I ordered a Kindle 2.
I placed the order yesterday. I’ve been wanting to get a Kindle for months, but I decided to wait until version 2.0 came out. Yesterday was the day. I believe it will ultimately be for books what the iPod did for music. Of course, I’m not really going to commit to that position until I try it for myself. We’ll see how it goes.
I do know that for the past six weeks I haven’t cracked open a Bible. Instead I’ve been reading the Bible online using YouVersion. I’ve loved the transition. Of course, the advantage with YouVersion is that I’m enjoying the Bible in community with others. Books aren’t there yet. Maybe the Kindle is a step closer to that happening.
Are you ready to try this new technology? If so, you may:
- Order the Kindle 2. (Mine ships March 2.)
- Purchase the Kindle version of Killing Cockroaches receive it before others get their analog copies. (My publisher released the Kindle version today.)
- Go old school and purchase the Kindle version of Simply Strategic Volunteers, one of my previous books.
This should be an interesting experiment. I’ve not been this intrigued by a new technology in a long time.
I have wanted a kindle since they first came out but could never justify it, although the thinking was I would read a lot more with the kindle than without since I read a ton online but few actual books with paper.
I will say I was given a copy of Simply Strategic Volunteers yesterday and it is on my desk next in line.
Tony, you’re gonna love your Kindle! I love mine and take it with me everywhere.
I have a Kindle 1, and I agree, it is like an iPod for books. I’m reading more quickly and more broadly than ever before. For an avid reader, there’s no better device.
Plus, I’ve sometimes used my Kindle to view youversion.com, but it’s not really all that great compared to using it on a computer or iPhone.
Happy reading, and welcome to the Kindle club.
I love books, love my iPod, love my laptop, and love YouVersion. But I don’t think I’d love the Kindle. Here’s why:
1. I read a ton of books but buy few, opting for borrowing from the library or from friends instead. Kindle doesn’t help me here. They should offer a book rental – pay 25% of the price and it stays on my Kindle for a month.
2. I often justify buying a book because if I love it I can keep it, but if I don’t love it I can recover some of my cost by reselling it. Again, Kindle doesn’t do this.
3. I put all the CDs I’d already purchased on my iPod, but I can’t put all the books I’ve already purchased on my Kindle. My iPod virtually eliminated CDs from my life.
4. I can’t justify the price. $359 for a device that’s worthless without spending much more additional money on books to load on it. Again, I bought my iPod and immediately filled it with “free” content from my CD collection.
I love the Kindle concept and love the seemingly great technical execution, but it’s just not there for me yet.
As I stated via twitter and my blog, I’ve been really wanting one of these too. But just like Brian ( above comment ) says, I just can’t justify the price. So I guess I’ll just wait until they come down to a more realistic level.
I would love to actually see one and to hear a product review from you.
I saw pictures of the new Kindle this morning and I think I started salivating. Ultimately, though, I’m with Brian: too expensive for too little value so far. That said, it’s still on the top of my Amazon Wish-List. ;)
I saw someone at the doctors office last week reading her Kindle and she was impressed that I knew what it was (thanks Tony for making me look smart). She said she loves the fact that when she travels she doesn’t have to carry around books – just the Kindle. After going with my husband for many different appointments all over the campus of UNC hospital the past two days I would have loved to have had the 600+ page book I’m reading on a much smaller device.
Ahhh… not sure I can be a Kindle guy. The price is way over my head right now and besides I’m a book guy. I just love actual books! Love to feel them in my hand and see them on my shelf. Maybe I have some kind of book fetish or disorder? Perhaps some day on the Kindle… but the price would have to go way down.
love my kindle. i read a lot, and didn’t think i’d like it over physical books, but i was wrong. it takes a little bit to get used to at first, but like Jeff, i’m reading more and more broadly.
also, i love the ability to highlight portions of a book, download the file and then drop it into evernote for easy retrieval later.
for those saying it’s too expensive. here’s how i paid for mine – they had a deal for a short time that knocked $100 off. i canceled amazon prime (which i had used for several years because of the number of books i buy each year) – another $80 off. in one year, i buy between 50-100 books. the price of the books i tend to buy are typically $3-$5 less on the kindle. if only 50 of them are available on the kindle (i’m finding it’s more like 80% of them are), then that’s conservatively a saving of $150 for 1 year. that almost paid for the whole thing there. i actually paid for the rest by selling several used books on amazon.
if you read a lot, it’s worth it. and you can definitely find creative ways to fund it (i’ve got a plan for how i’m going to get the kindle 2 all lined up already too…)