Thursday, February 26, 2009

I'VE GONE TO THE DARK SIDE...

Kindle2 -- this puppy is all it's cracked up to be...


I know...I know...I hear you all throwing rotten tomatoes at me. I'm ducking. But before you start lobbing the eggs consider this: I WORK ON A BOAT!!!!!!!I want novels the INSTANT they come out and I HAVE NO ROOM AT THE INN FOR ONE MORE BOOK.
Okay my rant is done.
1500 books. I can put my manuscripts on it (I just did last night)This will save me printing out copies for my husband to read. I used its free wireless connection and shopped until I dropped and essentially paid used book prices...and I bought books that I already had a hard copy of cuz it's easier-
But it doesn't mean I wont buy hard covers-
For example -- I want to read Christopher Moore's new book FOOL now, and since we will both be speaking at a literature festival together on Kauai in April -- I will buy ANOTHER book for him to sign. I love signed books...
Even at that I will have far less books total.
But Tooloose is NOT happy. The Kindle2 is very skinny so it's not comfortable to lie on AND being smaller it's much harder to aim that strategic hairball placement that he does to things that are precious to me.
The Kindle enhances my reading but does not replace it- the cool feature is it can 'read' to me- now it's not as wonderful as the actors on the audios so it wont compete - but it's a great added feature-
And? for those times my eyes are tired I can increase the font size- I found the page turning and the reading instantly easy-

So what I'm doing today? I'm going to the beach to see if I CAN read it perfectly fine in bright sunlight...
But so far?
I love Love LOVE my kindle2.
Now lets discuss. (I feel like Churchlady) Do you think the kindle is evil? Do you think ebooks are the spawn of Satan? And do you eat the middle out of the Oreo cookie before eating the two ends?

16 comments:

ORION said...

okay I know the audio is really an infringement on the audio books - as a consumer I don't think it will compete with the actor's rendition but Amazon is really kind of pushing the envelope here and probably should pay for the audio...what do you think?

Janet said...

In Hawaii this won't be an issue, but apparently the e-readers, both Kindle and Sony, do not tolerate cold very well. To the point that you can't schlep it around in your backpack in cold climates. Neither company makes much of a point of telling you that, either.

I think it would be cool to have one, myself, although it wouldn't replace my hard copy library. But I'm in no hurry, especially since I've found out about the cold issues. If I remember right, it was on Colleen Lindsay's blog. She linked to another agent's blog (Joshua Bilmer?) who was ranting about it.

Holly Kennedy said...

I'm torn, I really am.
I know you live on a boat.
I know you haven't much room for books. I know all these things but...sigh... I can't get past the feeling of betrayal.

So...we're done. Our friendship is kaput. Finished. Done.

(long silence)

NOW how do yah feel about yer dumb Kindle!?? Was it worth it?

BClark said...

I think that having a love of books and no place to put them makes this the perfect tool for you. I believe Oprah mentioned this or something like it, perfect for traveling. I do hope that the authors receive payment for the ebooks, other then that no problem.

Yes, one must eat the middle first on an Oreo, you are even allowed to lick it and make it last longer.

Bookfool said...

Hmm. I don't own a Kindle, but I'd like one for traveling. Tooloose makes perfect sense to my cat; hairball aim is critical. Fur kids require plenty of range for delivery. I like the middle of an Oreo best. And, I don't think a mechanical voice competes with an audio, but in a way I understand the furor. I just don't think people will stop buying audio books bec. of Kindles.

ORION said...

uh I just tossed my kindle2 overboard. I can't bear to lose my friendship with Holly. I'm so glad she didn't ask me to give up my pedicures cuz that I would never do...not even for my husband...

dan radke said...

I'd get a Kindle if I had an extra 400 bucks lying around. And I don't think its evil. Future is here, man.

Oh, and I molest oreos before consuming. And they like it.

Kim Rossi Stagliano said...

Gah! Mine arrived yesterday!!! Mark had ordered (and paid for it I hope) before the, you know.... Job thing. It was my Christmas gift. Isn't it the coolest? So thin! The sample books? "I think I'd like to check out Lottery." POP! There's the sample. Pop! There's the book. The audio is a computer voice - from what I understand. I don't think it will really compete with carefully recorded audio books - as least I hope not. No need to take more money from writer's and agent's pockets!

Kindle2 - very cool.

Kim Rossi Stagliano said...

Oh, and Holly? I feel similarly about the guilt. But with Kindle2, I'll download and pay for books I'd have taken from the library. I'll still buy "keepers" in printed format. So I'll buy MORE books with Kindle.

writtenwyrdd said...

Glad it's working for you. I don't think it'll ever grace my life, but living in a tiny boat I can see this Kindle is the best "bookshelf" for you.

the Amateur Book Blogger said...

Ooh, looks nice "real" rather than just a model shot. Have you decided - opting in or out of the 'computerised voice' option for your work, considering Amazon's latest debate on the audio rights?

I'm not sure why this is all a big fuss, since many computers offer this functionality already - if I buy your book, my mac can "read" it aloud to me. But it sounds nothing like a good audio book. If I wanted to listen to the story, I would still buy the original audio version.

What do you think?

Melanie said...

Oh Patricia, I WANT one! I wanted the first Kindle but I do LOVE my books. I just love the feel of a book between my hands. I do think that it would be great for vacations and carrying it with you in your purse. I don't think I could ever give up books but I want one of these bad! I always carry a book in my purse (& a camera) so it would be nice since it is lightweight and small. I am glad that you like it.

ORION said...

oh I'm not giving up books - it's just I have to read so many and I dont have room for them all...

Anonymous said...

All you have to do for Tooloose is carry a decoy book with you. Something nice and flat and comfy--a children's picture book, maybe? And when you're ready to read, set down the decoy and open it and say, "Ohhh, wow, this is so great, I hope nothing visually impedes my reading experience," and then the cat will come and lie down on it and you can secretly read from your Kindle.

Les said...

I'm on the fence with this one. I have far too many books already waiting to be read. Hundreds! Would they continue to be ignored if I got a Kindle? On the other hand, my husband wants one, although he had hoped for a color screen with this second version. Guess you can't have everything. Maybe we should help stimulate the economy when we get our tax refund.

Anonymous said...

Wait, how did the Kindle work in the bright sunlight on the beach??