Should I Buy a Kindle?

[In Progress]
This is the EXTENDED Version - the short version is The Kindle Decision aka the $400 Question - Should I Buy a Kindle?.
I’m collating everything I’ve read and realized in the process of researching the Kindle for this blog. The sections are

1. Categories of People for which ’buy or not buy’ is easily answered. 
2. Short write-up on functionality + extensions, main pros and main cons. 
3. Detailed List of Pros culled from Reviews from Actual Owners.
4. Detailed List of Cons culled from Reviews from Actual Owners.
5. True Picture of Reviews from Actual Owners
6. Cons from people who have not owned the Kindle. These are in some cases, valid points.
7. The top 10 DealBreakers and my thoughts.
8. The top 10 DealMakers and my thoughts. 

Note: For the cons I have included an explanation of whether it really is a con or not since there seems to be a ton of misinformation on the internet. I have collated details and information from all sorts of reviews (owners; non-owners; amazon customers; journalists). I’ve done this so that you don’t have to - if you do want to look at reviews yourself, you could use the link on the left to jump to Reviews at Amazon. The only thing I’d recommend is to watch out for people who have never owned and in some cases never even touched a Kindle.

Category of People for which its a definite YES:

1. Anyone who reads a lot of books i.e. 1 book a week or more
2. Anyone who reads a lot while commuting and/or travelling i.e. more than 1 business trip a month OR a commute time of greater than 1 hr a day on a train/bus/tube.
3. Someone who is looking specifically for an ereader that adds on a TON of bonuses like free internet access.

   There might be a few categories i’m missing here and will add these as more come up. If you fall into one of the above three categories, you can rest assured that like the overwhelming majority of Kindle owners you will love it - Go Ahead and Buy the Kindle at Amazon.

Category of People for which its a definite NO:

1. People who want a laptop, UPMC, iTouch, cellphone or some other device and don’t really want an ebook reader.
2. People who are hung up over DRM - authors deserve to get money for what they write - sending a book out without DRM would severely cut authors’ and publishers’ revenue streams. The music album download that radiohead set up where they let users decide on how much users wanted to pay is a good example since a lot of people did not pay even 1 cent for the album. If an author writes a good or great book, its completely reasonable for him to expect to get paid. DRM might not be the most elegant solution - however, its a necessary evil. Until someone finds a better solution DRM is the only way authors can get what they deserve.
3. People who are NOT looking for an ebook reader. A lot of Kindle haters are people who don’t even read much and are attacking it for something other than its core functionality i.e. it being an ebook reader. You can read books on your cellphone, your PDA, your Asus EeePC and your laptop. So if you only have a passing interest in books and just want to ‘try out’ reading on a device, then use a device you have and don’t buy a Kindle.

A Quick Synopsis of Functionality, Pros, and Cons

1. The Main Function - A book reader. That’s it. If you read a lot of books, especially on the go and want an elegant eReader then the Kindle is a Great Fit.
2. Additional Functions (listing the main ones)
   1. [Experimental] GPS Device with Google Maps
   2. Wireless Internet Access with Experimental Browser
   3. Music Player [Random Shuffle of Songs] 
   4. Audio Books
   5. [Experimental with no Colour] Picture Viewer 
   6. Amazon Kindle Store for Books 
   7. NewsPapers and Magazines
3. Big Pluses
   1. The overwhelming majority of People who own it, love it.
   2. eInk screen looks much closer to a book than any electronic device screen (except of course for other devices that use eInk)
   3. Easier on the eyes + can also change font sizes
   4. Free Ebooks - insane collection of books from all eras.
   5. Over 100,000 eBooks from the amazon Kindle Store
   6. Amazon store all the time
   7. Newspaper and Magazine subscriptions
   8. Blogs (my recommendation is to use the browser and not use the 1$ a month subscription service)
   9. Free Wireless Access - Wikipedia + Internet browsing + being on EVDO means you aren’t just restricted to WiFi hotspots.
   10. Kindle NowNow - instant answers from real people
   11. Dictionary
   12. Up to 6 Kindles on one account. So a family can share their books. Or a group of friends. Or a group of classmates
   13. Easy to shop and books get downloaded in 1-2 minutes
   14. Easy to travel and move.
   15. Access to all your books easily.
   16. Save paper = save trees.
   17. Can make notes on the Kindle
   18. Transport all your reading material in the Kindle.  
   19. Built in capacity for 200 books.
       1.  SD card to add capacity
       2. Newspapers
       3. Magazines
       4. Blogs
   20. Extensions 
       1.  MineSweeper
       2. Convert from formats like PDF to view on your Kindle
4. Big Drawbacks
   1. Price is steep (at $400).
   2. Not a Colour Monitor
   3. The backbutton gets pressed inadvertently
   4. Delivery Time wait - approximately 6 weeks when i last did a study.
   5. Problems with the Cover - Velcro solution (flicker picture) - there is a solution.
   6. Aesthetics - This is a very individual thing.
      1. Don’t like it’s only in white
      2. Button design (already mentioned back button problem)
   7. Limited number of papers and magazines
   8. Limited number of books (at 100K books now - so check what you like + whether it’s available + have close to 75% of bestsellers)
   9. $1 for blog subscription - solution: just read off the browser
   10. Only in the US + no coverage in montana and alaska. - Do check coverage BEFORE you order. important.
   11. Lack of support for common file formats - solution: MobiPocket Creator.
   12. How do you lend books to friends? Personally, i’ve lost too many good books. and at 10$ a book - let ‘em buy it. or share an account amongst friends.
   13. Prospect of free wireless internet later being removed. Highly unlikely cause of the public outcry and i’m sure there are legal issues here.

