Kindle Keyboard 3G

[Venus Pax]

I posted awhile back inquiring about the Kindle Fire. I've read reviews on it since it's been out, and I've decided against it.
I don't think it will do all that I want it to do while keeping me true to my more frugal lifestyle. (I think the ipad rocks, but I would probably go into shock if that much money left my bank account for a frivilous item.)

I'm comparing Amazon's readers (books are my primary reason for wanting one of these devices anyway). They seem a great little tool for the price, but I have a few questions for some of you that are more frugally-minded and/or tech-savvy:

There are two 3G Kindle Keyboards: one sells for $139, the other at $189. It seems I've read that the $50 price difference allows Amazon to advertise on the cheaper option. Is this true? If so, how much does it alter the reading experience?

It mentions the use of facebook and twitter, but is vague. What is this experience like? Would I be able to access fb in a way that a laptop or tablet/smart phone would allow?

Does anyone make regular use of the public library (specifically Harris County's library system)? If so, do you find a fair amount of electronic materials?

Any other information you have, and your personal take on it.. please share!!

ETA: I would like to load a Bible onto it for use during church. Would I be able to insert my own notes and highlight like on the ipad, or merely read? Would it allow me to easily turn to different books and verses?

[Divided Attention]

I have a Kindle gen 2. I am far from being a techno geek, but do enjoy it! I have a Bible, Small Catechism, my current Bible study and a Devotional and several books at a time of course, a couple free games (like hang man and word search and boggle type word games). I have not used mine to "surf" the net as I don't want the extra fees. Hubby and I both have one, share and account so we can share books. I don't think our version allows us to borrow from the library, but I do know both Harris and Montgomery county libraries have more and more electronic materials all the time. Also finding more and more college texts available in e-formats

Hubby and I have different versions of the Bible. Learning the search function was the hardest, but I love being able to keep notes, highlight sections, and keep a running list of favorite verses. Easy to tote too and from, and love being able to look up unfamiliar words in books just by clicking on them. I have to say my favorite function has to be the ability to make the font larger as when I take my glasses off I can read comfortably.

I know this wasn't specifically your question, but I hope this helps a little.

ETA - we have had ours for 2 years now.... the newer versions are even "neater".

[Venus Pax]

Thank you for replying. I'm leaning heavily on getting one.

Do you know if this is a third generation or second generation Kindle? And how do you knwo the difference? They aren't advertised/labeled by their generation.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HZ ... tripe_kk3g" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Thomas]

Divided Attention: I don't think you have to have a Kindle to read books from the Public Library, just Kindle software.

Venus Pax: The link you posted to is the 3rd generation. Each generation looks different. Wikipedia has pictures and descriptions of the different generations.

You asked if the Special Offers alters the reading experience. I have a third generation wi-fi only with special offers. It is not intrusive. Normally the screensaver is a picture of a dead author, with Speical Offers, you see an ad instead. Also, at the bottom of the home screen (where it lists the books/files) there is an mini ad, kind of like a banner. That annoys me just a little, but when you select your book/file and are reading it, you don't see any ads. What I did, is I reset the Kindle so the ads were gone, and I've never connected it to the Internet. Since I just transfer my books via USB, it never downloads ads, so it's like I have the one without Special Offers. Since I have a smart phone with Internet, I don't really need to use the Internet on the Kindle. It is also possible to hack it to show customer screensavers. The instructions for the Kindle withOUT special offers is easily available, but it is very difficult to find instructions on how to hack the one with special offers because these hackers have a conscience (don't confuse "hackers" with "malicious crackers").

I don't know anything about using facebook or twitter with it. At the end of the book though, there is an option where you can share the fact that you read it or something. I think you have to set up either twitter or facebook for that.

