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Amazon Kindle |OT| of eInk superiority

L

LProtag

Member
Found a Touch for sale at Target.

Spent all morning grabbing free books and organizing them with Calibre. So nice.

Have to rush order a case as I'm flying out Friday though. Just got one of the official ones, seems like it'll be fine especially because it fits flush.
 
C

Chairhome

Member
Just got the Kindle Touch that I ordered for my wife. Its under my account, so it says my name on it :-(. Is there a way for us to get it linked to her account with my Prime membership? I thought I could add her to my membership but she might not be able to access the prime benefits other than shipping.

Anyways, this is our first kindle. Bookmarking the OP and sending it to my wife, but are there any things I should do first? Calibre? Is there a site that shows price comparisons for e-books?
 
V

VistraNorrez

Member
Chairhome said:
Is there a way for us to get it linked to her account with my Prime membership? I thought I could add her to my membership but she might not be able to access the prime benefits other than shipping.
Click to expand...

Nope, you are right about her only getting the shipping benefit if you link accounts. You can change the name of the Kindle though.

I don't know if there are price comparison sites, probably, but ereaderiq is a great site that will track books you put on your wishlist and let you know when they drop in price.
 
H

HiroProtagonist

Member
Chairhome said:
Just got the Kindle Touch that I ordered for my wife. Its under my account, so it says my name on it :-(. Is there a way for us to get it linked to her account with my Prime membership? I thought I could add her to my membership but she might not be able to access the prime benefits other than shipping.

Anyways, this is our first kindle. Bookmarking the OP and sending it to my wife, but are there any things I should do first? Calibre? Is there a site that shows price comparisons for e-books?
Click to expand...
To change the name go to: Your account>Manage Your Kindle>Manage Your devices page. Just edit the name and sync the Kindle.
 
C

commish

Jason Kidd murdered my dog in cold blood!
tokkun said:
Still torn on whether to buy a Kindle Touch or Nook Touch. I guess I'll head to Best Buy in a couple days to see if I can get a hands-on comparison.



Don't the new generation of Kindles allow you to pay to switch to the non-ad version via software update?
Click to expand...

I own them both now (don't ask why), and I kinda prefer the Nook Touch as far as user experience goes. I think the UI is better and faster (especially after the update), and having physical page turning buttons is a really underrated feature. Of course, Kindle's integration with Amazon is great, and whispersync is much better than B&N's syncing system. Kindle Touch has the awesome Prime features (free book borrowing), but doesn't read epub (ridics). If I had to pick one going forward, it'd be the Nook Touch, but in the end, they are still very similar. If you have a collection of books already purchased from either store, then your decision is easier.
 
B

brentech

Member
Going to buy my wife the new $79 model. At first she was skeptical of my Kindle 3, but now she's jealous. Specially if we travel.
 
D

dangrib

Member
My Kindle 4 just shat itself. Frozen on the screensaver. Tried holding power like troubleshooting says to no avail. Even fully charged it and still no dice.

Any tricks or do I need to get one sent out to me? I'm going overseas in a few days and it wont arrive in time (im in Australia). Seriously shit timing!
 
H

HiroProtagonist

Member
dangrib said:
My Kindle 4 just shat itself. Frozen on the screensaver. Tried holding power like troubleshooting says to no avail. Even fully charged it and still no dice.

Any tricks or do I need to get one sent out to me? I'm going overseas in a few days and it wont arrive in time (im in Australia). Seriously shit timing!
Click to expand...
That happened to my K3. I held the power button for 15 seconds and nothing. Then I held the power button for a minute (which seemed like an eternity) and it rebooted.
 
W

wonderkins

Member
VistraNorrez said:
Haha, check out this video by a guy who doesn't like the Kindle Touch because he keeps his finger on the screen while he reads. What the hell did he expect?
Click to expand...
jaysus christ... So, err, umm, not really sure what he was thinking. I feel he's punking us; or is that giving him too much credit?

