Amazon's Kindle

[Griffin NoName]

I read these flower pot men were voiced by the same guy wgo did the Daleks.
I smell a plot in that pot/d.

How ridiculous. They have completely different voices.

[pieces o nine]

I read these flower pot men were voiced by the same guy wgo did the Daleks.
I smell a plot in that pot/d.

How ridiculous. They have completely different voices.

GERMINATE!   GERMINATE!   GERMINATE!     

[Swatopluk]

  

[Griffin NoName]

I know I will not get much sympathy, but I am still agonising over whether I want a Kindle E-ink (ie. NOT the Kindle Fire) or a tablet some other one than Kindle Fire. I just keep dithering. The only key fact is I want it mainly for reading books because I want to eliminate space and cost issues. So that says original Kindle. But then I think.... wouldn't it be nice to have other capabilities.... and then I am quite envious of people with iPads - except no way do I want to get tied into Apple, iTunes etc. And then I think can I be bothered to keep all this equipment charged, etc etc. everything comes with overheads....... maybe it's easier to just keep buyinh books and using my laptop.
<sigh>

edit:

oh, by the way, main reason in favour of buying a Kindle is my son told me not to, and everything he has told me not to buy, which I have bought, has been really useful.............

Edit:

Yet another question, and this may sound stupid, but one of the things they don't tell, is how basic Kindle without keyboard is operated - ie. can see it has buttons or whatever, but does it have any touch screen functionality, assume not as surely it would say if it did, and on the US market (BUT NOT the UK ) there is a Kindle Touch. Why can't the UK and US be the SAME:? But if it doesn't how do get alphabetic characters in without a keyboard or a virtual keyboard. This then begs the question about the keyboard version, does that have touch screen or not, and actually what real benefit is the keyboard, and do you do things differently on the keyboard version than the original non-keyboard version. It's amazing really, they tell you so much, really helpful stuff, but leave out some fairly basic info. A bit like my father trying to learn MS Word not knowing documents don't exist beyond the final non-space character even if he can see a large expanse of white screen like a blank piece of paper beyond that last character.......

[Bluenose]

IMHO if you want to use the Kindle mainly for reading books, then go for the e-ink.  You have a PC for doing the other stuff.  As for battery life, I only have to charge my Kindle every three or four weeks or so.  Even if you use it much more than I do, the battery life of the e-ink Kindles is very good.  The Kindle Fire would probably need to be charged more or less daily.

I have the keyboardless Kindle.  There is a soft keyboard that pops up when you press the keyboard button.  You move the selection around by pressing the outer rim of the sqaure navigation control (i.e. up, down, left, right) and then make your selection using the centre button of that control.  I only use it for joining wireless networks or when I want to shop from the Kindle store when I don't have access to a PC.  It is a bit clumsy but in fact works a lot better than I thought it would.  The trick is to buy your books using your Amazon account via your PC n(or your smartphone app  ).  Using the Kindle is exactly the same as the keyboard model (Mrs Blue has one of those).  I thought that having no keyboard might be a bit of a pain, but in reality I don't miss it at all and my Kindle is little smaller as a result of having no keyboard.

[Griffin NoName]

Thanks Blue. I think I am more interested in the keyboard version. Does Mrs Blue like having the keyboard?

Yes, I've caught on to the use PC to download books scenario. That's fine. No probs.

Kindle Fire is quite a bit smaller than iPad - I think if i went for a tablet, I would want it to be more the size of the iPad than the Kindle Fire. It was quite a leap for me to go down to the 12 inch laptop I now use from my old 19" screen. Things can get too small. Like the virtual keyboard on my iTouch which I constantly mistype things due to clumsy fingers. I find it really irritating.

Yes, hmm, I don't think I am going for a tablet anyway, at least not unless my son tells me not to buy one.

