# I think I want a Kindle!



## etexas

Does anyone here have the Amazon Kindle? I think it would be great to have the Bible on this and get commentaries and Reformed books as they come out. I like the fact that the technology is pretty simple and the fact that even the device itself is utilitarian. I want one!


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## NaphtaliPress

Pricey but looks like where things are headed (as far as e-paper); Amazon is setting it up proprietary for themselves of course. I took a look around from a publisher angle, and they are not making it very user friendly for publishers to get up and going quickly and the legalize looks intimidating.


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## NaphtaliPress

BTW, the a device to be successful needs to show books "as is" instead of forcing a redesign in my opinion. All graphics if books have them have to be redone too. I like the DRM though.


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## etexas

NaphtaliPress said:


> Pricey but looks like where things are headed (as far as e-paper); Amazon is setting it up proprietary for themselves of course. I took a look around from a publisher angle, and they are not making it very user friendly for publishers to get up and going quickly and the legalize looks intimidating.


True....BUT....Amazon as compared to some other readers has a leg up with Kindle, they are simply in the best position to be able to begin making stuff available. The cost? 400 up front but you can put a 20 dollar book on it for 2 bucks, that will add up. Overall I am impressed, like you I want to see how friendly they get with Publishers, that will of course be an important factor!


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## NaphtaliPress

I couldn't find the pricing structure other than they say they give 35% of the retail to publishers, but reserve the right to change the retail a publisher 'suggests'. So if I am really proud of a digital file and put $35 on it, and it is not discounted, am I insured $12.25? They have not made this easy to find out In my humble opinion.


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## Richard King

Oh I would love to hear from someone who has one.
I love to read. And the convenience of NOT having a library of books laying around every square inch 
of open space in the house would be nice. 
Also being able to enlarge the print is more attractive to me with every day that I age. 
I nearly did an immediate impulse buy after seeing Bezos on Charlie Rose discussing the Kindle.
I didn't though and they sold out at Amazon the next day.

I keep telling myself and my wallet that maybe it was providential.


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## etexas

NaphtaliPress said:


> I couldn't find the pricing structure other than they say they give 35% of the retail to publishers, but reserve the right to change the retail a publisher 'suggests'. So if I am really proud of a digital file and put $35 on it, and it is not discounted, am I insured $12.25? They have not made this easy to find out In my humble opinion.


Chris you are my "Texas Brother" here....but you are in the Publishing end...I am in the..."Kindle looks pretty cool and I wish I had one!" "end"


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## NaphtaliPress

You mean I"m the enemy trying to keep those book prices up?


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## etexas

NaphtaliPress said:


> You mean I"m the enemy trying to keep those book prices up?


....Never did I say it Brother!


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## JM

Did you guys read the reviews? Can it display pdfs?


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## NaphtaliPress

JM said:


> Did you guys read the reviews? Can it display pdfs?


No, no PDF support. It gets ripped for that in the reviews. The user guide is in PDF though.Apparently you format the text with html code and put it through their Digital Text Platform software.


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## NaphtaliPress

Where does the name _Kindle _come from?


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## Augusta

NaphtaliPress said:


> Where does the name _Kindle _come from?



Sounds like a book burning reference. An evil plot to go totally digital.


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## Richard King

Jeff Bezos says it is like a spark or kindling that is the start of a fire. As in "kindle an idea."


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## Simply_Nikki

Augusta said:


> NaphtaliPress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Where does the name _Kindle _come from?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sounds like a book burning reference. An evil plot to go totally digital.
Click to expand...


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## Richard King

There are some pretty good reviews on YOUTUBE by amatuers who have just gotten their Kindles.
You get a feel for what they like and don't like.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct0yPJqBzzA&feature=related]YouTube - Amazon Kindle Unboxing Pt 1[/ame]


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## NaphtaliPress

The guy in the video is kind of a dork; but I got the idea the kindle is _light_.


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## etexas

NaphtaliPress said:


> The guy in the video is kind of a dork; but I got the idea the kindle is _light_.


OK, if I get one, I will NOT act like that dude in the video!!!!


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## Richard King

etexas said:


> NaphtaliPress said:
> 
> 
> 
> The guy in the video is kind of a dork; but I got the idea the kindle is _light_.
> 
> 
> 
> OK, if I get one, I will NOT act like that dude in the video!!!!
Click to expand...



Don't say that yet. You too may be very impressed with the lack of weight. 
I hear they are REALLY light! 