Conclusion - After Initial Discussion (there’s a lot more of pros and cons and details below )

If you read a lot of books, travel or commute regularly, or one of the main pros makes the Kindle a winner for you, then Go Ahead and Buy the Kindle at Amazon. It is easily the best eBook Reader solution available (and i include all the additional things it brings to the table).

Additionally, if some information on this blog or this post helped you make a decison - that makes me feel my time is well spent.

If you need to look at more facts or more of an in-depth discussion keep reading below.

If on the other hand, you are looking for something other than an ebook reader, then please take into acount that the Kindle’s main functionality is ‘eBook Reader’ and expecting it to be a cellphone, mini computer, ultra portable laptop, etc. will lead to disappointment.
Finally, if you have one or two main reasons that are dissuading you from buying a kindle, please add them as a comment so we can submit it to Amazon as ‘Suggestions’ for Kindle Version 2.0.

And thank you for surviving this far . A much more detailed list of Kindle extensions, pros, cons, reviews etc. follows

Main Factors that might be your THE reason to buy a Kindle

 

Kindle - The Positives

http://thekindle.wordpress.com/2008/01/16/kindle-the-positives/

 

This is culled from reviews and articles and my thoughts. There are a few overarching themes you will see throughout reviews - The Kindle is made for book lovers, its focused on the path of least resistance, and V1 is as good as V2 of a product normally is. People are focused on the negatives - However its clear that the overhwelming majority of users love it and are asking for just a few incremental changes. I really think the naysayers are making the mistake of projecting their own desires in an ebook onto the general populace of book lovers. And truth is - the bookies decide whether this is a success or not and my research and instincts say this is going to be a big success. Anyways here are the key positives (as Kindle owners point out) -

