Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Hi, Andy (and everyone else who is using these devices to read e-books...)

I've been looking at e-book readers for some time. I'm not a gadget freak. I'll buy technology only when I see a real use or advantage to it. I can see some advantages to e-book readers -- I could carry a whole library, the fonts are adjustable, I can annotate, etc. They're still relatively expensive, though, and I can't bring myself to hand over RM1000-1200 for a device I'm not sure I'll like.

Andy, it sounds like you have and use a Kindle. Be honest now -- do you like it as well as reading paper books? I probably wouldn't buy a Kindle, because I think Amazon is too proprietary. I'm asking about e-book readers in general, as opposed to books.

Thanks for sharing your opinions! {grin}

Re: Samsung Galaxy Tab vs. the iPad: Compare For Yourself
 

Hi Amanda!

Yup, I've been using a Kindle for almost a year. In fact, I have 2 Kindles at home, and have been trying to convince Charlene to get one too haha..

To me, iPad and Kindle address two different segments of the market. iPad to me is more for fun and media consumption, while Kindle is for serious book readers. You can never use iPad for any serious reading due to its glaring screen and relatively heavy weight, but it's awesome for reading coloured magazines, and most of all, video, gaming and various applications.

I was originally quite skeptical about a Kindle too, but decided to purchase it nevertheless, and have never regretted owning it. In fact, I haven't bought a real book this year, but have read way, way more than what I did last time.

Here are some PROs, most of the points apply to e-readers in general:

1) First of all, it's price is REALLY affordable - Amazon is selling it for $139 only for its 6" Wifi version, which translates to something like RM450. MPH imitation brands sell more expensive (some were sold at RM1200 but reduced recently).

2) The screen is very crisp, in fact I find the font even smoother than many real books' print. It uses pearl e-ink technology that doesn't have a backlit screen, and so doesn't tire your eyes with glare. It only requires battery power to refresh the screen to a new page, and otherwise the ink stays as-is, so battery consumption is really low and a full charge can easily last 2 - 3 weeks.

3) It has a built-in Oxford dictionary - I find it very convenient to look up definitions as I read, and in fact this is indispensable for me now and I feel inconvenient now when I hold up a real book where I would never get the motivation to pull out a dictionary haha.

4) The weight is very light, about 8 ounces (imitation brands are bulkier), so you would not tire of holding even with one hand, and page turns are intuitively placed at both sides of the screen so you can do it either with your left or right hand.

5) There is a limitless resource of e-books online that you can download and transfer over to your e-book reader, and for Kindle you can also purchase directly from the Amazon store integrated into your Kindle. I actually ended up reading much more as I now have access to a wider variety of materials, instead of having to fork out money to buy every single book, and force myself to finish it even if it's not good since I spend the money on it haha. For Kindle, you can also subscribe to dozens of magazines and newspapers that are delivered to you via Wifi / 3G daily.

6) You can store thousands of books - that makes it really convenient when you move around - you no longer have to limit yourself to one or two bulky books when you travel or commute.

7) Kindle also has text-to-speech, so you can close your eyes and hear out the text if you are tired.


Here are some CONs though:
1) The experience will feel a bit electronic at first, although that seems to have dissapeared after I used it a month and it feels as natural as reading a real book to me now.

2) You don't get to randomly flip a book, the feel of a solid heavy book, or enjoy a nice visual book cover and packaging. Or even the SMELL of a real book and paper. Some old-school readers are pretty much attached to these subtleties.

3) The 6" screen size might be a little small if you are used to reading some hard cover books, although you could potentially adjust the font size and type a little.

4) Kindle is not good at formatting PDF documents especially those with many images, you would likely need to convert it to a Kindle-friendly format to better read it. Not sure about other e-readers though.


I suggest that you go to MPH and try out some of their readers to get a feel of it. Or better still, borrow one from your friend and try reading a book to better assess the experience.

If you do intend to buy one, I'd still suggest Kindle - it's by far the best and most intuitive one I've seen, but the drawback is the slight hassle in getting it over from US. It's also the top selling item and most wished for item on Amazon.

Let me know if you need any further details, I'd be glad to share more with you {wink}

Re: Samsung Galaxy Tab vs. the iPad: Compare For Yourself
 

Andy, wow! Thank you for the wealth of information. From what you've said, the Kindle is definitely the best e-book reader at the best price.

