# I just looked at a Kindle -- Is it just a lot of HYPE?



## jacobpressures (Jan 6, 2011)

Well I went to Target to check out the Kindle on display. The screen did not look too, too small although the books on the display did not have pictures or diagrams. The store was out of the eBook reader. So i played with it for about 30 minutes.

As before i was impressed with the quality of the text against the page. But there were problems and questions.

*How do you People Navigate? * 
Navigation was not fun and using "arrow control" to move around the page was slow and clumbersome. There appears to be no stylus or any way to jump around the page. I assume the forward and back buttons will become more intuitive but since the book is more like a SCROLL format (not fixed pages) it seems more logical to have up and down buttons rather then left and right. I biggest problem here was moving around the page.

*Searching* 
The search feature was quite easy to use but i'm not sure it can handle complex searches. On the menu, i saw the option for "Search this book," but is saw no option for searching all the books available on your K3 library. I'm not sure that i can search only the highlighted sections or notes in the book either--while excluding the regular text.

*Note Taking* 
I presume that a keyboard can be attached to the K3 somehow so that typing is easier. The note appears similar to a footnote after the word selected before creating the note. The problem is that one has to navigate to the number in superscript just to see a brief synopsis of the note. This small note window doesn't appear to scroll. Even when using a search there seems to be no easy way to view the notes outright. Perhaps i need to get and read a manual. I was not impressed with the ability to take and view notes at all. Perhaps it would be slightly better if there was a note button.

*Highlighting*

Highlighting wasn't bad except that it was more like underlining than highlighting and it took time ot nagivate to teh spot you wanted to lighlight.

Those were my observations. Perhaps there is more to the ebook than my 30 minute encounter made me realize.

I'm glad i found the forum before going out and buying a kindle. Thanks for any help you can provide.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

I probably won't be of much help to you because I absolutely love my Kindle 3. (I had a Kindle 2 and felt the same way about it.)

I don't find navigation to be a problem,  nor do I find turning pages to be problematic. Highlighting works fine for me, and I don't take a lot of notes. You can do a global search of your Kondle books. Just do it from the Home screen rather than from within a book. 

I love the screen and the e-ink, and find that my eyes don't tire at all when using it.

I hope someone will be able to address your concerns. That said, a Kindle may not be the ideal e-reader for everyone, but it's perfect for me.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

A lot depends on what you want to do. I just read on my Kindle, so 99.5% of my clicks are just page forward or page back, which is quite easy. Once in awhile I navigate to look up a word or make a bookmark, but not often.  I do an occasional search in a book, but not often. So the kludgy  typing isn't important to me.  You can easily search within an entire book, not sure about searching an entire library.

I know of no way to attach an external keyboard, but Kindle for PC should work fine if you must do extended typing within a book.

I don't ever remember highlighting even once on my Kindle, so I can't speak to that. I was only vaguely aware that it was possible as a function.


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

I use my Kindle for reading novels. I don't jump around, search or highlight anything. It's perfect for me.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

jacobpressures said:


> Well I went to Target to check out the Kindle on display. The screen did not look too, too small although the books on the display did not have pictures or diagrams. The store was out of the eBook reader. So i played with it for about 30 minutes.
> 
> As before i was impressed with the quality of the text against the page. But there were problems and questions.
> 
> ...


Yes. It is designed for reading, not for being a pocket PC. If you want a pocket PC that can be used as an e-book reader, I'd recommend either a nice phone with the Kindle App, or an Apple iPad.



> *Searching*
> The search feature was quite easy to use but i'm not sure it can handle complex searches. On the menu, i saw the option for "Search this book," but is saw no option for searching all the books available on your K3 library. I'm not sure that i can search only the highlighted sections or notes in the book either--while excluding the regular text.


Search all books by entering a search term/phrase while on the Home screen, not while within a book. I don't think you can search within a selection, but then there's a limit to how much text you can have in one selection anyway, so I'm not sure I'd ever have reason to want to.



> *Note Taking*
> I presume that a keyboard can be attached to the K3 somehow so that typing is easier. The note appears similar to a footnote after the word selected before creating the note. The problem is that one has to navigate to the number in superscript just to see a brief synopsis of the note. This small note window doesn't appear to scroll. Even when using a search there seems to be no easy way to view the notes outright. Perhaps i need to get and read a manual. I was not impressed with the ability to take and view notes at all. Perhaps it would be slightly better if there was a note button.


None that I know of, but I agree that would be a nice add-on. Again, if you want a full-function hand-held PC, there are better options. If you just want to read lots of books, Kindle is great.



> *Highlighting*
> 
> Highlighting wasn't bad except that it was more like underlining than highlighting and it took time ot nagivate to teh spot you wanted to lighlight.


I suppose, but for me I don't care: I almost never use the feature or even think about it. 



> Those were my observations. Perhaps there is more to the ebook than my 30 minute encounter made me realize.
> 
> I'm glad i found the forum before going out and buying a kindle. Thanks for any help you can provide.


Again, decide what it is you want/need in an e-reader: are you looking for a convenient, portable device that you can use to read books in most lighting conditions with long battery life and a huge selection of books and backed by the best customer service in the business, the Kindle may be right for you. If you need to do a lot of annotation, searching, transcribing, manipulating, and other fancy processing, you might be better served by an iPad (and out of a lot more money) or one of the Android-powered tablets starting to come out now or very soon, upon which you can install the Kindle App (along with whatever other e-book apps you want to use).


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## kindlegrl81 (Jan 19, 2010)

I love my Kindle and would never give it up but it is not for everyone.  After reading your other thread and this one I don't really think the Kindle is for you.  You probably need something more like an iPad.


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## hankw (Aug 25, 2010)

Another downside, Library books are not available for the Kindle. 

About the only other thing I do beside reading the Kindle, is to prepare my Docs. in Open Office save as text, and load them on the Kindle for lessons or discussions. Check out the nook or other e-readers. The IPad has the ability as a e-reader plus so much more, that's why the difference in price. Good luck on your search,  My search drove me crazy.


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## Pushka (Oct 30, 2009)

my husband is an author and he thinks the highlighting feature is one of the best things about the kindle. He syncs these notes and then goes to the myamazon website, and all his notes are online, along with the highlighted texts. He can then use these to create his products.  The kindle is an ereader, and anything else it does is a bonus.


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## history_lover (Aug 9, 2010)

Have you checked out the Sony Reader Touch? It has both e-ink and a touchscreen, making navigation presumably better. However, as far as I know, no ereader allows you to plug a keyboard into it. The iPad does but of course it's a tablet computer, not just an ereader, and does not have e-ink.


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## tamstercmt (Nov 15, 2010)

This is the first time I've posted on the boards - anyway, when I was choosing an ereader, I researched a lot of them before I made my decision. I kept coming back to the Kindle. I wanted something not too complicated. The Kindle is perfect for me. I read a lot, as most folks do, and I love the ink technology. I do not use the highlight feature, and I do very little browsing on my Kindle. I'm glad it's there when I want it, however.

