Amazon Kindle Wireless Reading Device

[Erna]

This new wireless reading device is quite a nifty little thing. It looks like the much anticipated paperless society is finally becoming a reality - good thing for the rain forests I guess. Some features include reading in sunlight, receiving an e-book within 60 seconds after purchase, it has a text-to-speech function so you can switch from reading to listening. You can also receive newspapers and magazines on it. It's reception is like that of a cellphone, so you can use it practically anywhere. It has a huge storing facility so you can store many books on it. Blogs you're following will update throughout the day. It also has a full dictionary + wikipedia built-in.

Okay that's the upside. Now for the possible dangers I would imagine:

• Same as a cellphone, they can track you anywhere.
• They can track everything you read - books, blogs, newspaper articles, magazines.
• Control of information - block content.

EDIT: Not to mention hackers hacking in on all those e-commerce transactions and personal information...

I know the wave is not available in e-book form anymore, but it might not be such a bad idea to put it back in e-book form, together with some of the other Red Pill Press titles...

I think this gadget is going to take off. Imagine carrying all your books with you on something that weighs 10 ounces!

 

[Beau]

Amazon also took a ton of flak for deleting every Kindle users' copy of Orwell's 1984 and Animal Farm that was on a Kindle without any notification to the owner. Yes, the version that was deleted was not an authorized copyright, but the idea that they can go in and remove whatever they please if they so wish was very concerning, and considering the author, really ironic.

http://www.sott.net/articles/show/192791-Amazon-apologizes-for-deleting-Kindle-e-books

 

[knowledge_of_self]

I think this looks like a really cool new toy.

However, and I know many wont share my views on this. I know I'm selfish for having this thought/feeling because I know a lot of trees die to make paper for us, but for some reason I can't get enough of physically reading a book. Turning the pages, feeling the paper against my skin.. I don't know why, but it helps me retain information much better. I also think about the day that we wont have access to recharge our electronically held devices, and on that day paper books will go a much longer way than electronic devices.

Having said that, it still looks cool and reminds me of the star-trek books they had in TNG, and if I could afford one right now I'd probably get one :P

 

[Masamune]

This may be a handy new tool but personally I would still prefer to use regular books. I am not sure what type of back lighting kindle uses but when reading for long periods of time lights really start to bother my eyes. Also with any electronic device the emitted EMF would cause me some problems when reading for long periods of time. If its anything like a cell phone or a laptop it may just blow out your system when reading.

 

[Vulcan59]

Okay that's the upside. Now for the possible dangers I would imagine:

• Same as a cellphone, they can track you anywhere.
• They can track everything you read - books, blogs, newspaper articles, magazines.
• Control of information - block content.

EDIT: Not to mention hackers hacking in on all those e-commerce transactions and personal information...

What about the WiFi issues that was brought up in the 3 Jan 2009 session?

 

[Justin]

the idea that they can go in and remove whatever they please if they so wish was very concerning, and considering the author, really ironic.

http://www.sott.net/articles/show/192791-Amazon-apologizes-for-deleting-Kindle-e-books

Funny...I was about to write the same thing before I saw this post. :)

Turning the pages, feeling the paper against my skin.. I don't know why, but it helps me retain information much better.

Same here.

I like to write things in books, mark certain paragraphs and underline words. This is really helpful because I can be quite dense sometimes and need to reread certain material several times in order to understand it. I don't think an electronic device allows users to do that sort of thing.

 

[shellycheval]

A colleague of mine recently bought one and I had the opportunity to examine it and have to say I do see it as "the wave of the future" or what's left of it. First of all, I LOVE REAL PAPER BOUND BOOKS, and I agree with what has been said about the Kindle so far, positive and negative.
In addition, this is what is nifty about it: it does not look or act like an LCD screen--I am told it is "ink based technology." The "page" appears the same no matter what angle you look at it; there is no glare or distortion to the text; the surface is very easy on the eyes. The font can be manipulated--made larger, smaller, or changed entirely. The reader controls the page--you can stay on a page as long as you like, move back and forth with one touch, skip pages, bookmark, and more. There is one-touch access to look up the meaning of words, and I think you can make annotations too. Anyway, I went in prepared not to like it and was impressed by the look, feel, and versatility. My colleague said that within two years these will be replacing textbooks!!! That rung true with me and is a scary thought when you think about how easy the content of any text on the Kindle can be manipulated as most of the data is stored at some Amazon site and not on the device itself. But thinking of the cost savings to students, buy one device and download an entire textbook for 10-20 dollars, and the PROFITS to be made without the costs of production, storage and shipping of paper books, then it looks almost inevitable that the use of the Kindle will expand.
shellycheval

 

[Erna]

[quote author=Vulcan59]
What about the WiFi issues that was brought up in the 3 Jan 2009 session?
[/quote]

Yeah the WiFi is a biggy!