You also asked for personal takes. I bought mine before this past summer because I was going to be away from civilization and have a lot of free time. I'm glad I bought it. I've bought a few books from Amazon, and I've gotten a few from services like http://lendle.me and http://booklending.com With those services, you are borrowing the book for two weeks from another Kindle user that bought the book. I'm not sure if it's illegal to remove the DRM from those books so you can keep them forever (longer than 2 weeks), so I won't go into that. Some people also get books illegally via bittorrent.

During the summer, I read my Kindle at night with a ballcap with built-in LEDs. I've done that occasionally at home since then. I'm disappointed that there is no backlight option (with a switch). I've also tried searching the internet to see if anyone hacked a backlight into their Kindle, but no such luck. If I got hold of a dead/broken Kindle, I would take it apart and try putting in an aftermarket backlight.

There is a free piece of software called Calibre that many people use kind of like iTunes but for ebooks.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

[The Annoyed Man]

(I think the ipad rocks, but I would probably go into shock if that much money left my bank account for a frivilous item.)

It all comes down to what you can justify. I refrained from buying an iPad for a long time until I could justify it for business reasons. Do I use it for nonbusiness purposes sometimes? Sure I do. Some of my posts on this board were made from my iPad, and my Bible and journaling are on it. But, I do use it for business reasons all the time, including the use of the Kindle app for buying and reading books about self-improvement from a business perspective. I'm currently reading "EntreLeadership" by Dave Ramsey in my Kindle app. But I also use it for website demos to prospective clients, word processing, spreadsheets, and powerpoint; managing email, and a lot of other things where I don't necessarily require enough computing power or screen-size to lug around a laptop.

You're absolutely right that the iPad is an extravagance if all you're going to do is read books. But I've found that it doesn't have to be just a toy, and there are legitimate business reasons for having one.

[WildBill]

A friend of my uses one of these. He calls it his "GreenBerry."

[Thomas]

Today through Wednesday, Best Buy has the Kindle Keyboard 3G with special offers for $89.99

(at least in the north Houston area where this ad is from)

That is a great price IMO

EDIT: once for spacing, second time for first editing reason.

[hpcatx]

There are two 3G Kindle Keyboards: one sells for $139, the other at $189. It seems I've read that the $50 price difference allows Amazon to advertise on the cheaper option. Is this true? If so, how much does it alter the reading experience?

My understanding is that the "special offers" (ads) are displayed only on the index pages and on the screen when powered off and do not interrupt the actual reading of an article or book. I don't have any first hand experience with it, as I purchased the one without ads well before the option was available.

It mentions the use of facebook and twitter, but is vague. What is this experience like? Would I be able to access fb in a way that a laptop or tablet/smart phone would allow?

It is VERY limited. While I use those services all the time on my phone, iPad, etc., I've never tried on the Kindle. First, the built in integration in not on the same level of a dedicated app; I've only seen options to post to Twitter and Facebook upon completion of a piece of media or for each story when reading a newspaper. I've never even tried to use the browser to hit those sites directly, but I would imagine it to be a painful experience. I strictly keep to reading with my Kindle and absolutely love it. If you're looking for a budget iPad, this is not it.

Does anyone make regular use of the public library (specifically Harris County's library system)? If so, do you find a fair amount of electronic materials?

In addition to local resources, you may want to checkout Amazon Prime if you already subscribe. (Two years ago, we ordered from Amazon. When factoring the cost of shipping or purchasing locally, it cost effective to sign up for Prime and we have continued to be hooked.) Amazon has recently announced/launched a limited lending library for Prime subscribers. I would need to check it out more, but even through there is a peppering of some good titles in what I've seen, the breath of the selection is somewhat limited.

ETA: I would like to load a Bible onto it for use during church. Would I be able to insert my own notes and highlight like on the ipad, or merely read? Would it allow me to easily turn to different books and verses?

You can do some highlighting note-taking, but it's not as smooth an experience as on the iPad. Since I don't do it frequently, I find the process tedious. However, I'm sure that if you did it a few times, you could get pretty proficient at both making the annotation and reviewing saved ones.

