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Kindles, ebooks etc


Jazzer
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I must say I was already feeling uneasy about amazon and yesterday opted for another company to buy a book on line, rather than amazon. I'm glad I did!

Recently I had been looking at the very new kindles with a real view to buying....... but not now. I hate this greed and manipulation by big companies and their not paying their fair dues as the rest of us are expected to........nay, apparently they are making us pay when we shouldn't be, it is disgraceful.

 

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Actually I think Amazon may be on a sticky wicket.

I don't have a kindle, so maybe the page appears differently if you do, but if I go to an ebook the amazon button offers to let me "buy now with 1 click" - note buy, not lease, rent or otherwise temporarily take possession.

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Until very recently, I was of the same opinion.  But since my eyes got so bad, I've only been able to keep reading because of my kindle.  Even now, with one eye mended, I am still using it, and even when eye no 2 is done, I cannot, at this moment, see me quitting it altogether.

I love books (well having been a librarian, I would, wouldn't I) and have my own "book room" just waiting for  the time when I can read them again - but  I am now quite happy to use the kindle as well. 

Mind you, in the 14 months since I've owned a Kindle, I've actually only bought 2 books, and one of those was by accident - but saw it was charged too late to reverse it.  Since all the others I've downloaded have been freebies, I reckon I've got my money's worth out of it, when or if it does pack up sometime. 

As to whether I "own" the books I've downloaded .... I had a problem once and rang Amazon - it is obvious from what they did to put the kindle right, that they do have control over your kindle .... but so far, I've not been too concerned ... all software / hardware seems to come with restrictions these days.

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I prefer books, but it is much easier to take a loaded kindle with you when travelling than a bookcase. I have also discovered for the 1st time ever I can read in the car without feeling sick, I don't know why as I can't read books or magazines in the car. It makes the long journeys go much faster! I haven't yet paid for a book on there either.
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[quote user="Pommier"]I prefer paper books anyhow. They last ages, can be lent out, read on the beach without worrying about damage or theft, can be bent back on themselves, put in a pocket..............who wants a Kindle?[/quote]

You can give out your books on a kindle too. The benefit is, you don't have to go chasing after the person who you lent it to to get it back!

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[quote user="Pommier"]I prefer paper books anyhow. They last ages, can be lent out, read on the beach without worrying about damage or theft, can be bent back on themselves, put in a pocket..............who wants a Kindle?[/quote]

I was reading a book in the pool over the summer - last time we HAD a summer - and the phone rang. I got out of the pool, having left my book by the poolside. After the phone call, I resumed reading, only to think "hang on: I don't follow this!". Upon closer inspection, the glue of the binding had melted and several chapters were blowing around the garden. They don't make book glue like they used to, as that wasn't the first time!

My girly pockets (in those garments which have them) seem to be much more Kindle-sized than book-sized, and a Kindle doesn't need bending.

This year, on holiday - admittedly quite a long holiday - I "read" around twenty five books. They were split between a Kindle and an Ipod so eight or so were audio books. Those have the special advantage that you can read them with your eyes closed!

I love proper, paper books, but when it comes to being able to read a lot and travelling with reading material, then the answer to "who wants a Kindle?" is "Me".

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[quote user="idun"]

On Watchdog on BBC last night, it was mentioned that Kindles have a 'life' of approx 3 years, IF they 'live' that long.

Do you know what, I'm going to stick to my good old fashioned books. Their shelf life is rather longer.[Www]

[/quote]

Possibly, but (and whether it's a good or a bad thing, it's true) my OH is now on Kindle no.4. but he's still only paid for one, plus £30.

Kindle no.1 had a problem. He rang Amazon and it was replaced within 24 hours free of charge.

Kindle no.2 had a different problem - same result

He dropped Kindle no.3 and the screen went funny. He rang Amazon and they said "We're sorry, your Kindle is now out of guarantee, but if you want to replace it, we'll sell you a brand new replacement for £30"

I don't know why I'm defending the damned things. I mean, I like them fine, but I'm still a book person at heart!

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[quote user="idun"]

On Watchdog on BBC last night, it was mentioned that Kindles have a 'life' of approx 3 years, IF they 'live' that long.

Do you know what, I'm going to stick to my good old fashioned books. Their shelf life is rather longer.[Www]

[/quote]

That's pretty typical of technology anyhow. Most people replace their cell phones, computers, tablets every 2 to 3 years anyhow. Ebook readers are so cheap too, that they can easily be replaced. Once replaced, just load all your books back onto it and job's done.

I like books, but my ebook reader is more convenient and doesn't take up any room.

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Ah dear, you have suddenly made me feel very old, Mr Lionheart[:(]

I obviously cannot get my head round modern life........ I am told to tri........... bottles, cans, paper, garden waste, plastic. And yet, apparently modern technology is ready for the scrap heap in approx 2-3 years.  And when I think about all the noxious things in the techno stuff, then, nothing makes sense.

 

 

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I don't think having a Kindle precludes you from reading real books. I do both depending on where I am and what I'm doing. Since having my second Kindle, (I lost the first somewhere in my house in France and it has never turned up), I have also bought quite a few books, because I belong to a book club.

For me it is the words and the ideas, my understanding and empathy that come from the act of reading, not the container they are in.

Idun, I hadn't thought of the consequences for dumping. But just think of the amount of personal information lying around waiting for unscrupulous people to steal.

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[quote user="idun"]

Ah dear, you have suddenly made me feel very old, Mr Lionheart[:(]

I obviously cannot get my head round modern life........ I am told to tri........... bottles, cans, paper, garden waste, plastic. And yet, apparently modern technology is ready for the scrap heap in approx 2-3 years.  And when I think about all the noxious things in the techno stuff, then, nothing makes sense.

 

 

[/quote]

Those things can still be recycled easily enough. When I replace my old cell phones, there's a box I place them in where they get sent off to the troops in Afghanistan to use. I always sell my computers and unwanted other electronic gadgets on ebay, so their use goes on. It's very easy to wipe a hard drive.

There's a cost to everything. For real books, it's trees :)

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