Author Topic: Now reading... (Read 315607 times)

Persephone · « **Reply #500 on:** February 05, 2013, 03:40:09 pm »

I need to use dictionary too - with some books. Luckily the smartphones are quite a big help. You can search immediately without need to carry a huge dictionary with you all the time.
The Amazon Kindle is even more amazing in this - it has built-in explanatory dictionary - so when you do not know the word you use the cursor to reach it and it shows you the explanation for the word in English (with and example of use) - that's pretty amazing.

Agnes · « **Reply #501 on:** February 05, 2013, 08:03:24 pm »

it seems to be usefull! But I don't like reading from pdf/smartphone/e-book reader. It's healthier to read from the *normal* books.

I would like to have a nice bookcase, of course full of good books - I can't find a nice picture of it, but I'm pretty sure, that you know what I mean and you can imagine that yourself

Persephone · « **Reply #502 on:** February 05, 2013, 08:26:11 pm »

Hm, I don't agree with your opinion fully. I don't find any comfy and healthy to read pdf (or any other such format) from the pc/notebook or smartphone display (it shines). But the old version of the Amazon Kindle is different - its display does not have built-in light which means you have to use outer light to read (like with book), so it is the same like if you were reading books or newspaper.

I always wanted a nice huge library myself. But you know what - I had to move several times and that's what makes you think (and I plan to move in next year again). It's ok if you have 20 books. If you got 200 - it's not that ok anymore. I love printed books, don't get me wrong and I will always want to buy them but if I have to choose between paper book and kindle book in case that I already have that book - for example: in Czech but I do want to read in English - I will not buy the same book in a different language. It takes place (and e-books tend to be cheaper). Also it is good for studying as it allows you to make notes and then it extracts the notes in txt format - so you do not need to rewrite them yourself by hand - that's in my case great loss of time, if you know what I mean

And then, if you need about 3 books for a lesson - each of 500 pages - and you can have kindle versions instead - then my choice is quite clear. I have to carry quite a heavy bag to school/work already and I do not want to carry external frame pack (the huge travelling backpack which usually alpinists use) everyday

I already got damaged backbone well enough.

Still with my favourite book or book I liked a lot in the kindle version, I will want to buy it in the paperback (or hardcover if necessary). End certain kind of books won't ever be made as e-books and other certain kind of books simply have to be printed

So I only think that both have its advantages and disadvantages.

Agnes · « **Reply #503 on:** February 05, 2013, 09:37:16 pm »

I agree with you :-) Sometimes it's better to have an e- version. :-)

Luth · « **Reply #504 on:** February 05, 2013, 11:13:04 pm »

Too much said in few hours... it's not fair

Agnes, when I started reading books in non-adapted English, believe me, I had a lot worse English than you. I began with the dictionary on my side, looking at it so often that I very soon grow tired of it. I quickly decided that context works better than dicctionary, except when I really want or need to know the meaning of a word. In fact, apart from NTSMS, reading books that way has been the other way to improve my English

And, about Kindle... I have it too. I do love the smell, the touch, the sight, the weigh of a paper book, and I'll always love. But I have two problems:

1. Overcrowded bookshelves at not so big home.

2. More than 2 hours per day on train (where I read a lot, of course).

Kindle is really good to be able to carry some hundred books, and be able to get some of them "easily" (mainly in English, as those are not so easy to get). Sight is not tired beucase there's no light, as Kris already say: that's the main goal of electronic ink! Of course the experience of reading is not the same... but it's worth to have!

I will never stop buying books, despite the fact that some day the books will throw me away from home... but having Kindle will delay that moment for some time!

Markus · « **Reply #505 on:** February 06, 2013, 06:43:41 am »

Miladies,

in fact I've been considering a Kindle for a while... I think similar to you: I'm fond of owning books physically and I'll always want to buy printed editions of books that mean something to me. But books that are just for some good entertainment or to get some facts - why not get them as a Kindle edition?

Also, there are nice additional services: Free classics of literature, the translations you mentioned, a free integrated 3G-connection for downloading with the Paperwhite 3G...

Some questions to the Kindle-owners among you:

The regular Kindles have a black-and-white display and those with colour displays aren't so well to read in bright light, right?
If so, don't you miss the colours for certain books?
Can you really read the Paperwhite properly in bright sunshine?
How do you get your e-books into the Kindle? I don't have wireless LAN at home. Can I download the books with a regular computer and cable them into the Kindle?
What about other e-book-readers? Kindle isn't the only one... is it the best?

Cheers!

Markus

Luth · « **Reply #506 on:** February 06, 2013, 08:04:58 am »

Markus... no time to answer now. Wait until the Abend and I'll explain

Persephone · « **Reply #507 on:** February 06, 2013, 06:54:39 pm »

Hey Markus,

1) the old versions of Kindle are black & white, yes... the newest version (Kindle Fire, I think?) is backlit (you can choose how strong the light is), even though my friend has got this new version, I cannot share any experiences with it... but it looked nice when I saw it for few minutes. Maybe it is possible to turn the backlight off fully, I am not sure.

