I Heart Kindle

I got my Kindle delivered last week and I love it. I think that everyone who reads should own one.

I hesitated on the purchase for abit because there were rumors of a new one coming out for Christmas. But Amazon spokesperson and the CEO himself said no and I believed it. Plus, I wanted the original one anyway. I adore originals. They are clunky and have kinks. They are not perfect but they are the first attempt at something new. They will be museum pieces. I know that a few years from now, people will have a better model with all the kinks worked out and more slick. But it will be more sanitary. The original NYC subway car had a carpet and a chandelier. There was humanity in it (beauty and imperfections). The new cars became tin cans with wheels (no chandelier). Same with planes but with wings (no more baby Steinways on board en route to and from Vegas.) There's something endearing about a progenitor. The first of its kind.

What I like about my Kindle:
1) It's snow white. It something that looks like it was chipped off one of the spaceships in 2001: Space Oddysey. It looks very futuristic;
2) Countering the space form though is the screen that looks like an etchasketch. It's grey and kindda ugly. It has no backlight either. It's beauty meets the beast. I like that. Put it another way, it's like Napoleon and Josephine;
3) Once you start reading, one does indeed disappear into the book. The digital ink is crisp and it sucks you right into the reading. It's absorbing;
4) I love turning the pages. You just click on one of the sidebar buttons and within a second, a new page appears. So cool. None of that old page turning by hand stuff;
5) Most books can be bought for less than $3.50. In fact, most books (except the new best sellers) are less than a dollar. New books are mostly $9.99. No delivery charge and no taxes;
6) Books are wirelessly delivered to the Kindle in your hand in less than a minute. I downloaded Tristam Shandy (and Middlemarch) in less than a minute;
7) There is no wireless monthly charge ever. The wireless is included in the purchase price for life;
8) You can sample the book before you buy it or not. The first chapter can be had for free with a click of a button. Downloads wirelessly in less than 10 seconds;
9) You can look up a definition with 2 clicks right then and there while you read. You can highlight and archive the clippings and print them out later or email them;
10) Kindle is exactly the size of a DVD case and weighs in perfectly at 10 ounces. It fits perfectly in my jacket like a softcover book. But I can carry an entire library. It's good to go.

Now, not all books are available yet on the Kindle. But I already have downloaded enough great books (10 in all) and pages (probably 5,000+ pages) that by the time I get through them all, many many more books should be available on Kindle. As for the books that I enjoyed, I plan to buy a hard copy for my library. So that I can see them and share with friends.

I enjoy my Kindle more than my iPod Nano. Wow.

Btw, got it for $309 vs. $359 based on a Oprah promo. that lasted one week. Prior to that I tried Craigslist for 2 weeks and none showed up and tried eBay too. Kindles on eBay were going for more than $359. Idiots.