The navigation in jumping to sub-divisions in books (or any of the media) is specific to that item. Some books have no table of contents at all, some have wonderful sub-chapter topic headings to which you can jump. The nice thing is that you can download a sample and Amazon has so many reviews that someone surely would have complained -- so you'll know before your download.

You're absolutely right that the iPad is an extravagance if all you're going to do is read books. But I've found that it doesn't have to be just a toy, and there are legitimate business reasons for having one.

I totally agree. However, in terms of emulating the book reading experience (in terms of size, weight, screen, and battery life) I pick up my Kindle to read a book or periodical any day over my iPad.

Today through Wednesday, Best Buy has the Kindle Keyboard 3Gwith special offers for $89.99

That should make the decision easy!

Edited: Updated the information about the special offers when the unit is turned off.

[Thomas]

Does anyone make regular use of the public library (specifically Harris County's library system)? If so, do you find a fair amount of electronic materials?

In addition to local resources, you may want to checkout Amazon Prime if you already subscribe. (Two years ago, we ordered from Amazon. When factoring the cost of shipping or purchasing locally, it cost effective to sign up for Prime and we have continued to be hooked.) Amazon has recently announced/launched a limited lending library for Prime subscribers. I would need to check it out more, but even through there is a peppering of some good titles in what I've seen, the breath of the selection is somewhat limited.

With Prime membership and Kindle hardware only, you can borrow a book for free (I think just for two weeks). Limited to one borrow per month. This is the URL which has all the books you can borrow for free:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/rh=n%3A ... A618073011

ETA: I would like to load a Bible onto it for use during church. Would I be able to insert my own notes and highlight like on the ipad, or merely read? Would it allow me to easily turn to different books and verses?

You can do some highlighting note-taking, but it's not as smooth an experience as on the iPad. Since I don't do it frequently, I find the process tedious. However, I'm sure that if you did it a few times, you could get pretty proficient at both making the annotation and reviewing saved ones.

Highlighting and adding notes on the Kindle Keyboard is pretty easy IMO.

Today through Wednesday, Best Buy has the Kindle Keyboard 3Gwith special offers for $89.99

That should make the decision easy!

I just bought two of them
One as a gift, and one for me. Since I used a case with my Kindle Wi-Fi with Special Offers, it is in immaculate condition and I think I can get a good price for it.

BTW, the ad said minimum 5 per store, I just bought two from the store in Conroe, TX and they have at least 10 more as of half an hour ago.

[Venus Pax]

Today through Wednesday, Best Buy has the Kindle Keyboard 3Gwith special offers for $89.99

That should make the decision easy!

I just bought two of them
One as a gift, and one for me. Since I used a case with my Kindle Wi-Fi with Special Offers, it is in immaculate condition and I think I can get a good price for it.

BTW, the ad said minimum 5 per store, I just bought two from the store in Conroe, TX and they have at least 10 more as of half an hour ago.

You just bought two at the $89.99 price? If so, I will be running to Target today. I thought this was a doorbuster deal. I sort of got burnt by Target a few years ago with regard to a doorbuster deal. They had Chi irons in limited quantities. I was one of the first through the doors, but they had about six or eight Chi irons and by the time I located them the last one had been taken. There was a person that walked into that aisle just ahead of me, and several people that walked up behind me.
I'm afraid the Kindle will be the same way.... if I don't know exactly where it's located, I may as well not go.

[Thomas]

Today through Wednesday, Best Buy has the Kindle Keyboard 3Gwith special offers for $89.99

That should make the decision easy!

I just bought two of them
One as a gift, and one for me. Since I used a case with my Kindle Wi-Fi with Special Offers, it is in immaculate condition and I think I can get a good price for it.

BTW, the ad said minimum 5 per store, I just bought two from the store in Conroe, TX and they have at least 10 more as of half an hour ago.