My colleague said that within two years these will be replacing textbooks!!! That rung true with me and is a scary thought when you think about how easy the content of any text on the Kindle can be manipulated as most of the data is stored at some Amazon site and not on the device itself.

I think one of the reasons they're doing it like this is to avoid piracy, but it is scary that they have full control over ones data. If this becomes the norm in future, and I really can't see that it won't, then, just like cellphones, avoiding WiFi exposure will be unavoidable, because they'll be all over the show.

I get a very 'Minority Reportish' feeling when technology like this bursts upon the scene. What's next? Laser retina scanners everywhere?

Interesting name they decided on as well. They interviewed one of Amazon's representatives on the radio, and the host asked her if 'kindle' means we're going to burn all the books now, and she laughed and said "no, we're igniting the flame of knowledge". Lots of symbolism around the flame in certain circles...

 

[Erna]

Barnes & Noble is following suit. Theirs is called the Nook.

 

[andi]

This may be a handy new tool but personally I would still prefer to use regular books. I am not sure what type of back lighting kindle uses but when reading for long periods of time lights really start to bother my eyes. Also with any electronic device the emitted EMF would cause me some problems when reading for long periods of time. If its anything like a cell phone or a laptop it may just blow out your system when reading.

A short review witch explains a little how the display works : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cktgAwu3AE

 

[Breton]

This device has impressive technology. It appears to me that it has a display that seems to be easiest on the eyes of any device so far, excepting text on paper. Long battery life too, since the display is refreshed when making a change to it.

Since 2002, I have been using Nokia phones (usually one of the "communicator" series) to read thousands of articles from the web, and at quite a few ebooks and scanned books. I have carried around a library of information where ever I went, so that could catch a free moment here and there to further my knowledge. I had to do a lot of this in secret too!

You see, until the 911 attacks woke me from my "bubble", I had made a lifetime of avoiding reality, and so I had some serious catching up to do to figure out what was going on, and so I had a lot to read, as quickly as possible. At the same time, I was the sole bread winner (salary job), 3 small kids (2 in diapers), with a non-collinear wife, and a few small obligations in the local congregation. I was in a situation where I could not lay on the sofa and read books, and I could not carry them around where ever I went either.

At some point I installed on my cell phone an ebook reader, called Mobi reader, and along with their tool to create ebooks myself, I put tons of text in this format. I have been very satisfied with this reader, and it also allowed me to put bookmarks, highlights and make notes. I could select and copy bits of text and send them to someone, too, for discussion purposes.

Having this tool to carry with me everywhere was crucial in "catching up" in learning about the control system of the real world, and finally being where I am now: doing the Work.

I am somewhat concerned about what these devices may have done to hurt my eyes since there is always a light source shining into them when reading. The exposure to radio emissions may have harmed me also.

What I would like now, is a device that uses the display technology that this Kimble has, but has no wireless in it, and yet I am free to upload from my computer any kind of document to it (word docs, html files, pdfs, mobi reader ebooks) and have the ability to highlight and make notes. I still like the idea of having a portable "studying" device with my own personal library so I can advance my knowledge while under the constraints of this very busy system I live in.


_Breton_

 

[shellycheval]

Brenton

What I would like now, is a device that uses the display technology that this Kimble has, but has no wireless in it, and yet I am free to upload from my computer any kind of document to it (word docs, html files, pdfs, mobi reader ebooks) and have the ability to highlight and make notes. I still like the idea of having a portable "studying" device with my own personal library so I can advance my knowledge while under the constraints of this very busy system I live in.

I agree--What I would like most would be the Kindle format without the wireless connection--a stand alone device that I maintain with my own materials added from my computer or an ebook seller if I choose.
shellycheval

 

[DavidHP]

I have one of the original Kindle and I like it!, very light, I added an 8 gig memory card and can read ebboks created with mobi creator. The wireless has its own of-off switch which I keep in the off position.

My copy of 1984 was not deleted because I keep wireless off, I do like " real " books but ran out of room for storage. I would love to get the Wave series in ebook format. I can also read Kindle format books on my iphone using a free Amazon app.