Last Saturday, 1 December 2012, is the day I took a massive leap into technology of reading. My husband bought me a Kindle!!
The 4th generation Kindle comes in several versions. There is the Kindle Fire, Paperwhite, touchscreen and the very basic one I got here.
For a long time I can’t see myself jumping into the ebook reading revolution because I love my paperbooks so much with its attractive covers and printed pages, I love the feeling of crisp pages on my while I read…. well, I soon find out, the answer is Yes and No.
No, because books in hardback is hard to carry around when you are commuting on a crowded train everyday. No, because I found out how convenient and slim a Kindle is and how easy it is to make notes and mark my pages. No, because now I have managed to download about 100 free books, mostly classics straight into my Kindle within less than 30 seconds. This is instant gratification at its best!
For £69 I wasn’t expecting all singing and dancing gadget but I was fairly impressed with the packaging. The first picture above shows that it is sealed and you have to tear off a perforated line at the top of the package to retrieve your Kindle, which also tells you no one has attempted to replace your Kindle with a used one or one that has been displayed or shown to the customers before.
I opened up my package and I saw a small instruction booklet tucked at a pocket facing me and my Kindle all wrapped up with a screensaver (Yes, it is a screensaver! I thought it was a sticker at first) telling me to press the ON button to fire it up.
After one hour, voilà! I was asked to log in with my Amazon account and I have downloaded a few free books using the in-built wi-fi and my Kindle is ready to go.
Black is really my colour and I went on to order a new Brown Kindle cover. I love these screensavers that show up when I put my Kindle on a sleep mode. Each time a different one.
I can’t tell you how happy I am. A Kindle will never replace the way I want a paper book on my hand but it offers a superb alternative for reading while commuting, travelling and value for money to read some Classics more widely.
Guess I’ll sign up to the 50 Classics in 5 years challenge soon!
Now, tell me. Do you own a Kindle or an e-reader? How did it change the way you read? I look forward to hear from you.
JoV's Book Pyramid 
Congrats!! I still haven’t bought one for myself although I did gift Birdy one for her birthday this year :-). It’s really great for traveling like you. The only reason I haven’t bought it yet is that I found myself distracted with the screen flicker when you turn a page. 😦
Posted by Soul Muser | December 9, 2012, 2:49 amSoul,
lol.. the distraction is a small price to pay for convenience. What did Birdy think about it? 🙂
Posted by JoV | December 9, 2012, 10:13 amSoul, this was exactly my reason for not buying one, the flickering of the screen. But I got one about a year ago as a present, and actually, it’s not a real problem. More important is that sometimes you have to wait for a new page to load and that can be annoying, even if it’s only a few seconds. (Sony e-reader).
Posted by Leeswammes | December 9, 2012, 2:22 pmJudith,
I wonder if Sony e-reader is more inferior than the Kindle?
Posted by JoV | December 9, 2012, 9:10 pmNot sure! I have seen a Kindle from nearby but I can’t tell you how they compare. I have had problems with font size and turning the page: if I increase the font size (a lot) and then try to go to the next page, it takes a while to recompute the page. In some documents, not all of them. Especially with Netgalley titles I’ve had that issue.
Posted by Leeswammes | December 9, 2012, 9:13 pmLeeSwammes : Thanks for letting me know. I am the sort of person where small things bother me, so I didn’t really want to take that risk. But I guess I will take the plunge sooner than later. 🙂
Posted by Soul Muser | December 13, 2012, 2:14 pmOoooh! Very pretty 🙂 I don’t have a Kindle because I just can’t imagine not having a paper book to handle and getting that feeling of progression when you go from having more pages in the right hand to more pages in the left hand. I think my TBR would spiral out of control too, without books taking up an actual physical space in my life. BUT, I kind of really want to try one just so I can prove myself wrong! Have fun with yours!
