbled across one of those in a library or a book store and cherish it for 28 days (or life). Now they come to me. I do love books and have several hundred on my various book shelves but you still can't beat the comfort of knowing you can find easily, among your books stories that are brought to your attention by a news article or a post on this or another forum. Life is good (sometimes).

 

[bob393]

Interesting question

I prefer real books but I read on my kindle and on my phone, whatever suites the time I have to read.

 

[anivid]

It won't replace the feel of a book in your hands, ...

Further, unlike an audio book, the sound, pace, feel and tone of the story remain unchanged - so its the same reading experience.

I just lo-o-o-ve audio books, WHY ?? - it leaves my hands & eyes free for other purposes, and I surely like to listen while working with - in my case couture
I know they're a bit more expensive, hence I only buy those I know I want to listen to over and over again, for inspirational purposes so to speak

 

[Parson]

I just lo-o-o-ve audio books, WHY ?? - it leaves my hands & eyes free for other purposes, and I surely like to listen while working with - in my case couture
I know they're a bit more expensive, hence I only buy those I know I want to listen to over and over again, for inspirational purposes so to speak

Working with couture? (A picture of Parson imagining Anivid fitting custom clothes while having a set of headphones or Blue Tooth device stuck in her ear.)

 

[anivid]

Working with couture? (A picture of Parson imagining Anivid fitting custom clothes while having a set of headphones or Blue Tooth device stuck in her ear.)

Thank you, Parson – you made my evening with your very vivid imagination J
But the audio book sounds through my PC when I’m sitting by the table designing, constructing, measuring, cutting, sewing etc. – and once more discovering that ideas & possibilities come presenting themselves when working with the item/subject J
I believe it’s that way in all alleys of life – don’t you ??