If you want a multifunction ereader, the Kindle is probably not for you. That being said, for reading books you can't beat it. I appreciate the no glare screen - I use a booklight most of the time and not having light glare on the screen is a big plus for me. I use the m-edge light and have yet to find a more portable booklight that covers the screen comfortably. That's the only real complaint I have.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

When you type in your notes, they are kept in a seperate file called MY CLIPPINGS on your kindle, as are any highlights and bookmarks. I use this alot of the time because of school/notes & making notations in books I am reading. 
If you text, you should be used to small keys, and the keyboard on the Kindle is much larger than the ones on a phone. No, there is no external keyboard to attach. 
For what it is, The kindle is the best at doing what it is supposed to. If you think it is slow and clunky and counter-intuitive... go try a Nook. It has a touch screen, which you might like, but I think you will find it is worse to use than the Kindle.
My husband uses an iPad because he wants a reader & a tablet computer, me I just want to read, so the Kindle is the best for me.


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## KindleChickie (Oct 24, 2009)

You are probably disappointed because you want to do more than read on the device.  I do not believe it is over-hyped at all.  I first purchased the Kindle 2 with the intent of reading newspapers and since have really enjoyed blogs (and of coarse books).  But what I wanted/expected when I made my purchase was a way to cut down on the old papers piling up and the ink getting on my clothing, so for me it was an excellent fit.

My Kindle is the only device I will turn around and go back home for if I forget it.  My cell phone, iPad, iPod, whatever else I will just keep going.  I have to have my news and blog fixes.


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## s0nicfreak (Jun 10, 2010)

I think you are looking at things like you are reading web pages rather than books. When you read a book you do not scroll, you turn to the next page (just as the Kindle has a next page button). If you were trying to highlight in a book and you don't have a highlighter, only a black pen, you would underline. When you take notes in a book, you are very limited by the blank space in the book, and would want to get a separate notebook for more in depth notes. As for moving around the page, when reading a book you do not really need to move around the page very much. You may need to look up a word here or there, but moving around the page those rare times is easier than with a physical book where you must go find a dictionary, look back at the word to check the spelling, and then find the word in the dictionary.

The Kindle is not a computer, and it is not a tablet. But as an _ereader_, it is awesome.


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## jacobpressures (Jan 6, 2011)

Thanks guys for the comments. Some i thought were slightly insulting. lol. Pay me no attention.

Seriously i understand and Amazon has to start somewhere.  I'm sure in the future they will add on more features. I would have never guessed they could get something so similar to paper. I think that is a good start. People want an e-reader but most of us also want to study.  There is more to STUDYING than viewing the text.   However, the book that can conquer those interested in research and studying is the one that will win over all.  Really if you think about it, what good is an ereader if it is hard to reference? One of the main benefits of having books digitized is to be able to have an enhanced library that you can fold in your hand.  Unless i'm missing something, i don't see how the academic community is going to be won over by the current Kindle versions.  I would say that the Kindle is good for "passive" reading rather than "active" studying. But before i give up i need to pay more attention to the bookmark and search features.

So maybe I'll go back to Target and try it from the home screen for searches. Notes are very important for me (and i don't want to have to use another device just to type up a note), but perhaps once i see i can accomplish the same thing with the search and bookmark features, i'll be happy.  It was only a 30 minute session anyway.

Thanks guys!


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## HappyGuy (Nov 3, 2008)

jacobpressures, the annual Consumer Electronics Show is later this month. This is the show where electronics firms show off their soon-to-be-released products. Were I you, since the Kindle doesn't sound like what you're looking for, I'd wait until after that to decide - the hot item this year is expected to be table computers (a la iPad), so you'll have more choices in that arena and most of those will quickly have something like Kindle For PC available.


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## jacobpressures (Jan 6, 2011)

history_lover said:


> Have you checked out the Sony Reader Touch? It has both e-ink and a touchscreen, making navigation presumably better. However, as far as I know, no ereader allows you to plug a keyboard into it. The iPad does but of course it's a tablet computer, not just an ereader, and does not have e-ink.


History_Lover, that sounds like a great suggestion. The only concern i have is that they probably don't allow Kindle books. I buy almost every book i own from Amazon. I also don't know of any online book store that have the competitive prices that Amazon does. Do you have any further suggestions? I'm just asking in case you know a bit more.

thanks!


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## macaroni (Sep 4, 2010)

Bottom line is that a Kindle is designed to be an electronic book ... nothing more nothing less. Granted it CAN be used for other things, but there are far FAR better tools for all of those things ... but those tools are NOT a better tool to read a book (other e-readers may be as good for reading but I've only owned a Kindle).

I look at my Kindle as I would a paper back book .... small & portable reading material. The advantages (for me) of a Kindle over a paperback are in that I can adjust the font sizes to aid my aging eyes read longer and more comfortabaly, the ability to carry as many books at one time as I'd like, and the ability to buy a book with the touch of a button any time any place rather than going to a book store.

I'm not sure that I've noticed any "hype" on the Kindle beyond it being a pretty darn good e-reader so in that sense I don't think it's been "over hyped" .... if you are reading more into what's being said about the Kindle, feeling it can be used as a portable computing device ... then I think you will be disapointed.


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## jacobpressures (Jan 6, 2011)

HappyGuy said:


> jacobpressures, the annual Consumer Electronics Show is later this month. This is the show where electronics firms show off their soon-to-be-released products. Were I you, since the Kindle doesn't sound like what you're looking for, I'd wait until after that to decide - the hot item this year is expected to be table computers (a la iPad), so you'll have more choices in that arena and most of those will quickly have something like Kindle For PC available.


Thanks HappyGuy, is this the website -- http://www.cesweb.org/ ? So will i be able to go online and review what they have to say about the ereaders? From the dates on the web page it looks like the CES is going on now--January 6 - 9, 2011. What i really like about the Kindle is the e-ink display and at least right now, i really do want something that is a book and doesn't do too many other functions.

Thanks very much!


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## HappyGuy (Nov 3, 2008)

My pleasure. By the way, see my response to your thread/question about researching and the K.


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## jacobpressures (Jan 6, 2011)

*What can one do WITH A BOOK?*

1) With a book you can add notes and wow! Its not hard.
2) With a book you can underline and highlight and look its not hard (of course both features may not be needed).
3) With a book you can read text and look, typically with exception to resizing text, its not hard.

To state taht I'm looking for a computer rather than a book is crazy! Is it NOT true that Kindle wants to REPLACE the book? Well these are the basic functions of a book. Search is just one of the natural benefits of having a digitized book and yet the codex format (verses the ancient scroll is designed just for that purpose). I have not asked for a SINGLE feature unintuitive to a book. If they really want to replace the book, ereaders are going to have to have these basic features. I'm not asking for too much. YEt I'm not saying Kindle does not have these features. I'm simply saying i've not discovered them yet.

