ISO: ISO: Michael from Sarasota and any other kindle-type-folks

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carianna-in-wa

Well-known member
Thinking Santa might be bringing our youngest (13) daughter a kindle this year. She's a voracious reader and is going to Germany for 3 weeks this summer.

Pros/Cons? Opinions? We're looking at the Kindle Touch 3G.

 
C, I won a Kindle (non-touch) at work and haven't used it enough, BUT...

here is some good news.

Amazon has agreed to allow certain books to have free downloads from them to public libraries through OVERDRIVE or other Internet connection. Here's what it says on my library site.

Use your Kindle to download eBooks from Overdrive

Most of the library's eBook titles now have a "Get for Kindle" button. Clicking this button will connect you to Amazon.com. Log in to your Amazon account or create one (free) and select a kindle device or reading app. Click the "Get library book" button and sync your device or app to download the book. An active Wi-Fi connection is required for wireless delivery.

I also get audio books from my library and now they are offering free music.

 
My girlfriend just purchased one for her 12 yr old at Best Buy. $200, I think

I am still not comfortable reading that much on-line; but I see the benefits. She is returning all of the books she purchased for her, and opted for the kindle.

I think by the time they go to college, they will all be learning on-line vs. us w/ the highlighting / page marks / post-its, etc... SO, I guess the earlier they learn the better.

BUT, I am still not there... I love to flip pages!

I think it would be a perfect gift for your daughter! Will she be able to access the internet from it when she is in Germany?

 
We're not looking at the internet version, just a reader of books. We actually

read some reviews today and are opting out of the 3G version because of all the ads you get. So we will be getting her the $99 Kindle Touch. She'll have to find a hotspot to download books, but that's really not much of a problem anymore and she's 13... how much instant book access does she need away from home, anyway?

I think it's a perfect gift, especially for travel. Last summer we went to Mexico and the girl packed a ton of books. LOL

 
That will be perfect~ My friends daughter is also an avid reader, between the books that she

purchased as well as her grandparents, it paid for the kindle. It really is new technology for me. She was happy. I was looking at the IPHONE "stuff" (for me) and she was asking about the Kindle. She seemed satisfied with the parental blocks. (Does that mean she needs to buy a service??)

 
I felt like that too Barb (need to flip pages) but got one as a gift

and it came with an optional cover, so it feels more book-like. Turning pages you have to press a button, and you can adjust type size, so many good points about it, I got over the "it's not a real book" sentiment.
It's really nice that you can save passages, dialogue or quotes you like while reading and save in one spot. I love the kindle!
On vacation it saves a ton of luggage space!

 
I would go with the Kindle Keyboard WiFi...a little more expensive at $139 but I think it's worth..

it. A co-worker got the Kindle Touch and has discovered that the onscreen keyboard is a pain.

The battery on my Kindle lasts almost 4 weeks before I need to recharge it.

The Kindle has free software for SmartPhones and PCs that will sync to the last page you have read. So if you read to page 100 on your Kindle reader and then find yourself standing in a long line at the grocery store you can pull out your phone and the app will sync to page 100. Love that!

Since I got my Kindle I figure I have saved a forest the size of New Jersey!

There are tons of free books available through Amazon and other sites. I have downloaded the Complete Works of Edgar Allen Poe and William Shakespeare. I believe all of Mark Twain is free. And lots of ancient cookbooks.

 
Be sure to check that the wi-fi will be good in Germany. I was specifically told not to get the....

wi-fi because of problems with it here. We (Israel) are pretty much like Europe.
I have the 3G and love it. If it is just for reading then it is fine.

 
I really, really love my Kindle

I even forget that it's not a book (I have the cover, so I hold it just like a book), and once or twice I found myself trying to click a button on the side of my paperback to turn the page.

Just one caveat - don't get textbooks on Kindle. I am taking the free Stanford Artificial Intelligence course, and I bought the kindle textbook to save money. I can't read the formulae, you can't flick to the tables and back to the text - never again. I can read the book perfectly well on my PC kindle app, but I don't want to read there.

I have the 3G keyboard. I don't like the idea of the touch and wonder if it interferes with the e-paper effect, which is the main benefit of the kindle.

 
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