Comments on: Amazon Kindle 2 Review http://www.mikesplanet.net/2009/08/amazon-kindle-2-review/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=amazon-kindle-2-review Just a Big Ball of Gas Fri, 03 Jun 2011 04:41:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kevin http://www.mikesplanet.net/2009/08/amazon-kindle-2-review/comment-page-1/#comment-42821 Kevin Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:06:33 +0000 http://www.mikesplanet.net/?p=313#comment-42821 The biggest downside you forgot to mention about the Kindle is that, compared to other e-Ink portable book readers, the formats it supports is horribly restrictive. It supports neither PDF nor ePub -- PDF is the most widely available format for digital publications currently, and ePub is quickly becoming the future standard for such devices. Amazon seems to be trying to force Kindle users to stick to their format so they have to buy their books through Amazon. ...And while calibre will "convert" from these formats to .mobi which can be read on a Kindle, the conversion procedures are bound to be less than imperfect, and this is especially true with technical material (math and science), where the result is often unusable. I use a Sony Reader PRS-505 too, and I'm very happy to have it rather than the Kindle, since it supports both PDF and ePub natively. The Kindle DX looks to be a huge improvement though. Visit: http://www.mobileread.com/ for lots of information and discussion about such devices. The biggest downside you forgot to mention about the Kindle is that, compared to other e-Ink portable book readers, the formats it supports is horribly restrictive.

It supports neither PDF nor ePub — PDF is the most widely available format for digital publications currently, and ePub is quickly becoming the future standard for such devices. Amazon seems to be trying to force Kindle users to stick to their format so they have to buy their books through Amazon.

…And while calibre will “convert” from these formats to .mobi which can be read on a Kindle, the conversion procedures are bound to be less than imperfect, and this is especially true with technical material (math and science), where the result is often unusable.

I use a Sony Reader PRS-505 too, and I’m very happy to have it rather than the Kindle, since it supports both PDF and ePub natively.

The Kindle DX looks to be a huge improvement though.

Visit:
http://www.mobileread.com/
for lots of information and discussion about such devices.

]]> By: Stefan http://www.mikesplanet.net/2009/08/amazon-kindle-2-review/comment-page-1/#comment-42820 Stefan Tue, 18 Aug 2009 10:44:07 +0000 http://www.mikesplanet.net/?p=313#comment-42820 Never used or seen the Kindle/2, but I have a Sony PRS505 and its also totally awesome :) Never used or seen the Kindle/2, but I have a Sony PRS505 and its also totally awesome :)

]]> By: Rusty http://www.mikesplanet.net/2009/08/amazon-kindle-2-review/comment-page-1/#comment-42819 Rusty Tue, 18 Aug 2009 04:50:21 +0000 http://www.mikesplanet.net/?p=313#comment-42819 It is unlikely that Amazon will drop DRM at any author's request. While it is widely touted that DRM is what Amazon needs to promote to publishers to say that their books will not be pirated, the only real advantage any DRM scheme gives is to the device distributor, not the publisher. You've been enjoying Grey's Anatomy on the Kindel, but you are going ot be at the hospital and you want the hospital to know that you are not using a device that is emitting radio waves that may interfere with it's equipment? Well, move the copy to your Sony eReader. Oops, can't do that, you're locked into a Kindel or device supported by Amazon, (Phones so far as I know, possibly a PC) None of which give you the same e-ink qualities. Audible comes closest to having a system that is 'open' on the user's 'end' as they have made sure that the vast majority of media devices are supported, so you can switch from using your phone to a gps to your pda to your computer at work and so on. Or if you would rather, burn a CD thenrip it to the device of your preference. It is unlikely that Amazon will drop DRM at any author’s request. While it is widely touted that DRM is what Amazon needs to promote to publishers to say that their books will not be pirated, the only real advantage any DRM scheme gives is to the device distributor, not the publisher. You’ve been enjoying Grey’s Anatomy on the Kindel, but you are going ot be at the hospital and you want the hospital to know that you are not using a device that is emitting radio waves that may interfere with it’s equipment? Well, move the copy to your Sony eReader. Oops, can’t do that, you’re locked into a Kindel or device supported by Amazon, (Phones so far as I know, possibly a PC) None of which give you the same e-ink qualities.

Audible comes closest to having a system that is ‘open’ on the user’s ‘end’ as they have made sure that the vast majority of media devices are supported, so you can switch from using your phone to a gps to your pda to your computer at work and so on. Or if you would rather, burn a CD thenrip it to the device of your preference.

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