Why I Finally Bought a Kindle – And You Should Too

I confess, I'm not exactly what you would call an "early adopter" of electronic gadgets. Although I bought my first computer in 1988 (back when they still had floppy disk drives), it took me years to buy a digital camera after they came out. The only reason I have an iPod is because a friend gave it to me.

I finally bought a smart phone last summer, because I needed a way to check email (and Tweet!) when my husband and I travel in our RV, but we are still waiting for our old television to die before we buy a flat screen model.

I admit that last Fall I was lusting after a 3G iPad to use on the road, because it's just not that easy to use the Internet with the little screen on my phone (maybe it's my middle-aged eyes.) I also wanted to download the Kindle app to the iPad, but I normally "read" via audio book, so I don't have a burning need for an ebook reader. And the $629 price of the 3G iPad is just too steep for my taste.

When I published my first Kindle ebook (How to Sell More Books on Amazon), I downloaded the Kindle app to my computer so that I could (hopefully) see how my books look to customers. But I write a lot about ebooks and I want a better feel for how readers experience Kindle and my ebooks.

Here's what finally motivated me to order a Kindle:

• The new Kindle With Special Offers is just $114 (no tax, free shipping.)

• I can listen to audio books on the Kindle through Audible (owned by Amazon.)

• Later this year, Kindle ebooks will become available to public libraries.

• The Kindle can be used for Internet browsing, although they are listing the service as "experimental."

The new Kindle's rather curious name refers to the special offers from Amazon that are listed at the bottom of the home screen (see the photo above), and the ads appearing on the screensaver when the device is idle. These offers and ads aren't visible when you are reading, and there might be something useful in the special offers. For example, one of the early offers will be a $20 Amazon gift card for $10.

The new model has all the standard Kindle features:

• Download samples of books for free before you buy.

• Adjust the font size for easier reading.
  

• Add bookmarks and notes and look up words in the dictionary.

• Lend Kindle books to a friend for 14 days.

• Share passages using the built-in Twitter and Facebook integration.

• Transfer PDF documents and MP3 music or podcast files to Kindle by connecting to a computer via the included USB cable.

• Read outdoors in sunlight.

• Store up to 3,500 books.

• Battery life of up to one month with the wireless turned off.

One drawback is that the Kindle screen is not backlit, so you can't read in the dark, but you can buy a Kindle case with a built-in light.

Kindle is ready to use right out of the box—no setup or software to install. You just need access to a wi-fi network to purchase and download books from Amazon. If you don't have easy access to wi-fi, you can purchase the $189 Kindle 3G, which connects to Amazon via the 3G cell phone network, at no charge to you.

More than 900,000 books are for sale in the Kindle store, plus major magazines and newspapers, blogs (including mine) and 50,000 audio books. You also get free access to 1.8 million out-of-copyright books published prior to 1923.

I'm looking forward to receiving my new toy (um, I mean business tool), and I'll let you know just how cool it is.

How about you? Do you have a Kindle or other ebook reader? What do you think of it?

Comments

[Shelley Hitz, Self Publishing Coach]

Dana,
I've been wanting a Kindle for a while (had been reading books on my PC and phone app) and am getting one for my b-day today! I'm also looking forward to this new "business tool." :) I ordered the one with special offers, so have to wait a few days to get it, although I already have my cover with the built in light!

And I just bought your book for my Kindle, so I look forward to reading it and learning more new tips.

Thanks,
Shelley

[Sylvia Hubbard]

I was also wondering, does it also read off books from Kindle? Or is it only audible.com books?

I bought a lookbook from CVS but only because it was $40 and with my CVS bucks I got it even cheaper and it's been wonderful to read on to pass the time.

The only thing is that I can't do audio files nor does it read files.

[Dana Lynn Smith]

Congrats on your new Kindle, Shelley - I was beginning to think I was the only one who still didn't have one :) I hope you find the book helpful.

[Sylvia Hubbard]

PS Lookbook does have backlight and if you wanted to view it, you can see it here:

http://www.amazon.com/Shift3-LOOKBOOK-Wireless-Reader-1-0/dp/B004PEG4C0/ref=sr_1_cc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1304115963&sr=1-1-catcorr

I can also download books from Kobobooks.com and if you have books approved through smashwords, then i can easily buy and have them downloaded.

It's wireless and you can add up to a 8gb card to load epub and pdf files on your own.

I've actually found reading not to be so timeconsuming anymore.

I even pdf blog articles i find throughout the day pdf the whole file of articles and then load them on my lookbook so I can read them on the way home from work or whenever I'm standing in line.

It's really cool. Now don't get me wrong, I still want a tablet, but I think I'm going to wait for that Sony baby to come out and snatch it up on black monday later on this year. . . hopefully.

[Dana Lynn Smith]

Sylvia, the Kindle has a read aloud function which is designed to assist the hearing impaired. I imagine it's not that much fun to listen to a computerized voice reading a book - I am used to hearing wonderful narrators read audio books.

