Anyone opting for the new Kindle?

[Xairbusdriver]

<Washington Post article>

[Shades of Gray]

I guess I spent the first six decades using hard copies. Can't quite get used to the eBook/Kindle reader phenomenon. Maybe in a few decades.  

[Xairbusdriver]

Some papers are considering offering it where they don't have local delivery. It's possibly a cheaper solution to extremely expensive textbooks, but I doubt that publishers would reduce the price very much to make it really worthwhile. Also might be a little disappointing when one wants to write in the 'margins!' And, with my luck, the night before a test, my battery would go dead!

But it would be nice to have one's paper no matter where one might travel. It's just so expensive, why not get a machine that would do so much more?

[kimmer]

The larger size is enticing, but the price sure isn't. I'm still on the fence about owning a Kindle.

Speaking of local papers, I doubt ours would be available via the Kindle; but they just announced that their online paper will be by subscription only and it's expensive at $61 per year. If you are a subscriber to the print edition, you can add the e-edition subscription for only $20 for a year. Whoo-Hoo. NOT!

[Xairbusdriver]

$61 is much less than 30% of our local paper's print version. The e-version is "free." I'd gladly take a $60 version and skip te wasted paper. They've been shrinking the thing for 10s of years. Most "sections" are a single piece of paper folded four times! Sports is somewhat larger, but I toss that immediately, along with 90% of the Sunday version. But I can get e-versions with spending almost $500 for a 'reader!' And with my iPhone (and any other smart phone with a descent web browser) I can read it almost anywhere...

Still, the display is said to be outstandingly sharp and clear and it is supposed to have very good battery life.

[kimmer]

Our local paper is nothing to write home about. It was good, but not great, when it was locally owned. Then it was sold to some national chain and now it stinks. We paid for 1-yr. non-refundable home delivery just a few months ago, and the home delivery cost is less than the online edition. Seems to me it should be the other way around?

QUOTE

Still, the display is said to be outstandingly sharp and clear and it is supposed to have very good battery life.

Back to the Kindle ... Yes the display looks grand, and I could auto-download books since we are in their "zone". Paying $9 for a book vs. $15 for one that I'll give to the library .... it would take a lot of books for the Kindle to pay for itself. But it's an electronic gadget and if nothing else, I like these little electronic gadgets.

[Xairbusdriver]

And what will the Library do without your contributions?! Would you believe there are still some without a computer, much less interweb access?!!!

[Mrious_be]

QUOTE(Xairbusdriver @ May 8 2009, 03:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And what will the Library do without your contributions?!

I wouldn't lose any sleep over that.
I bet libraries will keep on existing, as long as they adapt to the digital lifestyle.
It's actually nicer to have the options of choosing which books you want at home (or at the library if you can't miss it) and download them straight to your Kindle.
I'm just waiting for the day they finally release those flexible screen so we can really roll our Kindle and carry it under our arm

[kimmer]

QUOTE(Xairbusdriver @ May 8 2009, 06:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And what will the Library do without your contributions?!

Okay, you convinced me. No Kindle for me.

QUOTE

Would you believe there are still some without a computer, much less interweb access?!!!

Are you a fan of Babylon5?

QUOTE(Mrious_be @ May 8 2009, 06:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I bet libraries will keep on existing, as long as they adapt to the digital lifestyle.

I can only speak -- partly -- for the US, but I would be surprised to find a US public library that didn't have free Internet access, several computers and the ability for wi-fi users to log on even sitting outside. Libraries in the US play an ever increasing role in helping folks find jobs, keep in touch with friends and family, research for school and private info and more. Our library has 10 computers and they are in use almost from the time the doors are opened.

As far as libraries existing ... now there's a sad point. Many libraries in the US have closed due to lack of funding, and many more will likely close in the next few years. Many of the ones still open have had to cut hours, staff and have a super limited ability to provide new books. We have a great library system, but we have to renew a tax in order to keep it. Given the economy, that may not happen. So I don't bet that libraries will keep on existing as we know them.

QUOTE

I'm just waiting for the day they finally release those flexible screen so we can really roll our Kindle and carry it under our arm

There you go. We have roll up keyboards (although I don't think they work on Macs?), so why not roll up Kindles.

[Mayo]

I read 2-3 "analog" newspapers a day: The Oregonian, San Francisco Chronicle and our local paper.

The Oregonian delivery has gone up to $76/2 months. (In the Portland area it was around $15/month last time I checked.) The Chronicle is not available at my home for daily delivery but I do have the Sunday edition delivered. Mon-Sat at the newsstand is now $1; I think that Sunday delivery has just gone up but I can't say how much... The last bill equaled $2.25/Sunday. The Local Rag is now $15/month.

The Oregonian and Chronicle still do some investigative reporting and have some columnists worth reading; the local paper (owned by Ottaway) has forgotten that journalism includes indulging in a bit of reporting now and again. These days its reporters and editors are satisfied with "new release journalism." There is no in-depth reporting, period.

I believe that newspapers and media in general are important to the maintenance of a democracy but apparently a lot of folks don't agree with that concept... Newspapers aren't doing much to retain their readership; and like most American corporations they squandered their capital during the years when newspapers had licenses to print money. (Net profit margins of 15-20% were common until a year or two ago...)

I am resigned to the fact that I may have to relinquish my newspaper habit and that I will probably be reading the news during breakfast on a portable Mac or Kindle sometime in the near future. The Sunday comics on a computer just isn't as good as on paper but I'm Adaptable... If newspapers do not sufficiently lower their digital subscription rates to reflect the savings by not having to print and deliver papers it will be the final nail in the coffin. But let's face it: grinding-up trees for newsprint and delivering them to our doors is rather inefficient and apparently costs too much for many newspapers to remain profitable. Digital delivery is the future.

I am concerned about Amazon gaining even more control over book and media distribution and I hope that some Kindle Killers are introduced by others and that newspapers don't sign exclusive deals with hardware providers. The Google and Amazon business models are the online equivalent of the sort of near-monopolies that have done so much damage to the U.S. economic system that lacks sufficient regulation to protect consumers. Unrestrained capitalism is as terrible as the Communism we demonized in the past, but so far the American public still hasn't gotten the message. (For more on that subject I recommend William Greider's latest book. Interviews with Greider can be found online at Bill Moyers' Journal at PBS.org and Amy Goodman's "Democracy Now" Web site.)

[krissel]

I cancelled my newspaper about two years ago and don't miss it a bit.  The amount of "news" it carried was diminishing by the day. And what it did have was something I had already seen online. The only thing I've missed a little is local events, but then I figure if it's that important my neighbor will let me know.

OH, the best part is I've cut my recycling bundles by 75%.  

[gunug]

I was interested to learn that the "Reading Aloud" feature on the Kindles would be removed remotely:

http://www.boingboing.net/2009/05/14/kindl...ners-start.html

I would think this would be the cause of a lawsuit or two (class action?) when people realize that they've lost something that they've paid for! Maybe
they can use it for kindling:

http://www.cockeyed.com/incredible/kindling/kindling01.shtml