So, I can't help myself. I am intrigued by this new little gadget from Amazon, the
Kindle. Even with its $399 price tag. Mostly because my house has always been drowning in books. For example, my night stand--as of last night--had over 10 books stacked on it.
It doesn't seem like much considering how many I read, but I make a conscious effort to put anything over 10 on the other shelves in our bedroom or basement so that are room doesn't resemble 1 part library, 1 part magazine rack (my husband has a magazine habit). This gadget, with a memory card, can hold over 200 books. Let that sink in for a minute. It would save me junking up my bedroom, and let me carry my entire favorites and to-be-read book pile with me AT ALL TIMES. Not to mention, allow me to read well into the night without keeping a light on and waking The Husband.
I love that it has instant access to books via some Amazon wireless service with no contracts (of course, you have to purchase these books via Amazon, how else they gonna make money on you). And that if you really need to drop a book on yourself, it's available for the techno-geeks like ourselves.
Though, I am not without some trepidation. Am I
really going to be able to read the books I want to read on it? And really,
everywhere? I don't want service interruptions when I am on a camping trip up North this summer (and laugh all you want people, but I read on vacation. Especially when I am on vacation).
Also, I want this little handheld to be completely compatible with all my other ebooks I've purchased. I already know it doesn't handle PDFs. Normally, this is no big deal, I can get a MOBI Converter with little effort. But what about all those protected PDFs (I have at least 3 books like this on my hard drive as we speak. From authors doing their best to keep their text, theirs. I don't blame them--but, um, now I can't read it on this nifty reader!).
Any my biggest fear--I purchase the thing, download a few of the books I want to read, and then look for a new author (I read many of these), and um, I can't find their books. ANYWHERE in this Kindle book store. Sorry, but that will kill the euphoria of the reader for me. I really will want all of my book wants available via this reader.
It's back light better work in dark places (like my bedroom. Late at night so I don't wake my husband. Or my newborn. Or my son when they all decide to descend into the bedroom). And this is the even more important thing--that back light use better not kill the battery power into nothing. It's touted as being light-adjustable (or some technical term like that), and I'd hate for it to really be detrimental to that battery (and let me be clear, I understand that back lighting does effect battery length, I just don't want it to kill it).
So, all in all, I am very hopeful this lives up to its hype. In fact, I am all for supporting it (anyone taking Christmas wish lists? This is on it!)--and will even pony up the dough to try this out as an early-adopter. Mostly because I am a true believer that this is where books will end up in the future. Even though I love the smell and feel of a real book in my hands like any other author (and reader) out there. But in limited-small spaces (and a life I am trying to keep as de-cluttered as possible)--this is definitely something that has my interest peaked. And I'm willing to give it a go.
Labels: books, ebooks, electronics, gifts
