Philotic Web

Thanks, Syphon.

I'm considering a Kindle Fire. Weird.

My grandmother has a Kindle. Now I feel like a major Luddite.

O wait--I downloaded the Kindle app. Haven't used it, mind, but I did embrace the new age somewhat.

In the past month we picked up an iPad, which I still have yet to use for any real reading. I've done twitter, google Reader, Pweb, and the like on the iPad, but not a book. I'm not sure why.

I do however, have a Kindle Touch on order that I'll be unwrapping come Christmas Day (it's my gift from my wife (She already told me what she's getting me (Nested Parentheses))). So I'll be able to put up a review of the hardware soon. I'm excited, even if I'm a little scared about losing access to the physical books.

I have a DROID 3, a desktop, a laptop and my work computer. Plus, you know, the actual Kindle. But no matter where I am, I have my books and--here's the kicker--I can get new ones. I remember when I was a kid and I finished a book in a series and wanted the next one but had to wait days for Mom to have time to drive me.

No more! My books are everywhere!

But I really came to terms with the downside the other day. I miss buying the physical books, yes, but so far that hadn't been enough to outweigh the convenience of eBooks. Enter my best friend's new girlfriend. I had them over for drinks and we were discussing my somewhat terrible taste in books (she noticed my copy of Twilight.) In an attempt to show off, I ran to my bookshelves to collect all my favourite post-apocalyptic fiction to prove I also read good stuff.

They weren't there. I had lent out my physical copies to other people, bought eBooks as backups and never remembered the physical ones were gone.

How am I supposed to show off to new people without physical books?!

How am I supposed to show off to new people without physical books?!

Enter my first brilliant e-book related idea: Fake books with LED displays on the spine that can appear to be any book in your Kindle library.

This is interesting: Have Your Physical Books Converted to eBooks for $1.

The down side is that the books are destroyed in the process, but if you're one of those bibliophiles who has more books than you have space for this may be a solution.

I don't think I could do it!

The destruction of books, beyond the natural decomposition of my reading them too much and the pages falling out of the spine, seems really wrong.

In the past month we picked up an iPad, which I still have yet to use for any real reading. I've done twitter, google Reader, Pweb, and the like on the iPad, but not a book. I'm not sure why.

I do however, have a Kindle Touch on order that I'll be unwrapping come Christmas Day (it's my gift from my wife (She already told me what she's getting me (Nested Parentheses))). So I'll be able to put up a review of the hardware soon. I'm excited, even if I'm a little scared about losing access to the physical books.

I've used the iPad for reading cause that's what I have. I don't have a Kindle or other type of e-reader. It's convenient for taking books along on a trip, but when I'm home, I usually read a hard copy book, magazine, or newspaper. I've never had much motivation to get a Kindle or the like cause I do most of my reading on Saturday. Saturday the Sabbath for me, at least till it gets dark Saturday night, and I'm not supposed to use electronics on the Sabbath.

The biggest advantage to eBooks for me? I can read them in bed with the lights off (on my phone), and when I inevitably doze into sleep, the phone will fall from my hand and I won't lose my place. My phone has a Super AMOLED screen and I read using white-on-black, so in the nearly pitch-black room, it's like the words hang in the air in front of my eyes as we create a story together.

With physical books or e-Ink eReaders, one needs an external light source, which for me would be the room light.

So, I received a completely unexpected Kindle Touch for an early Christmas gift.

Initial thoughts:

-I can't get around how very cool it is. The e-ink is awesome. It is crazy to me that I am holding lots and lots and lots of books in my hand, all at the same time. Probably because I am watching Season 5 of Angel right now, but I can't help but think of the magical books Wesley has at Wolfram & Hart, where he speaks the name of any text and it magically appears in the pages. It sort of blows my mind that THAT EXISTS NOW (sort of. I mean, given the limitations of which publishers have e-rights to which property and so on and so forth). But still. An e-reader is BASICALLY A MAGICAL LIBRARY. AND I NOW HAVE ONE.

-Which brings me to my next thought. I now have a magical library, which can't possibly be good for my wallet. Here's the thing: I have no intention of abandoning physical books. I love my current collection and I will continue to add to it. I also have no intention of slacking off on my library use. I love the library, and I love getting books from the library, because without it--again--my bank account would suffer dreadfully. I know that most libraries now allow you to rent e-books, which confuses me slightly. I'll have to look into it. But I'm wary. My main worry is how I will now divide up books? Which books should I get in which format? Clearly for series I already own in part, I'll continue to buy in physical form. I hate to have mistmatched/uneven book shelves. Nothing irked me so much as the abrupt and pointless TWO cover redesigns that occurred MID-WAY THROUGH the Georgia Nicolson series. YOU MADE MY SHELVES AESTHETICALLY CHALLENGING, HARPER COLLINS. Ugh. Anyway, I tend to use the library to check out guilty-pleasure reads, and to do lots and lots of YA reading for my novel. Also to get audio books, which I'll talk about in a bit. The thing about the Kindle is that it's all about instant gratification. I can read whatever I want RIGHT NOW (money permitting). So far, I've stuck to downloading free classics, which is fine, because I love classics. I guess the point of this long rant is that I'm not sure how I intend to use my Kindle, yet. Most people I know simply switch their allegiance to their e-reader entirely, which I'm just not prepared to do.

