# Do I want a Kindle yet? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 28, 2010, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-want-a-kindle-yet/526704 "2010-01-28T00:32:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![sevenwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@sevenwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sevenwood)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-want-a-kindle-yet/526704/61 "2010-01-30T16:45:29Z")
> [@Zoe](#): > > One news report that I heard said that Amazon sold more Kindle books this Christmas than print books. That’s correct, but with one very big clarification - Amazon sold more Kindle books than print books **on Christmas day** this year. That’s because of two factors: 1. Most folks don’t purchase print books on Christmas day. They’re mostly still unwrapping and reading the print books they got for Christmas. 2. On the other hand, virtually everyone who got a Kindle for Christmas unwrapped it on Christmas day - and promptly logged onto the online Amazon store and purchased an e-book for it as a test. That’s certainly true in the case of my wife and her new Kindle. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-want-a-kindle-yet/526704/62 "2010-01-30T19:42:46Z")
> [@LH75](#): > > Like friend Tully Mars, I have a Sony PRS 505. I have all of my downloaded books on my computer. I have purchase a few , but there are many sites online that offer free ebooks. How does a Kindle deal with non-Amazon content? It has no problem reading them, assuming they’re in a format that the Kindle can read. If you e-mail them to Amazon they’ll transfer them to the Kindle over the wireless connection for a fee (it used to be 10 cents, I don’t know if it’s 10 or 15 cents now), or you can copy it onto the Kindle directly via the USB connection or the SD card (for the original Kindle). ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-want-a-kindle-yet/526704/63 "2010-01-30T19:46:05Z")
> [@Tully\_Mars](#): > > The books you purchase from Amazon are loaded into flash ROM on the Kindle. **However, that’s the only copy of the file you have.** Should your Kindle die, Amazon maintains the database information of which books you’ve purchased and will allow you to download them to a new Kindle. > > That’s a great plan - as long as Amazon stays in business. > > The plus side of that is that Amazon is doing your backups for you. (Bolding mine) No, not really. I mean, by default, maybe, but there’s absolutely no problem copying the files off the Kindle to your computer – or doing what I do and downloading the book from Amazon to the computer FIRST and loading them to the Kindle from there. (I only turn on the wireless feature if I’m out and about and want to buy a book, so usually it’s easier for me to load it from the computer than to wait a couple minutes for the Kindle to receive it.) It’s a system that gives you more options, not fewer, than other book readers. ETA: And now, with the Kindle for PC app and the upcoming Kindle for Mac app, you can read your books on a normal computer also. ---
**Author:** ![Tully\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ab992/32.png) [@Tully\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tully_Mars)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-want-a-kindle-yet/526704/64 "2010-01-30T20:40:00Z")
> [@chorpler](#): > > (Bolding mine) > > – or doing what I do and downloading the book from Amazon to the computer FIRST and loading them to the Kindle from there. I didn’t know you could do that with the Kindle. Thanks for the information. That approach seems a little smarter to me. I know cloud computing is the wave of the future, but can’t help but be reminded of how often work comes to screeching halt at my job because certain files are only available on network storage and the network is down. Or, how occasionally I need to pay bills online and the bank is offline. So, I still like the idea of having my own backup copy of music and books. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-want-a-kindle-yet/526704/65 "2010-01-30T20:48:14Z")
> [@Tully\_Mars](#): > > I didn’t know you could do that with the Kindle. Thanks for the information. That approach seems a little smarter to me. > > I know cloud computing is the wave of the future, but can’t help but be reminded of how often work comes to screeching halt at my job because certain files are only available on network storage and the network is down. Or, how occasionally I need to pay bills online and the bank is offline. So, I still like the idea of having my own backup copy of music and books. Yeah, exactly, I don’t think we’re quite there yet. Heck, I don’t trust anybody to be available all the time, even a big place like Amazon, which is why I only buy files that are either DRM-free or can have the DRM stripped. Fortunately, Amazon’s ebooks qualify. I just wish somebody would figure out how to allow proper DRM-free backup of Sony’s books too… ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-want-a-kindle-yet/526704/66 "2010-01-30T22:12:39Z")