Posted by Marie | December 9, 2012, 2:50 amThanks Marie! I don’t think Kindle will ever replace a paperbook, but it’s great to have more options to read a book! 😉
Posted by JoV | December 9, 2012, 10:15 amHee I went through similar motions a few months ago when my own Kindle arrived. Didn’t take photos as I couldn’t wait to tear open the box and get into it! While e-readers don’t feel like the real thing (perhaps that’s why I haven’t actually purchased an e-book, reading only free classics or library books on my kindle) they are great for travelling! And for all kinds of other situations, like reading while I blow dry my hair at night! Have fun with yoursZ,
Posted by olduvaii | December 9, 2012, 5:51 amThanks Olduvai,
I’m just a bit miffed that our local library do not offer ebook loan yet, otherwise I would have more fun with my kindle. I do purchase ebooks which are less than £1 if I see offers on the list. It’s quite dangerous as the more I’m clicking away I have to be careful that I am not clicking my money from bank account away! 🙂
Posted by JoV | December 9, 2012, 10:18 amYes I am thankful that my library offers kindle versions of e-books. It probably won’t be the case in Singapore though, although the Singapore library does have e-books, just in ePUB version.
Posted by olduvai | December 13, 2012, 12:08 amOlduvai,
Does the library e-book in USA expires after 3 weeks?
Posted by JoV | December 13, 2012, 7:46 pmTo paraphrase Miranda in The Tempest, O, wonder! … O brave new world!
I myself use the Kindle app on an IPad. I only use it however when the price of the kindle version of the book or the need to travel dictates it. I still prefer the physical book! But I do like being able to highlight, and then search for those, and/or word search generally.
By the way I see you got Far From the Madding Crowd. I loved that movie (with Julie Christie and Alan Bates) when I was younger, so recently I rented it again and watched it, and really couldn’t figure out why I loved it quite so much. Perhaps I had a crush on Alan Bates. But it’s a good story, albeit annoying and predictable! :–)
Posted by rhapsodyinbooks | December 9, 2012, 11:02 amO Brave new world! Here I come!
lol yes I think I’ll use Kindle when it is convenient to do so, travel and time. I love that Kindle allows me to do some word search too (I don’t know all the words in my novels, so it helps a lot!)
I can relate to that. I always wonder why I love certain songs so much when I was younger and now that I hear it again it fails to move me. I blame it on the hormones, I think when one is younger, one tends to be more emotionally charged. 😉
Posted by JoV | December 9, 2012, 11:06 amWhat a leap of faith!!
Having resisted a Kindle for a couple of years now I eventually ended up with one as an Xmas present – think it’s the same one as yours Jov! I still have very mixed feelings about it, to the point where I only ever use it on holiday.Here it comes into its own as I can change the size of the text and therefore read with just my sunglasses on – wonderful!!! Books for me are more than just a reading experience and its something that a Kindle can’t and never will be able to give me.!!!
Posted by Julie | December 9, 2012, 1:01 pmJulie,
Awww… thanks for sharing your feeling about Kindle. I also hate books with small font size and I think that’s the wonder of the Kindle. Thanks for dropping by my blog Julie.
Posted by JoV | December 9, 2012, 9:06 pmNo problem Jov!! I am making a big effort to finally drop ‘The Lurker’ title! Its all going a bit slow as yours is the only one I’ve commented on! Judging by the little scary face on the right of my original comment I should be calling myself ‘Mr Angry’ instead!!
Posted by Julie | December 10, 2012, 11:48 amJulie,
LOL it’s funny that if you don’t have a profile picture for your gravatar you will be stuck with the first icon that shows up when you comment! I hope you are not Mr Angry! 😀
Posted by JoV | December 10, 2012, 2:08 pmCongrats, Jo! I hope you’ll enjoy your ereader. I use mine for 1-2 books per month. It’s fine for thrillers and other books where it’s all about the plot, but for slower-reading books, the more literary books, I like to hold a paper book and enjoy the feel of the book etc. And a paper book is easier for browsing back and forth – like if you want to go a few chapters back to check something.
Posted by Leeswammes | December 9, 2012, 2:25 pmJudith,
Thanks Judith. I think that’s a good point. A part of me thinks it is fine for thrillers and crime fictions but if it is books that are more literary, suppose a real book feels much better and easier to browse back and forth in a way, I feel lost without a page number! and it is definitely easier to go back and check with a paper book. Call me old fashioned I don’t think I’ll be throwing my paper books away, ever! 😀
Posted by JoV | December 9, 2012, 9:10 pmCongrats! The basic versions are often the best – I have had a very basic kindle for two years now and it’s never let me down. Sometimes I wish I had read Suitable Boy in it as then the length wouldn’t have seemed so intimidating!