Received my Touch yesterday. Felt disappointment at first. Form is not as comfortable as the Nook. It feels solid, so-to-speak. The UI is a mish-mash of new and old. Not as good or refined as the Nook's front-end; slower (less-responsive), too. Definite improvement having no obnoxious keyboard, though. Software-wise, still not happy that Amazon can't bung page-numbers into all books. Psychological, sure, but missed at times. Ads aren't intrusive, thankfully. Overall, a marked improvement over Kindle 3. A day later, and my opinion has become more positive.

Amazon's selection and the availability (if not yet shipping) of a lighted cover means I'll keep it. If B&N comes out with a lighted cover (even if it requires batteries - don't like the clip-ons), I may switch. Yay for Calibre removing DRM and converting formats!
 
R

Runus

Member
HiroProtagonist said:
Did anyone get the 3G touch? Are you able to browse the web with wifi turned off?
Click to expand...

You can't. They said they were only allowing browsing on wi-fi. I'm guessing they were tired of people using tons of 3G data that they were not really paying for except for the upfront cost.
 
T

tokkun

Member
commish said:
I own them both now (don't ask why), and I kinda prefer the Nook Touch as far as user experience goes. I think the UI is better and faster (especially after the update), and having physical page turning buttons is a really underrated feature. Of course, Kindle's integration with Amazon is great, and whispersync is much better than B&N's syncing system. Kindle Touch has the awesome Prime features (free book borrowing), but doesn't read epub (ridics). If I had to pick one going forward, it'd be the Nook Touch, but in the end, they are still very similar. If you have a collection of books already purchased from either store, then your decision is easier.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback. I went to Best Buy and B&N today and checked out the big 4 e-readers in person. They didn't have Kindle Touch yet, but did have a Kindle 4.

Sony T1 and Kindle 4 had the best looking contrast on their screens. Nook Touch seemed a small amount worse, but I can't say for sure because I saw it under different lighting conditions. Kobo was by far the worst, both in terms of contrast and font rendering. The Sony seemed to suffer from more ghosting, despite refreshing every time.

The touch screen on all the touch readers was accurate, fast, and did not show fingerprints.

The Sony was the least aesthetically pleasing device (surprising for Sony), and the Kindle was the best.

I liked both Nook's and Sony's interfaces more than the other two. The Sony also supported landscape and pinch-to-zoom.

By far, the biggest problem with the Kindle is the form factor. The bezel is too narrow, making it uncomfortable to hold without having your finger touch the screen. Nook was the most comfortable due to curved back and wide bezel.

Although the Nook has page turn buttons and the Kindle Touch doesn't, the Nook's buttons are kind of awful. Stiff and difficult to get your press to register.

My overall impression was Nook > Sony > Kindle > Kobo. I thought the Kindle Keyboard was better than the Kindle 4 due to being more comfortable to hold. For people who value thinness and weight, the Kindle is a better option, but comfort is more important to me.
 
C

charlemagne

Member
Leather cover arrived today. Man, this thing is great, adds just that extra bit of weight and thickness to make the kindle feel perfect to hold. Makes me want to read stuff on it even more.
 
S

Sh1ner

Member
y-u-no-guy.jpg


AMAZON, WHY U NO BRING TOUCH VERSION TO UK?! :(
 
J

JABEE

Member
HiroProtagonist said:
2y6sW.jpg


Starts Sunday at Best Buy. For the 3G model I think it's quite a good deal.
Click to expand...
That's a great deal. I wonder if you would have to rush out to get it at that price.

A side question, what do you think is the better option a Touch or a keyboard model? I want the one that is easiest to turn a page and most compact.
 
M

Manics

Banned
VistraNorrez said:
Haha, check out this video by a guy who doesn't like the Kindle Touch because he keeps his finger on the screen while he reads. What the hell did he expect?
Click to expand...


Who the hell keeps their thumb on the screen when they read? I try my best never to touch the screen (non touch version) so as not to get smudges on it. This guy actually WANTS to touch the screen all the time?
 
T

tokkun

Member
Manics said:
Who the hell keeps their thumb on the screen when they read? I try my best never to touch the screen (non touch version) so as not to get smudges on it. This guy actually WANTS to touch the screen all the time?
Click to expand...

