Tech: Kindle e-book Reader

Subject: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 03 Nov 11 - 02:59 PM

The other day I bought a Kindle. As far as I can make out it needs a wi-fi connection to download books on to it from the Amazon website. I've got wi-fi on my desktop and finally got the Kindle to connect to it. Of course I'd forgotten my wi-fi password and had to do a bit of pratting about in order to find that - but, eventually, got it all working.

Generally I'm pleased with the reader - particularly when I found that I could get Jack Vance's brilliant 'Lyonesse' fantasy trilogy for £12:99 (c.f. £25 in hard back).

Anyway, the problem is that the wi-fi connection is intermittent. The little signal strength indicator in the top right hand corner of the screen is often greyed out, and then I can't connect to Amazon. I should add that at these times my laptop connects without any problems - even when it's in a different part of the house.

Has anyone had this problem? Do I just have to put up with it?

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: Greg F.
Date: 03 Nov 11 - 03:10 PM

No, you don'thave to put up with it- buy the book.

Then you won't need wi-fi, electricity, battery chargers & all the rest - hey, go green & reduce your energy use footprint! -wch are probably costing you more than the paper versions would anyway.

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 03 Nov 11 - 03:16 PM

Paper? transport?

Dunno really

L in C#

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: Sir Roger de Beverley
Date: 03 Nov 11 - 03:46 PM

I got a kindle given for Christmas last year and have had no problems with it at all. If you have problem with the wifi you can opt to download to your computer when you buy the books and then use the cable to transfer to the kindle from there.

I still buy and borrow as many books as ever but have been using the kindle to read loads of classics, such as Dickens, which are free.

Roger

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Nov 11 - 04:48 PM

Your Kindle is acting oddly-- return & exchange.

Two in this household-- always show great signal, sometimes stronger than the laptop shows, even at campgrounds with weak/faraway transmitters.

~S~

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Nov 11 - 05:01 PM

You might be interested in this review of recent Amazon activity, including Amazon Prime and Kindle ownership. It's by The New York Times tech reviewer David Pogue.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 03 Nov 11 - 05:13 PM

I have just ordered a new Sony reader. Can't stand Amazon, and their attempts at world domination

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 03 Nov 11 - 05:14 PM

I just got one and you can use the cable to connect and get stuff, but it seems that something is wrong there.

ANyway, they are great. THey are $80 now at Amazon in US. They have little advertisements on when you turn off the KIndle but not when you are reading.

There is a way to get to Google etc..but not great...

Anyway, tons of free books out there. Great for reading on the bus or waiting for a meal etc. mg

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: Kim C
Date: 03 Nov 11 - 05:19 PM

I'm not keen on all this electrical gadgetry but I have to admit I have my eye on the Kindle Fire.

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Nov 11 - 05:25 PM

I gather that a Kindle Fire does the job of both a tablet and an e-book. If that's correct, it sounds tempting.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: EBarnacle
Date: 03 Nov 11 - 05:57 PM

If it works as a tablet as well as being an e-reader, great. If not, get the tablet or a mini laptop. Most of the e-readers are just crippled tablets with a couple of features to make them more acceptable.

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: Tootler
Date: 03 Nov 11 - 06:03 PM

Have you tried restarting your router?

I find sometimes I can't get a connection on my Kindle or my phone even though my laptop says plenty of signal. The problem usually is other users' routers in the area competing for the channels and even though the router is set to automatically look for a free channel, sometimes it doesn't. Restarting the router usually does the trick in those circumstances.

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: Will Fly
Date: 03 Nov 11 - 06:05 PM

The Kindle's fine. I've had one since July and it's very handy. And I still buy books - which use trees, chemicals and electricity to produce - and had my latest book delivered to me this morning (Anthony Horowitz's "The House of Silk").

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: EBarnacle
Date: 03 Nov 11 - 06:07 PM

Joe, I just checked your link and I believe that, while it can handle e-mail, it does not seem to allow in-computer work such as word processing.

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 03 Nov 11 - 07:43 PM

Thanks Tootler - I'll try that.

"No, you don'thave to put up with it- buy the book."

Yes, Greg F - that's what I've been doing for years, and now I've got a house which is groaning under the weight of books!

