Technology What do you think about Kindle ?

[Alpha1000]

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Hello everyone.

I have just read that Amazon is lauching a big-screen version of its Kindle (Kindle DX). They are saying it is a version which is better for reading newspapers and books with a built-in PDF reader.

Do you think it will be a good buy? Like we can bring all of the electronic books we have (whether the kindle version of textbooks bought from Amazon or ebooks in pdf format) and not have to deal with the often heavy and bulky textbooks.

Anyone already using kindle for wards? How is it useful?

 

[TMP-SMX]

Where would you store a 10" device without getting it stolen in the hospital? It's also extremely hard to write on it. How would it be useful for anything?

It's definitely an interesting concept, but I don't think textbooks will be widely available for it. Think about how much money is made in the publishing industry for hardcover textbooks and the monopoly selling to students. No to mention the whole translation of images to an electronic screen like this and the cost of conversion for the publishers.

 

[Slevin]

I like my kindle for reading books (the one that came out in Feb) but as for reading a text book... I wouldn't do it.. too much of a hassle and pain to use a screen that small.

Kinda upset tho that the new one will handle PDF's but they won't update the regular kindle to do the same

 

[southerndoc]

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I still like reading traditional magazines. I like folding them over, the feel of paper in my hand, and the glossy color.

I could care less about reading a magazine on a gray electronic device.

 

[StatCoder]

With any proprietary reading device what I would be wary of is the cost of electronic textbooks. Publisher still feel like they are cannibalizing the sales of their paper textbooks when they sell an electronic version so they tend to charge a lot.

I would be much more interested in a tablet with Wifi and 3G connectivity where I could get free content off the internet at any time. Let's see what Apple announces at WWDC next month. Most people are expecting a tablet that runs iPhone OS and competes with netbooks. With color screen it should be very nice.

 

[DOctorJay]

take the money you'd use for a kindle and spend it on an iphone, much more functional, can still read the same info, none of the limitations of kindle.

 

[16846]

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I still like reading traditional magazines. I like folding them over, the feel of paper in my hand, and the glossy color.

I could care less about reading a magazine on a gray electronic device.

I feel the same way about hardcover books, an electronic device couldn't replace that. I do enough reading on my computer screen as it is every day, when I want to read a book I want to do it without a screen involved or batteries/an AC cord.

 

[fab4fan]

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I still like reading traditional magazines. I like folding them over, the feel of paper in my hand, and the glossy color.

I could care less about reading a magazine on a gray electronic device.

Me too. No way can I see myself reading a book this way. Of course, I never thought I'd read an online newspaper, and I now read two. But I still get the local paper delivered rather than read it online.

 

[DrJosephKim]

If they make one that has a writable touch-screen surface, then this would be the perfect tablet to carry everywhere.

Right now, it's simply too expensive.

 

[confuse]

I might get one if it's $50 instead of its current $350 price tag.

 

[MarthaT]

I love my Kindle, I had the Kindle 1, and just recently purchased the Kindle 2. It's great

 

[JeetKuneDo]

Yeah, the kindle is still too expensive I think for the everyday student. I read that they were already integrating the kindle into a few undergrads around the country. I feel sorry for those guinea pigs. Some stuff like diagrams and graphs should be in color to make it easier to read.

 

[devilsrule2004]

i think the new kindle will be real nice bc of the bigger screen i have th k2 and love it

 

[BlondeCookie]

Are there any med books that are even available in the Kindle format? And what it you want to annotate the book? For example, let's say you want to highlight, underline, and maybe write in some text or diagrams in the margins.

 

[Slevin]

Kindle is not good for textbooks, takes to long to navagate between sections if you have to go from page 345 to 765 and back