Kindle update

I posted a couple of weeks ago about my new Kindle. Since then, I've already come to love the thing so much that I can't imagine life without it. I've completed three novels and have two more downloaded and ready to read. Plus, I've purchased several of the books I had in paper copy so I've always got them handy on my Kindle. I've learned to make notes and highlight the passages that have special meaning to me or have things I want to remember. And, I've converted a couple of my technical books that were in PDF form to Kindle format and loaded them.

I had wondered if I was going to miss my books. Well, I'm still not ready to say I'm off of paper books entirely, but if I can continue to get the books I want in Kindle format, I'm beginning to think that my bookshelf is going to be much less crowded. I'm not missing my hard copy books so far. As a matter of fact, I'm really liking the ease of having them so readily available on my Kindle. I don't have to worry about transporting several books with me as I travel. For instance, I just made a trip to Dallas for the week and on my flights here, I finished one book and started another and then spent a bit of time reading sections of two others before going back to the main novel I'm engrossed in. And I did that all without doing anything other than use my thumbs!

I did check out the features of my Kindle that are under the menu title of "Experimental". This is where you can use the "free" Amazon Whispernet wireless service to connect to the web. The browser interface is pretty crude, but if you want to just read your Google, or other web mail, it works OK. But, I've decided that feature doesn't really "get me" like the book reader does. I don't envision my Kindle becoming my one do it all device, but for my books, it's aces.

I've read some reviews of other people's experience and it seems to be much the same as mine. Once you start using a Kindle, all the reasons you thought you might want to have "real" books start to disappear. Much like my switch over to a Mac, this switch may be another one that truly changes the way I do things...and very much so for the better!

---- Update to this post ----
I just read a post at Seth Godin's blog entitled Random Thoughts about the Kindle. Some of his ideas are interesting about how he thinks the Kindle could be improved that may appeal to some. I find I have mixed emotions about these "improvements" he mentions. As I mentioned above, I like my Kindle because it makes reading easier, faster and it's just cool (I love it when people stop to comment on it when they see me reading it). Seth talks about having a more interactive component that allows you to comment, see other people's comments, and alot more. But, when I'm reading an "I don't want to think" novel and just be entertained, I'm not sure the thought of stopping in the middle of a paragraph to comment on the passage and read what 40 other people are saying about it is what I want. I think I'd like that functionality available for lookup, but not taking up screen real estate on my display as I'm reading. It'll be interesting to see how Amazon and the public feels about these kinds of features and if any of them get implemented in future Kindle software updates.

My new toy

I am now the owner of an Amazon Kindle, and I am enthralled. This lovely little device is smaller and lighter weight than every book I'm currently reading in hard copy. Once you buy a Kindle version of the book you want, it is delivered wirelessly to your unit within a minute. You can sit it in your lap and click a single button to turn the page. When you're ready to stop, the unit remembers where you left off and will bring you right back to that spot when you return. You can have up to 200 books (that's what the specs say anyway) loaded on the unit and add even more with an SD card should you desire.

I was hesitant about this purchase for multiple reasons. First, I love books. Love 'em. I have shelves of them of all different genres. I love the feel of books. I love making them my own with notes and highlights. I have some books in my library that I've had for 25 years. So, I wasn't sure about an electronic book. I have a few technical books in PDF format that I like having for reference use so that I don't always have to turn to the book to find something I'm looking for. But, the Kindle would mean starting a whole different relationship with my books. Could I do it?

Second, is the cost. It's not a cheap little gadget. But thanks to a cross country trip to visit family and a deal on my credit card to get triple Amazon points, I ended up with almost enough Amazon bucks to cover the cost.

So, I took the plunge. And so far, this little baby is awesome. I haven't even begun to play with features like access to newspapers, magazines, popular blogs and so forth, but I have downloaded my first book. Oh joy, oh bliss! How sweet it is!

This could be dangerous. I can carry a boatload of books with me every where I go. No more trying to figure out which books to carry on the plane with me and which ones to pack. Everything comes with me in one conveniently small package. If I want a new book, I just type in the name, click Buy and there it is! Dangerous...yes, very dangerous.

Even non-Kindle books can be converted to be used on the Kindle with a simple, free converter program. So, that means virtually any book I can get in PDF form can go on my Kindle with just minimal effort. Hmmm...I'm liking this more and more!

I think I'll still have to buy some books in hard copy. Not everything has a Kindle version (yet). And, I don't think I can go completely cold turkey on having my hands on a "real" book. But, if my first few hours of ownership are any indication, I think I'm going to have a very long and wonderfully meaningful relationship with my new Kindle.