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: Greg F.
Date: 03 Nov 11 - 08:29 PM

Well, keep it up, Shimrod, with my blessings. Trees/paper are renewable resources; electricity is not while paper is recyclable.

Your "Kindle" most certainly is not recyclable, and it contains all manner of toxics and heavy metals to boot. And it uses non-renewable resources to function.

Past time to break the addiction to elerctonic gadgetry that consists of a solution in search of a problem.

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 04 Nov 11 - 05:20 AM

Thanks for the lecture, Greg! I'm just off to clothe myself in re-cyclable sackcloth and to pour renewable ashes on my head.

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 04 Nov 11 - 05:22 AM

Wot Sir Roger said. Our house is full of books & I borrow a lot from the library but to get all Trollope, Rider Haggard etc for pence is great. I'll probably only buy new books for holiday reading, the price is the same but the weight and space saved wil be important. The cover with light is very useful. I'm re-reading Jerome K. Jerome at bedtime at the moment without disturbing She who must be obeyed (apart from the laughing).
RtS

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: WindhoverWeaver
Date: 04 Nov 11 - 05:30 AM

Greg, I don't know where you live, but it must be somewhere very special if you have paper mills that don't use electricity or chemicals, printers that don't either, and have a distribution system for physical books that doesn't run on petrol or electricity!

The kindle, unlike laptops and pads, doesn't actually use any electricity for the display once the page is showing which is why it can run for over a month on a single charge. I strongly suspect its environmental impact on the planet is less than the production and distribution of a few thousand books.

My only problem with ours is that when I PDF'd my song collection and sent them to it, the screen is too small to see a whole song at a text size I can see while playing, but that is more just me getting old.

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: Silas
Date: 04 Nov 11 - 05:39 AM

If I may put in tuppennorth about the Kindle. It is NOT a tablet or an email system, it is simply a reader, and a damned good one it is too. Its major plus points are its phenomenal battery life, I use mine every day and only need to charge it up once a month, and the other thing is that it is not backlit. This means you can read it in full sunshine, just like a 'real' book. It is cheap and reliable. I can download a book in seconds; there are thousands of free books out there as well. It is easier to hold than a book, some of these epic long books can be a pain to read in bed, kindle is a joy. Environmentally it is the obvious choice, but does it replace the printed book? Well, no, of course not, but you have a lightweight pad that can carry literally thousands of books on it, its great for when you go on holiday.

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 04 Nov 11 - 06:02 AM

It's been downhill ever since them damn Neolithic farmers got going. The Kindle is just another step on the road to further damnation!

But great for taking books when travelling and re-reading especially non-fiction

L in C#

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: Michael
Date: 04 Nov 11 - 06:37 AM

Tell me about it Les, first the flint axe then that bloody wheel thing, who knows where it'll end?

Mike
PS
Tried to light a fire with one of those Kindle thing, didn't work

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 04 Nov 11 - 06:54 AM

xlnt Mike! Old stone age caused enough trouble but those bl**dy farmers and there fancy tools

Les

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 04 Nov 11 - 08:51 AM

Save a tree
Use IT

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 04 Nov 11 - 04:20 PM

I can't help but notice that Greg F., who has made me wear this damned itchy, re-cyclable sackcloth (scratch, scratch!), had to use a computer in order to interact with me in the first place! This suggests to me that you are also susceptible to 'Devil's devices', Greg? Perhaps we should exchange tips on self-mortification?

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: Greg F.
Date: 04 Nov 11 - 04:42 PM

We're all susceptible, Shim, and I'm not a disciple of General Ludd, but sometimes technocrats produce solutions in search of problems. Then there are the worshippers of technology who produce/purchase gadgets just because they can - whether they actually provide a positive benefit or not.

Just suggesting that things should be kept in perspective.

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 04 Nov 11 - 04:43 PM

Help save the world. Don't learn to read.

Subject: RE: Tech: Kindle e-book Reader
From: Greg F.
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 09:20 AM

The world is lost, then - U.S. High Schools are turning illiterates out by the thousands, if not millions.

Despite (because of?) the increasing over-application of techy-toys to education.