My New Kindle and What I’ve Learned So Far
Here it is! The guys (yes, per my instructions, but–hey–subtlety is highly overrated)bought it, wrapped it, and presented it to me on my birthday! Let me tell you, that wrapping didn’t last long.
First thing I learned. I adore it!
I read two books on it over the weekend (hey, it was my birthday!), which pretty much verifies that this reading addict, at least, can feed her habit via paper or electronics.
Other things I’ve learned so far:
- You can take it in the bath. Carefully.
- Eoin Colfer’s final Artemis Fowl book, The Last Guardian, rocks the series.
- You can only loan a book out one time. Which means that Son and I got to read The Last Guardian on our own kindles, but–if/when Husband gets one, he won’t be able to. Because, you know, we never pass a print book around through the whole family. Yeah, right. I understand the business model the publishers are using, but…come on, guys! You’re really not going to get me to buy multiple copies. This, you could change.
- 40+ plus years of cleaning eyeglasses comes in handy for getting all those smudges off the Fire’s touch screen. Which, BTW, is bee-yoo-tiful!
- My dad told me that his kindle is lighter than the books he reads. Which I think means 1) Dad has a different Kindle than the Fire and/or 2) Dad buys bigger book or more hard-backs than I do.
- YOU CAN FREEZE THE SCREEN! You know, so when you’re reading in bed and you tilt the kindle sort of diagonally, the page doesn’t go all wonky and flip back and forth between portrait and landscape. Thanks to Son for this one.
- My library system doesn’t yet have enough Kindle books to make me giddy with delight. But I can be patient, because I love my library, as much or more as I love my Kindle. And, you know, there are still print books I can bring home. The nightstand shall not be empty.
- Apps. Not so much.
- You have to (sometimes?!) synchronize your Kindle after you download a book. It doesn’t always show up automatically. Then, again, sometimes it does. I can handle the confusion.
- The battery lasts a nice, long time, but not always long enough for…you know, a reading addict. And the charging cord they ship with the Kindle is just barely long enough.
- It drives my son nuts when I put down the Kindle without putting it to sleep. Driving my son nuts=just an added benefit, right?
Pretty much, all good. Pretty much, ALL GREAT. My cover is on the way, so any day now, Son and I can quit getting mixed up about whose is whose, and I’ll be able to prop the thing up in any orientation I want when I’m reading at the table. Which,you know, is a lot of the time.
What about you? Are you an e-reader owner yet? Fan? Not so much? Feel free to share your “learning points” in the comments!
beckylevine.com 
6 Comments
Sure does sound like a lot of fun. I am not on board yet. Someday. Just not in a hurry and besides I heard I’d have to spend money and my birthday is already over for this year.
Love your enthusiasm!
LikeLike
Believe me, I waited until I was definitely ready. And part of the enthusiasm is that, essentially, I have a new toy. Necessity? Nah. Although, it is a relief to not have to think about which books I would ultimately get rid of to make sense for new ones.
LikeLike
I have the Kindle touch, and I adore it, too. I think it’s lighter than the Fire. It is very light. On my trip last week I read one print book (during various take off and landing times when you can’t use devices) and four (one more of a short story) on the Kindle. So nice not to have to bring books, and I have a nice little light for reading in bed. I do agree with you that it would be nice for the library systems to offer more books on Kindle. But I think it’s coming… And I had a neat thing where I tweeted about getting Nothing but Ghosts from my library on Kindle, and reading it, and apparently brightened Beth Kephart’s day (seeing one of her older books mentioned). So that was fun.
LikeLike
I really like the idea of not having to tote EXTRA books that you MIGHT need if you get stuck in an airport, or start one that doesn’t grab you, or find out you already read one and remember all of it…you just get near wifi and download another!
LikeLike
I’m commenting using my nook tablet, which I’ve had since Christmas. I love it! I spend way too much time using it. I buy way too many books for it. I play way too much Scrabble on it. I use it for facebook. I use it for email. I read on it til I’m cross-eyed. And then I keep on reading. I think I may need an intervention soon. I really should get back to writing…but I have all this great reading material right here in my hot little hands. Open with a single tap.
Be careful, Becky. Be very, very careful with your magic reading device. It will suck out your soul.
LikeLike
I know, I know. I’m trying to keep most apps/email stuff strictly to my Blackberry (and my desktop and my laptop)! I wanted the internet access–that’s why I waited for the Fire, but I’m trying to keep it mostly for reading and a little bit of handy, hey-I-can-get-on-the-Web from here. And, nah–it’s going to FEED my soul. With more books, and maybe even some that stretch my reading habits a bit.
LikeLike