Anyone have a Kindle?

[4jacks]

I seriously want one. I'm starting to read more now, and they just dropped the price to start at $140.
It's $140 for one with Wi-Fi but no 3G or $190 for one with Wi-Fi and 3G.
I also read on the review that internet on the kindle is in experimental stages.
I honestly think I just need the $140 model. Who cares about black and white internet? and I can always just plug the thing in at my house to download books. It's not like I need new books every day.

Relative to that. Heather and I have decided that if I want this I have to save up and buy. Let me tell you, I am 31 years old, I have never saved up and purchased anything! I've always wanted something and just went out and got it. Whether it was with cash I had or on credit. I never waited! So I think this experience will be good for me. My first lesson in Delayed Gratification.

So since Heather has gotten a job now, we agreed I can start with most of the money I have in Paypal (from selling junk) (I get 70% she gets 30% for mailing the junk) and the existing Amazon Credit I have earned (We have $47 amazon credit, I earned $37, she earned 10). Altogether I have a starter fund of $61.78.

So I'm going to try to start hitting this survey sites and swagbucks pretty hard to see if I can come up with the extra $78 quickly. Any suggestions? I've added blingo, but it seems pretty lame, like I could do it for months and never win a thing.

[KrozFan]

I have a kindle and it's awesome. In my opinion I'd stick with the Wi-Fi only version, the 3G isn't worth the extra $50. It's not quick enough to make me want to use the internet on it and I never travel so I'm not looking to buy books "on the go". It saves tons of space in my apartment considering I already have more than three bookshelfs worth of books.

One misconception people have is that books are 9.99. The New York best seller books are 9.99, others vary. Some are more and some are less. I have bought books at 9.99 even though I wasn't ready to read them yet, thinking they would go off the best seller and go up in price. I rarely buy books more than 9.99, I read other books I have and wait.

[pochax]

yeah, go wiFi only (3G is not really that fast - at least on my iPhone). interesting how these price wars are playing out...by the time you save up the money in a few weeks/months, check the price of the Barnes& Noble Nook (although i suppose Amazon credit won't work for that....forget that idea).

i believe this Fall or Xmas, HP and/or other parties should have their "iPad killers" on the market possible....these products will probably double as e-readers as well as internet surfing, and video playback at a substantial discount to the iPad (currently $499 in it's cheapest form) and likely on a color screen.

also, don't forget to account for the extra money you will need to pay for all those ebooks to download - that is what Amazon is counting on to make money off of you after the huge price cut!

[4jacks]

Yeah I did check out the online book prices. There's a lot of cool free books on there also.

[bob]

so, I have never really paid much attention to the Kindle because I don't do much in the way of ebooks, but tell me about the internet browser. You said it is in the experiment stages, so does anyone have any info on how well it works?

[4jacks]

I couldn't find any additional information on the browser.
The Amazon description page simply says
"New WebKit-Based Browser – Browse the web over Wi-Fi (experimental)"

I honestly don't think the browser can really be too good. The screen is black and white, with minimal graphic capabilities. It is probably going to take each web page and convert the text or something. I dunno, I just picture it getting really messed up.

BTW, the sold out of the $140 Kindle, they are now on Back Order. =(

[KrozFan]

so, I have never really paid much attention to the Kindle because I don't do much in the way of ebooks, but tell me about the internet browser. You said it is in the experiment stages, so does anyone have any info on how well it works?

It's slow. It handles wikipedia ok. it's one of the things they advertised at one point "go to wikipedia and look something up right from your kindle". You can highlight a word I think and select "look up in wikipedia". I'd rather use my blackberry though.

[pochax]

BTW, the sold out of the $140 Kindle, they are now on Back Order. =(

weren't you supposed to wait to save up for it anyways? maybe this is God's way of telling you that you need to wait.

[4jacks]

Yeah, but now I have to hurry and wait to wait.
I have to wait to get on the waiting list ... BAH

Hmmm... I wonder how much they want down to get on the waiting list.