Thanks guys.


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## jacobpressures (Jan 6, 2011)

HappyGuy said:


> My pleasure. By the way, see my response to your thread/question about researching and the K.


Thanks Happy Guy, I will.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

jacobpressures said:


> Thanks HappyGuy, is this the website -- http://www.cesweb.org/ ? So will i be able to go online and review what they have to say about the ereaders?


There's very good coverage of the products at CES at engadget.com, cnet.com, and (for Android tablets in amongst all the smart phones) at androidcentral.com. So far I don't recall any eInk devices, but there are a lot of new tablets.


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

jacobpressures said:


> History_Lover, that sounds like a great suggestion. The only concern i have is that they probably don't allow Kindle books. I buy almost every book i own from Amazon. I also don't know of any online book store that have the competitive prices that Amazon does. Do you have any further suggestions? I'm just asking in case you know a bit more.
> 
> thanks!


If you get an Android-based tablet, you can get the Kindle app for it.
I'll also point out that you can order a Kindle from Amazon and try it out. You have 30 days to return it if it's not for you. That may be a better test than a demo unit in a store. Then you can have your own books available for testing.


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## Elk (Oct 4, 2010)

jacobpressures said:


> People want an e-reader but most of us also want to study.


Some do, some do not. I posit that most buying a Kindle simply want to read.

We all study differently as well. I have multiple degrees - I can include many impressive letters with my name - but do not write in books or highlight; I like books too much to mark them. I similarly never dog-ear a page. Thus the Kindle easily replicates how I study. For me the Kindle's failing is instead the lack of a physical book's aesthetics.

It is apparent the Kindle will not satisfy you. Why argue with this? Move on to other products as others have already suggested. The Kindle application on a PC or tablet may work for you.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

jacobpressures said:


> *What can one do WITH A BOOK?*
> 
> 1) With a book you can add notes and wow! Its not hard.
> 2) With a book you can underline and highlight and look its not hard (of course both features may not be needed).
> ...


I don't view the Kindle as a device that wants to totally replace books. I can't imagine the time when I don't own books. What I especially love about the Kindle is its convenience, as I always have three or four hundred of my favorite books with me. As for the things that you want the Kindle to be able to do, it can do them all. Sure, maybe entering text isn't quite as easy as it would be if done on a tablet or other computer, but it can be done, and, once you get the hang of it, it's not terribly cumbersome. Highlighting is very easy and quick, so that's not a problem. I, for one, don't find searching to be problematic, either.

I really think that if you're truly interested in a Kindle, 30 minutes in a Target isn't an adequate time to put it through its paces, nor is it enough time for you to get used to the adaptations that you need to learn. If you don't want to learn to take notes on it because it's not as easy as it would be were you using an actual paper book, then I'd say the Kindle isn't for you. If, on the other hand, you are willing to concede that the Kindle ISN'T a paper book, but is a wonderful device that stands on its own merit, then I'd say you might like one.

You can get a 30-day trial period through Amazon, during which time you can determine how (or IF) the Kindle fits your needs and your lifestyle. That sort of offer isn't found many other places. Just my two cents.

Like others who have posted, I use my Kindle for reading books, plain and simple. I have an iPad and an iPhone in the event that I want to play games or surf the 'net or check my email. (OK. I confess. I do have a couple of word games on my Kindle, but I don't play them very often. I much prefer my iPad and/or iPhone.)


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## macaroni (Sep 4, 2010)

jacobpressures said:


> *What can one do WITH A BOOK?*
> 
> 1) With a book you can add notes and wow! Its not hard.
> 2) With a book you can underline and highlight and look its not hard (of course both features may not be needed).
> ...


I don't think the intent is to replace books. 
In my case (because of my failing eyesite) the ability to change font sizes is a big deal and I can see it replacing books for me just for that fact alone. On the other hand, my daughter reads as many (if not more) dead tree books at home, but because of the portability issues she reads mostly (if not exclusively) on her Kindle when she travels.

Everyone's needs are different, as well as the "type" of reading one is doing dictates functions that may be more desirable than others .... I think we are in agreement that for highlighting, research, school text reading "types of things" the Kindle is not the optimal tool, all I was trying to say is that for reading a book (turning pages and reading words) the Kindle does a good job, equivalent to a paper back book, with certain advantages. For research, diagrams, learning, graphics, video, etc etc etc .... there are better tools out there depending on your need (one of which is just a good old paper book).


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## mcostas (Nov 22, 2010)

jacobpressures said:


> Thanks guys for the comments. Some i thought were slightly insulting. lol. Pay me no attention.
> 
> Seriously i understand and Amazon has to start somewhere. I'm sure in the future they will add on more features.


I think you still are missing the point, an ereader isn't a tablet, it wasn't designed to have a lot of features, it was designed to read ebooks, just like an mp3 player was designed to play music.

My neighbor and his wife got ereaders for Christmas, she got a nook b&w and he got a literati. He was dissatisfied with it, took it back and got a nook color. He liked it at first till he tried to use it, he tried surfing the web, going to you tube, playing games, and was dissatisfied with it's performance. He has as of yet to try reading a book on it. He did not try kindle because he "heard it doesn't work right" , which is puzzling, cause they know mine had worked right from the beginning, that's how they learned about ereaders. I think he read the hype about how amazon "steals" books and such, he is kind of susceptible to hype and rumors.

The wife likes her nook ok, she doesn't care for the touch screen though. I played with it and was surprised at how nice the text looked. It seemed very slow to start up and hard to navigate but I didn't spend a lot of time to learn the features.

Some types of reading are not appropriate on the kindle, the use of large atlas's and reference books do not translate well. But the kindle (or nook) wasn't meant to replace all books. It was meant for the reader that always has a book with them, who reads on break, on vacation, in traffic. Who ran out of space on their bookshelves so they pile books on top of books. Who can't use their nightstand because books are piled on top of it. For that type of reader the kindle is perfect.

Another thing I would like to point out to the ones that really want a tablet, but for some reason get ereaders and complain instead of just getting an ipad to begin with, is that if more features are added, if it becomes more tablet like, it's going to cost more than 140 bucks.

An ereader isn't a low cost tablet, it isn't a tablet at all. It's great to read a book on. It's especially great for reading several at a time!


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## history_lover (Aug 9, 2010)

jacobpressures said:


> Thanks guys for the comments. Some i thought were slightly insulting. lol. Pay me no attention.


Well, when you suggest that the Kindle is "just a lot of hype", it's kind of insulting to those of use who love it. It suggests that we are all just suckers who have bought into the hype and don't know how to make an informed decision about what purchase is best for us. Kindle is not for everyone but that does not mean it's "just a lot of hype". So if you feel you're getting any hostility, it might be because of that.



> History_Lover, that sounds like a great suggestion. The only concern i have is that they probably don't allow Kindle books. I buy almost every book i own from Amazon. I also don't know of any online book store that have the competitive prices that Amazon does. Do you have any further suggestions? I'm just asking in case you know a bit more.


