I didn't want to go there, but it took me 11 years to accumulate a million miles. I just shrugged it off as bravado on his part. Even 2 million miles would equate to a round trip to Atlanta or Chicago every single week for 13 years.
I have owned a kindle for about a year and a half now. I actually get upset when a book I want to read is not on Amazon. The weight is nice, and its much easier to read than a regular book. The other huge factor is ebooks cost about half as much as regular books, I haven't exactly saved money there, just have been able to read more. This is really nice for newly released books, you don't have to wait for paper back to save money, its paper back cost up front. The only pitfall is they are delicate, and the standard warranty is about a year, and the cost to replace a cracked screen after the warranty is about as much as a new one. My Dad dropped his and the screen cracked.
Now if they were available, and I was still in school, that would be a great idea. If it isn't already available SF I think you just may have found a way to become a millionaire. As for using the Kindle for everyday reading just call me not willing to accept that kind of change. I spend most of my day on a computer or a cell phone, I have enough in my life involving computer screens and living with the technologies available in today’s world. Call me old fashioned but something’s just aren’t meant to be changed, or at least I don’t want them changed for me. As mentioned before there isn’t a whole lot that is as relaxing as sitting down in a nice quiet place to relax with a good book. It is a great escape from the real world, especially when you have kids.
I got my Kindle yesterday and I love it so far. I hate to say it but between space in my closet and the fact when I am reading a couple of books at a time, I don't have to lug them around, it is perfect for me. Plus the thing about looking at a computer screen doesn't bother me, it isn't backlit and doesn't look like a computer screen. You can't really read it in the dark because it really looks like a bookpage. When it gets dark in the room you need to turn on lights or you will go blind. It will save me money, space, and energy (when traveling) so I think for me personally it will be a GREAT item to have. BTW, I got it yesterday at 3PM worked all night last night and am already 45% through my first book!
I thought they were trying to get textbooks on the kindle as well. I know some of the LSU affiliates i work with were writing a proposal to buy kindles and roll them out as textbooks.
I don't think Kindle would be good for this - generally speaking, textbooks aren't read from beginning to end - lots of moving back and forth as you study. Kindle sucks in that way - electronic bookmarks aren't nearly as easy to use as just flipping backward or forward. It still can work - but I think for subjects like science and math, it won't really be very effective. Maybe humanities?
It's starting to become an option. Textbooks are so expensive that it is a major college expense. Big reference tomes are likely to remain paper for some time. They have to be read skipping from topic to topic back and forth and not steady scrolling. They are often heavily annotated by the user. And they are often kept as professional references for many decades. But the many history texts and other required readings that don't have a lot of illustrations, foldouts, appendices, and bibliographies and are mostly straight reads . . . these will move to electronic devices rapidly.
I thought the same thing. Kindles are not computer screens, nor do they feel like computer screens. Its a new technology. Revolutionary electronic-paper display provides a sharp, high-resolution screen that looks and reads like real paper. Basically there is no backlighting, it looks and reads like paper. I have read on it for hours, and its just like a book. Easier in many cases, as books bend and you have a hard time with lighting where on a kindle you don't.