Posted by Sam (Tiny Library) | December 9, 2012, 3:28 pmSam,
lol 😀 I wish that too. It would have been easier. Lets try War and Peace or Brother Karamazov! Also if past result is a prediction of the future A Suitable Girl will be just as big!
Posted by JoV | December 9, 2012, 8:40 pmI’ve had one for about a year, but it hasn’t really changed much. I’ve only read about 5 books on it. This is mainly because I have so many other books I’d prefer to read (books I already own, review copies, books from the library etc) I also do a lot of reading in the bath and am too scared I’d drop it in the water! Hope you have better luck with it than I do.
Posted by farmlanebooks | December 9, 2012, 3:40 pmJackie,
Yes. Not sure if it is water proof, it will be great if it is. 😀 I have a feeling I will be like you, I may be distracted by books I already own and books from the library etc.
Posted by JoV | December 9, 2012, 8:43 pmCongrats Jo! How exciting! Ereaders have been on my mind for a while now especially for the convenience they allow, although i’ll miss the feel of a real book. Unfortunately we don’t have as much access to ebooks here so things shall have to be shelved for now 🙂
Hope you get lots out of yours 🙂
Posted by Joanna | December 9, 2012, 4:38 pmJoanna,
It’s difficult in Malaysia isn’t it? I would imagine they should be cheaper? Probably swapping with friends is the way to go. 😉
Posted by JoV | December 9, 2012, 8:45 pmCongrats, an early Christmas present, love it! I got mine last Christmas and wouldn’t be without it. Still love to read the real thing, but prefer that I have the option to read an e-book or the real thing. And for reading ARC’s it’s the perfect tool.
It takes a little getting used to, but I’m sure you’re going to enjoy it.
Posted by Claire 'Word by Word' | December 9, 2012, 4:44 pmThanks for the encouragement Claire. I thought it is most convenient for an ARC as well especially one that is from the USA or far away. 🙂 I hope to embark on the first experience of reading an ebook soon! 🙂
Posted by JoV | December 9, 2012, 8:49 pmIf you are registered with NetGalley, it is perfect.
Posted by Claire 'Word by Word' | December 9, 2012, 8:59 pmClaire,
I do registered with NetGalley ages ago. Just that I don’t actively seek out ARC but I may do so now that I have a Kindle. Thanks.
Posted by JoV | December 9, 2012, 9:13 pmI like it because I only read what I am truly interested in.
Posted by Claire 'Word by Word' | December 10, 2012, 7:22 amFor the longest time I was like you and resisted technology when it came to reading. Finally I gave in, and now I read so much more, because I can take a whole library with me while commuting, or on vacation, or reading while eating (ha, I do that a lot now). I also like to try out books in electronic format before I buy the real thing. Hope you’re going to have a lot of fun with your Kindle.
Posted by Andrea | December 9, 2012, 7:38 pmThanks Andrea. I think it’s amazing that you could carry a whole library in a tiny device like this. I think partly the reason my husband got me the Kindle is that my house is stacked with so many books, towers and shelves of books! Digital is the way to go for compulsive book buyer. 😉
Posted by JoV | December 9, 2012, 8:51 pmThis is the kindle I have too, although mine is grey. I found since getting my kindle I still often reading physical books too, but as you said I find I can read on the go more and be reading multiple books because it so easy to carry them all around at once! I hope you enjoy your kindle 🙂
Posted by jessicabookworm | December 9, 2012, 10:09 pmJessica,
I found out there is grey after I got the black. But black is good. I think it’s great when I commute long distance to work everyday. I can see you enjoy your Kindle so far Jessica. 🙂
Posted by JoV | December 9, 2012, 10:23 pmCongrats!
I have a Kindle Fire but the screen is much brighter and doesn’t have the electronic ink technology. I got it just because I wanted to have an Android tablet and not so much of an e-reader.
It’s pretty good as ebook reader but I still prefer the hardcopy except during travelling where the e-reader is definitely a better choice.