I dislike Amazon.com intensely because of their refusal to sell 2nd-hand print books, music, or any audio books to Malaysia. Amazon purchased Audible.com, and they've now extended their odious policies to that company, too. Ugh! {nah}

Because my credit card has a Malaysian billing address, Amazon will not sell to me. It's so maddening. I would happily pay for electronic media, but they refuse to sell it to me on the grounds that Malaysia is a hot-bed of piracy. So what am I to do? Turn to the pirates? {ohmygod}

You say you're able to buy ebooks directly from Amazon; are you doing this with a Malaysian credit card, or do you have a card with an overseas address?

Still, the Kindle does seem to have the most features at the best price. I suppose I could talk to some friends in the US or UK to figure out how I might get one. I don't suppose they could send it via post? I imagine it would get snaggled up in customs. I guess I'll keep my ears open for friends who might be traveling to the UK.

Anyway, thanks again for giving such an in-depth review. {good}


P. S. I just found one way of getting around the Malaysian credit card obstacle. It seems absurdly convoluted, but it sounds like it should work. I just need to buy myself a lot of Amazon gift cards...
http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/1053076

Hi Amanda,

Glad to be able to share some info with you. Books and gadgets are both my passion, and this Kindle hits right on both spots {wink}

Yes you are right, I used precisely that method to fund my Amazon account - I purchase gift cards from my Malaysian account and send it to my US account which the Kindle is tied up with.

Beside purchasing on Amazon, there are also those common and easy ways to obtain ebooks and audiobooks which you guessed *wink*.

Another plus of a Kindle is that if you purchase a book, you can read it on any other device that has kindle software, such as a computer, iPad, and many types of smartphones. Your bookmarks and notes can also be synced to Amazon and across devices.

Regarding shipping, I made use of vPost, which is a shipping/rerouting service by Singapore post. They have a warehouse in Oregon which Amazon can ship to, and they would accept the parcel on behalf of you, then ship it to your Malaysian address. The total time taken is about 10 days. You can also try services like OneNow, MyUS and Borderlinx, which partners with DHL for faster priority shipping.

I don't think there would be any troubles with tax as this is not a mobile phone or a taxable item. I haven't encountered any problems using vPost for shipping 3 times this year. However, note that vPost passes your parcel on to Pos Laju to deliver it in Malaysia, and that is not exactly the most reliable or reputable service haha. So you might want to consider those other alternatives as well.

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Good info. Andy. Thank you. I'm a reader as well at least lessen the books piling up around here.
I might be getting Kindle or any e-book reader in the market but as you have mentioned Kindle got a lot of pros' worth to try and cheaper as well.
I have to agree with glaring in iPad's screen, it is very tiring.

I'm glad we are living in paperless tech, at least no more cutting trees and yes, the awful smell coming from the paper. Book prices are rocketing high as well unless it's under promotion. Additionally, I have a curious kitten that loves to involve herself in everything I do, tearing it accidentally by her claw wont be a fuss anymore after getting one.

But a game or a movie on-the-go wont hurt to try my hubby' s iPad when he's asleep...he's totally addicted with it right now(LOL) {shy}

Re: Samsung Galaxy Tab vs. the iPad: Compare For Yourself
 

I suspect Andy has persuaded Amazon to pay him a commission for promoting Kindle so heavily. :)

I must say that Kindle does sound like it's the better buy. My only reservation that's holding me back from taking that plunge is that Kindle does not support PDF documents that well. About 95% of my ebooks are in PDF formats. A few were previously in LIT and ePUB formats which I had converted long before I knew of Kindle's drawback, and the original formats have been deleted.

So, for the time being, until I decide on which ebook to purchase, I'm reading mine on the computer, using the Caliber ebook viewer. It's more convenient than reading it with the Adobe. :)

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

No problem, Marcel! Yes, let's save the environment, a few books from each person would make a huge forest.

Oh, and since you have an iPad AND a naughty cat, have you seen this - iPad Game for Cats: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XK2dwTVi-aQ

It's free haha, but I'd be wary of letting a cat scratch the iPad unless it's armored with a solid, heavy-duty screen protector {wink}

Re: Samsung Galaxy Tab vs. the iPad: Compare For Yourself
 

Charlene,

I'm a secret undercover agent from Amazon sent to subtly brainwash people's minds into using Kindle {wink}

Yes, Kindle is lousy at displaying PDFs (you have to zoom in to each section of the PDF page to properly view it, no text-to-speech and dictionary search capabilities) - although that is more of a software hurdle than hardware, as can be seen from improved PDF functions in the latest system update. But to me it's still way inferior compared to reading a nicely illustrated PDF on an iPad or coloured devices, because of the images and formatting.

But, if your PDFs are mainly just novels or words, there would be no problem, as you can easily convert it using Calibre - which is the best ebook format converter around - to Kindle-supported MOBI format.