1. As Steve Gibson puts it in his Kindle Review - The huge deal with the Kindle is its wireless connectivity.
2. Being on the Sprint EVDO network means you aren’t just restricted to WiFi hotspots.
3. Also EVDO is FAST i.e. download a book in 1-2 minutes.
4. The Kindle Store, built right into the device, works simply and quickly.
5. [A great review so listing it almost verbatim - btw this reviewer highly recommends it - I can offer the following summary evaluation based on what I consider the two most important perspectives:1) The viability and value associated with this new mode of delivering and consuming literary products; and
   2) The quality of this specific device within this process.To the first perspective, I give it a 10/10. I cannot say enough about the convenience and ease afforded to any avid reader by this device. It is revolutionary with as much to offer publishers and the consumers of their products. Like the iPod, I am certain it will serve as the catalyst to significant change within this market.
6. To the second perspective, I give the Kindle a solid 9/10. The lack of a perfect score has more to do with it being a first generation product as opposed to anything you will notice while using one. I doubt any user would not be very pleased with the quality of its design and function.
7. Hand in hand with the wireless connectivity is the ability to surf through Blogs. (no owners seeemed to care about this)
8. The ability to get newspapers and magazines. (this was a big plus for owners - both from convenience and environment perspectives)
9. The ability to increase the font size. People absolutely love it - older people, people whose eyes tire, and so on. (such a big hit it’s amazing)
10. Store up to 200 Books
11. Up to 6 Kindles on one account (again - this is a big hit although people don’t seem to have fully realized what this means)
12. Additional SD card to store even more books (vey few people seem to need this + amazon letting you delete and then reload books you own reduces the neccessity of this)
13. Lots and Lots of Free Books from Gutenberg Project etc. (have to come up with a list for free books available - lots of people using this)
14. eBooks are for 9 to 10$ or cheaper whereas bestsellers are from 15-25$.
15. Buy books, papers and magazines online and save on paper
16. Super easy setup for the Kindle.
17. Buy from your laptop and book gets delivered to your Kindle in a few minutes.
18. Great for aeroplanes and travel - details: This is product is great if you do a lot of traveling. Here are a few of the positives:
19. Battery lasts long enough that you don’t have to pack charger for trips.
20. It is lighter and smaller than carrying most other books.
21. Screen resolution is very good and is very easy to read even while flying at night using overhead light.
22. Automatic delivery of newspapers every morning is awesome.
23. Wikipedia search is pretty cool too.
24. Best of all, I like that I don’t have to hook it up to my computer to put new content on it.
25. Don’t have to lug around books
26. Can use for music and reading while on the treadmill
27. The ease of getting a book to read.
28. The quality is just amazing - I was really surprised at the quality of the screen. I have used the Kindle at the dining table while eating, at Borders coffee shop and most important to me in bed and the screen was easily readable in all of these places.
29. I have the New York Times ready and waiting every morning…and none of the newsprint on my fingers or guilt about cutting down another tree or problem of recycling.
30. Get latest books as soon as they are released - no going to a bookstore and no waiting for postage.
31. I picture all high school students getting their summer reading and outside novels much cheaper and easier.
32. No backpacks since textbooks are on the Kindle.
33. Can read without having to hold down a book and cause damage to it.
34. Don’t lose the page you’re on
35. For books that are in series - It is also nice to be able to be lying in bed on a Saturday morning, finish the first book in a series, and have the second in the series ready to read in 2 minutes without having to get up and go to the bookstore, with possible disappointment that the store does not have the book in stock. The most annoying thing to me about bookstores is you may see book 2-4 on the shelf and not book 1, so I then avoid the series due to the fact that I am not able to read book one. Also with my reading addiction, If I see a series I usually buy all books in the series and if the first one is terrible I am stuck with 5 more books that I don’t want to read. The Kindle allows me to buy the first and know that next books in the series are always “in stock”.
36. Wow - My wife is a stroke survivor, and has lost use of the left side of her body. Reading books has been impossible since she could not hold the book open and turn the pages with only one hand. Kindle has changed all of that for her, and made reading a joy again.
37. Some positive claims on great support.
38. Great for novels and anything you read cover to cover.
39. Shopping Experience on Kindle has been GREAT.
40. I read more than one book at a time and the Kindle allows me to transport all my reading material in one handy slim book sized device.
41. It is easy to read outdoors which is a real plus.
42. I love saving paper by not buying actual printed books.
43. I love having the book I want downloaded within a minute.
44. I love that it fits in my purse.
45. I love that I can adjust the font as my eyes tire in the day.
46. I love the dictionary feature..brilliant.
47. I don’t have to buy anymore bookshelves! I love my books and reread many of them. Whenever we have moved, it has been a nightmare to lug all of those books. Plus, I’m simply out of shelf space. Now, I can get every book I want without regard to storage.
48. Traveling with enough books to keep me occupied is hard. I never wanted to pack 5 or more books so I always seemed to run out of reading material. Not anymore!
49. It really is possible to forget you are reading on a Kindle. It becomes just reading.
50. Easy access to all the books in a series at any time.
51. Access to your books anywhere without lugging them around
52. I’ve had no issues with my battery or screen. All works well and I’ve had the thing for 25 days.
53. High praise indeed - the best thing since amazon.com & zappos.com
54. Reading one handed. Big Big thing.
55. This feature seems to be popular too - There is also a fun Ask Kindle Now Now function in the Experimental section of the Kindle. You can ask the Kindle a question and receive up to three answers back within 10 minutes.
56. If you own stock in any book store, I would sell it. I think this is a revolutionary product that is the beginning of the demise of traditional bookstores. I love the fact that you can read a sample of a book before you decide to purchase it. This feature helps provide the same enjoyable feeling as browsing through a bookstore without the hassle of driving there.
57. For families, if you purchase more than one Kindle, you all share one large Amazon library. In other words, if I purchase a book, finish it and delete it from my Kindle, Amazon keeps it stored in a permanent library. Say, for example, my husband want to read the same book. He can go to our shared library and download the book on to his Kindle.
58. [btw she has Lung disease and can only use Kindle and books are too much for her to handle) The biggest joy is no more reading outdated, cheesy magazines at the doctors’ offices. I was reading Douglas Adams at my last visit and my BP was great! :). Thanks to my dear sister, this is the most enjoyable, most practical present I have ever received.
59. People talk about how they read more and they read more varied books - and in my book that has to be a good thing.
60. [Would have to look into this] In fact, I believe the display causes less eye strain and permits reading for longer periods that the traditional book. I have found that I tend to finish books much quicker since I read them on the Kindle.
61. Any avid reader that: wants a book quickly, is running out of storage space or travels frequently, will love the Kindle!
62. [Have to check details on this] Almost dropped my Kindle, but have no fear since I know that it will do OK if dropped (see the video).
63. I find that my reading time has increased about 50%. That is from slow to fast. [ would be interesting to see if there are any speed reading programs and/or features]
64. I also love that I can send my own files to my Kindle wirelessly. It’s probably one of the best features
65. I’ve tried reading on my laptop but eye strain was a problem; the Kindle is very easy on the eyes.