Incidently one guy on YOUtube had several gripes about his. Most of his problems will be solved by getting the cover they have for the Kindle. Here he is...

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKMJWxS4bFo]YouTube - jkOnTheRun looks at the Amazon Kindle[/ame]


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## Semper Fidelis

NaphtaliPress said:


> JM said:
> 
> 
> 
> Did you guys read the reviews? Can it display pdfs?
> 
> 
> 
> No, no PDF support. It gets ripped for that in the reviews. The user guide is in PDF though.Apparently you format the text with html code and put it through their Digital Text Platform software.
Click to expand...




> Eliminating the need to print, Kindle makes it easy to take your personal documents with you. Each Kindle has a unique and customizable e-mail address. You can set your unique email address on your Manage Your Kindle page. This allows you and your contacts to e-mail Word documents and pictures wirelessly to your Kindle for only $.10. Kindle supports wireless delivery of unprotected Microsoft Word, HTML, TXT, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, PRC and MOBI files.
> PDF conversion is experimental. The experimental category represents the features we are working on to enhance the Kindle experience even further. You can email your PDFs wirelessly to your Kindle. Due to PDF’s fixed layout format, some complex PDF files might not format correctly on your Kindle.
> If you are not in a wireless area or would like to avoid the $.10 fee, you can send attachments to "name"@free.kindle.com to be converted and e-mailed to your computer at the e-mail address associated with your Amazon.com account login. You can then transfer the document to your Kindle using your USB connection. For example, if your Kindle email address is [email protected], send your attachments to [email protected].


This might be a way around your concern with the Kindle if you sold PDF's to people who could then upload them into their Kindle account.


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## Semper Fidelis

Richard King said:


> etexas said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> NaphtaliPress said:
> 
> 
> 
> The guy in the video is kind of a dork; but I got the idea the kindle is _light_.
> 
> 
> 
> OK, if I get one, I will NOT act like that dude in the video!!!!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> Don't say that yet. You too may be very impressed with the lack of weight.
> I hear they are REALLY light!
> 
> Incidently one guy on YOUtube had several gripes about his. Most of his problems will be solved by getting the cover they have for the Kindle. Here he is...
> 
> [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKMJWxS4bFo]YouTube - jkOnTheRun looks at the Amazon Kindle[/ame]
Click to expand...


Are you trying to torture us by posting videos like that?! I guess this guy fancies himself as some sort of guy that people will want to watch regularly but I couldn't get through 5 minutes of the clock ticking in the background, the humming of something, his constant looking to the side at distractions, etc....


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## NaphtaliPress

SemperFideles said:


> This might be a way around your concern with the Kindle if you sold PDF's to people who could then upload them into their Kindle account.


Mmmh. Thanks Rich.


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## etexas

SemperFideles said:


> Richard King said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> etexas said:
> 
> 
> 
> OK, if I get one, I will NOT act like that dude in the video!!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Don't say that yet. You too may be very impressed with the lack of weight.
> I hear they are REALLY light!
> 
> Incidently one guy on YOUtube had several gripes about his. Most of his problems will be solved by getting the cover they have for the Kindle. Here he is...
> 
> [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKMJWxS4bFo]YouTube - jkOnTheRun looks at the Amazon Kindle[/ame]
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Are you trying to torture us by posting videos like that?! I guess this guy fancies himself as some sort of guy that people will want to watch regularly but I couldn't get through 5 minutes of the clock ticking in the background, the humming of something, his constant looking to the side at distractions, etc....
Click to expand...

....I think the clock ticking plus his blathering about the weight of the Kindle adds to the overall sense of insanity here, I find it most disturbing.......I predict this cat will go off the "deep end".


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## fredtgreco

Why Kindle Will Change the World


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## Richard King

Fred your posting of that link is VERY interesting.
It occurs to me that it is not only a way to "get published" but a way to prove authorship 
at date of posting rather than the old copyright hassles. 

Another thing I didn't hear anyone mention is this: 
Kindle also supports audio in the form of MP3s and Audible 2, 3, and 4 audiobooks, which must be transferred to the Kindle over USB or on an SD card.

I have heard folks say that the world is changing and I may start believing it.


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## fredtgreco

I agree Richard. If the "electronic ink" is everything is appears to be, then books could be replaced. That has always been the show-stopper. After all, parchments were once all the rage.


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## VictorBravo

fredtgreco said:


> Why Kindle Will Change the World



It will be interesting to see if the readers of the world are as susceptible to going viral as the net surfers. As a former small (really small) publisher, I like the concept.