You can also easily re-download your PDF documents in MOBI format, as ebook readers are proliferating and lots of materials are available in this format. Even if this format is not available, you can get those in the formats of EPUB, LIT or even HTML or TXT, which all convert perfectly well to MOBI using Calibre.

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

She only uses her paw if my hubby's using his i-Pad and she thinks she can type words as well... as I'm typing on my Laptop she's also 'campur tangan' typing as well...hahaha she's always behind lurking and surprise me by jumping on the keypad - that ruins and have to re-type again. {shy}{ohmygod}
She's interested with the paper 'coz of the sound and the look of it every time the wind blows.
I'm going to try the link, Andy. Thank s for the info. She really need that game. {shy}

Re: Samsung Galaxy Tab vs. the iPad: Compare For Yourself
 

I'll bet! You're even trying to help me overcome my reservations about viewing the PDF format! :)

Ok, I'll try to use the Caliber to convert the PDF files into MOBI format and see how it works....thank goodness you're not a salesman in a boutique. I'd probably end up buying every piece of clothing in the store! :)

Re: Samsung Galaxy Tab vs. the iPad: Compare For Yourself
 

Hahaha... Amazon should certainly consider giving me some award (i.e. lifetime supply of Kindles)!

Don't worry, this volunteer salesman hasn't diversified into other merchandize yet.. right now, I'm contented at just brainwashing people on Kindles and most importantly, pet adoptions haha! {wink}

Actually you can already sort of try out the PDF conversion's effectiveness, since you have a Blueberry mobile that can read e-books. You can convert PDF to MOBI or most likely EPUB which is supported by your mobile e-reader, and see how it fares.

In the event that some PDFs' text lines are incorrectly broken into multiple new lines when converted in Calibre, you can go to Preferences->Conversion->Input Options->PDF Input and tweak the "Line Un-wrapping Factor" value, I usually set it to something like 0.6 or 0.7. That would make Calibre have a higher tolerance for line formatting issues in the original PDF.

Re: Samsung Galaxy Tab vs. the iPad: Compare For Yourself
 

Hey, Charlene -- I'm giving some halfway serious thought to ordering a Kindle (the 3G one, since I don't have a WiFi router at home). If you're interested, let me know, and I'll order one for you at the same time. That would be a nice double commission (ka-ching! ka-ching!) for Amazon Agent Andy. {shy}

I'm seeing increasing numbers of e-books available from various sources, and I'm always happy to reduce the amount of paper I purchase. I think Andy's convinced me that I can get used to reading on the electronic device. It can't be as difficult an adjustment as learning to read audio books. That really was learning a new skill, and reading with my ears is still not my strong suit...

Andy, what about a case for the dear little thing? Can I find one locally, or do I need to buy from... from... that company that sells the Kindle? (I really, really don't like them, so I hope they do pay you a fat commission!)

Re: Samsung Galaxy Tab vs. the iPad: Compare For Yourself
 

Hi Amanda,

Wow, I can't wait to hear the ka-ching ka-chings rolling in haha! {wink}

I've tried listening to audio books too, but I find it a bit slow, at least 2 or 3 times slower than visual reading.. I could only stand listening to short audios like BBC news, else I might fall asleep hearing out a novel! Since Kindle has text-to-speech function, you wouldn't really need to separately purchase audio books next time. However, I don't think Kindle's synthetic text-to-speech has the realistic feel of a person's accurate pronunciation and expression. Its text-to-speech availability is actually subjected to the approval of the publisher/author, although most of the ones I came across had this enabled.

Oh wait.. I don't think you should buy 3G, at least not while using it in Malaysia. You see, the 3G version only works in countries where Amazon is affiliated with and have telco agreeements. The beauty of the 3G Kindle (which also has Wifi) is that it has an embedded sim card so that you can use worldwide at no cost even for surfing (yes, Amazon pays for it, but it's already factored into the ebook prices and wireless ebook delivery fees outside of US). However, Amazon doesn't have any contract with Malaysian telcos, so you would not get any stable 3G signal here. My older Kindle (a white 3G-model) gets sporadic 3G signal from some unknown telco, which I suspect is from Thailand, as Amazon sells Kindles in Thailand.

In my opinion, you don't really need to spend $189 on a 3G + Wifi Kindle - just a $139 Wifi Kindle will do. Reason being you don't really need to constantly access the internet with the Kindle - you can always download the Amazon ebooks (or whatever other sources) through computer first and easily transfer it through USB cable to the Kindle. The 3G/Wifi is only useful if you wish to conveniently download daily newspaper subscriptions or browse the Kindle store, which you can also do manually via computer. You can always go to Starbucks or somewhere with Wifi occasionally if you wish to get a taste of this activity, or proudly surfing the web in retro Black & White.

