Friday, November 30, 2007
Pogue on Kindle
David Pogue reviews the Amazon Kindle. He confirms many of the impressions I'd gotten, for example that the was a bad idea to make the Next Page button be the whole of the right edge of the device. Sure, make it easy to hit, but also make it easy to avoid when you want. But he also confirms my suspicion that the thing has the rudiments really right.
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16 comments:
David Pogue always makes me go a big rubbery one.
Did you order one already? It would be interesting to get your comments on it.
Yeah.
It has not shipped yet.
I'm not expecting it to rock my world, since the Net connection won't work over here.
The only long-term downside is that if this technology becomes the norm - printed books might one day be as expensive to produce as they were before that crazy kraut Gutenberg. It might end up that the rich will be filling their libraries with printed books while the plebs are using more and more sophisticated versions of Kindle. Personally I like that a printed book doesn't require a power source and, as Pogue said, "their file format will still be readable 200 years from now."
There is that.
I think though that there will always remain quite a bit of printed material.
It could end up like Star Trek, where most stuff is read on PADs and only something really special would be printed - like whatever that book McCoy gave Kirk was in Star Blech II, or Picard's copy of Shakespeare's plays.
TTL,
I also ordered a big rubbery one myself, but there are some difficulties getting it through Lebanese customs.
Philistines. ;-)
Eolake said: "I'm not expecting it to rock my world, since the Net connection won't work over here."
I'm not sure I would even use the net connection if I had a Kindle (and the connection worked). After all, how often do you need to download new reading material? It takes a long time to read just one book. Can't you wait until you get near your computer, and then maybe download a couple books at the same time?
In my view, the main advantage of the device is its ability to pack many books for reading in a small container that weighs very little.
However, I'm waiting for the 2.0 version. Or maybe a steampunk mod or something. I wan't mine leather-backed.
Pascal said: "I also ordered a big rubbery one myself, but there are some difficulties getting it through Lebanese customs."
Oh, is it a requisite for participating in this community, The Order of the Eo? Is the Big E about to release some important communications only readable with this device? Poor me. :-(
"Philistines. ;-)"
That's what they say.
Good points. But the coolness factor is boosted by instant gratification, and anywhere access to text based web sites, and perhaps the automatic updating of full newspapers and mags.
I forgot about the automatic updating of full newspapers and mags. That is novel, indeed.
As to reading the web with it, why bother? It will be slow, colourless, and difficult to use (no easy way to point and click). For web on-the-go, the iPod Touch seems far superior in my opinion.
updating of full newspapers and mags.
I'd have to check, but I think Pogue said that your daily New York Times (or whatever) would be sans ads and comics. No comics? No thanks!
People keep stealing my lingo. I know what you mean, though, Sarge. If I'm honest, it's the comics I go for first - though why, these days, I don't know (because they're so crappy, at least round these parts).
"The main advantage of the device is its ability to pack many books for reading in a small container that weighs very little."
Then again, maybe the simple laptop will become the norm. It's like a reasonably-sized book, and can do lots of other stuff too...
"I wan't mine leather-backed."
:-)
Oh, how I understand the feeling!
Leather's even more pleasant than rubber.
That just makes me go a big leathery one.
A big leathery one is what you get from too much nude sunbathing.
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