Why I hate the Kindle • Hacker News Board

Re: Why I hate the Kindle

#21

Post by stewbrew » Sun, Aug 14, 2011, 1:11 PM UTC

latch wrote: post #8

I too have started to hate my kindle, but not for any of the reasons the author lists. Mine are: - Availability. Within the US (and only within the US/Canada) book availability is great, but it isn't perfect..outside the US/Canada it sucks. Amazon once had books 1,2 and 5 of a series I wanted, but not 3 and 4 (I know, i know, this isn't amazon's fault) - Price. Kindle books are often more expensive than their physica…

"Availability."

Funny. I personally think one main advantages of the kindle is easy access (at comparably cheap prices) to the US book market from outside of the USA or Canada.

Re: Why I hate the Kindle

#22

Post by DasIch » Sun, Aug 14, 2011, 1:14 PM UTC

Tichy wrote: post #11

mp3geek wrote: post #2

I have yet to buy any ebooks from amazon, just downloaded most of mine through "3rd parties", and the kindle is a wonderful device for that, thus I can share my books with whoever I like.

Wish it would also sync the non-Amazon books, though. Maybe I am not proficient enough yet, but so far I had to copy ebooks into obscure directories by hand (especially interesting on the Android Kindle reader).

You can sync non-Amazon books by sending them to you@kindle.com. If you are using something like Calibre it's very simple.

Re: Why I hate the Kindle

#23

Post by dfc » Sun, Aug 14, 2011, 1:16 PM UTC

I was really disappointed with this article. For some reason between the title and the domain name I was expecting insight. The author offers nothing new to the debate and even provides some questionable complaints. How do you cut and paste from a deadtree book to your blog?

I think it is weird that people miss being able to show off to the world how smart and wonderful they are with what they are reading. This is not the first time I have seen a deadtree advocate complain that they can not display what they are reading.

Re: Why I hate the Kindle

#24

Post by Andrex » Sun, Aug 14, 2011, 1:20 PM UTC

dfc wrote: post #20

latch wrote: post #8

I too have started to hate my kindle, but not for any of the reasons the author lists. Mine are: - Availability. Within the US (and only within the US/Canada) book availability is great, but it isn't perfect..outside the US/Canada it sucks. Amazon once had books 1,2 and 5 of a series I wanted, but not 3 and 4 (I know, i know, this isn't amazon's fault) - Price. Kindle books are often more expensive than their physica…

What is a "KDK?" SDK typo? You can publish a free book as an idependent author. I have been annoyed by the occasional higher price of a kindle versus deadtree book. But often? That is a stretch.

Kindle Development Kit.

Re: Why I hate the Kindle

#25

Post by dfc » Sun, Aug 14, 2011, 1:21 PM UTC

tatsuke95 wrote: post #15

Tichy wrote: post #12

Most of the criticism applies to the Kindle specifically, not to ebooks in general. The inability to see what others are reading is a problem, though.

Maybe I'm missing something, but how is that a problem? Why do I need to see what other people are reading? If anything, other's inability to see what I'm reading is a bonus...

I hate to say it but I think its weird that peopleo want others to know what they are reading. Is it a self esteem issue?

Re: Why I hate the Kindle

#26

Post by icebraining » Sun, Aug 14, 2011, 1:21 PM UTC

rubberband wrote: post #10

1. I can spill most things on my Kindle, or leave it in sunlight; I have a cover. 2. Amazon allows Kindle book lending, but the majority of publishers do not enable it on their books. But this isn't a problem with the Kindle specifically. 3. There's less of a second hand market for e-books, this is true. This is like complaining about how you can't resell games purchased via Steam. 4. You can save quotes via the high…

>This is like complaining about how you can't resell games purchased via Steam.

So? That is a valid complaint - in fact, it's one of the reasons why I only buy cheap stuff on Steam.

Re: Why I hate the Kindle

#27

Post by [deleted] » Sun, Aug 14, 2011, 1:22 PM UTC

Tichy wrote: post #11

mp3geek wrote: post #2

I have yet to buy any ebooks from amazon, just downloaded most of mine through "3rd parties", and the kindle is a wonderful device for that, thus I can share my books with whoever I like.

Wish it would also sync the non-Amazon books, though. Maybe I am not proficient enough yet, but so far I had to copy ebooks into obscure directories by hand (especially interesting on the Android Kindle reader).

[deleted]

Re: Why I hate the Kindle

#28

Post by flocial » Sun, Aug 14, 2011, 1:23 PM UTC

I've given up on reading books with the Kindle before even buying it. I actually bought it to read The Economist and The New York Times (via Calibre). The ability to carry a catalog of back issues, read without squinting at microscopic text and carry collections of literary classics for weeks on one full charge without other digital distractions is priceless. Having a rugged weather-resistant model would be awesome but it's definitely changed my life for the better. You just can't beat plain paper for some things, that's true. The Kindle is a whole different game though.

Re: Why I hate the Kindle

#29

Post by dfc » Sun, Aug 14, 2011, 1:23 PM UTC

Tichy wrote: post #11

mp3geek wrote: post #2

I have yet to buy any ebooks from amazon, just downloaded most of mine through "3rd parties", and the kindle is a wonderful device for that, thus I can share my books with whoever I like.

Wish it would also sync the non-Amazon books, though. Maybe I am not proficient enough yet, but so far I had to copy ebooks into obscure directories by hand (especially interesting on the Android Kindle reader).

Obscure directories? "Documents" is obscure?

Re: Why I hate the Kindle

#30

Post by amargulies » Sun, Aug 14, 2011, 1:25 PM UTC

latch wrote: post #8

I too have started to hate my kindle, but not for any of the reasons the author lists. Mine are: - Availability. Within the US (and only within the US/Canada) book availability is great, but it isn't perfect..outside the US/Canada it sucks. Amazon once had books 1,2 and 5 of a series I wanted, but not 3 and 4 (I know, i know, this isn't amazon's fault) - Price. Kindle books are often more expensive than their physica…

re: availability, try emailing the author of that book series as it is likely a mistake on the publisher's side. I was reading a trilogy on the Kindle, only to find the last book unavailable in my region; I emailed the author asking why that is, and got a reply the next day saying it was a mistake, and the final book became available two days later.

As for DRM, I just use Calibre to strip the DRM off my Kindle purchases. Annoying that I would have to do that, but its better than not having the option at all.

As for value-added from Amazon, I love the free international 3G access for the browser. It is amazing if you travel a lot and the money saved from data roaming fees has already paid for the Kindle itself.