Kindle - Amazon ebook reader

[frenchmartini]

Hi, I had a question about using the "Kindle" on the ship. I'm headed on a Princess Alaska cruise this month and am wondering if the wireless functionality (which I think is EVDO like on some cell phones) will work on the ship? (I presume it will work in port?) If it does work, would there be extra charges like on the cell phones? I don't see how since there is no data subscription, but I was just curious.

 

Responses from any fellow gadget/techie folks would be appreciated.

 

Cheers!

[Cruise Junky]

I doubt it would work in Canadian waters but if you google for Kindle in Alaska you'll probably get some hits.

[hubofhockey]

After the book is downloaded, why would you need connectivity? Doesn't kindle also translate files into pdf format as an option?

[Cruise Junky]

After the book is downloaded, why would you need connectivity? Doesn't kindle also translate files into pdf format as an option?

 

It'll work fine if you don't need to dowload books. You can only use the wireless feature from the US, it doesn't work in Canada..Which is why I have the Sony Reader instead :)

[frenchmartini]

Thank you for answering my questions and for the tips. I haven't bought the Kindle yet, which is one of the reasons I was looking for some more information. Not sure if it is the right investment in advance of this trip, but it looks really cool and would save me from packing so many books!

 

Have a great day!

[Cruise Junky]

Thank you for answering my questions and for the tips. I haven't bought the Kindle yet, which is one of the reasons I was looking for some more information. Not sure if it is the right investment in advance of this trip, but it looks really cool and would save me from packing so many books!

 

Have a great day!

 

There's a good conversation going on the Celebrity board. It's called something like I've seen the future of books. It also does a pretty good comparison of the Kindle and Sony Reader. I loveeeee my reader. Read 2 1/2 books the first week :)

 

Here's the link to the Celebrity conversation...

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=781952

[frenchmartini]

Thanks Cruise Junky.... that thread was really helpful. Now I'm torn between the Sony & Kindle but at least I'm informed!

[Buddy604]

The Diamond Princess does have cell wireless, but I think it's just EDGE, not EVDO, and it would come across as foreign roaming anyway, so if your kindle doesn't work in Canada, it probably won't work on the ship.

 

I prefer my Sony Reader - I've had the 500 and now the 505 and both are great. The 500 model is currently being sold by a number of inventory clearance places for as little as $172, by the way.

[frenchmartini]

Wow, thanks Mike. At the clearance price maybe I can justify it in my budget!

[marie24]

I LOVE my Reader (505 model)! I used some of my "economic stimulus" check to get mine. It definitely takes up less space than all those books would take in a carry-on.

Marie

[Cruise Junky]

I LOVE my Reader (505 model)! I used some of my "economic stimulus" check to get mine. It definitely takes up less space than all those books would take in a carry-on.

Marie

 

I agree, I have the 505 and just love it!!

[Buddy604]

I started with the Rocket eBook back in 1999 and have been grabbing the newest models of eBook readers ever since. If they could make a Kindle that wasn't so darn ugly, I might even go for one of them, but I do love my Sony. I used to carry half a suitcase full of books and now I can carry 2500 books in my back pocket - just so long as I don't sit down on it! ;)

[Cruise Junky]

I started with the Rocket eBook back in 1999 and have been grabbing the newest models of eBook readers ever since. If they could make a Kindle that wasn't so darn ugly, I might even go for one of them, but I do love my Sony. I used to carry half a suitcase full of books and now I can carry 2500 books in my back pocket - just so long as I don't sit down on it! ;)

 

Do you really have 2,500 ebooks? WOW!! I agree though the Kindle certainly isn't sexy looking. I've only had my Sony a week and have about 43 books on it, I see I have some catching up to do :)

[Buddy604]

Do you really have 2,500 ebooks? WOW!! I agree though the Kindle certainly isn't sexy looking. I've only had my Sony a week and have about 43 books on it, I see I have some catching up to do :)

I only keep about 100 in the internal memory, sorted into a few synced categories: favorites, fiction to read, non-fiction to read, food&wine and reference. The rest I can carry on an SD card. One 2gb card holds about 2500 average sized books - fewer if they are in PDF format.

 

I do have probably about that many, but rarely need to travel with more than the internal 100.

 

Isn't it great that it's available in Canada now too?