[Bluenose]

Well, Mrs Blue generally shops on her Kindle rather than using the PC.  The "keyboard" is really just a set of buttons in the good old QWERTY format.  It's not really designed for typing but does the job fine for browsing the Kindle store.  I agree about the Kindle Fire.  If I want a tablet, something bigger than the KF would be my choice.  In this case I would rather have a device that does one function really well - and the Kindle is a great e-book reader - rather than end up with something that does not really do either of its main functions as well as dedicated devices.  Sometimes the compromise in a multi function device is not worth it.

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

Besides, with an android tablet you can download the kindle app and read the same books in the tablet if you buy them from Amazon. I recently bought a 10" tablet and I'm very happy with it but it was cheap. If you can get something equivalent in the UK that might be a possibility, although it's really a nice toy for light browsing and touchscreen games more than anything else.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Most of the questions have been covered already.

I'll just add this:  have you considered used equipment? 

With the event of "get the latest and greatest.... NOW" attitude so common in electronics these days, there is a pretty good market for "yesterday's stuff" at mark-down prices. 

The only caveat is that Amazon can blacklist stolen Kindles-- and does, at the owner's request.  A blacklisted Kindle cannot be registered, and therefore cannot read Amazon content (but can do just fine for side-loaded non-DRM books in the MOBI format).  A quick check with Amazon will let you know if it is, or so I've been told.   I currently own several used Kindles myself-- all work just fine.

The Android tablets are all pretty new, so finding a used one of those is more problematic-- but a nice factory refurbished one would be the way to go here-- these can be had from various places, including Amazon's resellers.   The nice thing about going through Amazon's storefront, is Amazon's buyer protection, obviously-- so if you get a lemon, you simply send it back for a refund, even if the seller is uncooperative.  Within the mandatory 30 days trial, obviously. (that's an Amazon thing-- some sellers have longer warranties of course).

In my experience, you can determine if it's a lemon within a few minutes, and that just leaves the battery-- the next most likely failure system.  That can be determined (good or bad) within a couple of days, so the 30 day limit is usually sufficient.

[Griffin NoName]

Thanks.  Yes that answers all my questions nicely.

In my experience, you can determine if it's a lemon within a few minutes, and that just leaves the battery-- the next most likely failure system.  That can be determined (good or bad) within a couple of days, so the 30 day limit is usually sufficient.

I'm happy to buy new and avoid any hassle. Is the rechargable battery not replacable if it will no longer recharge? (My Flip Video battery cannot be replaced). If so, and one has downloaded direct to Kindle rather than PC, then one loses everything. That's nuts.

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

I just replaced the battery of my sony reader, but it's not very friendly to do so, if you don't mind taking things apart then there is no issue but some may be squeamish about it. I don't know about the kindle itself but I wouldn't be surprised if it isn't that easy either.

[The Meromorph]

Thanks.  Yes that answers all my questions nicely.

In my experience, you can determine if it's a lemon within a few minutes, and that just leaves the battery-- the next most likely failure system.  That can be determined (good or bad) within a couple of days, so the 30 day limit is usually sufficient.

I'm happy to buy new and avoid any hassle. Is the rechargable battery not replacable if it will no longer recharge? (My Flip Video battery cannot be replaced). If so, and one has downloaded direct to Kindle rather than PC, then one loses everything. That's nuts.

If you bought books from Amazon, you can re-download them free for ever to any new kindle you get
If you got them somewhere else, TAKE BACKUPS onto your PC...

HTH

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Thanks.  Yes that answers all my questions nicely.

In my experience, you can determine if it's a lemon within a few minutes, and that just leaves the battery-- the next most likely failure system.  That can be determined (good or bad) within a couple of days, so the 30 day limit is usually sufficient.

I'm happy to buy new and avoid any hassle. Is the rechargable battery not replacable if it will no longer recharge? (My Flip Video battery cannot be replaced). If so, and one has downloaded direct to Kindle rather than PC, then one loses everything. That's nuts.