2) I do not buy colourful books on Kindle so no, I do not miss it at all, so far

3) I've got no problem with strong bright sunglight/daylight (you can change the fonts usually, the size, the spacing between words, the contrast backround/letters) - darkness is a problem if you do not have the light from outside though. Fortunately I've got my Kindle with the cover which has built-in little lamp. The lamp uses the Kindle battery so you do not need to buy any extra batteries.

4) Amazon sends them via wi-fi or whispernet (3G) to your Kindle, or you can download them and add them to your Kindle via cable - it has the same regular mini USB like cell phones (at least smartphones - it is some time ago since EU unified the USBs for these machines - thank God....). This way you also charge it. I do not have the cable for the Kindle - friend forgot to give me that one so I use my cell phone cable for charging it. If you do not use the wi-fi or 3G much, it can last for few weeks before you need to charge it again

5) I do not have any experience with non-Kindle e-readers, but Elena has some other e-reader, Sony maybe or something like that?

Now it's time for Luthy, to share her experience or correcting me

Luth · « **Reply #508 on:** February 06, 2013, 10:30:34 pm »

Kris said almost all I wanted... I'm too late!!

I don't have the paperwhite, either, but I'm pretty happy with my Kindle. It's exactly as a book, regarding the light: is there external bright fantastic shining light? You'll read it perfectly. Is there only a dim light? You'll read it with difficulties. There's no light? You'll knock your head with the wall

In that, the experience is the same than with a paper book, except that a paper book can have different shades of white, and Kindle only has one

I don't read colourful books, either: for those, I stick to paper. I use Kindle mainly for too-weighthy books impossible to carry everyday on the train without growing new muscles you were not aware of, and free books you can freely have through Kindle.

If I buy the book in Amazon, I use the Whispernet thingy. If I get by other means, I download it to my device with the cable

And I don't know too much about other devices... Kindle has been the first and, up to now, the only e-book I used. I'm pretty happy with it, though: I only must remind to recharge it from time to time (almost a month without need... and I do read for 2 hours per day!) and thousands of books ready to fit inside that tiny thing...

Even after that, I have to say: paperbooks are the best, do not say good bye to them!! Simply use the one you need best to the moment

Markus · « **Reply #509 on:** February 07, 2013, 09:11:22 pm »

Thank you very much, miladies! Your answers are very helpful to me. So I'll get myself a Kindle or ask for one as a birthday present in summer.

Right now I was reading a cute little short story named "Eldritch Application". It's about the fictitious SCP Foundation, an organisation that tries to lock up dangerous objects or beings. Hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

Cheers!

Markus

Lucy · « **Reply #510 on:** August 11, 2013, 04:01:23 pm »

How do you like your Kindle, Markus?

I have just finished "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". Have you read it? I have found it amazing, but very disturbing, it made me really sad.

It would be great to talk about it!

Luth · « **Reply #511 on:** August 11, 2013, 04:59:20 pm »

Ey Lucy! I read this novel... but so long, long ago, that I remember almost nothing!! Apart that I lasted to realize that the narrator was crazy, and that from that moment I understood the book a lot better...

Perhaps I should re-read it someday!

Persephone · « **Reply #512 on:** August 11, 2013, 06:52:12 pm »

I only saw the movie. I'll check the book though too

The One · « **Reply #513 on:** August 12, 2013, 10:34:51 pm »

George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" saga. Currently starting the second book, "A Clash of Kings".

Luth · « **Reply #514 on:** August 12, 2013, 10:45:01 pm »

I've read the first two... but I don't want to read more. I want to discover in the series what happens...

Persephone · « **Reply #515 on:** August 13, 2013, 08:11:27 am »

I've got first two books at home in English and also Kindle version of the first one, yet I haven't managed to read them still.
And I want to read the books and maybe then watch the series.

The One · « **Reply #516 on:** August 13, 2013, 07:35:10 pm »

Quote from: Luth on August 12, 2013, 10:45:01 pm

I've read the first two... but I don't want to read more. I want to discover in the series what happens...

So you're telling me you haven't watched season 3 yet?

Luth · « **Reply #517 on:** August 13, 2013, 07:40:57 pm »

I had... But season 3 covers only half 3rd book

The One · « **Reply #518 on:** August 13, 2013, 08:21:30 pm »

Well, I want to get through four (maybe the fifth one) too before season 4 comes up to then not be as shocked as what happened in that one scene and to criticize the show from the point of view of knowing the source material.

Markus · « **Reply #519 on:** August 18, 2013, 06:54:35 pm »

Hey folks,

my Kindle is doing fine and I think I'll feed it with the Cuckoo's Nest so we can chat about it.

Cheers!

Markus

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Author Topic: Now reading... (Read 315607 times)