(no subject)

[usernamenumber]

Vernor Vinge, one of my favorite authors, has just released one of his newest books online for free. This is cool, but I realize that for all my gadgetry that *could* read it (laptop, pda, music player) all of them are impractical in their own, special ways.

I don't yet covet the Kindle, but the cheaper, prettier version with a color screen that will inevitably follow it? Mmmmm... drool on standby...

Comments

[zrealm.livejournal.com]

I actually find I use my Sony E-Reader a lot, it's very good for trips and the like and just carrying around like a physical book.

The kindle's nice, and wireless books are cool, but otoh it's ugly and doesn't support very many formats...

[slyviolet.livejournal.com]

KINDLE LUUUUUUUUST

[laurion]

Kindle blows chunks. Well, the hardware is great. Amazon blows chunks. You can only put on their DRM'd content. If you want to add your own content, you have to send it to them, pay a dime, and have them DRM it for you. Oh, and the books aren't really any cheaper.

I don't know about you, but if I buy an $8 paperback today, chances are pretty good my grandkids could read it after I die. If I buy an $8 kindle book, there's no guarantee Amazon will still make/sell/support the kindle by the time I have kids, forget grandkids. Also, it uses Sprints EVDO network. What if you don't get sprint reception? No books for you! What happens 5 years from now when Sprint has dumped EVDO because it is too slow and impractical? Obsolete kindle for you! Oh, and the built in memory is pathetically low.

Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely in favor of the idea of eBooks, and I'm happy Amazon is promoting it and getting it into people's minds. But I'd rather wait until it is done right, or the devices that do it right (like the new Sony, or better still, the iLiad. ) are cheaper. That said, I've read dozens of books on my Palm Pilot, and I even read one on my iPod (read, not listened to), so dammit, I want my future today!

[http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Main_Page]

[usernamenumber.livejournal.com]

Actually I've ready in a number of blogs (several of which offer first-hand accounts) that you can put whatever you want onto the kindle using an SD card or usb. I think PDFs have to be converted to .mobi files, but that can be done with free tools. From what I can tell, the DRM-only thing only applies to the wirelessly-acquired content. Not that that makes DRM any less icky, though.