Anybody know which e-book reader would work best in terms of access to English language content for a world traveler? Places I am likely to be sent to: Malaysia/Singapore Korea China Russia Ireland I don’t read much at home, but when on foreign assignments, I read a lot. No friends to hang with, no TV I can understand, etc. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-want-a-kindle-yet/526704/67 "2010-01-30T22:23:34Z")
> [@Kevbo](#): > > Anybody know which e-book reader would work best in terms of access to English language content for a world traveler? > > Places I am likely to be sent to: > Malaysia/Singapore > Korea > China > Russia > Ireland > > I don’t read much at home, but when on foreign assignments, I read a lot. No friends to hang with, no TV I can understand, etc. I know the Irish talk a bit funny, but they do speak English for the most part. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-want-a-kindle-yet/526704/68 "2010-01-30T22:34:57Z")
I didn’t see an answer to the OP’s question about the keyboard. It’s for searching the Amazon bookstore. Type in an author or title and Amazon shows you what they have available. My wife and I both have one and love them. You can now flip the page to horizontal, although I don’t know what the advantage would be; perhaps for better graphics display. One word of advice: if you buy a Kindle or any other reader, make sure you also buy a carrier for it that has a bit of padding. First time you get up too quickly and dump it on the floor without protection will likely put you back in the market for a new reader. ---
**Author:** ![JCorre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3da27b/32.png) [@JCorre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JCorre)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2010, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-want-a-kindle-yet/526704/69 "2010-02-01T20:58:33Z")
Can anyone tell me when we’ll have the Patrick O’Brian series in kindle format??? ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-want-a-kindle-yet/526704/70 "2010-02-02T00:23:39Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > I know the Irish talk a bit funny, but they do speak English for the most part. Indeed, but does the e-reader require network support that doesn’t exist in that country? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-want-a-kindle-yet/526704/71 "2010-02-02T00:38:03Z")
Here’s the [map](http://client0.cellmaps.com/tabs.html#cellmaps_intl_tab) of Kindle global coverage. Looks like you’re pretty well covered when trying to download a new book while traveling. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-want-a-kindle-yet/526704/72 "2010-02-02T01:28:14Z")
> [@Kevbo](#): > > Indeed, but does the e-reader require network support that doesn’t exist in that country? Actually, i was commenting more on your “no TV i can understand” claim. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dolukhanova](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c68b51/32.png) [@Dolukhanova](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dolukhanova)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-want-a-kindle-yet/526704/73 "2010-02-02T17:04:51Z")
> [@Kevbo](#): > > Anybody know which e-book reader would work best in terms of access to English language content for a world traveler? > > Places I am likely to be sent to: > Malaysia/Singapore > Korea > China > Russia > Ireland > > I don’t read much at home, but when on foreign assignments, I read a lot. No friends to hang with, no TV I can understand, etc. I don’t know the answer to your specific question, but remember: you can load your reader with up to 1500 (or whatever) books before you go. That would probably be enough to tide you over so that you wouldn’t need to buy additonal books while traveling. ---
**Author:** ![Batfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Batfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batfish)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-want-a-kindle-yet/526704/74 "2010-02-07T14:05:54Z")
Looks like the prices are going up. The odds of me getting a Kindle or other ebook reader are pretty slim at this point. [Macmillan](http://apnews.excite.com/article/20100206/D9DMF83O1.html) ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-want-a-kindle-yet/526704/75 "2010-02-07T21:05:52Z")
> [@Batfish](#): > > Looks like the prices are going up. The odds of me getting a Kindle or other ebook reader are pretty slim at this point. > > [Macmillan](http://apnews.excite.com/article/20100206/D9DMF83O1.html) The price of content may very well rise. But Project Gutenberg provides lots of free material. And Amazon has a large selection of out-of-copyright books at no charge or sometimes for a measly buck. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-want-a-kindle-yet/526704.md?page=3)