Kindle

[stevezodiac]

I've been thinking about getting a Kindle for a while now but know nothing about them. Does any forum member have one and can explain how you get the books onto them? I'm glad I held off though as this item in the latest free Short List magazine shows the new Kindle Fire - read on.

[swirlythingy]

It sounds like it's basically yet another iPad clone piggybacking on a successful brand. Trust me, you don't want one - the Kindle's main selling points are that it's as light as a paperback, doesn't have a backlit screen, and uses electronic ink instead of an LED. This makes it practical to carry around instead of books, possible to use in bright sunlight, and gives it a battery life measured in weeks rather than hours. The two gadgets are aimed at totally different sectors of the market, and IMO calling this new thing a 'Kindle' is downright misleading.

[Jonny Whizz]

I don't have a Kindle, and I don't want one as I personally still far prefer the feel of traditional books. If that makes me an old-fashioned stick in the mud, so be it. I don't have an iPad or iPhone either. So much for me being a member of the technologically advanced new generation!

[stevezodiac]

I'm as old fashioned as the next man but I am continually rooting around charity shops and flea markets for a book to read on the tube which I will discard after I've read it. With a kindle all the books are there and many are free. It just seems very convenient.

[swirlythingy]

Get a Kindle, then. Don't get a tablet computer, which is both more expensive than the non-3G Kindle and less suited to your purposes.

[colcool007]

We have been looking at buying a Kindle and it looks like it could be someone's next Christmas pressie as she reads even more than I do! But the Kindle Fire does look nice and if it comes with the free 3G, it looks like it might be worth holding off for.

But looking at the reviews and forums, it looks like Kindle 3G, which looks a bit clunkier, does have full internet access at all times. So for an e-book reader, while Kindle Fire does look the part, it's got to be the 'linked up at all times' Kindle 3G for us.

[stevezodiac]

According to the article its only £127 which is similar to an ordinary Kindle and the film and tv library appeals. Tesco will no doubt have it for about £109. I'm still tempted by the Fire - I mean even if I just read books on it i'm no worse off.

[starscape]

I read both kindle ebooks and paper books. it's not necessarily one or the other. I have a lot of my favourite books on kindle, so i can read (parts of) them any time i want. i've hundreds of books on it (both work and pleasure), along with a load of Commando, Starblazer, etc plus some Marvel UK.

Although you can buy the books at Amazon and it's automatically put on, there's thousands of low cost and free ones. pdf, txt and other formats work fine. All you do is plug in a usb, then the kindle works as an extra hard drive. Load up your books and you're off.

It's also worth pointing out, the kindle HAS a browser. Connect via wi-fi and you can access your email, news etc (plus fanfic, which I enjoy) any time you want.

[stevezodiac]

I finally got a Kindle Fire today but to do anything with it you have to connect to a wi-fi network. I know absolutely nothing about wi-fi and the Amazon page does not help (it offers to have someone phone you but I hate speaking on the phone and will probably not understand anything they tell me anyway). I have Orange broadband with a livebox but have no idea if it contains wi-fi. Can anybody assist? I feel like slinging the Kindle in the bin - Argos won't let you return them once opened unless they are faulty. At the end of the day I just want to read books so i suppose I could just get free e-books but even then there is no instruction booklet with the Kindle so buggered there as well. HELP!

[Digifiend]

What!?! No instruction booklet? I thought electronics always came with a manual? The good news is, there's one online. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/custome ... =200487900

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

Not fer me, mate--I even abandoned traditional TV 10 years ago, and have never even owned a mobile 'phone. Each to their own, though......

[stevezodiac]

My local Tesco has a thick magazine guide to Kindle at £9.99. The main problem is that for every wi-fi provider it asks you to type in the password - what password? I've never used wi-fi before. Why is technology so frustrating?

[felneymike]

The password is used to protect other people's wifi from being hijacked by people randomly wandering around. If your own internet service has wifi, there will be a "password" (or "Network key") written on the hub somewhere.
There is 'free' wifi in some public places, but you need to give them your email address for adverts to be pumped to. Doesn't mean it has to be one you actually ever check, though!

[Marionette]

It is also possible to get books onto your Kindle by connecting it to your computer via USB cable. Probably the least technical way of doing this would be to go to Amazon on your computer and install the Kindle for PC app, and then set it to download any books to the PC app. Then when you connect the Kindle to the PC it should be fairly simple to transfer the books using the PC Kindle app.

I'd also recommend installing Calibre (which a quick web search should find), as this would enable you to take ebooks from sources other than Amazon, and if necessary convert them to the correct format (*.mobi) and transfer them to the Kindle.

Personally I wouldn't try to read comics on a Kindle Fire, it's way too small. That's what iPads are for.

[starscape]

you dont need to bother converting most books. Kindle reads txt, doc, pdf and many more. Not all formats, I grant you, but a good deal.

Kindle is great for Commando etc and styles such as Kirby and Ditko work well too. They would often only use four panels.

Mind you, I use Galaxy Tab these days and find it all so much better.