Introducing...the Kindle

So my Kindle arrived today. It was very exciting. So did the pink cover, which actually came with its own set of instructions. I kid you not.

I've read a bunch of a book (Claire Cook's first novel, if you are curious; I've read all her others) on it and I've concluded as follows:

PROS
  • I like not having to go to the bookstore or wait for an online shipment to get new books.
  • Reading from a "device" feels surprisingly natural, probably because we all spend so much time online anyway.
  • It's easy to navigate.
  • The e-books are cheaper than their paper equivalents.

CON
  • I wish it were backlit. This is ironic because Amazon is very proud of it not being backlit. They say this will reduce eyestrain. And yet, I found myself developing a bit of eyestrain/headache. I'm sure there is a way around this. It's probably best to read it with strong natural light or lots of indoor light. It is actually *darker* than a book. I think they wanted to avoid "glare" and overcompensated.

Comments

Kalei's Best Friend said…
my oldest has one and loves it.. i will have to ask her if she wished it had a back light... as far as the eyestrain, i could see the logic in that. is it possible to enlarge the font of what u are reading?
8:30 PM
Bearette said…
KBF - you are wise, that is what i ended up doing. i might go still bigger.
9:59 PM
judy in ky said…
I agree with all of your pros and the con. I would like it if backlighting could be turned on and off, depending on where you are reading.
10:20 PM
Bearette said…
I found a couple more pros - I think it is faster to read than a "real" book because pressing the button is faster than turning a page, and it's lighter than a real book. I would like the on/off backlighting, though. Oh well.
5:34 AM
Lisa said…
I like not having the backlighting because I do think it reduced eye strain. But I agree that the Kindle can be rather dark. I got a clip-on reading light that works pretty well, although I usually have to fiddle with it a bit to get it positioned just right to avoid glare.

The ease of ordering is a blessing and a curse.

My biggest con for the Kindle is that I can't easily page backwards and forwards more than a few pages.
12:19 PM
Anonymous said…
Thanks for the pros and cons. Every time I see one, I want one, but it's just not an expense I can justify right now. Maybe it'll be a Christmas present :)
5:24 PM
Bearette said…
Yes, it would be a fun Christmas present :) I appreciate the larger font...
1:44 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Vegetable personalities

At the risk that you'll all think I'm nuts...but heck. I was getting cauliflower ready for dinner and it occurred to me that vegetables have different personalities. In my mind, anyway. Zucchini: the most agreeable of vegetables. It blends in with everyone, but it's never obsequious or false to itself. Sweet potatoes: the grandmother of vegetables. Very cozy and welcoming. Cauliflower: kind of bland, devoid of personality, but it could surprise you sometimes. Like a dull guy who occasionally tells a funny joke at the water cooler. Broccoli: feisty. Like a terrier. Spinach: kind of dour, but a loyal friend. Kale: has a fierce sense of individuality, but like spinach, is a loyal friend. Kale's affections last for life. Corn: this one is kind of a party animal. Corn is still drinking beer and making a mess when you'd like to be closing up. Tomatoes: a little sloppy. The kind of vegetable that needs to be reminded to tuck its shirt into its pants. Cabbage: not invited t
Read more

The return of Rudolph

Rudolph is our small furry friend, whom I've never seen. He visited the kitchen last night while D was up late. I know this because: 1) A large sonic device is plugged in right in front of the crack between the oven and the wall. The sonic devices in the living room have kept Rudolph away from there, his previous hideaway. Apparently the cracks between appliances and the wall are harder to reach. 2) The mop has been moved from the hall closet to the kitchen closet. This means D tried to capture Rudolph. 3) A turtle magnet I haven't seen in a while is now on the fridge. That means it fell behind the oven and D found it during his interactions with Rudolph. (I am praying hard that Rudolph is a boy, since we don't want to find many small Rudolphs.) What makes me feel better about this whole thing is that mice are apparently everywhere this winter; even my brother has had problems with them. And this little guy seems to stay behind the oven and only appears around 4 am (only D
Read more

happy birthday e!

[Posted by Bearette's husband until she has Internet access] e was born today! 8 pounds even, a cute and healthy baby boy. He likes to stick out his tongue just a little, and move his mouth around. The hospital gave him a little white hat with a purple pom pom. Bearette is tired but happy. Pictures soon.
Read more