Ebooks w/out borders

[vicki]

I like this ebook blog (http://www.publishersweekly.com/blog/760000476/post/60020206.html) from Publisher's Weekly.

What think ye?

[Smurrey]

I will always appreciate the feel of a book in my hand. I will always buy the books that I love. With that in mind, I spend an awful amount of money on pure twaddle either in hopes that it will be a book that I will love OR because I am addicted and cannot help buying SOMETHING just to tide me over. Why not use my public library you ask (as my mother frequently does as she peruses the piles of books overflowing my apartment)? I do. I am well, and truly, addicted, obsessed, and am ok with it. Books are my drug of choice and I do occassionally socialize.

Back to your question, Ebooks. Hmmm... Faster access, no out-of-stock waiting, I can get the entire series at one time if I find a new author to love. All of these things are definitely on the plus side. On the minus, I can't curl up with my PC. I've tried, its just too bulky and the cords won't reach.

For the instant gratification books though, it still might be worth it. Then, when I do find a new author, I can go to my bookstore and buy the hand held variety to get cozy with :p.

[tangential1]

The thing I wish they would do with e-books is figure out a way to offer the digital version to those who have already purchased the book. Like what they are starting to do with DVDs (my new copy of HP5 has an authorization code inside the case so you can download a digital copy from the special features disk!). I have no idea how they would do this short of wrapping new books in celephane to preserve the codes, but I would really like it to happen;)

[vicki]

They could cellophane something inside the back cover, maybe.

Oh, I got my first ebook! After tearing the house apart to find Califia's Daughters, I finally gave up and ordered the ebook from Powells.com! I got it in microsoft's ereader format, as I can read that on my laptop and the program is free (I also looked at the adobe digital editions, but the word in their forums is that they're having some very bad mojo with this latest incarnation of the program--:(). I really rather like reading it on the laptop. I blew the print up pretty big and don't even need my reading glasses--yay!! I'm kind of fired up to get a handheld readomatic of some sort now. :D

[Kiyomi]

Welcome to the club :) Ereader is pretty popular. Now you can download all those free Baen books in that format and read them in big print :)

[vicki]

You use ms ereader? Do you use it on some sort of handheld device? I wonder if I could use it on an iPhone. I just found out the iPhone now has a rudimentary non-GPS map function, so I'm wondering when they'll add GPS. Once I can use an iPhone as an ereader and a GPS device, *and* they boost the memory up a bit, I think I'll get one.


Now you can download all those free Baen books in that format and read them in big print


Yah! I didn't even think about the Baen free library (http://www.baen.com/library/)--what's your favorite stuff over there? A reading buddy recommended the Honor Harrington series, since I'd liked the Vorkosiverse so much. I've heard good things about Eric Flint, also.

[Kiyomi]

Honor Harrington and anything else by David Weber is the BEST! His Oath of Swords series is fantastic too! I do not like the series he writes with John Ringo very much comparatively but that is because John Ringo always seems to have to put in rape at a certain point and that's very distrubing. Actually I like to read the files in HTML format, I don't know why maybe because I am too lazy to get a reader program and I can still adjust the print size? I also am totally in love with David Drakes RCN series and the Eric Flint/David Drake Belisarius series. There are some great older writer works collected in there by authors like 'James H Schmidz' who was one of the early sci-fi writers but I had never heard of him till I read him there. There are more good ones of course but this post is already so long! I have e-books of most of the series listed above. One of the nice things about Baen is they don't care if you give copies to other people as long as you don't charge any money. They figure if people really really like their books they will buy the dead tree version after they try it so if you get to a point with any of the series where you want to read the rest let me know I've bought several of their ARCs and a couple of monthly bundles and of course have recieved several of their new book bonus disks with tons of free books on them and consequently have the complete or almost complete books for each of those series even the books not listed in the free library :) I would be happy to send you any you want to read later.

[vicki]

Wow--thanks for all the great info! I'll try some stuff in the free library and will gladly shell out for some paid stuff in the future, since they're being so nice about offering the free goodies. :)

I read recently that a girl from my high school works at Baen. I should probably email her sometime to say hi. I think that's so cool that she's gone into SF publishing!


maybe because I am too lazy to get a reader program and I can still adjust the print size?


The ms-reader download was easy-peasy, very quick and *free*. And it's worked just fine so far--no complaints here!