But I kind of think it won't really take off until youtube is integrated too.  Imagine a paper based moving picture!

I like gadgets, but I'm hard on them. That's probably why my PDA is still a pocket notepad. As much as I'd love to have my entire library available on a lightweight pad, I keep thinking of the sunk costs of all those unread volumes on our bookshelves. I know, I'm a dinosaur.

But before next year is over, I'll probably buy one of these things too. I'd probably not buy much from Amazon. It would end up being like my iPod--loaded up with things they don't sell.


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## NaphtaliPress

Well, I'd like to test the compiler, but Amazon insists you fill out you bank account number before you can get to it. So, still thinking.


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## etexas

fredtgreco said:


> Why Kindle Will Change the World


Cool article Fred! Did I mention I want a Kindle! Ooops, that is the name of my thread..., I am realy becoming more convinced I would like to have one!


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## Richard King

etexas said:


> fredtgreco said:
> 
> 
> 
> Why Kindle Will Change the World
> 
> 
> 
> Cool article Fred! Did I mention I want a Kindle! Ooops, that is the name of my thread..., I am realy becoming more convinced I would like to have one!
Click to expand...



This is reminding me more and more of a trick my cousin used to play on me as a kid. 
We wanted to jump off a small cliff into the Pecos River but we were scared so he said...
"man I hope I get the courage to jump because whoever does that first will be the bravest 
kid in the world!!! 
So eventually I jumped out of fear that HE would be the bravest kid in the world 
and not me.. 
I got hustled more than once that way.

Anyway, I feel like that is what we are doing to etexas! 
We are all waitin' for the Tyler guy to buy one first and see if there is buyer's remorse.
If he does buy...I bet he will be the bravest guy in the whole world.


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## NaphtaliPress

Let Mikey try it! (for those of a certain age that remember the Life cereal commercial).


Richard King said:


> etexas said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> fredtgreco said:
> 
> 
> 
> Why Kindle Will Change the World
> 
> 
> 
> Cool article Fred! Did I mention I want a Kindle! Ooops, that is the name of my thread..., I am realy becoming more convinced I would like to have one!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> This is reminding me more and more of a trick my cousin used to play on me as a kid.
> We wanted to jump off a small cliff into the Pecos River but we were scared so he said...
> "man I hope I get the courage to jump because whoever does that first will be the bravest
> kid in the world!!!
> So eventually I jumped out of fear that HE would be the bravest kid in the world
> and not me..
> I got hustled more than once that way.
> 
> Anyway, I feel like that is what we are doing to etexas!
> We are all waitin' for the Tyler guy to buy one first and see if there is buyer's remorse.
> If he does buy...I bet he will be the bravest guy in the whole world.
Click to expand...


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## VictorBravo

Richard King said:


> etexas said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> fredtgreco said:
> 
> 
> 
> Why Kindle Will Change the World
> 
> 
> 
> Cool article Fred! Did I mention I want a Kindle! Ooops, that is the name of my thread..., I am realy becoming more convinced I would like to have one!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> This is reminding me more and more of a trick my cousin used to play on me as a kid.
> We wanted to jump off a small cliff into the Pecos River but we were scared so he said...
> "man I hope I get the courage to jump because whoever does that first will be the bravest
> kid in the world!!!
> So eventually I jumped out of fear that HE would be the bravest kid in the world
> and not me..
> I got hustled more than once that way.
> 
> Anyway, I feel like that is what we are doing to etexas!
> We are all waitin' for the Tyler guy to buy one first and see if there is buyer's remorse.
> If he does buy...I bet he will be the bravest guy in the whole world.
Click to expand...




 to the bravest guy in the world! I'll be waiting for the price to come down around to $100. It will, sure as tomorrow's sunrise--but it might take a while.


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## DMcFadden

victorbravo said:


> I like gadgets, but I'm hard on them. That's probably why my PDA is still a pocket notepad. As much as I'd love to have my entire library available on a lightweight pad, I keep thinking of the sunk costs of all those unread volumes on our bookshelves. I know, I'm a dinosaur.