http://thekindle.wordpress.com/2008/01/16/kindle-the-positives/

 

 

Main Factors that might be your THE reason not to buy a Kindle

 

72. Kindle - The Negatives

Posted on January 16, 2008 by switch11 | Edit

The main themes of discontent spring from the ‘back button getting inadvertently pressed’, a lack of aesthetic beauty, no velcro on the cover, slow delivery times and/or the waits, and lack of good customer support. Interestingly, these are issues that for a V1 product are GREAT i.e. the Kindle is hitting the ball out of the ballpark for its major aims - the drawbacks are things that are easiy fixable in V2 and v3 and to be quite honest, customers are still giving the Kindle 5 and 4 stars. Anyways, here are the drawbacks (I’ve listed at the end the set of drawbacks that ‘tertiary users and non owners’ have listed since those people have no business telling book lovers and afficiandos what sort of device they should want)[In Progress]

73. Aesthetically Challenged
74. Not the iPhone (not from owners - who don’t care)
75. Monochrome (though people don’t really seem to care - representational systems ???)
76. Not Cool (again owners don’t care and in fact loveit and think it’s great. so thisis from reviewers)
77. Expensive (again only some owners think it’s expensive)
78. Blog subcriptions cost $1 (no owner mentions this - so again this is a case of bloggers not knowing what readers want)
79. Browser is experimental (people loved the browser)
80. Difficult to navigate newspapers (doesn’t really come up - not sure how many users bought newspapers)
81. Only a limited list of newspapers and weekly magazines.
82. Prices for newspapers and weekly magazines were not all that great.
83. When reading a kindle-book, it is impossible to know which page of the physical/printed version of that text you are on. In short, you could never cite the page number of a kindle-book. You could exchange the “kindle location” with other users of the device, but that’s not going to get you very far in a footnote.
84. No coverage in Alaska - Michael Dingman writes: Tell me when I can use it here in Alaska. If it supported WiFi as well as EVDO I could. (Not in Montana either.
85. Delivery was late.
86. Kindle Froze up and had to call customer service for help.
87. White, all buttons design is not good.
88. When you pick up, put down, handle, etc you might hit a page button. I’ve learned to lock it before I put it down to prevent accidental page turning.
89. My only problem is that I can’t use my gift cards from Amazon to pay for my new way to buy books.
90. I really don’t like the way it renders links in a vertical list (even if there is only one) when you click on a line containing the link. It requires extra clicks and on the Kindle’s slow display, it can be downright annoying.
91. If I could “fix” one thing, it would be having the page turning bars shorter so that when handling the Kindle I don’t accidentally turn a page. This has tobe the number one gripe.
92. Cover is less than the best - a little piece of Velcro would be awesome. Velcro issues reoccur.
93. I’m rating the Kindle at 4 stars instead of 5 because the list of available Kindle editions is still relatively small. Amazon has made a good start, but it’s only a start. I’m disappointed when I can’t find a Kindle edition of a new release and after paying $400 for the Kindle I’m now reluctant to by paper editions.
94. My only unhappiness so far is that there aren’t enough old titles available for this thing…I’d like to get Kindle versions of my favorite books, the ones I like to reread repeatedly
95. I’m sure if it’s working properly the Kindle is great, but the lack of good customer service has turned me off from the product. after 6 week it arrived defective.
96. [Edit: Honestly, this is a big, big faux pas on AMazon’s part - simply unforgiveable] Kindle works great but I was surprised when I found that a fiction book (Blasphemy) I was interested in purchasing cost $20 for the Kindle version and $15 for the hard cover version from Amazon.
97. Another Case: Only had one negative experience. Wanted Julie Garwood’s new book, Shadow Music. Came out on 12/26. Wasn’t available for Kindle purchase until 12/28 at a cost of just over $20, much higher than the cost of $9.99 I was expecting. She’s my favorite author so I paid it. What upset me was that something kept telling me to check back and on 12/30 they dropped the price to $9.99. Felt like I’d been taken. Will know better the next time I’m looking for a new release.
98. The two button wakeup is a pain, especially as it requires two hands.