[Cruise Junky]

Isn't it great that it's available in Canada now too?

 

Yes, definitely. That's one of the things, besides it non-sexyness, that irks me about the Kindle.

 

I can see I'm going to have to play with it and set up the categories.

 

Tx

[boatlover]

I started with the Rocket eBook back in 1999 and have been grabbing the newest models of eBook readers ever since. If they could make a Kindle that wasn't so darn ugly, I might even go for one of them, but I do love my Sony. I used to carry half a suitcase full of books and now I can carry 2500 books in my back pocket - just so long as I don't sit down on it! ;)

 

Do you use it for music too, or do you find it easier to keep your music on a separate device?

[Buddy604]

Do you use it for music too, or do you find it easier to keep your music on a separate device?

I keep my music on my iPhone. One of the problems with using the reader for music is that I've heard that people have inadvertantly left a track running and ended up draining their battery overnight.

 

For me, one of the big upgrades when switching from an LCD eBook reader (GEB1150 & eBookwise 1150) to the Sony was that a charge could last for weeks. Thank you ePaper. :D

[Buddy604]

Yes, definitely. That's one of the things, besides it non-sexyness, that irks me about the Kindle.

 

I can see I'm going to have to play with it and set up the categories.

 

Tx

I find the categories to be really usefull in the 505. The 500 had them but a) you couldn't do categories on the memory card and b) they didn't have syncing. With the 505 I just drop the book I want into the category it belongs and when I attach my reader it syncs them.

[5:00_Somewhere]

I've had my Sony Reader for a couple of years now and absolutely love it, for all the reasons already mentioned, and highly recommend it.

 

I find the categories to be really usefull in the 505. The 500 had them but a) you couldn't do categories on the memory card and b) they didn't have syncing. With the 505 I just drop the book I want into the category it belongs and when I attach my reader it syncs them.

 

You just answered a long-standing question of mine. The one thing I wish I could do with my 500 was divide my books up into sub-categories. I'd read about it, but couldn't get it to work on my actual Reader. I didn't realize until now that this functionality only worked with the 505. Ah well, a very minor quibble with a great toy. ;)

[Buddy604]

You just answered a long-standing question of mine. The one thing I wish I could do with my 500 was divide my books up into sub-categories. I'd read about it, but couldn't get it to work on my actual Reader. I didn't realize until now that this functionality only worked with the 505. Ah well, a very minor quibble with a great toy. ;)

The categories do work on the 500, but only for books in the internal memory. The 500 doesn't support categories for books stored on a memory card and also doesn't automatically sync the categories when you attach the reader. You need to drag and drop them.

 

A great resource for anyone using or interested in eBook readers is the site www.mobileread.com. I highly recommend it!

[Cruise Junky]

Mike thanks for the tips on categories, I was able to set mine up last night and got them syncing. I can't put the damn thing down ;)

[Buddy604]

Mike thanks for the tips on categories, I was able to set mine up last night and got them syncing. I can't put the damn thing down ;)

I know it's addictive. Mobileread by the way has tons of public domain classics and titles formatted for the reader and downloadable for free.

[Cruise Junky]

I know it's addictive. Mobileread by the way has tons of public domain classics and titles formatted for the reader and downloadable for free.

 

Yes, I got the Sherlock Holmes set from Mobileread, great website. Sony right now has a great deal on the classics. Register your reader before the end of September and get 100 free. I've still got 70 left :)

[marie24]

Well, I feel a little ignorant right now. I haven't had my Reader very long, and I didn't know there were other sources for e-books. I thought Sony had the monopoly on e-books for their Reader. So, educate this poor uninformed woman! What other sources are there that are downloadable. Thanks!

 

Marie

[Cruise Junky]

Well, I feel a little ignorant right now. I haven't had my Reader very long, and I didn't know there were other sources for e-books. I thought Sony had the monopoly on e-books for their Reader. So, educate this poor uninformed woman! What other sources are there that are downloadable. Thanks!

 

Marie

 

I'm right behind you, I've only had mine 9 days :). Chefpeg from the celebrity board recommended Mobileread to me. If you go there and then click on the link to ebooks it brings up a lot of books, under the Format select the Sony. Most of them are the classics that you can get free from the sony site. Mike might have other sources as I'm new at this too, but learning fast thanks to Cruise Critic :)