[atomicbartbeans]

Not wanting to hijack kieran's thread, and having a few questions for AN Kindle owners (hey Roboman!), I thought I'd start my own:

I've been on this book-reading kick for the past couple of months, which I'd imagine is much healthier for my brain than the "info-snacking" that we're prone to use the internet for. To make the most of (and perpetuate) my reading groove, I ordered a Kindle yesterday and I'm antsy to get it.

First, a simple question: what is a good and cheap (I don't want to spend 30 bucks) sleeve/case for the Kindle? For reasons of thrift and theft deterrence, I might just use a padded manila envelope if I could find one in the proper size - or ideally, find an old hardcover book and make one of these. DIY solutions aside, what's a good choice for guarding the Kindle against the daily assault from my bookbag's interior without adding much bulk?

Secondly: I've built up a largely unread library of books and nerdy research articles from my internet travels that I'd like to use on the Kindle. I don't plan to buy much content from Amazon, only when I can't find what I'm looking for elsewhere (and there are a lot of places to look). I'm still a student and anticipate being poor for the foreseeable future. What is the best free solution for processing Kindle-unfriendly files (mostly PDF and ePUB) into reflowable, Kindle-friendly ones (and preserving its ability to bookmark, highlight, and annotate)?

I do mean 'free' as in beer, but more importantly as in speech. I don't want to deal with any digital restrictions management or proprietary lameness - I think this means that I'll be converting my files to MOBI, PRC, or TXT for the Kindle's consumption. (If I switch to another company's device someday as nerds are wont to do, re-converting everything that I own would be a pain.) In AN's experience, what's the most efficient way to do this (and what is the most advantageous output format)?

Just for comparison's sake: how well does Amazon's [file format x] -> AZW conversion service work?

Also, please share cool shit that you do with the web browser! It's awesome that Amazon would provide free (at least for now) internet use over 3G - and the prospect of having a text-centric browser on an electronic ink device makes me giddier than the day I discovered Lynx. How well does it work for email and task management? Note-taking (given the Kindle's thumb keyboard)? Reading blogs and Reddit and such?

Finally, I know it's a Linux device, and it's probably capable of much more than Amazon would have us know. Has anyone here successfully modded/replaced the firmware? Done anything cool like SSH?

[Capella]

I don't convert research articles, but I convert books from other sources in annoying formats using Calibre, which is free and for all major OSes. It means every time I want to convert something to Kindle friendly MOBI, I have to add it to my Calibre library and tag it, but I really like its conversion, so I'm happy with it. (Especially since I do want to eventually have all my ebooks nicely categorized...) I used MOBI because I figured I would never sell my Kindle, and now, even though I'm thinking about it, Calibre makes it so easy to bulk convert stuff into another format that I don't really care, you know?

I can't help you with anything else; I have never once browsed the web on my Kindle. I keep the wireless off. I have never even bought a Kindle book ON the Kindle; I turn on Whispernet, buy it on my machine, let it go over, and then turn off wireless. I am terribly boring and unhelpful, I know, but all my Kindle does is read books, nothing else.

[Robo]

I'm probably even less helpful, because I don't have a Kindle. I have a (now broken ) Sony 505 that I bought just before the Kindle was announced. I've used a Kindle a bunch of times. The web browser is, well, it's there. It's okay, in a pinch. It's not great for doing "cool shit." It's decent for blogs and Wikipedia and sites like AppleNova. For a freebie it's a really nice addition.

Kindle apps are coming. That should be nice for email and the like. I'm probably going to place an order for a Kindle before Pi Day, so I'll let you know more info when I get mine.

[kieran]

Don't worry about it abb. I wouldn't have minded the hijack.

Anyways, good to bring up another thread on this. I still haven't made a decision yet, but I might have to bump back my purchased a few months. Other things came up.

[zsummers]

For what it's worth, I've been following the eBay prices on DX's. They seem to consistently come in around $380. I would bet with some patience you can grab one for $350 or less over the next few months.

Still torn on even wanting one--can't tell if it is gadget lust or my newfound habit of reading big anthologies that's driving my interest.

[atomicbartbeans]

Originally Posted by Capella I don't convert research articles, but I convert books from other sources in annoying formats using Calibre, which is free and for all major OSes.

Yes! I found Calibre this morning and it seems to be pretty much what I'm looking for (albeit a little bloated). When you convert documents to .mobi format, can the Kindle still resize the text, bookmark and highlight things, display a linked table of contents if any, etc?

Originally Posted by Roboman I'm probably even less helpful, because I don't have a Kindle. I have a (now broken ) Sony 505 that I bought just before the Kindle was announced.

I suppose it's too late for me to ask, but how much do did you like it? Is there anything it does well where the Kindle lacks, or vice versa?