On the new Kindles the bezel is quite narrow and the body thin. I can understand why it would be more comfortable to hold it with a finger on the screen.
 
J

JoshuaJSlone

Member
JABEE said:
A side question, what do you think is the better option a Touch or a keyboard model? I want the one that is easiest to turn a page and most compact.
Click to expand...
Touch is slightly smaller. It loses much of the height from where the keyboard was, but looks like it's gained a tiny bit of thickness, too. Measurements at the site say
Touch: 6.8" x 4.7" x 0.40" (12.8 cubic inches)
Keyboard: 7.5" x 4.8" x 0.34 (12.2 cubic inches)

As for easier page turning, I suppose that's a preference thing. I'd kind of miss not being able to hold my grip still and change the page by increasing pressure with the thumb sitting on the button.

Me, I'm glad I've got the Keyboard for 3G web browsing, though I know that's a non-issue for many.
 
L

Leonsito

Member
I was thinking of gifting a Kindle to my father this christmas (I'm from Spain) but some new e-readers appeared today in Spain, they have a SiPix screen, I read some opinions online about this technology, but I'm not sure what to think, Kindle is a bit cheaper even with the shipping, can anyone give some advice ?
 
G

goldenticket

Member
HiroProtagonist said:
2y6sW.jpg


Starts Sunday at Best Buy. For the 3G model I think it's quite a good deal.
Click to expand...

where did you get the info about this deal. i checked the best buy ad online and i didnt see it. i would totally get one for 89 if i could
 
H

HiroProtagonist

Member
JABEE said:
That's a great deal. I wonder if you would have to rush out to get it at that price.

A side question, what do you think is the better option a Touch or a keyboard model? I want the one that is easiest to turn a page and most compact.
Click to expand...
I haven't seen a Kindle Touch in person. :/
goldenticket said:
where did you get the info about this deal. i checked the best buy ad online and i didnt see it. i would totally get one for 89 if i could
Click to expand...
It was a circular leak at slickdeals. http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3566098
Shurs said:
I'm all over this deal. It's only $5 more than Target's Black Friday "door buster," plus I won't have to fight through the sweaty masses to get one and I can take it with me when I travel for Thanksgiving.
Click to expand...
Multi-quotes are great.
 
M

mrklaw

MrArseFace
Sh1ner said:
y-u-no-guy.jpg


AMAZON, WHY U NO BRING TOUCH VERSION TO UK?! :(
Click to expand...

Just buy a Sony T1 or Kobo Touch? You can't compare US prices as they are ad-subsidised. Likely the Kindle touch would be more than the Kobo Touch (£109) and a bit less than the Sony T1 (£129).

Sony T1 has library lending built in (still waiting for overdrive to bring library support to the UK, even though they already power our libraries). And apparently converting kindle purchases to epub is fairly easy, in case you have a kindle already.

I have a kindle 3 + 3G and I think I'm going with the Sony next for library support. Plus its really light and slim
 
T

tokkun

Member
mrklaw said:
Just buy a Sony T1 or Kobo Touch? You can't compare US prices as they are ad-subsidised. Likely the Kindle touch would be more than the Kobo Touch (£109) and a bit less than the Sony T1 (£129).

Sony T1 has library lending built in (still waiting for overdrive to bring library support to the UK, even though they already power our libraries). And apparently converting kindle purchases to epub is fairly easy, in case you have a kindle already.

I have a kindle 3 + 3G and I think I'm going with the Sony next for library support. Plus its really light and slim
Click to expand...

I would encourage you to try getting hands on with the T1 if you haven't already. I think it has a lot of potential, but Sony really dropped the ball on industrial design for this one. The casing is pretty ugly in person and because it is a glossy finish it will reflect your light source back at you. Really a bad decision, IMO.
 
A

A Human Becoming

More than a Member
Is there a way to take items off the home screen into a folder? Collections seems to just create a copy; you need it on the home screen to view it in collections. Do I need to download a real folder app?
 