One more problem with the 3G model is that when you purchase an ebook from Amazon and don't configure things properly in your account, Amazon would instantly push the ebook to your Kindle via 3G, and that would cost you a $2 delivery fee as Amazon detects that you are outside of US. I have suffered such fees unknowingly before, but luckily Amazon refunded them in full to me within 24 hours after I complained hehe.

Regarding the leather cover, I suggest you just buy it directly when you order the Kindle. It costs $35, and although there are lots of choices on Amazon, I think their standard one is good enough. You can carry the Kindle around like a small, thin notebook, very convenient and compact. I think black colour looks most professional and matching to the graphite Kindle.
http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Leather...in3w_ddp_bbe1?

You should try to request Amazon to ship the cover and Kindle together in one package (sometimes they can, depending on whether both items come from the same warehouse). Reason being vPost charges your shipping by parcels, and it'd have some extra parcel charge if both are separated, and shipping might then cost you RM50 or so more. Not sure about other re-routing services though, they might have better terms for multiple parcels.

One inconvenience though, is when you are browsing the Kindle store through your computer, or accessing your US Amazon account. Amazon will detect your location, and if it's in Malaysia, it would not allow you to see the Kindle ebook prices or download them. So you'll need to configure your browser to go through a US proxy server whenever you wish to browse/download Kindle books from Amazon. Don't worry though, this is a simple configuration I can help you with. It only applies to Amazon, so downloading and transferring your ebooks or audiobooks from other sources are not affected.

Btw, the Kindle can also play background MP3 music, so you can listen to some nice music while reading. Just transfer over your collection of MP3s to their music folder and Kindle will loop through the songs for you. You can hook up standard headphones or play it through their built-in loudspeakers.

If you guys would like a hands-on test, maybe we can arrange to have a drink this or next week, preferably at a place with Wifi, and I'll bring along the Kindle so you can get a feel of it. You wouldn't get accustomed to reading on it within such a short duration though, but it'd be good enough for you to preview its functions. I'd be at Mid Valley tomorrow (Wednesday) for gym, so if you want I can also meet you at Starbucks after that, say 9:30pm.

.

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Andy,

The PDF files didn't convert well into MOBI or EPUB formats, and the results looked the same in the computer and my Blueberry mobile, too. Well, almost the same, with the exception that the lines are a little off in the Blueberry mobile's display. I took a couple of shots of the display on my PC screen.

The first photo showed the abnormally compressed font...short and fat fonts that are hardly legible. The second photo showed the fat black column in place of the apostrophe character.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._6663378_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...2_877279_n.jpg

Re: Samsung Galaxy Tab vs. the iPad: Compare For Yourself
 

I'm still stuck at the halfway serious thought...haven't moved beyond that, yet, so Andy has to wait for a bit to hear his ka-ching ka-ching sounds. :)

But please let me know before you place your orders and we'll see if I've decided by then. {wink}

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Hi Charlene,

I think the first converted format is fine - you won't need to worry about the fat/compressed fonts, because Kindle uses its own set of fonts, and only follows the text, size and formatting (i.e. italics, bold) from your original text. If you want to see how it shows on kindle, just email me that converted MOBI file and I'll photograph it on my Kindle display for you to see. Send me the original PDF too just in case ya.

Oh, I think Amanda has crossed the halfway point haha.. she might be ready to take a dive into electronic readers pretty soon!

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Okay...will email you the files later.

Brave Amanda! :)

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Hi Charlene,

I've emailed you photos of your ebook on my Kindle.

The single quote was indeed incorrectly translated by Calibre, I suspect it's something to do with the source PDF's problem.

Most of my converted books are fine, but now and then certain ones would crop up such weird problems too. Try directly finding EPUB or MOBI versions instead of converting PDF ones.

As for the title, you can always right-click on that entry in Calibre, and edit the Metadata, where you can set the author and title.

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Hi Andy,

You are a good promoter really... hehe.. now I'm in Kindle... make me more confuse now{shy} anyway, tried my cat's game in i-Pad, they're both busy with it. Again, thank you for being a good promoter for e-book reader{wink}
I'm getting Kindle, can play mp3 songs too...is it available only in Amazon?

Best Regards,
Eve

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Hi Eve,

Haha, thanks.. ironically I only seem to "sell" things that I get no benefits out of! A non-profit salesman haha.. {wink}

Cool.. so your cat actually loves playing with the cat game on iPad? Wonder what happens if I show it to a dog.. then again, I don't think I wanna risk my iPad on a dog yet as it might go crazy and barbaric hehe..