No, Sony are the only ones with an e-ink touch screen at the moment. But you should check out Google eBooks - they've just launched it so it's still building and I can't access it in the UK so I can't check prices but you can use Sony products with their ebooks: http://books.google.com/ebooks - as it develops, you might find this is a good alternative ebook store.

If you're okay sacrificing the e-ink there's also the Nook Color which uses a touch screen and therefore would have better navigation. But again, I don't believe you can plug in a keyboard, I think that's only possible with a tablet computer. But the benefit to this would be that Nook's store is the best after Kindle's. Their prices are often the same, though not always.

Personally, I think you're looking for something that doesn't exist - something with more of the features like an iPad without the cost but with e-ink, all while still having access to the largest ebook retailer. At this point, it doesn't exist so I suggest you check back into the market in a few years but I can't promise anything.



> To state taht I'm looking for a computer rather than a book is crazy!


It's not really when you consider you want something that supports a full sized keyboard. That's not generally something people associate with books. Honestly, if it weren't for e-ink I'd say there is no question that what you're looking for is a tablet computer. Just because the price isn't what you're looking for doesn't mean the device isn't. Alternatively, you could just buy Kindle books and read them on your computer - that means no cost of an extra device, a full sized keyboard and quick access to all your notes and highlights at kindle.amazon.com. Of course there's no eink and unless you have a laptop, the books won't be portable. But you'd save money and have access to all the navigational features you're looking for. Have you tried out the Kindle app for PC/Mac?



> Is it NOT true that Kindle wants to REPLACE the book?


Not really, no. It's offering an alternative way to read books. Since Amazon also sell paper books, it would be counter productive for them to be attempting to replace paper books.


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## jacobpressures (Jan 6, 2011)

Thanks History_Lover, i appreciate the time and effort you put into this post. Thanks so much! I think Google ebooks is waht got me to thinking about ereaders again. I'll look into this further. I agree with you on most points. I'll just mention a few areas i disagree or have reservations. all the points i've not referred to here i basically agree with. thanks



history_lover said:


> It's not really when you consider you want something that supports a full sized keyboard. That's not generally something people associate with books. Honestly, if it weren't for e-ink I'd say there is no question that what you're looking for is a tablet computer. Just because the price isn't what you're looking for doesn't mean the device isn't.


I agree with the last sentence but i disagree with the premise.

1) A Keyboard would just be another accessory. Perhaps it would make it easier to type notes if a person wanted. They may feel this is not their goal, but it is a valid option. The device is electronic after all. it is just a proposed way to make note taking an easier experience. One could argue that it would be difficult to view and type at the same time. Besides what book has a KB any way?

2) I've not seen many tablet computers, but i have a few friends with an iPad. It is much, much more than an e-reader. it IS a computer with applications, games, internet surfing capabilities etc. all i'm asking for are the items usually associated with a book--nothing less and nothing more. I agree wiht you that what I'm looking for may not yet exist. I also doubt that the current Kindle versions are Amazon's final destiny. E-readers will continue to evolve over the next 10 years, then it will come with standard features that almost everyone recognizes and can relate to.

3) The fact that rudimentary versions of what i want are included attests to the fact that Amazon views them as necessary functions of a book. Perhaps their main goal was to get a good reader then to focus on other functions that i want later. (Im not even asking for an MP3 player yet it plays them. I'm also not asking for video. I simply want the basic functions i associate with a book and I'm sure millions will agree that these are functions of a book.)



> Alternatively, you could just buy Kindle books and read them on your computer - that means no cost of an extra device, a full sized keyboard and quick access to all your notes and highlights at kindle.amazon.com. Of course there's no eink and unless you have a laptop, the books won't be portable. But you'd save money and have access to all the navigational features you're looking for. Have you tried out the Kindle app for PC/Mac?


I hope to give this a try this weekend. Thanks!



> My comment: Is it NOT true that Kindle wants to REPLACE the book?
> 
> Your comment: Not really, no. It's offering an alternative way to read books. Since Amazon also sell paper books, it would be counter productive for them to be attempting to replace paper books.


I doubt if i'm wrong. The whole purpose of ebooks is to make the paper copies obsolete. THere are very few good reasons to keep paper copies other than electricity. Saving our rain forests is crucial in our times. Saying that the ebook is not intended to replace books would be like saying the codex wasn't made to replace the scroll or the printing press wasn't developed to replace manuscripts. E-readers and ebooks without question are designed to make a reader's experience more like that of reading a physical book. once the ebook is efficient enough there are few reasons for both to coexist.

I'm sure Amazon would agree with me. I don't think that it is counter productive to replace books. in fact it is better for everyone except maybe the consumer who won't be able to buy used books unless the DRM is broken. Of coures like VHS, DVDs, cassette tapes and others they will not eliminate them until everyone or majority of the people are on board. Books will be here forever, but they may come at a premium price in the coming years.

Last and probably more importantly, Amazon wants to dominate the reading world! It certainly would be silly to say otherwise. They want to build the platform everyone wants to use similar to Microsoft's domination of the PC world. The Kindle is just a tool to help it deepen it roots in our culture and society and spread its influence!


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

jacobpressures said:


> *What can one do WITH A BOOK?*
> 
> 1) With a book you can add notes and wow! Its not hard.


And most of us don't find adding notes to a kindle all that difficult. Also, some of us don't like writing in books and so put our notes separately.



jacobpressures said:


> 2) With a book you can underline and highlight and look its not hard (of course both features may not be needed).


Again, really not all that difficult with the kindle, but if you just played with it for 30 minutes, maybe you need more time.



jacobpressures said:


> 3) With a book you can read text and look, typically with exception to resizing text, its not hard.


And that's exactly what a kindle is for, reading. And the good point is, you CAN resize text. Oh, and look up a word while reading without having to to open a second book



jacobpressures said:


> To state taht I'm looking for a computer rather than a book is crazy! Is it NOT true that Kindle wants to REPLACE the book? Well these are the basic functions of a book. Search is just one of the natural benefits of having a digitized book and yet the codex format (verses the ancient scroll is designed just for that purpose). I have not asked for a SINGLE feature unintuitive to a book. If they really want to replace the book, ereaders are going to have to have these basic features. I'm not asking for too much. YEt I'm not saying Kindle does not have these features. I'm simply saying i've not discovered them yet.
> 
> Thanks guys.


People were not trying to be insulting, they were trying to help you. Most of us just use our kindles for reading and have not no major issues with highlighting/note taking/searching, so people were suggetsing that you might find an iPad more to your liking.

And to answer your question in your subject line, No, it's not just a lot of hype. It's an e-reader. Which may or may not be the best one for you.


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

I love my Kindle for reading.  But only for leisure reading where I don't care about making notes, highlighting etc.

