Do I need a Kindle??

[WolfpackWife]

Well, of course I don't *need* a Kindle, but I'm considering getting one. They are priced well, IMO. I've had terrible experiences with two different Nooks, so I am not considering a Nook. We have the newest generation of iPad and decided that in the next few months we're going to get an iPad mini. I don't read on the iPad, nor do I read on my phone. I do, however, listen to lots of audiobooks on my phone via Audible. The reason the Kindle is attractive to me is because a) we're amazon prime members - it's my understanding that Prime members that have Kindles can check out books for free on the Kindle, and b) WhisperSync for Kindle/Audible - so you can listen to your audio book but if you want to read it at some point, the Kindle is already sycned up with where you are based on your Audible app. Plus, I just generally think Amazon is much easier to work with and buy from. I also think their books are priced better than B&N.

Thoughts? Why do you or don't you have a Kindle?

[Mrs. MD, Esq.]

Hated my nook...love my kindle. I got the paper white. Really clear -- I love it!

Super easy with library books and if you get the 3G one, you d/l purchases for free internationally too.

ETA: your local library may run books thru amazon -- NYPL does!

[spotty_dog]

You can only get one free Kindle loan per month, so if you're an avid reader your library is a much better deal. I had trouble with WhisperSync, I think because we have more than one device on the same Amazon account. I could only sync Audible with the first device that had been added to the account. In the end it wasn't a big deal at all to forward the book or audio to the part I was at. You don't need to buy a Kindle to test-drive Whispersync -- it's supposed to work with Kindle apps.

My DH has both an early-model e-ink Kindle and a first generation iPad; he prefers reading his e-books on iPad. I have an early-model Kindle Fire that is starting to act up on me, so although I use it regularly I'm a bit disenchanted with it at the moment.

If you didn't have the iPad I'd say the Kindle Paperwhite is pretty tempting -- I'd be a happy girl if I got one for my birthday! But if you already have a $500 device that can read Kindle books just fine and are planning the purchase of a $300 device that can read Kindle books just fine, I don't see a Kindle being a useful addition, nevermind a necessary one.

[medpedspouse]

Love my kindle. On my second one. Only got it because of the light. About 85% of the books I read are free.

[medpedspouse]

The Ipad sucks as a reader IMO. My eyes hurt the day after. I can't read it when it is sunny outside and it got super hot when I tried to read by the pool.

[SuzySunshine]

I have a Kindle - one of the originals, no idea what its called. My kids have Kindle fires more for tablets then readers and I've tried to read on it after they go to bed, I don't like it. I'd rather stick with my old kindle. My sister has the paper white and LOVES it.

[MrsK]

I have a Kindle Fire. I'm not a technology-oriented person but I do like my Kindle. I like that in addition to books, I can access the internet, order diapers and such on amazon, watch tv and movies. It's very convenient, for instance, look up a recipe on line and use the Kindle in my kitchen or to watch movies in bed. I also like how it interacts with Amazon prime. I get a lot of free content.

[poky]

Love my kindle. On my second one. Only got it because of the light. About 85% of the books I read are free.

This. I FLOVE my paperwhite. I can read myself to sleep, and it'll shut itself off if I don't turn a page in something like 10 minutes. The open-on/shut-off feature of the amazon case is awesome, too. It works well for me along with my kindle fire; I wouldn't read whole books on my phone or computer or kindle fire, but I'm now to the point where reading paper books annoys me, compared to the paperwhite.

[peggyfromwastate]

I'm thinking of upgrading to the paper white. Probably a Christmas present for me--- if I hint often and loudly to dh. Or just order it myself.

[BonBon]

This. I FLOVE my paperwhite. I can read myself to sleep, and it'll shut itself off if I don't turn a page in something like 10 minutes. The open-on/shut-off feature of the amazon case is awesome, too. It works well for me along with my kindle fire; I wouldn't read whole books on my phone or computer or kindle fire, but I'm now to the point where reading paper books annoys me, compared to the paperwhite.