99. The cover interferes with the2 button wakeup.
100. I do wonder why the wireless/on-off switches were placed on the back instead of on top, but this is a small issue to me.
101. You miss out on some content due to the very poor display of images. They are rendered in 4 levels of gray and are often not recognizable. Color or improved grayscale would be a welcome addition for version 2.
102. As has been discussed ad nauseam, the Kindle is not a particularly elegant design. The plastic feels cheap to me, and the device very breakable. With reasonable care, though, I don’t think you need to unduly worry about the Kindle being fragile.
103. I would like the power buttons to be on the front of the device, with perhaps a sliding “lock” feature, as in many MP3 players.
104. A case of Bezos setting wrong expectations - Jeff Bezos told Charlie Rose on Rose’s TV show that one could download books “anywhere.” Not true. The area in which one can download are limited pretty much to the populated areas. We wanted to use the Kindle in our RV and while travelling to Nicaragua. We thought we could use it wherever there is cell phone service. Wrong.
105. Ummm - some people want a backlight and some say its not necessary … One Reviewer: My only hope would be that future models include “backlighting” in the device.
106. The on and off button is on the back BUT you have a short cut in the manual (yes - it was even fun reading the manual on the Kindle) that doesn’t fully shut it off but does hibernate it.
107. DRM and what exactly do you ‘own’. [More thoughts on this later]
108. How do I lend books to my friends (to be very honest though - at some level i don’t really mind since i have lost so many great books and had to rebuy them or not have them anymore that i don’t mind not being able to lend - i’d much rather send them a chapter] + 6 kindles on one account means i can share with my family and close friends anyways
109. Lack of support for common file formats (i think this is a separate story in itself - however like the ‘how to convert mobipocket books, i’ll be adding more sections).
110. A really interesting note on a drawback/issue that a user points out -
111. Secondly, Amazon has installed software that records what I am reading and when I am reading it and sends this information back to Amazon. I really don’t see why Amazon should know what books I am reading and when. They will know what I have bought anyway, as I have to buy kindle books through them - why should they know that I read book such-and-such for 2 hours at 1 am last night etc. etc. It starts to feel like something out of George Orwell’s 1984.
     I presume that apart from marketing, the reason is to detect if you are abiding by Amazons terms and conditions. If you are not (for example, if I did figure out a way of sharing the kindle book I bought with my wife on her kindle) this spy-ware will detect it and Amazon can then cancel your Kindle service (you will also lose access to all the books you have read).
     I really do not like the idea that Amazon could suddenly remove access to my whole reading collection that I might build up over several years.
     While I understand that Amazon and book publishers in general need to protect themselves from illegal copying of their books, I feel that the way they have made the Kindle and the way the terms and conditions of this product are written takes away the users rights and also their privacy. Until these things change I will (sadly) have to stick to conventional books.
     What a shame.
     Here is a quote directly from Amazons terms and conditions for the kindle
     “Information Received. The Device Software will provide Amazon with data about your Device and its interaction with the Service (such as available memory, up-time, log files and signal strength) and information related to the content on your Device and your use of it (such as automatic bookmarking of the last page read and content deletions from the Device). Annotations, bookmarks, notes, highlights, or similar markings you make in your Device are backed up through the Service. Information we receive is subject to the Amazon.com Privacy Notice.”
     I would also recommend visiting the following website relating to the direction the Kindle’s terms and conditions is leading us and how our right to read will be affected in future generations (and perhaps even this one):
     http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html

http://thekindle.wordpress.com/2008/01/16/kindle-the-negatives/

 