Yes, Kindle can play MP3 songs too, although it's sound quality isn't the best among audio playing devices.. serves more like a value-added feature rather than a main selling point for the device. Yup, the device can only be purchased on Amazon US, unfortunately. Unless you have friends in Thailand, then you can have Amazon ship it there.

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Hi Andy,

Yes, she loves playing it but she have a dog-like personality. She bite the end of the screen what more if she is a dog. It would be more barbaric!
Thank God she is just a kitten.
She hardly plays her toys except she love to wrestle with her teddy bear and she loves fetching. I used mostly dog toys for her.. sometimes, we are wondering if she is a cat. She hardly uses her claw.
She didn't touch her CATIT toys so i-PAD is really enjoyable for her. But after she bite it, it is done for her. She can't resist the mouse. {shy}

HAHA....You are still a non-profit salesman even in PF.{good}

Is amazon using DHL or Fedex? Coz we always shop online and some of our supplements , apparel & toys for pet are coming from overseas currently. Langkawi is tax free zone.

Anyone need anything, chocos, cigarettes or liquor, etc...? Just let me know.

I will be coming to KL after New Year's Eve to adopt kitties and get some pet food and other things for our new kitties. The delivery charges is too much but what to do. There is no Pet shop available and not everything is locally available online.

Thank you again for the help Andy, I will check MPH or in Low Yat's place for e-book reader as well.

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Hi Eve,

Haha.. your cat sounds like a naughty dog trapped in a kitten's body! Either she has an identity crisis, or she aspires to become a doggy {wink}

Amazon uses USPS for international shipping. I haven't used their most expensive international expedited shipping before - I believe that they might tie up with Fedex in that case, to deliver it in Malaysia. Last time I ordered books at standard shipping which takes about 3 weeks, and that is delivered by Pos Malaysia here.

The problem though is that Amazon does not ship some items to Malaysia, i.e. certain electronics, due to export control or warranty issues. That's when 3rd party re-routing services come into play, but you would then have to assume the risk of not having proper warranty / store to go to in the event of faulty hardware, and the possibility of items getting lost in transition.

Hope you'll have great fun in KL, and manage to adopt some lovely kitties back to Langkawi!

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Hi Andy,

You are right! She is going that identity crises which is I think, natural for her behavior... LOL

Risk is money,too, Andy. {shy} It happened to our business already.
We always import our perfume bottles for our home-made perfume shop and since Langkawi is not the main port, we have to go to 3rd party re-routing services and until our goods arrive, mostly our boxes are missing and some of them are shattered to pcs.
I have to look for e-book reader in KL esp. Kindle at least cash n' carry & safe with me.

I am going to adopt BSH and not because of the breed.
I love to help both of my friends, human and the cat.

Amanda, yes, I am the one will be having her after recommendation and knowing the owner as well. She loves her cats both of them but the other one really resented her.

I will post her status here soon. I am glad and do our best to take care of her well even if our new home is not ready yet, she will be fine in the suite for now.

Please let me know if anyone needs anything in Langkawi before January 3.
Pm me.

Thank you again, Andy and everyone in PF. {happy} {kiss}{happy}
We met again our 2nd baby here. Our rumah kosong is not kosong anymore with them both.

P/S: I recommend everyone to insured your pets. You will be saving them and your RM's more esp. emergencies and during the 'dry' season when your pets need help at most.{wink}

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Hi, Eve --

I've been casually looking at e-book readers all round KL over the past few months. There is very little in Low Yat, surprisingly. I found one shop there that sells the iRiver (about RM1200). So,unless you're going to Low Yat for other things, I'd give it a miss.

The best variety in e-book readers I found was at the MPH Books in Mid Valley Megamall. They can show you both versions of the iRiver (one with keypad, the other with touchscreen), a BenQ, and a HanLin V60. Personally, (and unusually for me {shy}) I liked the least expensive -- the HanLin -- the best. I thought the display was easiest on the eyes. It felt intuitive to use, and I liked the keyboard. I'm a bit nervous about quality, because it's a little known brand made in China. I know that not everything made in China is shoddy, but I can't find much information about this company. And the HanLin V60 is RM900. That still feels like a lot of money for an unfamiliar brand and a device of this type.

The Kindle seems to be of good quality, I like the features, it's getting great reviews, and Amazon's selling it for the equivalent of RM430. As Andy said, Amazon will not ship the Kindles to Malaysia, or to several other countries. I believe it's due to Malaysia's weak copyright laws and history of copyright infringement. Don't get me started on that topic, because I get so angry. Amazon refuses to sell media to us legally, and then they wonder why there is so much bootlegging?!? {angry}

I'll be meeting an American friend in Istanbul in a few months, so I'll probably order a Kindle, ask Amazon to ship it to her US address and then ask her to bring it to Turkey when we meet.

