The Kindle Touch



photo from Amazon.com



For Christmas, my amazing sister purchased the Kindle Touch for me.  She knew that I'd been looking over e-readers and hadn't committed to one yet.  I'd put the Kindle on my Amazon wish list, for obvious reasons, and with the addition of using the Kindle with my public library I was perfectly happy with my selection.  I honestly didn't expect to receive it as a gift, since everyone said they were scaling back this year, and have continued to be delightfully surprised with its features.

1) It is incredibly easy to get books.  Perhaps a little too easy.  I've already purchased 5 e-books in the last two weeks, two of which I already own in regular book form.

2) Portability is a key factor.  I downloaded a copy of Gone with the Wind so I could resume my chapter by chapter posts on here.  There really isn't a "I forgot to bring x, y, or z book" excuse anymore as long as you remember to bring the Kindle itself.

3) Highlighting passages and posting to social media.  I'm re-reading my favorite book, A Passage to India by E.M Forster, and can post my favorite quotes for my friends to see and discuss as I am reading the book.  I don't have to remember to write it down and post it later, which inevitably never happens.  I wonder if there is a way to post to Blogger from the device...

4) Amazon allows Prime members to borrow one book a month for free.  As I am already an Amazon Prime member for the TV show and shipping benefit, this works out well for me.

5) Library Books - I have not yet attempted to use this feature, but I am looking forward to utilizing my local library once again.  I had stopped because I honestly never found the time to go pick out books and then make sure I returned them on time.  Working two jobs kind of puts a kink in one's free time.  So as much as I enjoyed supporting my local library with my late fees, it really wasn't beneficial for me.  But now....

And there are other features I haven't tried, like the text-to-speech or the MP3 capability.  But I am sure they are equally as amazing.

The All-New Nook

We interrupt Gone With the Wind for this very special news:

Well, Barnes and Noble has done it.  They've given me a reason to buy their product over the Kindle.  In my comparison of the NOOK and Kindle in previous entries , both here and in my 30th Year Blog, I liked the NOOK and all it had to offer except for that little itty bitty touch screen at the bottom.  I have said, on previous occasions, that if they offered an e-ink display with full touch screen technology it would make up my mind.

And now, they've introduced the All-New NOOK with the e-ink display and fully integrated touch screen.  For $139.

I really liked the global 3G wireless offered by Kindle, but I failed to commit to it before my Ireland trip and now there is very little reason for me to get it.  But this NOOK does offer the same wi-fi access as the basic Kindle with the added benefit of reading ePub documents which would allow me to borrow books from a library or import publications from other vendors.  (Though, I hear Amazon is going to offer the Kindle 3G at a discount with special offers and the really appealing part is that the 3G would really make it like the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.)

So many things to consider.  But it will depend on the actual NOOK product.  I intend to check it out in the stores as soon as possible and if I like the design and interface, I might just cave.  But what will Amazon answer back with in their next generation Kindle?

To Kindle, or not to Kindle?

For some strange reason I have gotten it into my head that I want an e-reader.  I don't know why exactly as I am a pretty hard-core physical book person.  (Bad days can be better with a simple trip to the library or bookstore.  Something about the smell just eases any tension.)  It might have something to do with the XKCD Comic, actually.  Ever since they linked it to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, I've been a little obsessed with the idea.  Then, with my plans to travel to Europe in the near future, I have these wonderful visions of how useful it will be. 

Imagine standing by an old church on a street in London, for example.  The sign says, Temple Church, but you've never seen/read the DaVinci Code and have no idea what it is.  Pull out the Kindle, go to the search feature and type in Temple Church on the "use Wikipedia" feature and Voila!  All the information that public forum of knowledge has to offer on Temple Church, PLUS links to other interesting sites in the area.  Not to mention, one could download a travel guide (if one is offered on Amazon) as well as any books to read on the journey.

And yet, I went to Target and I held a Kindle in my hands.  I seriously thought about buying the 3G version, but I just couldn't get excited about it.  I went to Barnes & Noble and looked at their Nook.  I found the touch screen at the bottom neat but not as easy to use as I would like.  If there is touch screen, I want to be able to touch the whole screen not just part of it and the 5-way rocker button on the Kindle is more natural to me for some reason.  Now the Nook Color, could be be more natural to me than the 5-way rocker button but it's not exactly in my price range.  I held the Nook in my hands and I couldn't get excited about it.  The ideas of what I could do with either device, see Temple Church above, are exciting.  But the actual device itself did not induce the same impulse-buy feeling I get when I see a new book.  Still, I have plenty of time before I take my European Vacation and that should give me time to make up my mind about whether or not to get one.