Thanks for mentioning the Lookbook - I have never heard of that one. Other competitors include the B&N Nook, Nook Color (with a glass screen similar to an iPad) Sony Reader and the Kobo (affiliated with Borders). The Kindle is by far the best seller, but Nook/Nook Color are gaining in popularity. And you can read ebooks on a tablet computer like an iPad.

[Mike Klassen]

I had a Kindle first, but now use my iPad the most, not just for reading but for other purposes.

However, I like the Kindle app on the iPad better than Apple's iBooks. I think Amazon has a better book selection.

The Kindle has a couple of advantages over the iPad. One, which you mentioned, is battery life. I traveled to Australia this month to speak at a conference and there's no way my iPad's battery would have survived the plane flight. With the Kindle, no problem and and I didn't need to recharge the battery during the trip.

Also, the Kindle allows you to subscribe to blogs which is an interesting marketing outlet for those of us with blogs. It doesn't work from the Kindle iPad app... Kindle devices only. I just think that's neat from a marketing angle and a clever experiment on Amazon's part. (Blog subscriptions is a beta service right now.)

[Dana Lynn Smith]

Thanks for your note Mike. The devices with glass color screens, like iPad and Nook Color do use a lot of battery power. I did not realize that you couldn't read blogs if you're using the Kindle app on other devices - that's interesting.

You're not the only one who owns both a Kindle and an iPad, and prefers to use the Kindle app and bookstore on your iPad. In researching an article, I found that the Los Angeles Times reported that 31 percent of iPad owners consume ebooks using the Kindle app rather than Apple’s own iBooks app. Among avid readers who go through 25 books or more a year, 44 percent prefer using the Kindle app on the iPad. And according to a study by JPMorgan, 40 percent of iPad owners also own a Kindle.

[Dee for D.I. Telbat]

Hi Dana, Thanks for this list of features for the Kindle, some of which I wasn't aware. I only have the Kindle for PC (so far),and I covet having an iPad some day!(Having a blog with a name like "Telbat's Tablet" we HAVE to have a tablet!)
But first things first - I just replaced my old CRT monitor with my first flat screen for my desktop. But a Kindle is going to be on my Christmas list this year. Enjoy your new "toy"! ;)

[Dana Lynn Smith]

Thanks Dee - I hope that Santa brings you a Kindle (or an iPad).

[Dana Lynn Smith]

I received my Kindle yesterday and it's very cool! I'm figuring out all of the features and will write a review soon.

[Freya]

Oh I'm so tempted Dana... And after reading all that I can do with it, I can't wait...

I should get one in the next couple of months. Thanks for helping me make up my mind. Look forward to your review...

[Dana Lynn Smith]

Go for it, Freya!

[Alex Greenwood]

I finally bought mine--a year after my novel "Pilate's Cross" was available--and I love it! I've found that now I read twice as much as I did before the Kindle. It's amazing how much this inexpensive little device has changed my reading habits.

[SimplyForties]

I bought my Kindle two years ago when I took to the road as a full-time, long term housesitter and realized I couldn't drag my books around with me. I love it! I love the Kindle app on my iPhone too since it means I'm never without something to read!

[Dana Lynn Smith]

Alex, I love your comment about how you read twice as much now that you have a Kindle. If ebook reading devices encourage people to read more books, that's great news for all authors and publishers!

[Laura E. Kelly]

My iPad was stolen at my health club two months ago, and I was missing the convenience of ereading so much that last week I bought the cheaper Kindle (it ended up costing $200 with the lighted book cover I ordered). It just arrived so haven't used it much, but I have to say it feels a bit like going back to the Stone Age: no color, no touchscreen, no apps, no email. On the other hand, I remind myself I mostly wanted it for loading up books for a long trip I'm taking, and it'll work like a charm for that. Plus it's smaller & lighter than the iPad and will be readable in outdoor cafes, unlike the way-too-reflective iPad.

When I had the iPad I preferred using the Amazon Kindle app as well (rather than iBooks), mostly because I have a longstanding buyer relationship with Amazon and wanted to have access to my Wish List and Shopping Cart functions for book ideas. Now I'm glad I did that, since most of my e-library is available on this new Kindle (not that I ever plan to reread those "used" books, actually.)

[Dana Lynn Smith]

Thanks for sharing Laura. There are definitely tradeoffs between iPad and Kindle. Personally, I think Kindle is better strictly as an ebook reader and the shopping experience in the Kindle store is superior to that of the Apple ebookstore. The Los Angeles Times reported that 31 percent of iPad owners consume ebooks using the Kindle app rather than Apple’s own iBooks app, and among avid readers it's 40 percent.

[andaru]

Thanks for sharing as I have my kindle 2 as gift for my birthday. So far best companion for my samsung tablet pc.