Question Kindle worth getting?

[nath]

PDF is easy - go to your account and make sure you've set up your Kindle email address. Add an authorised sender (your normal email address) and just attach the PDF to an email, put "Convert" in the subject line and fire it off to your kindle. It'll send it over wifi and convert the file to a more manageable format. Be warned, though this is free while using wifi, it costs if you use it on 3g.

For .lit, I've used a utility called Convert LIT - which they abbreviate to CLIT. Yup.

http://www.convertlit.com/download.php

Site seems borked for me at the mo, but that's where it is.

 

[Calaen]

Thanks I'll give it a whirl

 

[FuzzyLogic]

Try calibre - E-book management

 

[Calaen]

Try calibre - E-book management

oh that looks decent, will have a toy with that one also.

 

[MrHorus]

I love my Kindle

 

[dysfunction]

I do like the idea, but to me books are something to be cherished and passed on. I would love for them to start bundling e-books with paper versions. The written word is an ancient standard and who knows what will become of your e-books in even 5 years time.

Readers are still cool, i'd love one for general use.

I quite agree! I love having the actual book!
I'm reading the Void books by Peter F Hamilton and they are great big books (especially the hard back one) which are great to read but not very portable!

I can't really take them on the train with me but it would be great if I had them on a kindle!

Also I would like the kindle to be touch screen...

 

[ford prefect]

I quite agree! I love having the actual book!
I'm reading the Void books by Peter F Hamilton and they are great big books (especially the hard back one) which are great to read but not very portable!

I can't really take them on the train with me but it would be great if I had them on a kindle!

Also I would like the kindle to be touch screen...

They bought out a company at the beginning of the year called Touchco, which up until that point was researching oil based colour touchscreens. A bit like colour e-ink. I should think they will have one developed within a couple of years.

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Can you change font size/type etc on the Kindle? The font is shite and huge and means you're turning the 'page' every 20 seconds.

 

[nath]

Yeah, the aA button changes the size on any doc from minuscule to about 4 words a page.

 

[ford prefect]

The kindle is just one of those "Happy Gadgets", If you read quite a lot I don't think you can regret buying one.

 

[Calaen]

Got all mine converted now thanks guys.

Looking forward to getting it tomorrow!!!

 

[Ch3tan]

It's in my basket, but before I buy, anyone got any discount codes handy?

 

[Aoami]

HAA2OOFF try that. 20% off.

Getting my gf one for christmas if that works.

 

[Ch3tan]

cannot be applied to this order, thanks though

 

[ford prefect]

cannot be applied to this order, thanks though

Apparently they make a loss on each kindle sold, so I doubt you will be able to apply a discount.

 

[Tom]

Doesn't surprise me, they must make about 500% on each electronic book sold. Which is why I won't buy one.

 

[ford prefect]

I don't see the difference to ordering a book from them or buying one on your kindle to be honest. They probably make a little more on each book on the kindle, but I doubt it is that much more given how cheap kindle books are.

 

[ford prefect]

Publishers on Kindle get up to 70% royalties. Kindle books ary typicalle 50-60% cheaper than paperbooks and that price includes vat because they are classed as data, so Amazon are earning, sure, but not as much as you may think.

 

[Tom]

I don't see the difference to ordering a book from them or buying one on your kindle to be honest. They probably make a little more on each book on the kindle, but I doubt it is that much more given how cheap kindle books are.

They're not nearly as cheap as they should be. Their distributions costs compared to paper books are ridiculously low. If I can buy a paperback for £7, I expect to buy the electronic version for no more than half that. Many times, particularly with old or rare books, that simply isn't the case.

 

[ford prefect]

They're not nearly as cheap as they should be. Their distributions costs compared to paper books are ridiculously low. If I can buy a paperback for £7, I expect to buy the electronic version for no more than half that. Many times, particularly with old or rare books, that simply isn't the case.

If you remove vat - they ARE charging less than half price for most things.

 

[Tom]

Case in point:

Sir William Waad, Lieutenant of the Tower, and the Gunpowder Plot eBook: Fiona Bengtsen: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

£5.79. Or I can buy it second hand for a few quid less. Or brand new for only a quid more. That isn't good value, its just silly. Electronic versions should always be cheaper than paper versions.

 

[ford prefect]

I'm sure that is true for some books, but for majority it isn't the case and I daresay that is down to publishers rather than amazon themselves, who lets face it are middle men providing a service. They also provide plenty of classic books free of charge.

All in all kindle books are good value - I'm a compulsive reader (due to my AS) and my kindle (expensive US one - pre UK release) paid for itself within the first four months.

 

[Ch3tan]

So, ordered

 

[Aoami]

Just download them free from the usual places, think of it as a library rather than stealing

 

[cHodAX]

Aoami is pretty close to the mark, buy the good stuff and loan the average.

 

[Tom]

Books are nice to have though. I have a lot of books on history, I've run out of space on the shelves.

 

[cHodAX]

Books are nice to have though. I have a lot of books on history, I've run out of space on the shelves.

Same problem Tom, I am at the point where I really should get rid of a few hundred but it breaks my heart to part with them. Kindle is a godsend for me, means any new books I want I can read on Kindle first and decide if I should buy a hardcopy as a keeper.

 

[Ch3tan]

Sweet, super saver delivery, due Monday, arrived today

It really is a very lush bit of kit.

 

[Ch3tan]

Hmm... a bit annoyed that the new hardback I got (latest Malazan book) cost me £12,75 for the hardcover, the kindle version, out on the same day is £16!!

 

[nath]

They *really* need to do a system where buying the book you get a free electronic version. It just makes all kinds of sense.