Amazon Kindle Ignites My Fire
The Future of Reading?
I am excited. Amazon recently released the Kindle, an electronic book-reading device which lets you read your choice of more than 90,000 books, dozens of magazines, newspapers, and blogs. It’s so popular that the first batch sold out in under 6 hours.
Mind you, I have never been impressed by E-book reading devices. First off, I love paper books. I love the smell, the touch, the flipping, the curling up in bed with a book, etc.
One must ask, “How can an electronic device replace books?”
One word, CONVENIENCE. Which would you rather carry through the airport: a 5″x8″ 10 oz. device or a 17 lb. book bag with three books, two newspapers and a magazine? When I travel I pack one suitcase for clothes and one for reading material (the book suitcase is usually bigger). My husband doesn’t go anywhere with less than two bulky newspapers. I don’t take a book to the doctor’s office; I usually take two. Carrying an unlimited supply of books and periodicals in one package is liberating.
November blogs have been all a buzz about the Kindle. Reviewers either love it or hate it. In the reviews I read, the people that own the Kindle love it. Those who only read about it are the skeptics.
The only real negative to me is the price: it is $400. But it is a new product, the first generation, so the price will drop eventually and new features will be added (like emailing). I believe this is a huge step in the future of reading.
Homeschooling with a Kindle?
Can you imagine homeschooling with Kindles? No more stuffed-to-overflowing bookshelves, no more stacks on every table and bed. Mom says, “Ok, children, time for school. Get out your Kindles, scroll to your literature book and jump to page 78.” Or how about, “Get out your Kindle and turn to Romans 8″?
Kindle’s Main Features
- Easy – If you can read a book you can use a Kindle.
- No computer required – The Kindle is wireless! You don’t have to hook up to a computer to download anything. Just turn it on (like your cell phone), type in a book title, purchase almost any book for $9.99 or less–and start reading within 60 seconds. Incredible. Unlike your cell phone, there are no monthly fees to connect. Kindle can actually replace a laptop.
- Readable Screen – Earlier e-book readers offered convenience but they were much too hard to read with back light screens. The Kindle’s 6-inch screen looks like reading a page. Some users says it’s actually clearer, and you can change the text size (handy for us over 40).
- News Comes to You - No need to send the dog out for your newspaper. Kindle will bring you blogs, newspapers, and magazines. This one feature is enough to make my DH perk his ears. You do have to pay for subscriptions. (I was disappointed not to find any Christian blogs available.)
- Battery life is good. You can go a couple of days without recharging and it charges up very quickly: about two hours.
- Note Taking – I can’t read a book without a pen to write notes in the margin. Kindle allows you to type notes which you can later search! You can also underline, highlight, etc.
- Memory – The standard Kindle will hold over 200 books. You can add memory if you need it. You can switch from research, to schoolwork, to Bible study, to a novel and then browse a magazine or blog and go back to research and never leave your seat.
- Books – Bestsellers run $9.99. You can purchase the KJV Bible for about $3. Not all book are available in Kindle format but more are added daily. Christian authors now available include: Charles Stanley, Philip Yancey, John MacArthur, Chuck Swindol, Joel C. Rosenberg, Max Lucado, Joyce Myer, Francine Rivers, Alfred Edersheim
I was pleased to find The Complete Jewish Bible by David Stern ($9.99), Walking Wisely by Dr. Charles Stanley, How to Read the Bible for all its Worth, Halley’s Bible Handbook, and many others recommended in HOWTA.. - NowNow - The Now Now service allows the user to ask any question in the world and within 24 hours, you will have answers on your kindle, waiting to be read.
- Music – You can upload music for background melody as you read.
- Reference- The built in dictionary allows you to look up words. You can look up items on Wikapedia, various news sources (BBC, MSNBC, Tech), weather, movie times and more.
- More – Watch the online videos to see all the things Kindle can do.
I have been interested in the concept of e-books for several years now, and it’s been interesting to watch the evolution. I don’t think electronic devices will ever replace books, but I would love to have the Bible and all my reference books in one lightweight device.
Kindle will change reading
the way
TiVo changed TV viewing and
IPod changed listening to music
Kindle is on my wish list. If I get my wish, I’ll post more after I use it for a few days.