You just bought two at the $89.99 price? If so, I will be running to Target today. I thought this was a doorbuster deal. I sort of got burnt by Target a few years ago with regard to a doorbuster deal. They had Chi irons in limited quantities. I was one of the first through the doors, but they had about six or eight Chi irons and by the time I located them the last one had been taken. There was a person that walked into that aisle just ahead of me, and several people that walked up behind me.
I'm afraid the Kindle will be the same way.... if I don't know exactly where it's located, I may as well not go.

Yep, I bought both for the $89.99 price. This is at Best Buy right now (you mentioned Target?). I would call the Best Buy before you leave the house so you don't drive there for nothing. I just did a quick search on a Black Friday website, and apparently Target will have the same Kindle for $85. I recommend not waiting in line at a dark hour with hundreds of people for the chance to save $5. If you really want it, go buy it now at Best Buy. Of course, I would not buy their "extended protection" or whatever they try to shill at the check-out counter.

[n5wd]

Does anyone make regular use of the public library (specifically Harris County's library system)? If so, do you find a fair amount of electronic materials?

According to a search I just did, the Harris County Public Library is part of the OverDrive system of libraries. The Overdrive software manages the rights (DRM - digital rights management) for Epub (Adobe e-pub format) and audiobooks. It's available on I-devices (Iphone, Ipad, etc.), Windows, Android (limited implementation) and will work without extra software on the Kindle, Nook, or Sony e-readers (in other words, once you get the file there, the e-readers can read the book while it's "checked out" to you - usually in 7, 14, or 21 day increments).

We had a 2nd gen Kindle that my wife, for whatever reason, never took to. It had the 3G delivery of purchases from Amazon, and I had (and still do have) the Kindle software on my Iphone, so we could both access our purchases. She wanted something a little more, so last summer, when she was faced with being laid up for a while with knee replacement surgery, I bought her a Color Nook from Barnes and Noble. Liked it so much I got one for myself. It does web browsing, has limited email functionality that we've never worried about, and it'll read the Epub files that I download from the Fort Worth Library with the Overdrive software (you'll find it's the largest library software system out there), and then can copy the Epubs to my/or her Nook. We very rarely purchase new books from Barnes and Noble - sometimes will still purchase a discounted or free book from Amazone on my Iphone (still use that at work and on-the-go) since it's always with me.

Kindles aren't the only thing out there - do yourself a favor an look at the Nooks, as well.

Wayne

[Venus Pax]

I purchased a Kindle Keyboard 3G (with limited offers) this afternoon from Best Buy, at Thomas's recommendation. I've been playing with it much of the afternoon/evening.
So far, I have purchased a Bible ($2), downloaded a free classic book from Amazon, checked out a book from Harris County's library (thank you, n5wd), and have set up some categories to keep it organized.
I love the e-ink. I didn't think this would be a big deal, but I like that I can keep reading w/o eye strain, and that it looks so much like paper.
Based on what I've read online, my Bible should index within several hours, and this will allow me to quickly go to books, chapters and verses quickly in church.
It's definitely not an ipad, but it also doesn't promise to be. It's simply a book, and it appears to do a stellar job at being a book. (The Annoyed Man, I hope I wasn't conveying that I think all ipad purchasers are being frivilous--I can see where it would serve professionally. It would simply be an entertainment purchase for me. I may still get one in the distant future.)

I have the with special offers edition. I've always been good at ignoring advertisements online anyway, and do not have a problem with them. The screensaver is an ad, and there is a small scroll ad at the bottom when I'm looking at my lists. Ads do not show up while reading.
Personally, I think it was well worth the regular price of $139, and that's coming from someone who tends to hold onto money rather than spend it. (I actually purchased this with some birthday money I was given in September.) Getting it for under $100 (that's including taxes) was l'anniappe!!

[Skiprr]

Personally, I think it was well worth the regular price of $139, and that's coming from someone who tends to hold onto money rather than spend it. (I actually purchased this with some birthday money I was given in September.) Getting it for under $100 (that's including taxes) was l'anniappe!!

And because of you, I bought one myself.

Amazon needs to give you a finder's fee!

[gigag04]

Used iPad?