Amazon Kindle

[9V-SIA]

I received my Kindle last Tuesday (rather than the previous Friday which Amazon had promised for orders by the cut-off date).

For casual reading (books, newspapers etc), I think it's great! The B&W screen is very easy on the eyes. Others have posted about the fact that when you first open the box, the Kindle comes with the screen showing instructions about charging etc - you think the instructions are printed on the protective plastic film and only then realise it's actually being displayed by the device. It's just like reading a printed book - provided you have lighting available (e.g. outdoors, a plane light etc), it's perfectly legible and you don't have the problem which you get with viewing a LCD in bright sunlight.

It's very lightweight/small. I can hold it comfortably with one hand for as long as I want and I can slip it into a coat pocket etc. Turning pages is quick.

I particularly like the fact that I've subscribed to the London Evening Standard and two Japanese newspapers (for about £4/5 each publication per month) and they get delivered to my Kindle automatically each day, i.e. when I turn it on (e.g. on the tube or on holiday somewhere (there's no extra charge if I'm abroad)), they're already available to read. (Of course I know the Evening Standard is a free publication now but that depends on me leaving work in time to be able to pick up a copy from somewhere.) Navigation is a bit clumsy and I get some but perhaps not all pictures (all in B&W of course) in the articles but neither point is a big one for me. The newspapers are only updated on the Kindle once each day so it's not the same as reading directly on the relevant website.

The FT and Economist are also available on the Kindle but the former costs £18 per month and I'm not willing to pay that in addition to the paper copy delivered each day to my house. The Economist is ridiculous - it costs much more to read on the Kindle than the printed magazine delivered by post so I'll carry on with the printed version as well.

As mentioned above, the Kindle is very good for casual reading (i.e. where you read in a sequential order) but not a good idea for reference books (or anything else where you need to flick back and forth quickly).

I've had to charge it after a few days of use but I think that's only because I've used the wifi/3G a lot.

The built-in experimental web browser (based on the same technology as Apple's Safari browser) is a bit slow in displaying things but I can't complain if it's free with 3G! On holiday, I can use it to access my webmail (e.g. Gmail works fine and the Kindle of course has a keyboard) or look up things using Wikipedia, Google etc and without paying a penny.

I still don't see a need for an iPad if I'm travelling and already have a laptop; but the Kindle is definitely something which I'll be taking along.

I wrote to Santa for one. Selling points for me:

• I like a book-like experience
• No eye strain
• Lightweight
• Carry many books
• Long battery life

But I'll bring my iPad instead of laptop.

I'm told you don't need to take it out at security because it's a PDA. Is this true?

[SQflyergirl]

A certain London based sqtalker demo'ed it to me earlier this week. I have to say it's really light and portable. Whether or not you'd stump up for one over an ipad is another thing

[jjpb3]

Thanks for the review, jhm.

Now I have to find a way to get my hands on one of those. Amazon seems to be unprepared for the demand.

[coffeeblack]

A certain London based sqtalker demo'ed it to me earlier this week. I have to say it's really light and portable. Whether or not you'd stump up for one over an ipad is another thing

In the UK? Over the iPad? I would do it anytime. I mean seriously, on the iBooks store there are some books that actually cost more to buy on the store than to go out and purchase the physical book. Whereas on the Kindle it is cheaper to buy books + plus you get newspapers. If/When they get the guardian as a newspaper I can subscribe to - it'd be the PURRRFECT reading device for me

[jhm]

I just used it on the tube on the way home, zipped through two newspapers and clipped a couple of articles which were of interest (two button presses - I can access the articles when I later connect the Kindle to a computer).

Over the past week, it's crashed twice so far (i.e. it freezes) - very slightly irritating but nothing more than the device rebooting itself (or you forcing it to). After about a minute to reboot, it's back with all the content still there. Of course it's still early days and Amazon are still ironing out the bugs - there's a new preview firmware upgrade released today so I will install that.

But I'll bring my iPad instead of laptop.

I'm told you don't need to take it out at security because it's a PDA. Is this true?

