Finally taking the plunge. . .again :-)

[gravescp]

A long time ago I bought and evaluated the Kindle 1st generation for about 25 days before reluctantly returning it to Amazon. During that time I read numerous books, and was overall happy with the device, but I just could not justify the $400 price, especially with the new iPhone in my pocket.

Recently, I noticed that e-book readers have found a new low price point of $200 (the new sony 300, sony 505 (used), and the refurb kindle 1). Everyones ebook catalogs have grown, and new great features like whispersync, and library rentals have made this less of a niche space and more of a growing market.

Although I would love to get the cutting edge of these devices, I think for me the $200 is the magic price-point. So I just finished my order for the exact same Kindle 1 that I purchased, and have missed, those many months/years ago.

Hopefully, with the next generation we will see even further feature growth, and tech development. Most importantly though for the growth of the space I hope to see more readers at the $200 price and below :-)

[JSWolf]

If you go with a Kindle, you might regret it as all your books you won't be able to take with you to some new device later on. Most are going ePub via ADE and by having a device that supports ePub via ADE means you can take your content with you when the time comes for a new reader. The next generation reader won't be from Amazon and it most likely will support ePub.

[Elsi]

Though I do have to point out that after purchasing over 300 Kindle books from Amazon, I only have a half-dozen that are in the dreaded Topaz format. I practiced removing the DRM lock so I'd know what I needed to do in the case that I ever wind up in a situation where I don't own a Kindle or Kindle-compatible device.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If you go with a Kindle, you might regret it as all your books you won't be able to take with you to some new device later on. Most are going ePub via ADE and by having a device that supports ePub via ADE means you can take your content with you when the time comes for a new reader. The next generation reader won't be from Amazon and it most likely will support ePub.

If you get the K1, you will have SD card capability, and if you 'liberate' your pruchased books and back them up, you can take them anywhere, while having the ability to download the best variety of books and usually at the lowest price.....anywhere in the world you can get internet access. Not using whispernet........using the download to your computer feature.

I'm just sayin'....

[gravescp]

I though long and hard about the DRM issue. I agree that there may come a day when I leave Amazon and move to an e-pub or some new yet unknown standard. Two points made me comfortable about my decision.

First, I do and have used the kindle app on the iPhone so even without my kindle I would still have access to my purchased content. Second, I looked at the Sony and Amazon stores closely and in almost all cases of the books I wanted to read Amazon was cheaper.

For example Neal Stephenson's catalog of the Baroque Cycle was $6.39 vs $7.99. The next two books had similar $2-3 differences between the two stores. This trend occurred again and again. Many times older bestsellers at Sony were 11.99 or 10.50 while Amazon was still 9.99. I believe the over the time of ownership Amazon's price competition will make up the DRM cost.

Ultimately until the publishing industry agrees on a standard we will be playing this DRM format war game, but that is the price of being early adopters :-)

[gravescp]

Yeah amazon price matching saved $50 today!!!

[DrMoze]

Originally Posted by gravescp

Yeah amazon price matching saved $50 today!!!

My local e-library has several of the Stephenson books, including the Baroque Cycle. So I'm gonna save 100% of those prices with my Sony Reader! Beat that, Amazon!!!! (I actually have Cryptonomicon in trade paperback, but I might borrow it to finish reading on my Reader.)

[gravescp]

Cannot argue with that price :-)

[Quicksand]

Originally Posted by DrMoze

My local e-library has several of the Stephenson books, including the Baroque Cycle. So I'm gonna save 100% of those prices with my Sony Reader! Beat that, Amazon!!!! (I actually have Cryptonomicon in trade paperback, but I might borrow it to finish reading on my Reader.)

I didn't read the Baroque Cycle but I loved Cryptonomicon. If the Baroque Cycle is as big of a book as Cryptonomicon, I don't think I would have enough time to finish it before the loan expires. Is it possible to extend the time you can keep ebooks?

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by DrMoze

My local e-library has several of the Stephenson books, including the Baroque Cycle. So I'm gonna save 100% of those prices with my Sony Reader! Beat that, Amazon!!!! (I actually have Cryptonomicon in trade paperback, but I might borrow it to finish reading on my Reader.)

Hey, he's just stimulating the economy... at a reasonable price!

[DrMoze]

Originally Posted by Quicksand

I didn't read the Baroque Cycle but I loved Cryptonomicon. If the Baroque Cycle is as big of a book as Cryptonomicon, I don't think I would have enough time to finish it before the loan expires. Is it possible to extend the time you can keep ebooks?

You can check out books for 3 weeks (NYPL), and renew immediately if no one else has it on their waiting list. The BC is a trilogy, and each one is pretty long. (Not sure exactly how they compare in length to Cryptonomicon.)

[lilac_jive]

Originally Posted by gravescp

I though long and hard about the DRM issue. I agree that there may come a day when I leave Amazon and move to an e-pub or some new yet unknown standard. Two points made me comfortable about my decision.

First, I do and have used the kindle app on the iPhone so even without my kindle I would still have access to my purchased content. Second, I looked at the Sony and Amazon stores closely and in almost all cases of the books I wanted to read Amazon was cheaper.

For example Neal Stephenson's catalog of the Baroque Cycle was $6.39 vs $7.99. The next two books had similar $2-3 differences between the two stores. This trend occurred again and again. Many times older bestsellers at Sony were 11.99 or 10.50 while Amazon was still 9.99. I believe the over the time of ownership Amazon's price competition will make up the DRM cost.

Ultimately until the publishing industry agrees on a standard we will be playing this DRM format war game, but that is the price of being early adopters :-)

Just an FYI, Sony has dropped their bestsellers to $9.99. In general Amazon is cheaper though.

On a side note, I like reading on my iPhone in traffic I got it strictly for Kindle only freebies/uber cheap books.

[brecklundin]

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

Just an FYI, Sony has dropped their bestsellers to $9.99. In general Amazon is cheaper though.

On a side note, I like reading on my iPhone in traffic I got it strictly for Kindle only freebies/uber cheap books.

Ya gots ta love those Kindle freebies!! Every now and then I snag a good one. Of course I format shift because, well, I dunna like my K1...it's a good device though just not for me.

[PhishStyx]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If you go with a Kindle, you might regret it as all your books you won't be able to take with you to some new device later on. Most are going ePub via ADE and by having a device that supports ePub via ADE means you can take your content with you when the time comes for a new reader. The next generation reader won't be from Amazon and it most likely will support ePub.

Wolf, have you ever considered going into politics? Your ability to look at about a third of an issue and decide that you're absolutely right about 100% of that issue never ceases to amaze me. You should run for office, perhaps in South Carolina or Mississippi.