For my research work, I'll probably always stick with paper as no gadget will ever be as quick and easy to flip through for reference, to highlight or jot notes in the margin etc.  Maybe some stylus focused tablet someday once speed, battery life and size/weight all improve I suppose.  But right now stuff like the iPad or the various Tablet PCs over the years haven't cut it for me either.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

In my opinion, such as it is, I simply disagree with your hypothesis that e-readers are intended to completely replace books. Saying that there's really no good reason for paper books is your opinion, to which you are, of course, entitled. You will probably find a lot of people who disagree with you about that. 

It seems to me that you've come to the wrong place to rail against the shortfalls (in your opinion) of the Kindle. You're not sold on them, yet you haven't really put one through its paces. That's fine. Even if you had used a Kindle for an extended period of time, it might not be the device for you. Most of us here have been using our Kindles a great deal (although not all of us have eschewed the use of paper books entirely), and we love them for their simplicity and convenience. It appears to me that there's not a lot more that we can say to explain how the Kindle works for us, as you have a rebuttal for most of our comments. That's fine, but it seems that the discussion is becoming a bit circular. I am not trying to be snarky, but we seem to be making little headway with this discussion. 

Come to think of it, I think you may be wanting something that does, indeed, replace all books. You put that out there at the beginning of this thread, and I shouldn't be surprised by the things that you dislike about the Kindle. You may or may not be willing to settle for less than your ideal e-reader.  If that's the case, I hope you find what you're looking for, and if it hasn't hit the market yet, I hope that developers will produce something that will meet your needs.


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## Shastastan (Oct 28, 2009)

kindlegrl81 said:


> I love my Kindle and would never give it up but it is not for everyone. After reading your other thread and this one I don't really think the Kindle is for you. You probably need something more like an iPad.


I agree.


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

Cindy416 said:


> In my opinion, such as it is, I simply disagree with your hypothesis that e-readers are intended to completely replace books. Saying that there's really no good reason for paper books is your opinion, to which you are, of course, entitled. You will probably find a lot of people who disagree with you about that.


Agreed. There's zero chance paper books stop getting made in our lifetimes. And they'll probably always be around. They're the best form of preserving knowledge. Digital files are much more easily lost, can't be accessed without electricity currently etc.

I'll probably always use both e-books and paper books. Ebooks are great for leisure reading of things I'll never read again as I don't have a physical product to get rid of afterwards.

Paper books are better (for me at least) for my research work, as they're quicker to flip through, mark up etc.


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## history_lover (Aug 9, 2010)

jacobpressures said:


> 1) A Keyboard would just be another accessory. Perhaps it would make it easier to type notes if a person wanted.


Yes and no. Honestly, how long of a note are you writing? You compare it to writing in the margins of a book, which doesn't leave much room. I can't imagine most people would be writing more than a few short lines in a note (it is, after all, just a note) and I think hooking up a full sized keyboard to do that would be rather pointless and take longer in the long run. The actual typing might be quicker but is it really worth it just to type a few words or lines? I really think it would be unnecessary and I think from the other responses, it's pretty obvious most people feel the same way - so from Amazon's point of view, why would they add a very unpopular feature which might increase the cost of the device? Just to satisfy YOU? That's a bit self centered.



> 2) I've not seen many tablet computers, but i have a few friends with an iPad. It is much, much more than an e-reader. it IS a computer with applications, games, internet surfing capabilities etc.


That's true but since you're looking for something that does more than what ereaders do, the next logical step is a tablet computer.



> all i'm asking for are the items usually associated with a book--nothing less and nothing more.


Full sized keyboards are not associated with books.



> I agree wiht you that what I'm looking for may not yet exist. I also doubt that the current Kindle versions are Amazon's final destiny. E-readers will continue to evolve over the next 10 years, then it will come with standard features that almost everyone recognizes and can relate to.


That's true but I can't see external keyboard support being a top priority.



> I doubt if i'm wrong. The whole purpose of ebooks is to make the paper copies obsolete.


You are new to ebooks yet you think you know what their purpose is? Maybe some day far in the future we'll be paperless but you know, they said that about computers making offices paperless and I have yet to see a paperless office! How long have computers been around and we're still using paper? At the moment, Amazon have no intention of dropping their supply of paper books and therefore I still don't think it's true that Kindle "wants to replace the book".

I think I'm starting to repeat myself in some of the things I've said though - and I know you've had many other responses which echo my thoughts. I guess you're just unwilling to accept that you don't quite have the right grasp on the industry. I'm not going to try to convince you further. Good luck in your search.


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## thorn (Mar 15, 2009)

i adore my kindle3. i think i would like a stylus-type thing for note-taking in my own scrawl according to the conventions i'm used to; but i type notes and underline all the time and find it pretty unproblematic. but of course i type with my thumbs like i do on my phone. there was a discussion of the touchscreen idea on one or more of the boards some time back, and a lot of people really don't want to [email protected] up their kindle screens with fingerprints. i am undecided about this.

jumping around is a bit cumbersome, but i mostly do that only if there are a bunch of characters with names that seem similar to me. i don't bounce around a lot in print books, either.

as to the scroll-thing: it may depend how you imagine it, i think. i mainly think of 'turning pages' on the kindle as 'changing the display from a screenful of words i've read to a screenful of words i am about to read'. part of what's handy about the way it works, is that it so nicely accomodates its range of text sizes.

as i said, i do adore my kindle3. i've also been waiting for this technology since the mid-70's. so i might not be the best respondent either.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

jacobpressures said:


> *How do you People Navigate? *
> Navigation was not fun and using "arrow control" to move around the page was slow and clumbersome. There appears to be no stylus or any way to jump around the page. I assume the forward and back buttons will become more intuitive but since the book is more like a SCROLL format (not fixed pages) it seems more logical to have up and down buttons rather then left and right. I biggest problem here was moving around the page.


I have been giving this point of view quite a bit of consideration, and have come to the conclusion that I would not love my Kindle nearly as much if it had a scroll format. Part of the reason that the Kindle is as wonderful as it is lies in the fact that the pages "turn" the way they do in a paper book (meaning left to right, front of the book to the back of the book). If the Kindle had a scroll format, meaning a top to bottom progression, it wouldn't seem enough like a book to me. It would, in fact, be more like a teleprompter. When using my Kindle, I want to take part in a process that's much like reading a paper book, and that wouldn't happen if the top to bottom page progression were part of the reading process.

Once again, this is just my 2 cents' worth of opinion.


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## Elk (Oct 4, 2010)

jacobpressures said:


> *How do you People Navigate? *
> Navigation was not fun and using "arrow control" to move around the page was slow and clumbersome.
> ...
> I biggest problem here was moving around the page.


Perhaps someone else mentioned this, but are you aware you can hold down the direction controllers and they repeat? This makes the cursor movements quite zippy.

I haven't found screen navigation either slow or "clumbersome." (I haven't found this in the Kindle dictionary - probably another Kindle failure.)


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## Jan Strnad (May 27, 2010)

My Kindle sucks.