[Robo]

Well, I'm a big proponent of e-books and E Ink, and it was one of my favorite gadgets, so I guess that tells you what you need to know. It was the best e-book reader out there at the time, but it was sort of the...only one. Even after the Kindle came out, the 505 (which predated it by a few months) was sort of better than the first-gen Kindle, because it had the newer Vizplex screen (and because it was $100 cheaper!). The current Kindle has the Vizplex screen, of course. And now Sony's readers have harder-to-read resisitve touchscreens, and actually cost more than Kindles or Nooks, so yeah...fuck 'em. Get a Kindle. The only thing Sony's current Readers are better at is "openness," but there's so many compromises (higher price, worse screens, hacky software, no wireless unless you get the even more expensive Daily Edition) that it just isn't worth it. The only current Sony Reader I can comfortably recommend is the (non-touchscreen) $199 5" Pocket Edition, and even then, only to people who just can't spring the extra $60 for a Kindle or Nook. And even then I'd just tell them to wait, because I'm sure Kindles might match that price soon.

I remember being so excited about the original Sony Librié. Oh how the mighty have fallen

[Frank777]

Is there an estimate as to how long it will be before there's a colour version of the Kindle?

[hflomberg]

I have the Kindle Software on my ITouch. It's easy to install and works great - and it's free!. I have the option of changing the font size and it's actually quite readable

[Robo]

Originally Posted by Frank777 Is there an estimate as to how long it will be before there's a colour version of the Kindle?

That's impossible to say, because nobody knows what technology they're going to use. Color E Ink isn't exactly feasible yet. They could switch to Qi3, or something else entirely -- I think the FLEPia just uses a special, super-reflective LCD. It's a lot like asking when there is going to be a touchscreen Kindle -- who knows? Nothing is leaked, if that's what you mean. (Both the Kindle and the Kindle 2 leaked months ahead of release.)

[zsummers]

Alright: now I'm downright confused. The Kindle DX supports PDFs, obviously. I understood it was the only one that did it "natively"--i.e. without format changing.

But Amazon's Kindle page (non-DX) says that the Kindle offers "native PDF support." Elsewhere, however, it states the PDFs might not format correctly if "complex."

So what about something like a script (one of the uses I'd like to put this to)? For instance, 500 Days of Summer.

Is reading it on a Kindle going to be hopeless without upgrading to the DX? So confused.

[Robo]

There was a software update to allow the Kindle native PDF support. Previously, you would have to have Amazon "convert" the PDF for you, which is still probably worth doing (Unformatted PDFs on a 6" screen? No thank you). That's probably what the "might not format correctly if complex" thing was referring to.

I haven't read a PDF on a Kindle since the software update, but from what I remember, the conversion process handles most simpler documents (like books) pretty well -- it's only when you get into complicated PDFs like brochures or magazines or something that it would start messing up.

[zsummers]

Originally Posted by Roboman There was a software update to allow the Kindle native PDF support. Previously, you would have to have Amazon "convert" the PDF for you, which is still probably worth doing (Unformatted PDFs on a 6" screen? No thank you). That's probably what the "might not format correctly if complex" thing was referring to. I haven't read a PDF on a Kindle since the software update, but from what I remember, the conversion process handles most simpler documents (like books) pretty well -- it's only when you get into complicated PDFs like brochures or magazines or something that it would start messing up.

Ah: this probably makes sense of the mixed marketing materials. I did a little research, but there's not a lot out there. But apparently script reading is catching on a little (thank goodness--Hollywood kills a small forest every day): http://www.informationweek.com/news/...leID=219500664

[Robo]

I'll probably be getting a Kindle (6") in a month or so -- I'm expecting a price drop around the time the iPad hits -- so if you want me to check out how it handles PDF scripts, I totally can. Probably. If you wait.

[zsummers]

Originally Posted by Roboman I'll probably be getting a Kindle (6") in a month or so -- I'm expecting a price drop around the time the iPad hits -- so if you want me to check out how it handles PDF scripts, I totally can. Probably. If you wait.

That'd be excellent... if I can wait myself...

[Maciej]

Originally Posted by Roboman I'll probably be getting a Kindle (6") in a month or so -- I'm expecting a price drop around the time the iPad hits -- so if you want me to check out how it handles PDF scripts, I totally can. Probably. If you wait.

I'm debating whether to get the iPad or the Kindle. I've also been expecting a price drop once the iPad goes on sale and it is just going to be a matter of deciding whether I just want the device for reading books or if I want it to be more...

[zsummers]

Kindle DX from eBay arrived yesterday. Got a relisted steal from an eBay reseller.

To answer some of my own questions: scripts in PDF and .txt format work great. I'm still working out how to deal with .html and the like (downloading Calibre as we speak).

The screen is plain lovely, it's light as can be, and it stows nicely.

The web-browser so far is so-so. Even on my Edge iPhone, I can't see myself using the Kindle as a replacement. Maybe that will change.

The interface is iffy for everything else, but is perfect for reading--so that's a major positive. And being able to

Now to hunt out all of the free maters... any favorite spots for finding public domain texts?

[JohnnyTheA]

Originally Posted by hflomberg I have the Kindle Software on my ITouch. It's easy to install and works great - and it's free!. I have the option of changing the font size and it's actually quite readable

Try Stanza, its pretty cool...

[Robo]

Originally Posted by zsummers Now to hunt out all of the free maters... any favorite spots for finding public domain texts?

Project Gutenberg?