Anyway, I am very excited about it. Mostly I jsut want to download all my favorite books onto it, but David says that's stupid, if I already own them (sometime multiple copies of them). le sigh.



***Audiobooks.

I sold audio rights for a LOT of my publishing career, and at the time I really really disliked audiobooks. A lot. Now, though, I am obsessed with them, with one small caveat: I can only listen to audiobooks that I have already read. If I've never read the book before, I find listening to an audiobook unbearably distracting.

I listen to them at work constantly, now, because I work in a sea of cubicles, and we're allowed to use our ipods at work. I can't listen to music because the urge to dance around in my seat and lipsynch is too strong. Not professional. So, I listen to audiobooks. I've got all of HARRY POTTER, THE HUNGER GAMES trilogy, MISTS of AVALON, a ton of Tamora Pierce, some David Sedaris (which is dangerous, because it makes me laugh), and a few others. I just cycle through them. It's awesome, because I can drift in and out and still know what's going on in the story. It frees me up to concentrate on my work. I also listen to them now when I'm cleaning around the house, and when David is away and I have trouble falling asleep alone. Consider me a convert.

My mom's strategy with deciding which books to buy in real life vs. books for her kindle is pretty much the same as her decisions of whether to buy or rent a movie. Mind, she's not a big library user and has no problem spending a ridiculous amount of money on books, but pretty much she'll get the kindle version when she's trying an author out or reading books by an author she likes but doesn't love. If it is an author or series she adores, she'll buy the book. It's kind of a odd distinction, since ebooks are yours just as much as print ones, but I think I would do a similar thing if she ever converts me to ereaders. And to wait for my series to match when I know the matching cover design or paperback version will be coming later, but I need to read the latest installment now.

I got a Kindle Touch as an early Christmas present as well. It's teh awesomzorz!!!11!1!!

I buy absolutely everything I can on Kindle these days. If I can't read it on my phone, I'm not interested. It's all about convenience.

Seems like e-readers are going to be big this Christmas. Two of my colleagues have decided that they want a Kobo Touch after seeing me rock mine in the office.

I'm such a convert. In 6 months I went from swearing I'd never want an e-reader to wondering how I lived without one.

Boyfriend and I bought each other Kindle Fires. I was deathly afraid that he wasn't going to get me one and I would have to suffer in silence as he played with the fun new toy and I didn't.

I just noticed that Ender's Game is only $5.95 as the Audiobook of the Month on iTunes.

After a brief search of the e-books available from my library, I am VERY excited about the prospect of getting library books on my Kindle. I have yet to check any out, but the process seems simple. Apparently the file will be sent to my Kindle email address and then I just go download it. I'm a bit annoyed that it seems as though the library only has one "copy" of an e-book in most cases, and that I'll have to go on a waiting list for e-books that are currently "checked out" just as I would for a physical book. But that's life.

This is looking better and better all the time. If only I could find a suitable cover for it. I have yet to find one that includes all the features I want at an acceptable price.

If only I could find a suitable cover for it. I have yet to find one that includes all the features I want at an acceptable price.

My mom knit a Kindle case for my girlfriend for Christmas. Now, I just need to find a way to install a light in it...

Ok, I'm on the waitiing list for about 7 library books now, and just checked out one. The download was FLAWLESS. THIS IS MAGICAL. I AM SUCH A CONVERT ALREADY.

Side note: does it irk anyone else that the Kindle Touch always opens books to the first chapter, prologue, etc? This irritates me so much. Maybe it's just cause I'm a geek for my industry, but I always read the acknowledgements, dedications, and copyright info and so on. It's not the end of the world to page back a few times, but can't the Kindle just open the book with the cover the first time around?

Yes. It does irk me as well.

but, like you, that doesn't stop me from still 'ing its guts out. Plus, a Special Offer ad on it today just gave me a free $3 credit towards an Amazon digital video rental. Sweet!

I think I've decided on this cover, although I'm torn between the charcoal color or the black.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005HS ... PDKIKX0DER" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's the case I have! And I absolutely love it.

My mil has one very similar to that but instead of opening like a book the cover folds over the top (like a legal pad) I like it a bit better because I can prop it up using the cover in a look ma no hands kinds way.
like this one...
http://www.amazon.com/Marware-Eco-Flip- ... im_kinh_90
you can see the prop up action in the second photo

If only I could find a suitable cover for it. I have yet to find one that includes all the features I want at an acceptable price.

My mom knit a Kindle case for my girlfriend for Christmas. Now, I just need to find a way to install a light in it...

My mom got a Nook Tablet for Christmas and the first thing she did was crochet a cover for it. I have an older Nook and I have this cover.

I love my Kindle Touch. It's becoming an appendage. I haven't had a lot of time for reading recently, but the Kindle is helping me squeeze in some reading time whenever I can. The fact that I can throw it in my coat pocket and take it with me wherever I am is helping me turn a few minutes of downtime into reading time. No eye-strain, no hassle, and reading has become much easier.