[JEA]

I bought an Amazon Kindle. It's really been great. It's hand held, scaleable font, all that sort of thing. Bigger than the Palm pilot I had tried as a portable reader before, and with a lot more book choices. Not everything Amazon has is available in Kindle format, but it's a lot more choice than I had on other services. I got Califia's Daughters, for instance. It's not backlit, which is supposed to be easier on your eyes. It's certainly easier on the battery.

I re-read the above and realize I sound like a shill from Amazon. I'm not, but I'm enjoying the e-book quite a bit.

June

[vicki]

Hi, JEA! There's a blogger on Publisher's Weekly who's been doing entries about her Kindle experience, and she makes it sound pretty cool. I like the idea of no backlighting, so as to get more out of the battery. That blogger did have her battery run out at an inconvenient time, however, and was stuck without reading material. Several other Kindlers told her they carry around a backup battery for times like that, which is probably a good idea if you're really dependent on it. One thing I *don't* like about it is the idea of paying for blogs and papers I can otherwise get for free. but I expect the pricing model for some of that stuff may change over time.

I enjoyed reading the ebook of Califia's Daughters for the January discussion, even though it was on my laptop. I really liked being able to adjust the font for my 41yo eyes (reading glasses, anyone?). I look forward to also trying a Kindle at some point--maybe after the price drops a bit. :)

[tangential1]

One thing I *don't* like about it is the idea of paying for blogs and papers I can otherwise get for free. but I expect the pricing model for some of that stuff may change over time.

I was reading a blog about the Kindle the other day and the author mentioned something about Amazon having a file conversion service that they offered for free. Plus, he said that the Kindle operates wirelessly with service from one of the cell phone providers (I want to say AT&T, but I'm not sure) so you can download/purchase new books straight to the device. Perhaps the cost for blogs and papers has something to do with Amazon's costs for the "free" wireless use and complimentary file changing service? They have to recoup those costs somewhere, I suppose.

I'm finding the Kindle really interesting too, but definitely want to wait until the price goes down. And given that they are pulling a Nintendo with their supply limitations (Wii anyone?), I'm guessing that could be a while.:rolleyes:

[JEA]

I was reading a blog about the Kindle the other day and the author mentioned something about Amazon having a file conversion service that they offered for free. Plus, he said that the Kindle operates wirelessly with service from one of the cell phone providers (I want to say AT&T, but I'm not sure) so you can download/purchase new books straight to the device. Perhaps the cost for blogs and papers has something to do with Amazon's costs for the "free" wireless use and complimentary file changing service? They have to recoup those costs somewhere, I suppose.



The file conversion service is a little limited yet, and they do charge for it - a very nominal fee.
From what I understand, the Kindle operates wirelessly on a proprietary cell phone like network that Amazon calls "whispernet". So, you aren't relying on having a Wi-fi signal. The thing has little bars like a cell phone, and if you have bars, you have service, and can download directly to the device. They may be getting the bandwidth from one of the big providers like AT&T, but it's not something I sign up for or pay for. And you can turn that wireless part off, when you are in a plane, or just any time you want to conserve battery.

One of the perks of the thing is that you don't need your computer. You can peruse Kindle format books on the device, choose them, buy them, download them directly. No docking with the computer. I think that you still have to hook up to the computer (USB) to download audio books or MP3 files.

It is pricey, but the books themselves are cheaper than "real" books. $9.99 for most hardbacks, even brand new. Paperbacks $7.50 or less, from what I've seen in my admittedly limited sampling. Papers cost about what they'd cost at a newstand, .75 or so for a single, cheaper for a subscription. I agree that it's irksome to be asked to pay for blogs, and I haven't. OTOH, you aren't paying for the service, so you are just paying for the device and the books you order. I think it will add up. (When you delete a book off the device, it stays archived at Amazon so you can go download it again free anytime, because you already own it.)

It's worth it to me because I travel alot and I read alot, and I constantly had a pile of paperbacks to toss, try to give away, or send or bring home. And I delayed buying new hardbacks until they came out in paperback, because I couldn't spare the room or weight for a new hardback. This thing solves that problem for me.

I haven't had battery trouble yet, but I like the idea of buying a second "just in case" one. Hmmm.

June

[tangential1]

June, thanks so much for a first hand account! I definitely agree that the biggest draw is the reduced book weight while traveling (between work and visiting parents, I'm in the air enough to get a free ticket at least once a year and the single, lightweight "book" is really appealing). I really wish I knew someone near me who had purchased one because it would be really nice to play with it a bit like you can with the Sony Reader at Borders.