You just sold me on the paperwhite. I usually read on the ipad but you can't read outside if it's remotely bright out, plus the juice runs out fairly quickly. About paper books...I've found myself absentmindedly tapping the page and being bewildered when it doesn't turn. lol.

[ladymoreta]

I have a very early model Kindle. I think it's 2nd generation? It's nowhere near as clear as my husband's, which was the next version, but I love it. I also don't like reading paper books anymore. It's so much more comfortable to hold and turn pages. The battery lasts for a week or more with the wireless on, and if I turn it off, I may not have to charge it for a month (depending on how much I'm reading).

[alotofyarn]

I LOVE my Kindle, although I don't read as much as I wish I did. I have the 3rd generation Kindle. The main reason I got it is because I read hand-me-down books from my mom and grandma, and they switched to a Kindle. The three of us are all on the same account (plus my mom's iPad and maybe my dad's Kindle), so we share all of our books (and by we, I mean my mom buys them from her account and my grandma and I read them).

[Cinderella]

I'm the loner out here that has the HD Nook and really enjoys it. We got it at the slashed price too. Just out of curiosity WPW what was wrong with your two Nooks?

[WolfpackWife]

I got the Paperwhite and LOVE IT!

So, Kindle users, help me out. Are there ways to check out books from your library on your Kindle? I remember the Nook had some sort of feature that would let you do that sort of library loan to your Nook (not that I could ever get it to work, in theory I think that was supposed to be how it worked). Where are these free books you speak of (can't remember who posted that most of the books they read are free ones)? DH also got me the Amazon case and I just love it. So light and compact - one of the things I missed dearly about my Nook...actually, make that the only thing. I love our iPad for just about everything, but it's a full-sized one and it's just not conducive to reading. Too bulky...if we had a mini I might have done more reading on that. But this Kindle...so light and portable and the fact that it's JUST an e-reader and not a tablet is something I'm actually really excited about.

Cinderella - to answer you question, I had the regular, simple Nook. No tablet. The first one I got never even turned on. Completely frozen on the opening screen from the second I unsealed the box. The store replaced it, and the second one worked really well for a few months, but suddenly one day I took it out to read it and it had died. I charged it but it never charged. Wouldn't turn on. Went to the store to try to troubleshoot it and the Nook sales guy basically told me that the Nook lithium batteries were basically designed so that if they ever died before being charged, or charged fully but were still plugged into a charger they would just stop working. I can't remember the details of his explanation, but I said "so what you're saying is that eventually, the battery just gives out and it stops working. You can't win" and he said "I'm really not supposed to say yes, but that is pretty much what happens. Most people get about six months use out of them." Such BS. From what I understand, the Nook tablets work much better, but they are much heavier than I wanted - plus I didn't need another tablet.

[poky]

I got the Paperwhite and LOVE IT!

So, Kindle users, help me out. Are there ways to check out books from your library on your Kindle? I remember the Nook had some sort of feature that would let you do that sort of library loan to your Nook (not that I could ever get it to work, in theory I think that was supposed to be how it worked). Where are these free books you speak of (can't remember who posted that most of the books they read are free ones)? DH also got me the Amazon case and I just love it. So light and compact - one of the things I missed dearly about my Nook...actually, make that the only thing. I love our iPad for just about everything, but it's a full-sized one and it's just not conducive to reading. Too bulky...if we had a mini I might have done more reading on that. But this Kindle...so light and portable and the fact that it's JUST an e-reader and not a tablet is something I'm actually really excited about.

I went to my local library's website, they have a link for ebooks, and I followed it and just by putting in my library card number, I was able to borrow books, and when I chose the "kindle" format, it took me to amazon, where I clicked a button to download it to my kindle paperwhite. I *think* the system's using overdrive.com, but I could be wrong.

Amazon has a "lending library", you can get to it from amazon.com (look for kindle books that are prime eligible), or from the menu of the kindle itself, but the selection's pretty limited, and you only get one book per month.

www.gutenberg.org is a project to put out-of-copyright classics into various ebook formats.

If you want to organize your ebook files, calibre is a great tool for that. My husband set ours up so there's a URL I can go to on my kindle that lets me browse/search our calibre library and tap "download" to pull any book from it.