Not that I read that much though 🙂
Posted by Marvin | December 10, 2012, 5:30 amMarvin,
I wouldn’t see you preferring the paper copy as you are so tech savvy! I’m trying not to strain my eyes with bright screens. I don’t think as a Malaysian you need to read too much, there are just too many better things to do out there under the sun! 😉
Posted by JoV | December 10, 2012, 2:06 pmI got an Ipad about a year ago. I way prefer reading on it to traditional books. I love the ability to store thousands of books, the built in dictionary and look up functions. I also like to read several books at one time and the ipad is great for that. Plus it opens up the door to free books
Posted by Mel u | December 10, 2012, 6:54 amMel,
I’m sure it is a neat gadget, unfortunately Ipad is similar to computer screen I suppose it doesn’t feel like reading the real thing!
Posted by JoV | December 10, 2012, 2:07 pmI received a basic Kindle for my birthday and am enjoying it so far, mostly because I can send articles to it from my browser. For me it will not ever replace traditional books.
Posted by Gavin | December 10, 2012, 3:26 pmGavin,
Interesting that Kindle can read pdf and articles as well and subscribe to magazines. Amazing, glad you enjoy it.
Posted by JoV | December 10, 2012, 8:31 pmWelcome to the wonderful world of Kindle! My husband got me a second generation Kindle three Christmases ago, and I adore it.
Posted by nomadreader | December 10, 2012, 5:49 pmNomadreader,
Glad that you do. I will do too!
Posted by JoV | December 10, 2012, 8:32 pmI received a Kindle a little over a year ago as a birthday present. Crazy thing is I really haven’t used it much-except as a portable dictionary! Maybe you having one will inspire me to start using mine!
Posted by maphead | December 11, 2012, 4:17 ammaphead,
I hope I inspire you to use it. It offers an alternative way to read and definitely an easier way to get free Advanced Reader Copy or review copies!
Posted by JoV | December 12, 2012, 9:21 pmAs you’ve signed up for the *Tea & Books Reading Challenge* on my blog, here’s just a little reminder that you’ve still got three more weeks to finish the challenge!
Latest Update Post (plus Giveaway, yay) can be found here:
http://the-book-garden.blogspot.com/2012/12/tea-books-reading-challenge-giveaway.html
Posted by Birgit | December 11, 2012, 11:43 amI ADORE my Kindle. I use it for all the galleys that are offered to me!
Posted by Ti | December 11, 2012, 9:37 pmTi,
I’m signing up to galleys too! 🙂
Posted by JoV | December 12, 2012, 9:53 pmSign up to Daily Kindle Deal! 🙂
I think Kindle will only have a chance to replace books when the Kindle book price is cheaper than physical copy. At the moment I find them to be oddly high, considering they’re digital copies. You can always use it for free thick classics though!
Posted by mee | December 12, 2012, 1:26 pmMee,
Absolutely Mee. I only buy Kindle when it is relatively cheap. But those free thick classics are a good deal and much much easier to read it on Kindle!
p/s I have been looking for the daily kindle deal button, maybe I have missed it?
Posted by JoV | December 12, 2012, 9:55 pmYea somehow they make it a bit tricky to find from the homepage, I don’t know why! Better to use google, it’ll send you straight to the page.
Posted by mee | December 13, 2012, 12:38 pmThanks Mee, I’ll give it a go!
Posted by JoV | December 13, 2012, 7:51 pmyes be great for a classic challenge ,I use my iphone and ipad to read sometime via e books had a e reader few years ago but it broke so not replaced it yet ,all the best stu
Posted by winstonsdad | December 12, 2012, 5:52 pmStu,
My eyes wouldn’t take the glare with from the ipad. I thought the e-ink technology was what draw me to Kindle.
Posted by JoV | December 12, 2012, 9:56 pmThe thing that’s been absolutely marvelous about my e-reader is library books. I can get loads of ebooks from my library (I’m lucky that their selection is quite good), and it’s wonderful to always have more than one book to read on the subway if I get tired of the one I’ve been reading. And I love love love that I can read one-handed without any awkwardness or fear of dropping it, and I can bookmark things without dogearing. Those are all things I love about my lovely Nook.
Posted by Jenny | December 13, 2012, 11:33 pmJenny,
There you go, another plus! Who would expect that one day we could read books digitally and get so much out of it? When it has been years many people resisted to it. Including myself. 😉
Posted by JoV | December 14, 2012, 2:49 pm