It's funny, just the other day I wondered to myself whatever happened with Miwako. So you're adopting her! That's great news. I bet the folks at ManekiNeko Cattery will breathe more easily knowing that. {grin} Congratulations! Do I understand you've also adopted a DSH in Langkawi? So is 3 your grand total? I'm looking forward to photos of one and all. {good}

Happy New Year!
Amanda, Maneki & Crumpet

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Hi Amanda & Eve,

I think another factor for the lack of reception and exposure of e-readers in Malaysia is due to the general lack of interest in reading here - and now with lots of high tech gadgets, gaming devices and things to distract the younger generation, I think reading is turning into a hobby of yesteryears.

When I visited Taiwan, I saw many large multi-storey bookstores, and they open 24 hours. That signifies the demand and interest of the consumers there. I doubt we'd find many bookstores here that open for more than 12 hours {wink}

That's right, Hanlin and iRiver are the ones I was referring to. As you can see, the price is more than the Kindle - because they can get away with such pricing, due to the biggest competitor, Kindle, not being present in Malaysia.

One very important thing to note when choosing eReader - their display contrast. First of all, some inferior eReaders use 8 shades of gray - iRiver happens to be one. This makes reading more strenuous as the words do not outstand as much against the background, and images look uglier. Kindles (and newer immitation eReaders) use 16 shades of gray. Then again, they could still differ in contrast level, as the lightest to darkest shade range might differ. Even within Kindle itself, my older Kindle has a lesser contrast that makes reading a little tiring, although it has 16 gray shades. The newer Kindle is much better, at a 50% improved contrast. You have to really put them side by side or actually read for some time under different lighting conditions to better notice and appreciate it - photos usually don't give an accurate perception of this.

Here's a photo comparison of Kindle 2 & 3 contrast:
http://kindleworld.blogspot.com/2010...of-screen.html

Now, imagine the immitation eReaders with worse contrast and you'll get the feel of it.

Another thing, of lesser importance but contributes to your reading pleasure, is the speed of page turns. iRiver's review states that it takes a whopping 2 or 3 seconds to refresh to a new page, which I think is way unacceptable. Kindle 3 takes maybe half a second to do so. iRiver is also bulkier and needs a stylus pen, which I think is inconvenient and obsolete. Here's the iRiver review:
http://thetechjournal.com/electronic...e-reader.xhtml

Hanlin's specs appear better in comparison to iRiver, but I can't find much literature or review on this product, probably because it's a China product that's not sold in western countries. Its design is very near an immitation to the older Kindle 2.
http://www.mphonline.com/offers/HanlinV60.aspx

These immitation eReaders also do not usually have text-to-speech capability, and neither do they tie up with any online bookstores for convenient purchase or download.

There are some larger competitors in the eReader market, i.e. Sony's PRS models and Barnes & Noble's Nook (not available in Malaysia). These have been compared in detail (lots of literature on the Internet), and Kindle 3 wins out in most reviewers' opinions.


p/s: Amanda, since you have a friend in US, you could actually ask her to DHL or Fedex to you after Amazon ships to her. I believe the cost would be something like RM100+, not far off from using vPost, but you'd get it in 3 - 5 days with a much more reliable and insured delivery service. The cover and Kindle, even if in separate parcels, would add up to less than 1kg in total weight.


.

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Hi Amanda and Andy,

Thank you for the additional info atleast I wont be going to MPH and spend RM 900 for china made. {shy}
Yes, it is so true. With our generation of gizmos and gadgets, few would go for e-book reader and even a good old book to read.
I found shops here books for rent and sales person is bewildered when I went in the shop and keep telling me, they are renting books only and not DVD's.{shy}

That is maybe an additional factor why Amazon.com can't deliver it to us. Well I have spoken to my close friends in US, not only Kindle is available but I rather go for Kindle at least Andy is experience to use it and they told me Kindle 3 (with wifi) is more better than Kindle DX or Kindle with 3G.
They told me it is so slim. I found the image by Google. Hope Amanda can refer to it.

Yes, Miwako will be at home on 3rd of January. Dr. Huey and her owner were really excited.
And I am currently fostering 2 kitties in our suite.
One is ours but to my friend in KL need to take both. I think these kitties are DLH or DMH mix. I don't know but the mother is pure Persian and made an accident by giving birth.Our friend was totally shock. She thought her cat is neutered and just pure fat for 4 years old cat.
She left it roaming around because her cat only loves to hang out near the beach..her cat loves to eat Ghost crabs and grass. They thought she got stomach ache but instead their cat was giving birth. She didn't know what to do because they are leaving Malaysia already after a few months and there are few kitties left.