It takes forever to toast a piece of bread, it's too big to pick my teeth with, and when I tried to hammer a nail with it, it just fell to pieces! It's too small to surf on, too big to stick in a slot machine, and I still can't figure out how to take a picture with it.

All it seems to be any good for is reading books.


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## CAR (Aug 1, 2010)

Jan Strnad said:


> My Kindle sucks.
> 
> It takes forever to toast a piece of bread, it's too big to pick my teeth with, and when I tried to hammer a nail with it, it just fell to pieces! It's too small to surf on, too big to stick in a slot machine, and I still can't figure out how to take a picture with it.
> 
> All it seems to be any good for is reading books.


hehe Hit the nail on the head with that one !!!


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

Jan Strnad said:


> My Kindle sucks.
> 
> It takes forever to toast a piece of bread, it's too big to pick my teeth with, and when I tried to hammer a nail with it, it just fell to pieces! It's too small to surf on, too big to stick in a slot machine, and I still can't figure out how to take a picture with it.
> 
> All it seems to be any good for is reading books.


Love it!


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## Elk (Oct 4, 2010)

Well done, Jan.

Your posts often exhibit wonderful creativity and humor.


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## Lee (Nov 7, 2008)

I thought this was funny too:



Elk said:


> I haven't found screen navigation either slow or "clumbersome." (I haven't found this in the Kindle dictionary - probably another Kindle failure.)


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## beckyj20 (Jun 12, 2010)

KindleChickie said:


> You are probably disappointed because you want to do more than read on the device. I do not believe it is over-hyped at all. I first purchased the Kindle 2 with the intent of reading newspapers and since have really enjoyed blogs (and of coarse books). But what I wanted/expected when I made my purchase was a way to cut down on the old papers piling up and the ink getting on my clothing, so for me it was an excellent fit.
> 
> My Kindle is the only device I will turn around and go back home for if I forget it. My cell phone, iPad, iPod, whatever else I will just keep going. I have to have my news and blog fixes.


How do you get access to blogs on the kindle


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## KindleChickie (Oct 24, 2009)

Amazon. Each blog has a free 2 week period to try them out so there is no risk if you do not like it.

http://www.amazon.com/Blogs-Kindle-Sports-Industry-Internet-Technology/b/ref=sv_kinh_3?ie=UTF8&node=401358011

And I think some use RSS feeder or something that I havent looked into.


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## Amy Corwin (Jan 3, 2011)

Jan Strnad said:


> My Kindle sucks.
> 
> It takes forever to toast a piece of bread, it's too big to pick my teeth with, and when I tried to hammer a nail with it, it just fell to pieces! It's too small to surf on, too big to stick in a slot machine, and I still can't figure out how to take a picture with it.
> 
> All it seems to be any good for is reading books.


Funny--I had very similar experiences. I just don't understand it. I tried to brew coffee with it, but it just wouldn't get hot enough to boil the water. Strange.

However, it was surprisingly useful as a ninja weapon to throw at my neighbor when he kept insisting that my tree was deliberately shedding leaves in his yard. It nearly took his head off. Kudos Amazon!


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

I use the highlighting feature occasionally for history book discussions.  It's much easier and more efficient that yellow highlighter on paper book.  If I change my mind and decide to remove a highlight, it can be done.

A lot of people are resistant to the ereader phenomenon.  Many change their minds after they've used one for a month or more.


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## PEEP5000 (Jan 9, 2011)

"My Kindle sucks.

It takes forever to toast a piece of bread, it's too big to pick my teeth with, and when I tried to hammer a nail with it, it just fell to pieces! It's too small to surf on, too big to stick in a slot machine, and I still can't figure out how to take a picture with it.

All it seems to be any good for is reading books."


That's hilarious. Seriously, those who prefer to feel a book in their hands, as in a hard copy, then I don't recommend a Kindle for them. It is certainly not for everybody.


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## jacobpressures (Jan 6, 2011)

history_lover said:


> Yes and no. Honestly, how long of a note are you writing? You compare it to writing in the margins of a book, which doesn't leave much room. I can't imagine most people would be writing more than a few short lines in a note (it is, after all, just a note) and I think hooking up a full sized keyboard to do that would be rather pointless and take longer in the long run. The actual typing might be quicker but is it really worth it just to type a few words or lines? I really think it would be unnecessary and I think from the other responses, it's pretty obvious most people feel the same way - so from Amazon's point of view, why would they add a very unpopular feature which might increase the cost of the device? Just to satisfy YOU? That's a bit self centered.
> 
> That's true but since you're looking for something that does more than what ereaders do, the next logical step is a tablet computer.
> 
> ...


I thought this was a pretty good point. If I have a search feature why do i need the note so much. Usually i use the note to alert me to what is going on the the paragraph. It is just a simple note. So if i use the search feature more then i possibly don't need the note.

Well I was as the store again today. adn putting in notes does take a bit of time. It would be quicker with a keyboard . But as you stated about priority that is probably not one of theirs. I felt the same way about PDAs and they neer aded a full sized keyboard to those either.

I agree with your comment about the paperless office. Although i feel the issue of whether the eBOOk can replace the paper book is really a matter of whether they CAN actually ever produce an ebook that can feel as natural as a real book which just may not be the case ever.


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## jacobpressures (Jan 6, 2011)

thorn said:


> i adore my kindle3. i think i would like a stylus-type thing for note-taking in my own scrawl according to the conventions i'm used to; but i type notes and underline all the time and find it pretty unproblematic. but of course i type with my thumbs like i do on my phone. there was a discussion of the touchscreen idea on one or more of the boards some time back, and a lot of people really don't want to [email protected] up their kindle screens with fingerprints. i am undecided about this.
> 
> jumping around is a bit cumbersome, but i mostly do that only if there are a bunch of characters with names that seem similar to me. i don't bounce around a lot in print books, either.
> 
> ...


Thanks Thorn, I tried it out again today. I feel a lot better about it and I spent much more time with it. I also took a look at the Nook and Sony. I really like the touch screen but i couldn't figure out the Sony in store as easily as i could the Kindle.

Perhaps, my porfession comes into play also with the Kindle and typing. Typing is faster than any other type of writing. It beats hand writing and it beats pecking. I ABSOLUTELY HATE texting on my phone. I do it only out of necessity. I can type 50 characters in a mater of a few seconds. I can peck them with a small keyboard about 3 times slower if not slower than that.

Scrolling, well, what i mean is that you use the arrows to navigate down the page and then you get to the bottom of the list or screen and then it doesn't go any further you have to use another button to turn the page. I think that and not being able to jump around was a bit confusing at first. (page turning is fine but I think they should allow people the option of using the arrows to move to the next page as well.)

I'm also a developer and i approach tech from that viewpoint as well. when you create a product, you don't force users to do what you want them to you do. Instead you make your product or software flexible enough to meet the diverse needs of those who plan or hope to use your product. We don't live for the safe of the product. The product exists for our sake. I'm sure Amazon will iron out more and more kinks with time.