Additional Reasons quoted by Non-Owners

116. Too Pricey++++ (people hung up on the price) (people with a lot of justifications for why it should be cheaper or free)
117. You don’t own the book. (again a lot of people hung up on this)
118. DRM and other reasons.
119. purists - a kindle does not feel, look, smell like a book.
120. Lack of pdf support
121. Coverage
122. don’t’ need a way to carry 200 books
123. making notes on the sides and highlighting (fixable - would you want to)
124. Personal Files are .10 each,(fixable via free conversion)
125. Its cheaper to buy used books, even with shipping.
126. the texture and feel and smell of a book
127. Would never buy something DRM’ed
128. Have apple team redesign it.
129. How secure is this thing - could someone hack into my kindle and steal my account?
130. a good point: The price is a bit high but would be OK if the device accepted other formats. There are many classic eBooks out there for $2.00 plus libraries have regular eBooks for free. I’ve waited a long time for the right device, I can wait a little longer. (need to write a blog post on this)
131. Will not work outside the US
132. Being seen reading a book is geeky (wow - that’s a really bad reason - you should do what you want)

http://thekindle.wordpress.com/2008/01/18/is-the-kindle-getting-unfair-reviews/

 

 

Reviews

 

* Unfairness of 1 star Reviews.

* Last 50 actual Kindle User Reviews

* 50 Kindle reviews on this date range.

 

Kindle 1 star reviews from actual owners -

Reviews by Actual Owners (only 16 of the 130 were actual Kindle owners)

1. Only 16 of the 130 most helpful 1 star reviews are from actual owners. The main reasons they list for returning the Kindle and/or being unhappy with it are

   1. Kindle failed and customer support was unhelpful. (this came up twice)
   2. Prospect that EVDO wireless internet access will later be charged for.
   3. No whispernet (wireless internet access) in Missoula, Montana.
   4. Kindle editions are abridged (no footnotes for some - which for me personally i don’t care about - however do agree its an issue)
   5. No support for pdf.
   6. Returned and will wait for V2.
   7. Lack of content and new releases are not released on the Kindle.
   8. Upset ‘cos only one bible is available and it’s not easy to get to specific passages.
   9. It was a gift that didn’t make it in time for Xmas so this future owner will return it the minute he get its.
   10. Hey Amazon !! Listen to me - redesign this thing!! Get some real industrial designers to make a nice high quality device… something at least as nice as the iphone. I don’t know - may be good designers were hired and the heads at Amazon just have bad taste and told them to build something for the TrailerPark crowd.
   11. I ordered this on 12/12 and was not given any indication at the time that the order wouldn’t arrive in time for Christmas. It’s now too late to buy a different gift (i fly out on Sunday), and I was never informed of this delay. I am only finding out now by going to the website to check out the status of my shipment. All in all a horrendous way to treat a customer spending several hundred dollars!!!!
   12. I ordered this kindle on Nov 30 they say it wont be here in time for Christmas and they say they will send me a email with the estimated arrival date but i have not received that email yet. So i double checked my order to make sure it was still active and i checked the email address i put down. Everything was correct so why haven’t I gotten my Kindle yet?
   13. Crashed 7 times in 2 days and tech support sucks - said ” nothing i can do”.
   14. Check wireless service area BEFORE you buy! I am a speech therapist, 48 years old, living in a rural area in Arizona. The nearest decent bookstore is in Tucson, 4 hours away. When I heard about Kindle, I was ecstatic–I love to read, so the ability to instantly buy and read books was a marvelous idea. I read all the blurbs, then bought the device.
       Reader, I sent the device back one hour after opening the box, bitterly disappointed. I am not disparaging the device itself, but rather the fact that service is not available in my area. In fact, the closest area that has service is Tucson. I thought I had read everything, but buried in all the fine print was the service availability map. Pity I didn’t see it first.
       To the people who wrote the advertisement for this device, please PLEASE state in the beginning paragraph that service is not available in all areas and put the map link there, please? And developers–service in the rural areas would be very much appreciated! It looked like a great product.

