I recently received a Kindle Touch 3G for Christmas. I've just finished reading my first Kindle book: A Dance With Dragons by George R. R. Martin. So I'd like to report on my experiences with the Kindle so far.
The model I have has special offers. This is basically advertising on the screen saver. It is very easy to ignore. This model is about $20 cheaper than the model without offers. I think its worth it.
Positives
I like the way the Kindle feels in your hand. I can easily hold and manipulate it with one hand. It's a little heavier than a paperback book, but is has a nice heft. A nice feature is the nonslip finish on the back.
I really like the display. The background is a bright white which makes a nice contrast with the dark black characters. The font style, size, and spacing can be adjusted to suit the reader. This makes the the Kindle very easy on the eyes.
The Kindle touch has a touch screen. Touching the screen in the correct area turns the page or calls up a menu.
The Kindle has an interactive dictionary. Highlight a word and you get a dictionary definition. You can also highlight interesting passages. As you read, the Kindle will show you how many other people have highlighted different passages in the book.
I think the interface with the Kindle store is great. Buy a book online, have it delivered to your Kindle, and be reading in about a minute.
Negatives
The touch screen is not as intuitive as the Apple iPod touch screen. The Kindle screen has specific areas for turning forward, or backward, or calling up a menu. An accidental brush or touch can yield unexpected results.
Using the Kindle, it is difficult to jump around a book. A Dance with Dragons had maps in the front and appendices in the back. It would have been easier to access these materials using a traditional book.
The big negative is that the Kindle is basically a computer. And it can be subject to the same types problems computers have. After I happily used the Kindle for two weeks, it began to slow down. Then it simply froze. I had to Google the problem and learn how to do a forced reboot.
Conclusion
For the most part, the Kindle is easy to use. It is easy on the eyes. And it is just plain fun to use. I know that I am more motivated to read when I use it. I won't do all my reading on the Kindle, but it will in the mix, especially for newer titles.
Verdict
Thumbs up!
Kindle Touch 3G with Special Features - This is model that I have.
If you would like to read more of my blog posts check out my ebook.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin
A Dance with Dragons is George R. R. Martin's fifth volume in his A Song of Ice and Fire series.
It has been several years since Martin published the last volume: A Feast for Crows. For me, the time between books made the beginning of this book a little difficult. Martin's style of writing, jumping from character to character, made it hard to keep track of the characters. It was easier to remember the major characters: Tyrion, Jon, Bran, and Daenerys. But keeping track of the many minor character was difficult. And Martin uses a large cast of characters.
In the first four books, Martin titled each chapter with the name of the main character of that chapter. In this installment, Martin titled some chapters with phrases descriptive of the chapter's main character. This literary device challenges the reader to discern who Martin is writing about. Yet, it can be somewhat confusing when the reader is dealing with a large group of characters.
In his introduction, A Cavil on Chronology, Martin explains that the first part of this book parallels A Feast for Crows. Then, halfway through the book, the timelines come together and we read about some long forgotten main characters such as Cersei and Jaime.
So, what are the main characters up to? Jon Snow is learning how to be the leader of the Night Watch at the wall. His half-brother, Bran Stark, is north of the wall being called by some mysterious force. Arya Stark is in Braavos, across the narrow sea serving as a novice in a temple. Tyrion Lannister is across the narrow sea trying to get to Daenerys Targaryen. Daenerys is learning the difference between a conquering queen and a ruling queen. She has not yet learned how to use and control her dragons. Cersei Lannister is in prison, accused of treason and fornication. And Jaime Lannister is riding around Westeros settling disputes between local lords.
There are many others: Reek, Lady Melisandre, Quentyn Martel, and Asha Greyjoy, to name a few. And don't forget all the dead white walkers north of the wall.
I enjoyed this book. Once I got a handle on the characters the book was a joy to read. However, I still have absolutely no idea who will be left alive at the end.
Spoiler alert: Martin has absolutely no problem killing off a character. Be prepared.
This was the first book I read on my Kindle. Flipping to the back of the book to make use of the appendices, and using the maps at the front would be much easier in a regular book. On the whole, however, I felt more motivated to read on the Kindle.
A Dance with Dragons
If you'd like to read my blog posts from last year check out my Kindle ebook.
It has been several years since Martin published the last volume: A Feast for Crows. For me, the time between books made the beginning of this book a little difficult. Martin's style of writing, jumping from character to character, made it hard to keep track of the characters. It was easier to remember the major characters: Tyrion, Jon, Bran, and Daenerys. But keeping track of the many minor character was difficult. And Martin uses a large cast of characters.
In the first four books, Martin titled each chapter with the name of the main character of that chapter. In this installment, Martin titled some chapters with phrases descriptive of the chapter's main character. This literary device challenges the reader to discern who Martin is writing about. Yet, it can be somewhat confusing when the reader is dealing with a large group of characters.
In his introduction, A Cavil on Chronology, Martin explains that the first part of this book parallels A Feast for Crows. Then, halfway through the book, the timelines come together and we read about some long forgotten main characters such as Cersei and Jaime.
So, what are the main characters up to? Jon Snow is learning how to be the leader of the Night Watch at the wall. His half-brother, Bran Stark, is north of the wall being called by some mysterious force. Arya Stark is in Braavos, across the narrow sea serving as a novice in a temple. Tyrion Lannister is across the narrow sea trying to get to Daenerys Targaryen. Daenerys is learning the difference between a conquering queen and a ruling queen. She has not yet learned how to use and control her dragons. Cersei Lannister is in prison, accused of treason and fornication. And Jaime Lannister is riding around Westeros settling disputes between local lords.
There are many others: Reek, Lady Melisandre, Quentyn Martel, and Asha Greyjoy, to name a few. And don't forget all the dead white walkers north of the wall.
I enjoyed this book. Once I got a handle on the characters the book was a joy to read. However, I still have absolutely no idea who will be left alive at the end.
Spoiler alert: Martin has absolutely no problem killing off a character. Be prepared.
This was the first book I read on my Kindle. Flipping to the back of the book to make use of the appendices, and using the maps at the front would be much easier in a regular book. On the whole, however, I felt more motivated to read on the Kindle.
A Dance with Dragons
If you'd like to read my blog posts from last year check out my Kindle ebook.
Monday, January 23, 2012
The 2011 Reviews
I have published an ebook for the Kindle. It's a collection posts from this blog. They are organized in a way to make them easier access.
If you'd like to read my reviews on your Kindle, check out my ebook!
If you'd like to read my reviews on your Kindle, check out my ebook!
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