I feel a bit better about it now. I'd prefer they had something more akin to page numbers since they are keeping this page turn concept. Nevertheless i like the kindle a lot better.

Thanks


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## jacobpressures (Jan 6, 2011)

Cindy416 said:


> I have been giving this point of view quite a bit of consideration, and have come to the conclusion that I would not love my Kindle nearly as much if it had a scroll format. Part of the reason that the Kindle is as wonderful as it is lies in the fact that the pages "turn" the way they do in a paper book (meaning left to right, front of the book to the back of the book). If the Kindle had a scroll format, meaning a top to bottom progression, it wouldn't seem enough like a book to me. It would, in fact, be more like a teleprompter. When using my Kindle, I want to take part in a process that's much like reading a paper book, and that wouldn't happen if the top to bottom page progression were part of the reading process.
> 
> Once again, this is just my 2 cents' worth of opinion.


Yeah, i don't know if i like the idea of an ENDLESS book either (at the same time, everything i use scrolls. I'm on the computer all day. its become second nature to me. Obviously Amazon has decided to keep more of the book feel.) . I still kinda feel that the book is endless at present because i don't have page numbers. Perhaps i'll get used to paging over a few pages to see how close i am to the end.

I really won't know until i start using it. I think i'm still too much in love with the physical book and although Amazon had done a lot to keep the technology from getting in the way, i still feel it intrudes too much.


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## jacobpressures (Jan 6, 2011)

Elk said:


> Perhaps someone else mentioned this, but are you aware you can hold down the direction controllers and they repeat? This makes the cursor movements quite zippy.
> 
> I haven't found screen navigation either slow or "clumbersome." (I haven't found this in the Kindle dictionary - probably another Kindle failure.)


Thanks. No i don't know if i realized that. I think i tried to do somethign similar but it didn't work well. But its been a few days since i first used it. Really when i think about it, although it is not as natural as touch, if i were to get a pencil and pen and underlined the sentences in the book, it would take just as much time plus i use a straight edge and pencil. I tend to erase a lot and re-draw my lines. I still dont care for the way notes are recorded but i can say i think i was a bit unfair about the navigation and highlighting.


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## jacobpressures (Jan 6, 2011)

mlewis78 said:


> I use the highlighting feature occasionally for history book discussions. It's much easier and more efficient that yellow highlighter on paper book. If I change my mind and decide to remove a highlight, it can be done.
> 
> A lot of people are resistant to the ereader phenomenon. Many change their minds after they've used one for a month or more.


Yeah, i'm going to get mine from Target to see if it is natural enough for me. An eBook/paper Book for me is a study tool. It is not just to view pages. People's needs vary. And some of us will never feel comfortable with an eBook. Target will allow me to use it for 90 days. However they say i can't add anything to it. So i'll add another post concerning that later. But 90 days should let me see how comfortable i am with it. If i can't study the way i used to i'll have to send it back. I was hoping it was flexible enough for me to reference my studies. Yet as i presumed, ebooks may be too early in the development stage to appeal to large populations with diverse needs.

Also it may be that i'm being too hard on the product and wanting it to function too much like the book I'm used to using to fully appreciate its own unique contributions. with its search capabilities notes for example just ma not be as necessary.

Thanks!


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## Belle2Be (Aug 29, 2010)

Have you checked to make sure that the books you want to study with are available at Amazon as an eBook? Also, if its purely studying you intend to do, then the DX would probably be a much better option.


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## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

jacobpressures said:


> Scrolling, well, what i mean is that you use the arrows to navigate down the page and then you get to the bottom of the list or screen and then it doesn't go any further you have to use another button to turn the page. I think that and not being able to jump around was a bit confusing at first. (page turning is fine but I think they should allow people the option of using the arrows to move to the next page as well.)


 Why are you using the arrows to navigate down the page? What you see on the screen at any given time is all there is. There's no 'scroll bar' that takes you down or up further. You can go to the left to the previous page or to the right to the next page, that's it. The arrows are used for completely different things than the previous/next page buttons, on purpose. It's not a fail.


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## jacobpressures (Jan 6, 2011)

Steph H said:


> Why are you using the arrows to navigate down the page? What you see on the screen at any given time is all there is. There's no 'scroll bar' that takes you down or up further. You can go to the left to the previous page or to the right to the next page, that's it. The arrows are used for completely different things than the previous/next page buttons, on purpose. It's not a fail.


Book list and highlights are the main reasons i remember using the arrows. I'm also used to placing my cursor on a spot and pressing down on my computers at home or work. ITs better than picking up the mouse so it may be a habit carry over. Since i do this at the store, i can't really say for sure.

Thanks! I'll give it thought.


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## jacobpressures (Jan 6, 2011)

Belle2Be said:


> Have you checked to make sure that the books you want to study with are available at Amazon as an eBook? Also, if its purely studying you intend to do, then the DX would probably be a much better option.


yeah and im pretty surprised at the size. it really looks much bigger than what i'd thought it would. I like it but... I'm not sure i want to spend that much money yet. Something better may be out in 2 years. If i can load a few PDFs onto the Kindle i can see how much of a problem it will be down the road. But yeah you are right, I may HAVE to get the bigger one. And if i do i think i may be happier.

I've checked some books. I've been told to check 10 books I already own and 10 books I plan to get and see who has the largest selection. Plus, I to be able to convert some books to Kindle if they are ePub. I saw some on GoogleBooks not found on Kindle.


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## mcostas (Nov 22, 2010)

Jan Strnad said:


> My Kindle sucks.
> 
> It takes forever to toast a piece of bread, it's too big to pick my teeth with, and when I tried to hammer a nail with it, it just fell to pieces! It's too small to surf on, too big to stick in a slot machine, and I still can't figure out how to take a picture with it.
> 
> All it seems to be any good for is reading books.


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## earthlydelites (Dec 12, 2009)

I use my kindle to read novels. It does that perfectly so it absolutely lives up to the hype in my opinion


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## Amiedoll (Jun 29, 2010)

It does take a little while to get used to, but by the time I had finished my first novel handling the Kindle was second nature. It is an easy device to use and while it is different to what you are used to I don't think you will have a problem adapting. It was designed to be simple to use, and a lot of kindle owners don't have a lot of experience with technology, and they use it just fine.

I'm not 100% sure with the k3, but my k2i has a percentage bar at the bottom of the page, and this lets me know how far through the book I currently am, and I actually like it better then standard books (obviously I don't have to reference them, so I don't care about page numbers so much) but it does remove the endless book feeling  

I like the highlighting section, having everything you've clipped in a separate folder will probably be really helpful, especially since you can use the notes as a link to the information in the actual book. 

Give it a go at home and see how it goes, it is returnable if you don't like it.  I have a feeling though that it will meet your needs and surprise you in its functionality.