I like gadgets too. Hey, I'm sitting at home downloading lectures to my iPod while recovering from a virus (picked up in Ozarks from a grandson). But, yikes! (not a minced oath to my knowledge).  If you don't mind reading on an electronic screen, why not just use your laptop? My library has expanded since computers: Logos Libronix; Ages; WordSearch; Pradis; P.C. StudyBible, QuickVerse, e-Sword, Puritanica, not to mention Still Waters Puritan Library. Plus, since joining this board, I have discovered tons of great PDF's for free! My working library is on this laptop is somewhere over 7,500 volumes, most of them for pennies on the dollar or entirely free. Going to the Kindle would seem to be a step backward. Although, honestly, my investment in PC-based resources will make me a dino as well when it comes to the next best thing coming along.


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## etexas

I AM DOING IT!!!! I AM GOING TO ORDER A KINDLE THE 1st....I would do it sooner.....but I kind of got into it with Megan over spending this month. So count down 3 days....I am "jumpin" the cliff!.....I will give you guys the PB review!


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## JM

Is there anything like Kindle that will allow you to unload your own pdf library to it?


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## etexas

Richard King said:


> etexas said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> fredtgreco said:
> 
> 
> 
> Why Kindle Will Change the World
> 
> 
> 
> Cool article Fred! Did I mention I want a Kindle! Ooops, that is the name of my thread..., I am realy becoming more convinced I would like to have one!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> This is reminding me more and more of a trick my cousin used to play on me as a kid.
> We wanted to jump off a small cliff into the Pecos River but we were scared so he said...
> "man I hope I get the courage to jump because whoever does that first will be the bravest
> kid in the world!!!
> So eventually I jumped out of fear that HE would be the bravest kid in the world
> and not me..
> I got hustled more than once that way.
> 
> Anyway, I feel like that is what we are doing to etexas!
> We are all waitin' for the Tyler guy to buy one first and see if there is buyer's remorse.
> If he does buy...I bet he will be the bravest guy in the whole world.
Click to expand...

, O sort of like this "challenge" I AM THE BRAVEST CAT IN THE UNIVERSE!, really, somehow, it gives me sort of a justification for getting one!


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## etexas

Hate to do the "double-post" but one thing I like is that it IS an independent device from my PC. I like that about this product! No wiring it up to my Mac, no "hovering" near my router. I think those are good selling points!


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## bookslover

There's a review of Kindle in today's _Los Angeles Times_. Go to Los Angeles Times - News from Los Angeles, California and the World. It's in the Business Section. It mentions an important rule: thou shalt not buy the first version of the product...


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## VictorBravo

JM said:


> Is there anything like Kindle that will allow you to unload your own pdf library to it?



It looks like the Sony Reader will let you do that.

Sony PRS-500 Portable Reader System E-Book reader reviews - CNET Reviews


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## etexas

bookslover said:


> There's a review of Kindle in today's _Los Angeles Times_. Go to Los Angeles Times - News from Los Angeles, California and the World. It's in the Business Section. It mentions an important rule: thou shalt not buy the first version of the product...


I know about the "other" Golden Rule, I had one of the first iPods, it was horrid! BUT it is cool to say I had had one, that is part of being a guy, having the first one on the "block"!


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## etexas

GONNA GET IT! Megan said that is what she wants to get me for Christmas, I said, "Cool!"


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## etexas

I ordered my Kindle! Bad news! They are sold out and will have o more till after the 24th!


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## Richard King

This is interesting. I am sure hacker types will discover more little tricks.

Opinion: Amazon Kindle does e-mail and more


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## etexas

UPDATE: I am based on some advice from some techie friends to at least wait until the 2nd generation of Kindle. For Christmas, Megan will be getting me the new iPod that will allow me to purchase Albums and songs while away from the computer! 16gb!


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## Richard King

Probably wise

Until then you can keep up on developments here:

KindleGeek


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## Richard King

Stephen King likes them

Stephen King test-drives the Kindle | The Pop of King | Books | Entertainment Weekly | 1


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## Richard King

Reallly ashamed to admit this because it cost SO much but I do read a lot and I am on the move a lot. 
I went ahead and bought a Kindle.

I got mine today. I LOVE it. I am tempted to blow up the television.

BUT this is what I want to encourage those of you who are writers to do. 
Get your book available on Kindle. The Amazon website is begging for writers who want their stuff converted to eprint.
There isn't enough reformed reading available to download and there needs to be. There is a Sproul book or two but meanwhile people can get all the Joel Olsteen and Rick Warren they want.
As I understand it you get a much larger cut of the money than the other guys give you.


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## etexas

Richard King said:


> Stephen King likes them
> 
> Stephen King test-drives the Kindle | The Pop of King | Books | Entertainment Weekly | 1


 But I think "The King" is super cool!


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