M

mrklaw

MrArseFace
tokkun said:
I would encourage you to try getting hands on with the T1 if you haven't already. I think it has a lot of potential, but Sony really dropped the ball on industrial design for this one. The casing is pretty ugly in person and because it is a glossy finish it will reflect your light source back at you. Really a bad decision, IMO.
Click to expand...

each to their own. compared to the dull kindle 3, its a lovely design. Touch with hard buttons for page turns (important for me as I'm not convinced I'll like touch only). Gloss finish I get your point and I've only used one for a few minutes so not noticed that, will have to check with another demo.

But having a dedicated icon to access to my local library, and another for google books is really nice software design IMO.
 
A

AndyD

aka andydumi
A Human Becoming said:
Is there a way to take items off the home screen into a folder? Collections seems to just create a copy; you need it on the home screen to view it in collections. Do I need to download a real folder app?
Click to expand...

Collections are not folders. They are more like libraries with links to the same file. So the only way to get them off the main screen listing is to sort it by some other method.

This bugs me as well as I have tons of books on there and only some are in collections.
 
S

Shurs

Member
Question:

When sending internet articles to your Kindle, what extension do you use?

My preferred browser is Chrome.

I have a Readability plug-in, but I can't seem to get it to work.

Where would this article show up on my Kindle?

Edit:
Never mind, I got it working.
 
H

HiroProtagonist

Member
Shurs said:
Question:

When sending internet articles to your Kindle, what extension do you use?

My preferred browser is Chrome.

I have a Readability plug-in, but I can't seem to get it to work.

Where would this article show up on my Kindle?
Click to expand...

I use "Send to Kindle", but I have to disable it when not in use because I keep accidentally sending the GAF OT to my kindle.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ipkfnchcgalnafehpglfbommidgmalan

People seem to also love Instapaper:
http://www.instapaper.com

To receive the documents you have to approve the email address associated with the the program at Amazon.com > Your Account > Manage your kindle > Personal document settings > Approved Personal Document E-mail List.

kindle@klip.me
kindle.rbdtn@instapaper.com

You'll also want to put your personal email address on the list so you can send yourself books with calibre.

Edit: grr!
 
H

HiroProtagonist

Member
I just noticed Amazon has added the option to subscribe to Special Offers for not SO kindles on the 'manage your device' page. I subscribed and unsubscribed and it doesn't screw the screensaver hack once removed.
 
W

Weenerz

Banned
Dropped my special offers wifi model, no physical damage, but the screen is fucked. It looks frozen, turning it off does nothing. Does Amazon repair these or replace them?
 
W

WowBaby

Member
Weenerz said:
Dropped my special offers wifi model, no physical damage, but the screen is fucked. It looks frozen, turning it off does nothing. Does Amazon repair these or replace them?
Click to expand...

How old is it? Less than a year? When you call customer support, don't tell them you dropped it. Tell them you don't know what happened. They'll replace it.
 
S

Shurs

Member
I used my first "Special Offer" this morning. It was for a $1 Humor Book which, coincidentally, was one of the genres I was browsing last night.

I think I'll start exclusively browsing/searching for lighted Kindle cases in the hopes that I can get a deal on one in the upcoming weeks.
 
BrettWeir

BrettWeir

Member
Wait, so you can get the "special offers" kindle at BB for $89, and pay $30 to get rid of the advertising? Savings of $20.....well, minus taxes.
 
V

Vyse The Legend

Member
BrettWeir said:
Wait, so you can get the "special offers" kindle at BB for $89, and pay $30 to get rid of the advertising? Savings of $20.....well, minus taxes.
Click to expand...

The non-ads 3G version is still $189. Therefore, you're saving $70 going this route (buying the ad-one from BB, then paying to remove them).
 
H

HisshouBuraiKen

Member
I'm thinking about getting my wife a Kindle touch for her birthday cuz she loves her some e-ink. What's the deal with the special offers, though? Are there ads while you're reading, between page flips, when it goes into a screensaver? And of course, is it hackable so they can be removed entirely?
 
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