Comments on: On the Kindle http://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/12/on-the-kindle/ Research, international development, foreign policy, and violent conflict Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:28:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: KS http://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/12/on-the-kindle/comment-page-1/#comment-11156 KS Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:21:38 +0000 http://chrisblattman.com/?p=3752#comment-11156 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8484395.stm "I am in love with it and am drooling in anticipation at being able to buy one. I want to fondle it and lick it." Stephen Fry http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8484395.stm

“I am in love with it and am drooling in anticipation at being able to buy one. I want to fondle it and lick it.”
Stephen Fry

]]> By: Tom http://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/12/on-the-kindle/comment-page-1/#comment-10041 Tom Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:16:27 +0000 http://chrisblattman.com/?p=3752#comment-10041 iPhones work here in Juba, so you may want to crack out the chilli sauce for yours in Northern Uganda! iPhones work here in Juba, so you may want to crack out the chilli sauce for yours in Northern Uganda!

]]> By: Kerol Lundy http://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/12/on-the-kindle/comment-page-1/#comment-9542 Kerol Lundy Sun, 15 Nov 2009 02:05:59 +0000 http://chrisblattman.com/?p=3752#comment-9542 I have been working in the newspaper industry for the past nine years. I can tell from experience that the Kindle as it looks today is not going to be a success because it offers limited option. We have tested it at work, and it is not that attractive to subscribers. I also think that the kindle should be able to be used across all platforms as far as PC and MAC are concerned. The kindle should not be monochrome, that is the essence of an electronic device that wants to make book obsolete. I think that the iphone and the ipod touch are the biggest competitor for the newspaper industry at the moment. I will not be surprise if the Apple put in the option of downloading the British Encyclopedia or any other heavy volume. I have been working in the newspaper industry for the past nine years. I can tell from experience that the Kindle as it looks today is not going to be a success because it offers limited option. We have tested it at work, and it is not that attractive to subscribers. I also think that the kindle should be able to be used across all platforms as far as PC and MAC are concerned. The kindle should not be monochrome, that is the essence of an electronic device that wants to make book obsolete. I think that the iphone and the ipod touch are the biggest competitor for the newspaper industry at the moment. I will not be surprise if the Apple put in the option of downloading the British Encyclopedia or any other heavy volume.

]]> By: KS http://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/12/on-the-kindle/comment-page-1/#comment-9523 KS Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:11:21 +0000 http://chrisblattman.com/?p=3752#comment-9523 You were too early Chris. Apple's tablet looks set to lead this market next year. Anybody considering should probably wait and see for a few months. It should be a major step up from the Kindle. http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/10/07/foxconn_rumored_to_manufacture_apple_tablet_for_q1_2010.html You were too early Chris. Apple’s tablet looks set to lead this market next year.

Anybody considering should probably wait and see for a few months. It should be a major step up from the Kindle.

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/10/07/foxconn_rumored_to_manufacture_apple_tablet_for_q1_2010.html

]]> By: LP http://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/12/on-the-kindle/comment-page-1/#comment-9471 LP Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:38:36 +0000 http://chrisblattman.com/?p=3752#comment-9471 It's not a bad idea to check in advance whether the fiction you want is available on the kindle as well. I'm in the midst of a 10 month field stint and, while the kindle has saved me a ton of luggage space, was disappointed that a lot of the books on my to read list were not available. For those iphone/itouch lovers - it is actually possible to get a kindle app where you can see what kindle has to offer AND get the first chapter free (as well as the whole book if you don't mind reading on a mini screen). A bit infuriating that I had to use both the kindle and my itouch to make my kindle reading choices. It’s not a bad idea to check in advance whether the fiction you want is available on the kindle as well. I’m in the midst of a 10 month field stint and, while the kindle has saved me a ton of luggage space, was disappointed that a lot of the books on my to read list were not available. For those iphone/itouch lovers – it is actually possible to get a kindle app where you can see what kindle has to offer AND get the first chapter free (as well as the whole book if you don’t mind reading on a mini screen). A bit infuriating that I had to use both the kindle and my itouch to make my kindle reading choices.

