This is a great article for someone like me who is considering the Kindle. Basically, I can’t afford it. And as the author points out, no matter how “cool” and wonderfully convenient it is, it will break your bank in the long run.

$400 for a device that could be obsolete in a a year or two. On top of that, kiss goodbye the ability to buy a used book for cents. Kindle’s software limitations (DRM) force you to buy digital books from the Amazon store for much more than what you’d pay for a used book.

Sigh. The technology is able, but the wallet is not.

In addition, my iPhone can download a free copy of Stanza, which is a ereader application. It has more than 100,000 books at present. However, it charges far more for digital books than Amazon does. (Compare Christopher Paolini’s Brisingr at $27.50 on Stanza to $9.99 on Amazon’s Kindle!)

The eBook world is just not there for me… yet. Maybe one day. I still enjoy holding a book – new or used in my hand and then reselling it after I’m done or adding it to my library. Since I underline meaningful passages often for easy reference, it would be hard to adjust to an electronic marking system (although the Kindle’s is remarkable).

I’d encourage you to watch this video on the Kindle and then tell me if you could be persuaded to change your reading habits for one of these devices. Let’s just say that you could afford a Kindle. Would you embrace one?

On this day...

Journey Church 2007 highlight video - 2008
Not enough on Anna Nicole - 2007
Great, overlooked - 2007
Heart start - 2007

2 Comments

Ann February 14, 2009 at 5:38 pm

You’re right about the price! And, you’re right about the feel of a book in hand and the ability to resell, give away, or add to a visual library. There is one thing that might persuade me to invest in a Kindle, though. With the thought of missions and foreign travel in the back of my mind, there is the realization that we could not afford the space or expense of moving a full resource library. As we have browsed through the list of resource books available through Kindle, we’ve seen many of the books already on our shelves. Although this wouldn’t be practical for much of our leisure reading or one-time reads, it could be a very helpful portable resource tool.

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Lydia Stevenson February 18, 2009 at 3:09 pm

Ann & Jeff I could not afford one either, but luckily have a family who knows how much I love toread. My parents and my sister went in and got me one for Christmas. We live in Poland, and the only books in English we can get here are the classics. I love Charles Dickens but only so much. Ann, you are right, it is great for missionaries living overseas. I have devotional books,Readers Digest, fiction and even the Bible on my Kindle. When traveling, I do not have to worry about carrying a heavy bag of books and I have even ordered books for homeschool. Then there is the cost of shipping and waiting weeks for books to be delivered that I am saving plus the space on my bookshelves.For us living overseas it is a blessing.The thing I missed the most about the US was the access to books, now I have them at my fingertips.

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About

Notes from the Trail
The Personal Blog of Jeff Noble
Info: From the misty hills of Virginia, "Notes from the Trail" seeks to encourage you on your journey. Written by a graphic designer-pastor, this blog is a blend of humor, insight, and faith discovery.