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Does anyone have an Amazon Kindle?

256 replies

paranoidmother · 03/01/2010 19:42

Dh gave me a Kindle for Christmas and I have managed to get a few books via Amazon.com although a few authors are not signed up for this yet.

Doe anyone have any hints or tips on using a kindle.

So far I love it and am thrilled to have one. It's meant I will be able to take loads of stories with me everywhere as I can get through a book an evening sometimes if there is nothing else to do.

OP posts:
choccyp1g · 08/10/2010 21:18

habe = have

TitsalinaBumSquash · 08/10/2010 21:25

Can you get trashy 'chic lit' on them....

Chil1234 · 09/10/2010 14:32

" do you have to put a light on?"

Like any other book you need a light to read it in the dark. It's not a backlit screen so it's relaxing on the eyes. My cover has a light incorporated and I use it a lot.

Text colour doesn't change but you can increase font-size if you need to. Kindle quite keen on feedback so the coloured filter idea might be something they'd like.

hifi · 06/11/2010 12:23

was really keen to get one until i read the negative reviews on amazon . im away for a long time over xmas and would need about15 to 20 books. some reviews have mentioned that the kindke had died on them. now confused.

neversaydie · 06/11/2010 13:00

I have had mine for a month now, and have done one overseas trip with it.

The connectivity is fabulous - I have subscribed to the Daily Telegraph and the Economist, and they just arrive every morning, even when I was in the USA. I like being able to download sample chapters to check if I like the book, and again, can just order them up from the Kindle if I want to read the whole book.

Some of the free books are very badly formatted (complete works of Jane Austen with no way of navigating between books, anyone?), and even the periodicals are very variable - you don't get photos or pictures with the Telegraph or the Spectator, for example, but then they are very cheap. The Economist charges a lot more, but has done a decent job of the file conversions so you get a much clearer read out of it.

I have also found that Baen will sell you e-books direct in a Kindle format, even though they are not available through Amazon - some are free, and all of them can just be e-mailed to you through your Kindle e-mail address. That is fabulous!

Only thing I do find is that I miss the change of weight and pace and font you get when swittching from magazine to newspaper to book to book.

I am just off again, to Asia this time, and am looking forward with some interest to see if all the comms tech works as well there. I have plenty to read downloaded aleady!

hifi · 06/11/2010 13:25

i like to see my progress thru a book,as in number of pages i have read, might order it today so i have a few weeks to get used to it,thanks.

carriemumsnet · 24/11/2010 13:35

If you don't get the 3g version assume you can still download newspapers abroad as long as you find a wi fi connection? Am also someone who can't imagine dh needing to download a book urgently but also don't want to kick myself in 6 months for sake of £40...

Also was hoping it would solve the reading in the night with the light on thing... someone said she used it for 2am b'feeding without a light - others have said you need a light in the cover ....any other thoughts on this as this is one of main reasons for buying (for the dh!!)

Glad I found this thread!

haggisaggis · 24/11/2010 13:45

I love mine - but beware it is far too easy to buy books! My book spend has increased dramatically since I got it as it is just too tempting to be able to buy books with 1 click. DH has been instructed to hide it until after Christmas as I used to re-read old books but with the kindle I just buy a new one!
I have the cover wih built in light and find it very good. I have teh 3 g version but have really only used it WIFI so far.

carriemumsnet · 24/11/2010 14:57

So you do definitely need the light... well that's another £40 anyway...

Tikitikitembo · 24/11/2010 15:03

I can't see the point and the books are expensive [grumpy old cow emoticon]Grin

brillopads · 25/11/2010 16:30

I love my Kindle. DH bought it for me in October, so I think my Xmas /Valentines/Birthday prezzies for the forseeable will be Amazon vouchers LOL. I was reading mine on the bus this morning & there was another lady with one too!

strumpet82 · 01/12/2010 10:44

Hiya,

I don't have a kindle, but would love one. However, I tend to read fantasy type books, one's that aren't mainstream, and I wonder if any of the books I like would be available to download?

What's the general consensus on books that you can get for the kindle, are they all the Dan Brown, John Grisham type authors and the classics, or are there random authors also available?

ChickensHaveNoMercyForTurkeys · 01/12/2010 10:46

Does anyone know where I can go to see a Kindle? Because all the stores seem to stock Sony/Samsung eReaders, which are more expensive.

jabberwocky · 02/12/2010 03:43

I'm so glad to see this thread. I have ordered one for ds1 for Christmas. Does anyone have the protective cover-thingy on theirs? I ordered one as I was afraid he would immediately scratch the screen.

bartonian · 02/12/2010 05:15

John Lewis has them - in-store not online - so you could go and look at one there if you have one nearby?

salsmum · 02/12/2010 23:32

i was thinking of getting my daughter 1 but she needs large print because of her bad eyesight/disability do they come in large print? and can u change print size?

MistletoeAndWhineWithMe · 03/12/2010 19:56

Sal you can change the font size :) it also has a feature where some books can be read to you.

SpotSplatterSplash · 03/12/2010 20:07

I have got one (but DH won't actually give it to me yet) for Christmas.

I have downloaded Calibre (recommended on MN), ordered loads of cheap/free books from Amazon, a couple of discs from ebay, and downloaded more books from manybooks.

On Calibre I have organised them and sorted the data out, ready to go when I get my kindle.

I was told that you can adjust font size (as MAWWM said). I hate wearing my glasses in bed Smile

careergirl · 04/12/2010 19:14

I have just bought one. So far very happy.
Agree to easy to go mad and buy books have a strict limit with myself about that
Its a clever little gadget and so far like it.
I would say the Kindle protective case to slot it into is an essential and it also makes your Kindle feel like a real book!

BrandyButterPie · 05/12/2010 22:41

Can you reduce the contrast? I'm dyslexic, but ok reading old slightly yellowed books.

SoTiredOfTheWheelsOnTheBus · 06/12/2010 13:10

I've just got a kindle, but have had to put it away for Christmas (roll on the 25th! Grin. We were going to order it through Amazon, but ended up visiting John Lewis so we could physically compare the Kindle with the Sony, and they had another one make of reader there as well. The Kindle screen was great, and the whole thing smaller and lighter than I was expecting

Reading through the thread a couple of people have mentioned Calibre, but I haven't heard of it before - what is it and what can you use it for? I've found the website, but it keeps crashing on me, so I'm still a bit stumped.

SpotSplatterSplash · 06/12/2010 15:13

I am not sure about the contrast - Amazon have a kindle forum and also lots of information on the kindle page - would it tell you there?

Calibre is a downloadable programme which converts files into whichever format suits you ebook. So for example I can download a book in epub, put it onto Calibre and it coverts it into a format I can use on the Kindle.

It also lets you organise your ebooks and you can also make sure that you have covers and information for your books (I presume they all go onto the Kindle?)

I'm not allowed my Kindle until Christmas either so I have just been , messing about with Calibre.

strumpet82 · 06/12/2010 15:23

Does the Sony have a backlight?

I've been told the standard Kindle doesn't, you have to get the £40 cover.

I'm just thinking which is the best for reading in bed without extra costs?

SpotSplatterSplash · 06/12/2010 15:49

I got a little clip on light from Ebay, but to be honest I think I will just be reading with the light on as I do normally.

Would a backlit screen not hurt your eyes? I think Amazon made the screen as close to paper as it can be electronically so I would imagine a backlit screen would interfere with this.

RolandButter · 06/12/2010 15:55

i owuldnt buy it as you cant read it in the bath!