I looked through the Project Gutenberg site, the Kindle Classics, and Google Books sites and found several items I've been wanting to read for a long time now, but haven't. I found Calibre for Google Books that allows you to transform a book purchased through their store into Kindle format. I haven't played with it yet, but it looks pretty neat for any books that aren't available through Kindle, but are available in eBook format.

I'm ordering This Kindle Cover thanks to the discussion in this thread. (Thanks Teresa!) Also ordering this light. And I think we're going to sign up for Amazon Prime for access to the free books for prime members. (Amazon has always had a good customer in me, but this kindle is putting me over the edge).

We're also looking at getting a set top TV box that will allow us to use the Amazon Prime movie streaming on our TV. (We already have Netflix, but Amazon has stuff that Netflix doesn't (see Breaking Bad Season 4 for an example)).

I feel like I can't get away from this thread, and probably I am a little bit obsessed, but GUYS. I can check out Kindle versions of cook books. COOK BOOKS. That very expensive list I've been lusting over is no longer expensive! Yay!!!!

(I am such a freaking hypocrit. "Wah, wah, I'd never want/use an e-reader, wah, wah, wah.")

Converts are the best zealots.

Odd, I haven't felt the urge to proselytize for Windows yet.

I feel like I can't get away from this thread, and probably I am a little bit obsessed, but GUYS. I can check out Kindle versions of cook books. COOK BOOKS. That very expensive list I've been lusting over is no longer expensive! Yay!!!!

(I am such a freaking hypocrit. "Wah, wah, I'd never want/use an e-reader, wah, wah, wah.")

Oh man, Will has a touch pad and he lets me use it for recipes! I love it!

Now that I've had my Kindle Touch for nearly a month I can state unequivocally that I'm completely in love with it. Reading is so easy that I forget I'm reading on a device, and sink into the material in a way that I just can't when reading on my phone, ipad, or computer screen. My wife wants to install games on it, and so far I've been able to hold her off. I just know myself and if there's a game on it, I'd find myself playing the game instead of reading. I have a very short attention span, and games would just suck that attention right up.

I got the Marware kindle cover that we discussed earlier in this thread. At first I was planning on just getting a sleeve for the device, because one of the prime things I liked about the Kindle, was it's slim size. it was just so easy to hold in my hand that I didn't want some bulky case detracting from that. Our iPad has a case that's really nice, but it's very bulky and makes the device about three times larger than it is without the case. I often find myself taking the iPad out of the case for this reason. It's just so bulky compared with the slim elegance of the bare device. Anyways, I didn't want that with any case for my Kindle, so I was hesitant to buy a case that would stay attached to the reader at all times. Then I saw this case, and I realized that it's possible to protect the device from scratches and other unwanted defects while making it EASIER to use. The case stands on its own in an easel like manner (admittedly this doesn't work quite as well as advertised, the bottoms are still to slick to stand on many surfaces, but it does work). But what I love about it is the hand slot on the back of the case. It makes one handed reading and page turning a trivial event. so much so that I often barely realize when I've turned the page. Wherever I'm reading I have a hand completely free, and I don't have to think about it, it's just so natural.

I'm not sure if it's just my typical "ooohhh new toy to play with!" attitude, or if it's the ease with which I can now read, but I'm reading more than I used to and that's awesome.

My ardent love affair with my Kindle continues.

However.

It pisses me off beyond belief that the only way to edit "My Clippings" is to connect the Kindle to my computer and do it that way. Really?! Seriously a pain in the ass.

Also, I wish that there was an option to turn the highlighting view on or off. I really like highlighting, and do it quite a bit myself, and I really enjoy seeing what other people have highlighted--IF I've already read the book before. Seeing that 324 people highlighted a paragraph in a book I haven't read is kind of spoilery. It brings my attention to that paragraph and informs me that it's important. In most cases it hasn't been a big deal, but in one particular case it sort of ruined things for me. Boo.

Loving the cover (I purchased the one I linked to above) and have that max amount of library books downloaded at all times. Kind of terrified by what a total zealot I am for this thing. Instant gratificaation + magical library =

Also, I wish that there was an option to turn the highlighting view on or off. I really like highlighting, and do it quite a bit myself, and I really enjoy seeing what other people have highlighted--IF I've already read the book before. Seeing that 324 people highlighted a paragraph in a book I haven't read is kind of spoilery. It brings my attention to that paragraph and informs me that it's important. In most cases it hasn't been a big deal, but in one particular case it sort of ruined things for me. Boo.

Wait. You can see what parts other people have highlighted and you can't turn that option off? You can't just read a non-highlighted, plain, normal book?

It pisses me off beyond belief that the only way to edit "My Clippings" is to connect the Kindle to my computer and do it that way.

YES. Especially since I keep making bookmarks by mistake and have to do this every time.

Also, I wish that there was an option to turn the highlighting view on or off.

There is. Either use 'View notes and marks' from the book menu or go Settings>Next Page then turn on or off Popular Highlights and Public Notes.