Just last week, Mormon Matters content became available to Kindle owners. The only other b’naclers on Kindle are our buddies at By Common Consent. So, here’s why you should get a Kindle and subscribe to MM!
Not sure a Kindle is right for you? Well, I’m not sure either. Here are some pros & cons to consider:
Pros for the Kindle:
- Books are cheaper, especially classics which are nearly free (no copyrights to deal with – I got the complete William Shakespeare for 99 cents!). Most contemporary titles are $9.99 vs. the usual list price of $12.99 – 17.99.
- You can store ~1500 books in one lightweight device
- It’s very lightweight, a vast improvement over taking actual books with me on my travels.
- The screen is easy to read and navigation is pretty simple.
- I get less eye strain than with my Blackberry: the screen is not backlit, so it’s not like a computer screen. You have to use a reading or book light if you need to light it up, as with a book. You can change the size of the text to make it bigger or smaller.
- You can wirelessly browse and buy new books (via Amazon) whenever you want from the device.
- You can upload pdfs directly into the device for easy viewing while you are traveling.
- You can bookmark, highlight passages and make notes as you go right within the text of the book.
- You can download the first chapter of just about anything in the Amazon Kindle store to see if you want to buy it. The sample chapter saves on your device until you delete.
- In addition to books, you can get newspapers, magazines and blogs like Mormon Matters. The content is there, although the interactivity is generally not available (e.g. commenting) as it is with online content.
On the downside:
- The device is expensive – over $250, so you should be an avid reader to make it worth your while.
- Not all books are available – none of the Harry Potters are, for example, but there were 60+ screens of LDS titles. There are many many titles available. You can check the Kindle store on Amazon.com to see if a book you are interested is available.
- Different books have different navigation abilities – some are better put together than others.
- I have an unused $50 GC to Barnes & Noble. Maybe I can use it to buy books for other people.
- I think it might be easy to steal the device and re-register it. Not that I’m recommending that. Of course, how many Kindle thiefs are really out there? Bookish con artists – maybe Sawyer from Lost. He reads a lot.
- You can’t turn it on during takeoff or landing on flights (because it’s an electronic device). So I guess you’re stuck reading the SkyMall catalog or chatting up your neighbor.
If you are a techy or bookworm, you may already have one. If so, what’s your assessment? If not, is there a Kindle in your future? Discuss.