Arrived Broken Right Out of the Box. Well — I arrived home from work today and found my Kindle had been delivered. Took it out of the box, read the user guide and then plugged it in to start working with it. Unfortunately, it never powered on. Completely dead. So I called customer service and they told me I had to call a different toll-free number for Kindle support (866-321-8851) but that they were available 24×7. I called the number and was told that they were only available during the hours of 6a-10p Pacific (and it was 10:05p). So much for a positive experience with this device. I tried resetting the device and re-seating/re-connecting the battery. Nothing.

http://thekindle.wordpress.com/2008/01/18/is-the-kindle-getting-unfair-reviews/

Kindle Photo Gallery

 

 

 

Kindle Extensions

 

1) Hacks and Shortcuts courtesy IgorS -

Kindle Bonus - Undocumented shortcuts, features and easter eggs

Posted on January 15, 2008 by switch11 | Edit

(courtesy Igor S’s excellent Blog Posts on Reverse Enginerring the Kindle - this is taken verbatim)

Picture viewer

I’m not sure why Amazon didn’t make it public (maybe because paging is kinda slow), but there is a basic picture viewer in Kindle.
To activate it:
1) make a folder called “pictures” in the root of Kindle drive or SD card. Kindle also checks for “dcim” made by cameras.
2) put your pictures for a single “book” into a folder inside that. The subfolder name will be used as the “book” name. Supported formats are jpg, png, gif.
3) in Home screen press Alt-Z. A new “book” should appear. Open it to view your pictures.
4) In the local menu you can toggle dithering, resize to fit and full screen mode.

Keyboard shortcuts

Various undocumented/underdocumented keyboard shortcuts. I italicized most interesting ones.

Global keys

Alt-Shift-R reboot Kindle
Alt-Shift-. restart GUI
Alt-Shift-G make screenshot
due to an implementation bug, screenshots can only be stored on SD card, not the main storage. A gif file is saved in the card root.
Shift-Sym start demo
Enabled only if allow_demo=true is passed on the Java commandline. Needs a special demo script present on the SD card.

Home

Alt-Shift-M Minesweeper
Alt-Z rescan picture directories
Alt-T show time

Reader

Alt-B toggle bookmark
Alt-T spell out time
Alt-0 enable/disable slideshow
Alt-1 start slideshow (if enabled)
Alt-2 stop slidehow
Alt-PageForward/PageBackward go to next/prev annotation or one “chunk” (1/20th of a book) forward or backward

Settings

411 show diagnostics data
511 run loopback call test
611 diagnostic data service call
c/e/s
126 Lab126 team members

Font List

J show/hide justification options

Picture viewer

Alt-Shift-0 set current picture as screensaver
F toggle fullscreen mode

Minesweeper

I,J,K,L up,left,down,right
M mark mine
R restart
Space open cell
Scroll move cursor up/down
Alt-Scroll move cursor left/right
H return to Home screen

Text input

Alt-Backspace clear all
Alt-H/Alt-J move cursor
(the following don’t work in search field for some reason)
Alt-6 ?
Alt-7 ,
Alt-8 :
Alt-9 “
Alt-0 ‘

Browser

It seems there is a location capability (GPS?) in the CDMA module. I cannot check it as I’m not in USA but the following shortcuts are programmed inside the browser.
Alt-1 show current location in google maps
Alt-2 find gas station nearby
Alt-3 find restaurants nearby
Alt-4
Alt-5 find custom keyword nearby
Alt-D dump debug info to the log and toggle highlight default item
Alt-Z toggle zone drawing and show log

Audio Player

Alt-F next
Alt-P play/stop

Search commands

These command work in the search field. You can enter only beginning of the command if that’s enough for it to be unique.

Public commands (always available)

@help
@web
@wiki/@wikipedia
@store
@time

Semiprivate (available but not mentioned in @help)

;dumpMessages dump current debug log into the “documents” directory
;debugOn set log level=2 and enable private commands
;debugOff set log level=1 and disable private commands

http://thekindle.wordpress.com/2008/01/15/kindle-bonus-undocumented-shortcuts-features-and-easter-eggs/