cryptique Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 BoingBoing yesterday pointed to an interesting commentary on the Kindle using a series of quotations ... from Jeff Bezos, from the Kindle terms of service, and others ... sort of a caveat emptor in six acts. I suppose there will come a time when a company does one of these things right, but this doesn't sound like that time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Good Old Neon Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 I Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caliber66 Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 I Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Good Old Neon Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 How green is it if you keep getting your "neat little electronic book" lost, ruined or bled on, and you end up having to buy a new one every six weeks? What's the carbon footprint for the manufacture/disposal of one of these things? Good point Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PopTodd Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 But, does it have that great book smell?Reading is a tactile experience as much as an intellectual one. And that tactile experience cannot be replicated by a piece of electronic doo-hickery. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 One thing about reading a book is the ratio of weight in your left vs right hand. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
OOO Posted November 21, 2007 Author Share Posted November 21, 2007 Nothing could ever replace books for me! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jimmyjimmy Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 One thing about reading a book is the ratio of weight in your left vs right hand. True. One thing about a Kindle, if you were to throw it at someone it would be a more effective projectile. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
yermom Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 But, does it have that great book smell? Spray some of this around you while you use it: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Good Old Neon Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 But, does it have that great book smell?Reading is a tactile experience as much as an intellectual one. And that tactile experience cannot be replicated by a piece of electronic doo-hickery. I agree that reading is more than just words on a page, and there is a sort of sensual (for lack of a better word.) tactile component as well, however, the olfactory, ahem, scent-ual aspect, though important, sort of diminishes over time as the story becomes the central focus Quote Link to post Share on other sites
yermom Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 Is that real Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jimmyjimmy Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 Yup, it's real! They've got a lot of great (and some pretty freaky) scents. Not to hijack the thread but damn, I'm torn between the "This is not a pipe" scent and "Play Doh" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gobias Industries Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 Sounds interesting, but you can't compare to legit page-turning. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Good Old Neon Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 Sounds interesting, but you can't compare to legit page-turning. You can on a windy day, reading a newspaper outdoors you can. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Saint Genevieve Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 audio books: now there's some seriously stupid stuff I once found an audio book of Johnny Cash reading the New Testament. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 I think the only book I'd consider reading in the Kindle way is David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest. It's weight is the only reason I have never gotten past the first hundred pages or so. Maybe I need to work out before I attempt it yet again. I can see practical purposes for wanting a computer log of the books but I'm with the majority in that I love the physical aspect of books as part of the enjoyment in reading them- the ability to mark pages/passages, the texture, the heft, the print styles, etc. I also like to lend books that I've enjoyed to friends (as well as borrow from the same) and I wonder how that would work with the computer system. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
austrya Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 I like to read in the bath. If I drop a book in, eventually, it will dry and the wrinkled pages will add character. If I drop the Kindle in the tub, I'm out $400. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Good Old Neon Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 Best. Christmas. Gift. Ever. Seriously, if you Quote Link to post Share on other sites
yermom Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 You sorry bastard! Turning your back on books like that! I'm putting you on ignore now, what a jerk. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
explodo Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 I assume Amazon is artificially limiting supply to drum up demand? I can't imagine there are that many people out there with 350 dollars to spend on an e-reader quite yet, and I can't imagine Amazon having trouble making millions and millions of these things. Eventually I'll want one, but for now I'm waiting for somebody to do it better and cheaper. The interface seems kind of clumsy and the screen would be better with color. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gogo Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 I can see practical purposes for wanting a computer log of the books but I'm with the majority in that I love the physical aspect of books as part of the enjoyment in reading them- the ability to mark pages/passages, the texture, the heft, the print styles, etc. I also like to lend books that I've enjoyed to friends (as well as borrow from the same) and I wonder how that would work with the computer system.After years and years of buying and hoarding books, we cleared out hundreds of books from our house this weekend. We kept quite a few that had sentimental value, that we want to have around to make the kids read them later, that we just love too much to not have them living in our house, etc., but still, I was sad to see so many of them go. I just hope they'll find happy homes elsewhere. So for now, it's the public library, and book-swapping, for me. Even when the book isn't mine mine mine, the physicality of it is still important to me. I can see the allure of something like a Kindle, but I'm not ready to go there yet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Good Old Neon Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 I assume Amazon is artificially limiting supply to drum up demand? I can't imagine there are that many people out there with 350 dollars to spend on an e-reader quite yet, and I can't imagine Amazon having trouble making millions and millions of these things. Eventually I'll want one, but for now I'm waiting for somebody to do it better and cheaper. The interface seems kind of clumsy and the screen would be better with color. Naw, that sounds a bit too conspiratorial. From what I understand, Amazon simply underestimated the demand, and, to make matters worse, they Quote Link to post Share on other sites
explodo Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 The display (E-ink) is something to behold, and, based on what I've read, Quote Link to post Share on other sites
solace Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 the reason they're in low supply right now is version 2.0 is coming out in February Quote Link to post Share on other sites
yermom Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 Which is why I also ordered this, in an attempt to make the Kindle appear more book-like Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.