Has the iPad replaced your laptop when travelling ? For what reason(s) ?

I don't know about not having to take out the Kindle at security. I've long given up trying to figure the rules which vary from airport to airport or even at different times at the same airport - shoes on/off, belt on/off, laptop out/in etc. I'll try leaving the Kindle inside my bag and see how it goes.

[9V-SIA]

Has the iPad replaced your laptop when travelling ? For what reason(s) ?

Yes. Smaller, lighter and I only ever use my laptop for checking email & surfing on trips

I don't know about not having to take out the Kindle at security.

I was referring to iPad. Apparently considered PDA.

Though I'm not going to get into an argument at the security check to make my point..

I've long given up trying to figure the rules which vary from airport to airport or even at different times at the same airport - shoes on/off, belt on/off, laptop out/in etc. I'll try leaving the Kindle inside my bag and see how it goes

My standard outfit:
Polo or rugby shirt
Jeans, no belt ( in my carry on till past security )
Slip ons
Jacket / Overcoat depending on weather on arrival

iPad so easy to get out and put on tray for X ray compared to laptop in the past

[HUGE AL]

TSA has gone on record as saying you can keep it in your bag:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Apples....html?x=0&.v=4

[phaleesy]

I was referring to iPad. Apparently considered PDA.
Though I'm not going to get into an argument at the security check to make my point..

They would want you to take every electronic equipment out at CDG - big cameras, all lenses, including little cameras and mobile phones. So I'm pretty sure they'd want to see your PDA too.

[Lobster]

They would want you to take every electronic equipment out at CDG - big cameras, all lenses, including little cameras and mobile phones. So I'm pretty sure they'd want to see your PDA too.

I had the same at FRA recently, everything electronic and all cables etc out of the bag

[HUGE AL]

I had the same at FRA recently, everything electronic and all cables etc out of the bag

When I was just there the other week, they were SUPER mellow. I was in awe at their efficiency.

[jjpb3]

My Kindle just shipped, jhm. Too bad you can't get a commission for your review.

Can't wait to see the options for my reading pleasure. It better not be confined to the Frankfurter Allgemeine or Süddeutsche Zeitung. I have my eye out for the IHT.

[jhm]

My Kindle just shipped, jhm.

Excellent! Please let us know your thoughts once you've had a chance to use it.

[jjpb3]

Excellent! Please let us know your thoughts once you've had a chance to use it.

Here's my review :

The Kindle is currently my favorite device on-the-go, above my iPod. (One advantage: I can still hear announcements, as when I'm waiting for my flight to board.) The 3G Whispernet transfer is almost too convenient: it makes it too easy from the Kindle store from anywhere. I think making options available for improving the legibility of the text (by adjusting, e.g., font size, word count per line, line spacing, etc.) is brilliant. And I love the fact that newspaper subscriptions can be trialed. I've now ascertained that I find the Asia Edition of the IHT is more interesting than the regular version, and I've adjusted my subscriptions accordingly. (The FT version looks excellent, but I balk at the price.)

Finally, the portability of the device (size + weight) is astounding. A paper copy will now have to be special (book currently unavailable for order, or a magazine where the pictures are part of the experience) in order to find itself in my bag.

My only quibbles, which are minor compared to the Kindle's advantages:

1. I find that it gets noticeably more difficult to read the device in low light (like candlelight in restaurants).

2. My fingers seem to need extra training to adjust to the placement of the 'back' and 'down' buttons, because I keep conflating the two. This is an issue because if I intend to press 'down' (to move down a list, for example) and hit the 'back' button instead ...

3. I haven't found a good way to undo the 'back' movement, the way I can undo a 'back' command when browsing websites just by pressing the 'right arrow' on the browser.

Overeall, I'm a very satisfied customer. It helps I guess that I'm content with reading as my primary activity for entertaining myself. Now if only I can stop thinking of the nightmare scenario where I lose the device through absent-mindedness.

[jjpb3]

I'm told you don't need to take it out at security because it's a PDA. Is this true?

I haven't been asked to take it out by LH security at TXL and FRA.