None of the newer devices will have user-replaceable batteries.   Alas, blame Apple for this one-- in an effort to forcefeed form over usefulness, they stripped out anything they could-- and packaging a LiIon battery in an idiot-proof package (more or less) requires extra weight, size, etc.   But putting just the guts?  Is easy-- the actual LiIon pack can be as thin as 5 or 7 playing cards, and even flexible.   They use silver mylar packaging for non-user replaceable battery packs-- something even a semi-idiot could easily cut open with a knife or a pair of scissors-- and blow their frikkin' hand off in the process.  Not good.  Even with a mighty label:  "If you cut into this it will blow your frikkin hand off! Don't cut into it!"

Some sub-human J.A. will do it anyway... and then some lawyer-type will sue... and win... so...

... to save size, Apple declared you simply are not godlike enough to be trusted with replacement of the battery.    Apple will happily replace it for you.    For a price, of course.

And they saved ever so much thickness and weight by doing so-- think of it:  no special battery compartment-- that's two layers of extra plastic, gone.  And the extra-sturdy case around the battery itself:  gone.  And the extra fiddly-bits for the hatch:  gone.  And the extra connections that are as idiot-proof as you can get them:  gone.   You could shave 80% of the thickness just by eliminating near-idiot-replaceable batteries in stuff.

Unfortunately?  Everyone else saw the advantages (to Apple-- not to the user) Apple paved the way with, and quickly followed suit.

Now, the newest cell phones have lost the user-replaceable packs...

... okay, okay... rant over. 

__________________________________

As it turns out?  If you are not one of those people who cut stuff up just because you can?  You can actually replace batteries in these things yourself-- plenty of non-official resellers willing to risk selling you a flat-pack battery, built to OEM specs or even better-- frequently, you can find packs with more punch (amp-hours-- translation:  longer "on" time).  You'll also need a set of specialized tools, too-- typically very tiny TORX type screwdrivers, and more and more, the "security" ones (who's screws sport a little pin in the center, needing a coosponding tool with a matching hole...).

Apple went to a 5-lobed screw, which was quickly copied by the tool-makers.  Kindles use TORX as far as I know, and these can be had nearly anywhere that sells precision tools.  Often the battery re-sellers will sell you one specific for your device.  For a price, of course.

As it turns out, I already own a set of TORX bits-- even ones with the holes-in.  Being the tinkerer that I am, and I've replaced "non-replaceable" batteries on several things.  It's not hard-- if you are unsure you can remember how all the little fiddly-bits fit together?  Take camera-phone snaps at each step-- with step 1 being your device before anything has been removed, and a snap for each screw you take-out--- including the screw/part/fiddly-bit you just removed.  Use PAINT to label your snaps if you need to.

You can always delete unneeded photos later.  But you cannot un-delete what you never snapped....

... and a nice bench-mounted magnifying glass is a plus-- one with a good, strong light.  And several types of tweezers is a must-- some of those parts are too small for ordinary human fingers.  Oh, and a nice, small flat screwdriver, to use as a miniature prybar.

Finally?  Steady hands is an absolute necessity-- or you'll be dropping the fiddly-bits too frequently.   Usually bouncing on your table, off onto the carpet-- wherein it immediately does a Predator-fade and hides..... until you find it later, painfully embedded in your bare foot...



So, yeah-- it turns out you can replace batteries in nearly anything.   

But, naturally, it voids any and all warranties....

... but it's damn fun!



Especially when you are successful, and you can "stick it" to Da Man... take THAT Mr Knows-Better-Than-Me Manufacturer-Overlord!

[Griffin NoName]

If you bought books from Amazon, you can re-download them free for ever to any new kindle you get
If you got them somewhere else, TAKE BACKUPS onto your PC...

Doh! I don'y know what I've got between my ears these  days.

Bob, if I ever need to replace a battery, I'll send it over to you!!

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

If you bought books from Amazon, you can re-download them free for ever to any new kindle you get
If you got them somewhere else, TAKE BACKUPS onto your PC...

Doh! I don'y know what I've got between my ears these  days.

Bob, if I ever need to replace a battery, I'll send it over to you!!

I'd be delighted!  You pay the shipping & battery?  I'll be happy to fix it for you for gratis-- just for the experience of having preventing yet one more item from going into a landfill (if nothing else).