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## jacobpressures (Jan 6, 2011)

Amiedoll said:


> It does take a little while to get used to, but by the time I had finished my first novel handling the Kindle was second nature. It is an easy device to use and while it is different to what you are used to I don't think you will have a problem adapting. It was designed to be simple to use, and a lot of kindle owners don't have a lot of experience with technology, and they use it just fine.
> 
> I'm not 100% sure with the k3, but my k2i has a percentage bar at the bottom of the page, and this lets me know how far through the book I currently am, and I actually like it better then standard books (obviously I don't have to reference them, so I don't care about page numbers so much) but it does remove the endless book feeling
> 
> ...


Thanks this was very helpful and encouraging. Yes, i noticed the Clippings. But does it do a separate clippings file for each book or does it store everything in one file? I guess that is not bad either way.

I can see the potential of that having other purposes too, if you ever want to print these samples out of create flash cards or something or whatever else your imagination can come up with. That sounds really cool.


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## Amiedoll (Jun 29, 2010)

Yep it does lump them all in together, but maybe adding a small note with each highlight with info on what subject or project it is for will help keep it all organised, shorthand would keep typing down to a minimum  It's not a feature I have used a lot, but when I have it has been quick and simple


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

jacobpressures said:


> I'd prefer they had something more akin to page numbers since they are keeping this page turn concept.


They went with locations instead of page numbers because of the adjustable fonts. That way, Say I am reading the same book as my husband and I want him to read a certain paragraph. Well, I read on the smallest font which means more words per page, he reads about 4 font sizes larger than I do with his glasses on ( I don't wear glasses) I can't tell him what page I am on, it wouldn't be the same on our 2 devices. But I can tell him what location I am at, and he can go right to the same passage.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

I got used the the locations and percentage done very quickly.  I also have epub readers that use page numbers, but that doesn't do much for me.  The page numbers do not correspond to the page numbering in the paper book.  The progress bar at the bottom works for me on those readers.


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## Elk (Oct 4, 2010)

BTackitt said:


> They went with locations instead of page numbers because of the adjustable fonts.


Which is a perfect solution given the format.

Once in a while I run into an ebook with the page numbers from the physical book inserted. It would be wonderful if all ebooks did the same, but with the option to turn them off if you don't want them.


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## HappyGuy (Nov 3, 2008)

I don't highlight on my K3 anymore - getting the yellow lines off of the screen when I was done with the book was a real pain in the butt!!  I saw a new "Kindle Killer" on one of the CES videos. Touch screen, I think, but it displays two pages at a time. I really like the single page format which makes it easier to concentrate on what I'm reading. I like it just the way it is. Unless Amazon comes up with a really compelling color format, I'll probably always stick with a single function, black and white eReader.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

BTackitt said:


> They went with locations instead of page numbers because of the adjustable fonts. That way, Say I am reading the same book as my husband and I want him to read a certain paragraph. Well, I read on the smallest font which means more words per page, he reads about 4 font sizes larger than I do with his glasses on ( I don't wear glasses) I can't tell him what page I am on, it wouldn't be the same on our 2 devices. But I can tell him what location I am at, and he can go right to the same passage.


This is an excellent illustration of the use of 'locations'. I, too, adapted pretty fast. And the K2/K3 improved on the visual representation of the K1 by also giving a percentage of completion.

The only issue that will need to be addressed at some point is how to cite Kindle editions and I feel sure that it won't be long before a standard method will be devised there too. And, really, because a location is only a few 'bytes', it's more precise than just giving a page number. . . .


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

Amiedoll said:


> It does take a little while to get used to, but by the time I had finished my first novel handling the Kindle was second nature. It is an easy device to use and while it is different to what you are used to I don't think you will have a problem adapting. It was designed to be simple to use, and a lot of kindle owners don't have a lot of experience with technology, and they use it just fine.
> 
> I'm not 100% sure with the k3, but my k2i has a percentage bar at the bottom of the page, and this lets me know how far through the book I currently am, and I actually like it better then standard books (obviously I don't have to reference them, so I don't care about page numbers so much) but it does remove the endless book feeling
> 
> ...


Last night, I posted via my iPad about the progress indicator at the bottom of each Kindle book page. Unfortunately, that posting didn't show up, and, since the progress indicator has now been mentioned, I'm not going to redo the whole thing. One of the things that I like about the status indicator (in addition to the percentage of the book that has been read) is that it shows reference marks (dots) that indicate the reader's progess toward each section (usually chapter) of the book. To me, it's akin to looking ahead to find the beginning of the next chapter, putting a bookmark there, and telling myself that I'll read to that point before putting my book down and getting some work accomplished. Of course, I often have to read just one more chapter.


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## jacobpressures (Jan 6, 2011)

Cindy416 said:


> Last night, I posted via my iPad about the progress indicator at the bottom of each Kindle book page. Unfortunately, that posting didn't show up, and, since the progress indicator has now been mentioned, I'm not going to redo the whole thing. One of the things that I like about the status indicator (in addition to the percentage of the book that has been read) is that it shows reference marks (dots) that indicate the reader's progess toward each section (usually chapter) of the book. To me, it's akin to looking ahead to find the beginning of the next chapter, putting a bookmark there, and telling myself that I'll read to that point before putting my book down and getting some work accomplished. Of course, I often have to read just one more chapter.


Thats a helpful clarification! thanks!

Thanks guys for all your help.


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

One drawback though is that not every Kindle store book has those chapter marker dots.  Some have no dots at all, the book I'm reading currently is divided into 4 or 5 "parts" with multiple chapters each.  The dots are for the parts and not the chapters (a few hundred pages each since it's a 900+ page book).


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

mooshie78 said:


> One drawback though is that not every Kindle store book has those chapter marker dots. Some have no dots at all, the book I'm reading currently is divided into 4 or 5 "parts" with multiple chapters each. The dots are for the parts and not the chapters (a few hundred pages each since it's a 900+ page book).


I should have been more specific, as you're right. Not all of the dots indicate chapters. Before I posted, I double-checked the Kindle User's Guide, Ed. 4, and I thought it said that all Kindle books contain the progress indicator. I opened a lot of my books to check, and all had it. Sorry if I misled anyone.


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## Belle2Be (Aug 29, 2010)

Cindy416 said:


> I should have been more specific, as you're right. Not all of the dots indicate chapters. Before I posted, I double-checked the Kindle User's Guide, Ed. 4, and I thought it said that all Kindle books contain the progress indicator. I opened a lot of my books to check, and all had it. Sorry if I misled anyone.


They do all have a progress indicator  Just not all have the chapter hashes, I believe


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

Yep all, even freebies from other sites, have the progress indicator.  Just not all have the chapter hashes (or any hashes at all).


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## Jamjar (Nov 22, 2008)

Reading is a pleasure for me and the Kindle allows me the opportunity to enjoy my hobby.  I sometimes do write notes and use the highlight feature but not often and without difficulty.  The advertisement of the Kindle by Amazon, to me, is to purely engage yourself in a book.  "By reading to me at bedtime when I was a child, my parents kindled my life-long love for reading."


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