Miwako and there is another kitten I would like to take in KL so I can help another friend of mine but still planning to if both of these kitties will be adopted. Our suite can't take a lot of cats until we moved next year and the house renovation is totally done - no paint fumes or cement powder scattered around.


BSH and Persians are not a fan & hardly think of having one but since I am an Animal's no.1 fan, my hubby and I look at them not as by breed but they need us to take care and love them as part of our family since we are childless. {happy} Every God creations has a reason to live and to be loved.
A new home with fully furnish and how much does it costs or how beautiful it is but no one to share with is still an empty and can't be called a 'home'... and, it really makes me feel spooky if I am just alone or both us talking and there are echoes in the corridor.{shy}

Hope this image helps to those who are wondering what is this brand called ' Kindle ' I love it being slim and don't care the rest of con's as long as I can read or do the reading for me {good}
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Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Hi All,

I've been deliberating since Christmas whether to treat myself to a Kindle for the new year. I had decided yes, but then I realised that the e-books are at least as expensive, and in most cases more expensive than their paper counter parts. I guess this is the consequence of locking into a proprietary market, but I've read here that there are other routes to these books ;-) Which again is making me reconsider...

Simon.

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Hi Simon,

eBooks are almost always slightly cheaper than paper books from what I've seen, maybe 10 - 20%. This is due to the elimination of physical print cost, which typically amounts to that proportion (although many people tend to have the impression that physical print cost constitutes most of the book's cost).

There are numerous eBooks on Amazon that are $9.99, but only because Amazon is forcing the publishers (especially smaller ones at their mercy) to sell at a much lower margin, which many believe is not sustainable. Then again, it all depends on how the market plays out, now with Apple and Google's bookstores becoming major competitors.

And yes, there are certainly other routes to these books. Quick and easily accessible routes via the information superhighway. So whichever e-reader you purchase, you're never limited to the official channels. {wink}

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Hi Andy,

Thanks! {oh} I've taken another look and it seems all the books I wanted were quite new, and the paperback edition had not been released yet, one example is,

http://tinyurl.com/22t6a7n

I guess the price is still cheaper than the hardbacked edition and the e-book price falls to below the paperback price when released!

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Hi Simon,

Yes, probably the eBook price will drop further after the paperback has been released, which is usually months or even a year down the road.

That book's hardcover price is $11.55, and the Kindle version at $9.99, about 13% cheaper.

And I just did a quick check, that ebook and also audiobook versions are readily available at other channels too. {smile}

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Hi Andy,

Thanks. I found this thread on the Amazon forum, they seem quite supportive and provide an interesting insight into the effect price fixing has on sales...

http://tinyurl.com/2vqf6z7

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Thanks for sharing the thread, Simon.

I remebered coming across articles where publishers claimed that they were pressured by Amazon to reduce their selling prices. MacMillan also had a price dispute with Amazon last year where some of their books were abruptly pulled from Amazon:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/30/te...azon.html?_r=1

I believe Amazon later succumbed to MacMillan's demands of setting higher prices, because it's a large publisher with strong bargaining power.

In any case, I think ebook prices would definitely be heading for a downward spiral from now, because of the competitive digital market. Most importantly, these online bookstores have granted independent authors and indie publishers an equal playground to effectively tap on the vast market. This would eventually eliminate a lot of middle tiers and distributors from the brick and mortar world, resulting in a lot of cost savings. The same thing happened to the music industry with the introduction of MP3 format and players, and I think the e-Reader would serve as the catalyst for the book industry.

Not to forget that ebooks also help save papers and environment. 99% of my books are collecting cobwebs and wasting storage space now haha, but I am somehow still a bit attached to give them away. Guess part of me is still old-school. But I wouldn't hesitate to delete a finished ebook from my Kindle, knowing well that a copy of it still lies in my PC, and I can always re-download purchased books from Amazon.

Re: Samsung Galaxy Tab vs. the iPad: Compare For Yourself
 

Exactly right - the IPAD is just to hard to stare at for long periods of time. I got one and ended up returning it and got the kindle. The kindle is perfect. {happy}

Re: Samsung Galaxy Tab vs. the iPad: Compare For Yourself
 

Hi, Floondor, and thank you for sharing your experience! It's helpful to hear from people who have really used these devices, not only looked at them in shops. :-)

Re: Samsung Galaxy Tab vs. the iPad: Compare For Yourself
 

Hi Floondor,

Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

I believe you must be residing in US, thus having the luxury of easily acquiring and returning such devices {wink}

For Malaysia, we don't usually get these devices during launch, and the enthusiasts mostly have to resort to the black market at a high price before they are officially released here - i.e. 4 months' wait for iPhone 4, 7 months' wait for iPad, and in the case of Kindles, 3 years and counting.