]]> By: andrew mack http://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/12/on-the-kindle/comment-page-1/#comment-9463 andrew mack Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:07:37 +0000 http://chrisblattman.com/?p=3752#comment-9463 Ooops! The free ebook site is at http://www.truly-free.org/#fiction, not, of course, at nyt.com. A Ooops! The free ebook site is at http://www.truly-free.org/#fiction, not, of course, at nyt.com.

A

]]> By: andrew mack http://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/12/on-the-kindle/comment-page-1/#comment-9462 andrew mack Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:01:34 +0000 http://chrisblattman.com/?p=3752#comment-9462 The Sony Reader 600 has a touch screen -- though I prefer to click rather than swipe when turning a page. Plus it is very cool looking -- whereas the Kindle is a bit of a clunker to look at. You have to download books via the net and your computer but this is no big deal -- anyway you can't buy Kindles in Canada thanks to our hopeless telecoms. But you can sign ebooks out of libraries which you can't on the Kindle. This is going to be huge I think. You can download free books -- classic novels over past 50 years at http://global.nytimes.com/ The Burgomeister has a great selection. I think they are in the newish ePUB format. There are several software programs for turning PDFs into the ePUB format which is a joy to read. There is still a long way to go with this technology -- but I love it... it is truly great on long trips. AM The Sony Reader 600 has a touch screen — though I prefer to click rather than swipe when turning a page. Plus it is very cool looking — whereas the Kindle is a bit of a clunker to look at.

You have to download books via the net and your computer but this is no big deal — anyway you can’t buy Kindles in Canada thanks to our hopeless telecoms.

But you can sign ebooks out of libraries which you can’t on the Kindle. This is going to be huge I think.

You can download free books — classic novels over past 50 years at http://global.nytimes.com/ The Burgomeister has a great selection. I think they are in the newish ePUB format.

There are several software programs for turning PDFs into the ePUB format which is a joy to read.

There is still a long way to go with this technology — but I love it… it is truly great on long trips.

AM

]]> By: Finja http://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/12/on-the-kindle/comment-page-1/#comment-9460 Finja Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:47:57 +0000 http://chrisblattman.com/?p=3752#comment-9460 Thanks a lot for that review. I was considering getting the Kindle, but now I'll wait for at least the next version... and yes, please make the BFSA a regular on your blog! Thanks a lot for that review.
I was considering getting the Kindle, but now I’ll wait for at least the next version…
and yes, please make the BFSA a regular on your blog!

]]> By: Andrew Hughey http://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/12/on-the-kindle/comment-page-1/#comment-9445 Andrew Hughey Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:12:53 +0000 http://chrisblattman.com/?p=3752#comment-9445 I found the Kindle's lack of a touch screen absolutely infuriating. I've been pretty happy with the Kindle for iPhone application as long as I'm careful about battery life on my email-web-twitter-ereader-iPod-phone device. I found the Kindle’s lack of a touch screen absolutely infuriating. I’ve been pretty happy with the Kindle for iPhone application as long as I’m careful about battery life on my email-web-twitter-ereader-iPod-phone device.

]]> By: Nico Grundmann http://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/12/on-the-kindle/comment-page-1/#comment-9440 Nico Grundmann Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:38:37 +0000 http://chrisblattman.com/?p=3752#comment-9440 If you are looking for a good way to get PDFs into the Kindle Editable format (underlining, bookmarks, comments, etc), try using Calibre to convert your PDFs [free at http://calibre.kovidgoyal.net/ ]. I have a Sony E-reader that I've been using for my overseas travel for about 3 years now, and the Calibre software makes the whole process a breeze. If you are looking for a good way to get PDFs into the Kindle Editable format (underlining, bookmarks, comments, etc), try using Calibre to convert your PDFs [free at http://calibre.kovidgoyal.net/ ]. I have a Sony E-reader that I’ve been using for my overseas travel for about 3 years now, and the Calibre software makes the whole process a breeze.

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