Yes, I recently took the plunge and purchased an e book reader.
I’ve always loved my books, but had resisted purchasing one of these devices, mainly because I didn’t understand them, and was to “busy” to do the research needed to get the style I liked. However we recently took a cruise and knowing I’d have lots of reading time, I started a list of the books I’d been waiting to read, but had never got around to it.
Wow, the list was long! I’d need an extra suitcase! Well, almost – at least a carry bag! And that started a rather rudimentary research project on the different styles and brands. An I pad had a lot of appeal, the Sony e reader had been suggested, as had the Kindle from Amazon. What was the deciding factor however was twofold actually, the ability to read in sunlight, (I Pads suck at that!), and the fact that I could wirelessly deliver the purchased ebooks.
The verdict? I LOVE it! An added benefit nobody had told me about was the fact that you can hit a button, increase the font size, & everything lines up perfectly. Finally I can read without my reading glasses!
The only downside I’m seeing is getting my head around the fact that I “buy” a book, & it appears I don’t really own it, as Amazon / Kindle control what I can or can’t do with it. With a paperback book, once I’ve purchased it, I’m free to loan it, give it away or whatever, but not so here.
I understand having some rules to protect publishers & authors rights, but I’m wondering who is protecting my (the consumer) rights?
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
My brother recently bought one shortly after the Kindle Fire was released. The Kindle is a great piece of technology, I might buy one myself.
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October 18, 2011 at 1:16 pm
Hey Bruce,
Glad to hear that you treated yourself to a Kindle. I love mine. I travel a lot and it goes everywhere with me. It’s always packed with “spare” books, never going to be without something to read – and the battery isn’t likely to fizzle out on me, I tend to get at least 3 weeks between charges.
I got my son a Kindle for his birthday fairly recently. I was looking forward to lending him a bunch of my Kindle books. I might have been unlucky, but it seems that most of the books that I have bought have had the “lend” option turned off – by the publisher rather than Amazon to be fair. It’s a real pain, and one of the few complaints that I have about the Kindle. Sometimes my son and I actually swap readers now – less than convenient.
Anyway, I hope you continue to get enjoyment from your Kindle!
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October 18, 2011 at 4:19 pm
I’d never had occasion to lend any books Hamish, so I wasn’t aware of this function even. Thanks for alerting me to it.
~Bruce