Any further tips or pointers that you can share with us on using the Kindle?

Re: Samsung Galaxy Tab vs. the iPad: Compare For Yourself
 

Check this out.. Charlene's Kindle has arrived!!

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._7994102_n.jpg

I believe Charlene's spending almost every moment of her waking hours fondling and harassing her Kindle. Let's wait for her to share her experience, once she is able to take her eyes off it and get back to the computer. I think she'd probably never read another ebook on her glaring computer screen again too haha.

Soon we'll have a little Kindle Club going hehe.. with 5 of us here now having Kindles (Charlene, Amanda, Simon, Michelle and me).. who knows, we might even be the "largest" Kindle gang in Malaysia {wink}

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Andy! I have to charge you for lifting my photo off my Facebook! "Fondling and harassing"?!?! {shy}

You're right I haven't read an ebook on the computer ever since the Kindle arrived 6 days ago. I'm helping to save so much electricity for the world by not turning on my computer so much these days. I found that I can actually go back to reading without any distraction, like in the old days when I was reading the print books. When I was reading on the computer, I'll have my email & facebook opened as well, so that was a bit of distraction.

I think the Kindle is great, better than iRiver or Hanlin, and other cap X brands which I've tested at Low Yat and Klang Parade. It does't tire the eyes out even after hours of reading. It's lighter than a book (or, in my case, 300 books!) and easy to carry around in my handbag.

The pages turn faster than the others. And only once, while totally absorbed in the book I was reading, did I forget and tried to turn the page like a real book. And also only once did I, after turning the page electronically, forget and look to the 'left page' to see the cover instead of a page. But those were times I was so engrossed in the book that I wouldn't have noticed if a war broke out in front of me. :)

And the speakers quality is not bad, either. I love that I could listen to music while I read all from the same device. :)

The browsing experience isn't that great, though. If I have to surf the net in a cybercafe, I'd rather use my mobile phone than the Kindle. It isn't easy to type a 'book'. It probably might be easier to type if I had removed the Kindle from its cover and held it like my mobile phone, but well, I didn't get the Kindle for browsing! :)

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Hi Charlene,

That is right - people nowadays suffer from attention deficit disorder, thanks to computers and mobile devices that distract them with multitasking, games and social networking. Kindle gives you back the focus, since it is good at one and only one thing!

Ya, you'll probably gradually forget that the Kindle is an electronic device after using it for a couple weeks. Now, it actually feels more "natural" and intuitive to me than a real book, which I often get frustrated as my thumb tries to look for the controller to navigate the cursor to words that I wanted to check the definitions for (yeah, I got bad vocab!).

Did you know that the Kindle's browser is labeled as "Experiemental" by Amazon? I think it must be one of the hardest browsers to use - painfully browsing in black & white with it is like eating your rice one grain at a time. Now imagine my Kindle 2, whose browser is many times worse! Then again, like you said, we can always resort to our smartphones to better serve that purpose.

You can try hooking your headphones to the Kindle - the sound quality would likely be better. Most mobile devices' built-in speakers are not that good.

In case you are not aware, you can also download some free games from the Kindle store, mostly word games I think, like Every Word and Shuffled Row.

Enjoy yourself with your new little green friend! {wink}

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Right. Fine. You all enjoy yourselves with your new little friends -- Charlene, Andy, Simon, & all you other people who have Kindles. I shall remain green with envy. {nah}

Why?

My Kindle will arrive at KLIA with an American friend exactly 1 hour before I depart from LCCT. In other words, I'll be en route to Indonesia while my Kindle comes to KL.

I know, I know. I've lived very many years without a Kindle. Surely I can survive one more week. But the suspense! It's too much!

Andy, is there any expiration date on the offer to join the first KL Kindle Users' Club? {cry2}

Re: Kindle & e-Book Reader Review
 

Aww... how unfortunate and coincidental, timed to such perfection like in the movies! {smile}

Then again, knowing AirAsia, your flight might just end up being delayed a few hours, and Prince Kindle might actually somehow appear before Princess Amanda's eyes at the very last moment in a cinematic reunion!

No worries Amanda, our secret Kindle Underground's door is always open for you. Just execute our sacred ritual of pushing your Kindle's power button and chanting "No Kindle, No Life!" will automatically qualify you for our covert fraternity.