Amazon Kindle

Has anyone got one?

I'm looking at the larger Kindle DX:

Amazon.com: Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device (9.7" Display, Global Wireless, Latest Generation): Kindle Store

I'm having to face reading a lot of PDF files for the research portion of my MSc, and with each PDF in the region of 60 pages and with 20 or 30 to read this is far too much to read on a screen or print out.

I'm interested to find out if anyone else has used one, or any other eReader, to do research, and what PDF reading is like.

I'm semi-interested in the regular purchasing books thing, probably more likely to purchase more books once I own a Kindle, but really I want opinions on the PDF viewing capabilities and to hear from anyone who has used a Kindle for research.

i had you down as an I-pad person

The Nook looks nice but I don't think they are here yet - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/

Hi Mr Smyth!

As long as you don't read it while walking about and crossing roads, good luck to you, futureperson.

i had you down as an I-pad person

Clearly you are a man who doesn't know me.

Clearly you are a man who doesn't know me.

i guess I could say the same
:-)

The Nook looks nice but I don't think they are here yet - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/

Hi Mr Smyth!

The Nook is way too small. Most PDFs are treated as images where each page is 1 image and that image is shown on the page.

Academic papers in computer science frequently have 2 columns of text, making the text very small. Because PDFs are treated as images, they are scaled to size and non-zoomable... meaning that you have to imagine a page of A4 stretched (reduced) to fit the screen and then imagine the font size of that.

The Kindle DX has a larger screen so would appear to be good for that. It's also got the best ePaper so it should be very easy to read.

But it's still a screen - I bought a 24" widescreen monitor to read PDFs on, as you can either have two pages on the screen at once at 100% (i.e. A4), or, have one page filling the width of the screen, enabling me to sit further away from it.
Shit all use if you need it to be portable though.

i guess I could say the same
:-)

Though I did just piss off one of my workmates by adding a manual email signature to my email:
"Sent from my Apple iPad".

Hah! He believed it.

I just don't see the point of the Kindle. The best portable reading solution is this:

Am I a total luddite, or is the emperor really not wearing any clothes?

I just don't see the point of the Kindle. The best portable reading solution is this:

Am I a total luddite, or is the emperor really not wearing any clothes?

Please read my first post.

It's to be used for research, something in the order of 20 or 30 documents, each of 60 to 70 pages in length, none of which are published as books (except a few with incredibly high price tags, whereas the PDF is free via my university), and all have to be carried around, cross-referenced, etc.

It's not feasible to use 3 reams of paper printing it all and carrying it around.

Yes, you're a luddite.

Though I did just piss off one of my workmates by adding a manual email signature to my email:
"Sent from my Apple iPad".

Hah! He believed it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_swan_theory

The Kindle DX can store the equivalent of 3,500 books. Which can be indexed and searched.

When the iPod came out, one of the questions frequently asked was why would people want to carry around their entire MP3 collection.

But you listen to MP3s. Reading stuff on a screen is unpleasant.

The research answer makes more sense, but a laptop would be better for things like searching, copying/pasting/making notes etc would it not?

I can def see the point for research, but I'm still inclined to print articles off and have them stacked around, anouncing their physicality. I think part of processing information for me is being able to map it onto my desk in piles and heaps - stuff i leave on the computer always gets forgotten.

But you are a computer man and will no doubt take methodical notes. And you are nicer to the planet, so God Speed sir, and let us know how it goes.

Why not look at the iPad? It's only $10 more expensive than the Kindle DX, reads PDFs in colour and has full browser, email, iwork suite etc etc etc....

Yeah, get an iPad...

tries to stifle laughter, lols

Print them off at work and use the companies stationary and stamps and post them home to yourself.

Saves you having to carry them around.

The screen on a reader is not the same as a screen on a computer / laptop, it's easier to read, lower power use.

The research answer makes more sense, but a laptop would be better for things like searching, copying/pasting/making notes etc would it not?

Why not look at the iPad? It's only $10 more expensive than the Kindle DX, reads PDFs in colour and has full browser, email, iwork suite etc etc etc....

I have to read 1,600 pages or thereabouts of two-column text.

I think I'll opt for good ePaper over an LCD or OLED screen any day and have the 7 day battery life that comes with it.

I don't think you guys are getting the requirements here. It's not for pleasure, it's not for entertainment, it's to read an insane amount of stuff in all kinds of light, without tiring, and with the convenience of still having the rest of the material on me so I can cross-reference.

I'm really asking if anyone has a Kindle and whether they use it for research. iPads, netbooks, laptops... these things rule themselves out because they aren't using ePaper.

Yeah, get an iPad...

tries to stifle laughter, lols

I'm serious.... http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/27/ipad-or-kindle-will-our-wallets-decide/

The comparrisson chart shows that if you want a large format reader... it's a waste of money buying the kindle when the iPad is available.

I'm serious.... http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/27/ipad-or-kindle-will-our-wallets-decide/

The comparrisson chart shows that if you want a large format reader... it's a waste of money buying the kindle when the iPad is available.

But it sucks for reading as you have an LCD with lower effective resolution of the fonts, and it will suffer from glare, and your eyes will tire, and the battery doesn't last as long and blah blah blah.

I was serious too... Seems to tick all the boxes as well as a few others apart from the ePaper bit...

I'm with VB if I was after a reader the epaper thing would an essential requirement, that's one of the two major advantages of them over a laptop. The other being long battery life..

If the iPad worked, I would just get a netbook... it would be cheaper and more universal.

But it doesn't... until they get ePaper it's just not even competing.

Fuck it... one Kindle winging it's way to me. It's my birthday present to myself, and maybe it will make this stack of dull papers easier to read.