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Amazon's Kindle coming to the UK 
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Legend

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The whole colour thing really does show it up in 2010, esp. with it's thinness and fancy functions etc :lol: :oops:

I wonder how many people are thinking, 'I'll buy this and then the bloody colour one will be out next year...' :?

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Sun Aug 08, 2010 4:57 pm
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pcernie wrote:
I wonder how many people are thinking, 'I'll buy this and then the bloody colour one will be out next year...' :?

I am curious, why do you need a colour from ebook reader unless you read comics?

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Sun Aug 08, 2010 5:16 pm
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I've been reading eBooks for years and have had dedicated e-ink readers since they were available, but for me, the benefits of e-ink (long battery life, decent contrast, hi-res screen) never cancelled out the overall clunkiness of the devices, and I subsequently did most of my reading on an iPhone (lots of apps for this, including Amazon's Kindle) which in turn has largely been replaced by my iPad. But I've just come back from a couple of weeks holiday and in some conditions (e.g. bright shade) the iPad doesn't fare too well - not impossible to use, just not ideal; e-ink screens are better in these sort of conditions, and clunkiness aside, I was surprised how much I liked reading on a small lightweight dedicated device again.

So, having sworn I'd never buy another e-ink reader, I'll probably surprise myself and pick up a WiFi-only Kindle when they're available, just for use where the screen makes sense. A hundred quid may not exactly be loose change, but it's not expensive either, and having all your Kindle books available and synched (bookmarks, reading positions etc...) across all devices running Kindle App. is well handy.

Kindle prices are generally very good btw, and Amazon generally has a better selection than most - though far, far fewer titles available than in say, paperback.

Cheers, Pete


Sun Aug 08, 2010 5:20 pm
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koli wrote:
pcernie wrote:
I wonder how many people are thinking, 'I'll buy this and then the bloody colour one will be out next year...' :?

I am curious, why do you need a colour from ebook reader unless you read comics?

I would want it for storing equipment manuals on.

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Sun Aug 08, 2010 5:23 pm
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What is bright shade? :?

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Sun Aug 08, 2010 5:29 pm
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Nick wrote:
What is bright shade? :?

I assume it's where you're sat in shade but everything around (esp. behind) you is in sunshine.

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Sun Aug 08, 2010 5:30 pm
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Legend

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koli wrote:
pcernie wrote:
I wonder how many people are thinking, 'I'll buy this and then the bloody colour one will be out next year...' :?

I am curious, why do you need a colour from ebook reader unless you read comics?


Well, the comics and graphic novel industry alone is enormous (from kids to people in their forties and beyond), but I was thinking of when you're reading newspapers with pics, online articles with photos... (all that stuff that looks a bit odd in the vid as a result IMO)

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Sun Aug 08, 2010 5:50 pm
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pcernie wrote:
koli wrote:
I am curious, why do you need a colour from ebook reader unless you read comics?


Well, the comics and graphic novel industry alone is enormous (from kids to people in their forties and beyond), but I was thinking of when you're reading newspapers with pics, online articles with photos... (all that stuff that looks a bit odd in the vid as a result IMO)

I think that the iPad will dominate this market very quickly. It is perfect for the occasional user. The real fans might actually buy these as a way to read the comic and keep their comics in pristine condition.

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Sun Aug 08, 2010 6:13 pm
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Legend

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Amnesia10 wrote:
pcernie wrote:
koli wrote:
I am curious, why do you need a colour from ebook reader unless you read comics?


Well, the comics and graphic novel industry alone is enormous (from kids to people in their forties and beyond), but I was thinking of when you're reading newspapers with pics, online articles with photos... (all that stuff that looks a bit odd in the vid as a result IMO)

I think that the iPad will dominate this market very quickly. It is perfect for the occasional user. The real fans might actually buy these as a way to read the comic and keep their comics in pristine condition.


From what I've read, the iPad's weight means you'd need to use it sparingly for reading even a comic - if you're really taking it all in, a comic these days can take over an hour to read :|

Actually, I wonder do/will companies put ads through ecomics as they do with the print ones?

Maybe they'll tell you it's an 'enhanced value' kinda thing for them not to be there on an expensive ecomic :roll:

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Sun Aug 08, 2010 6:26 pm
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I've had a go with the iPad and the Marvel app. And it's good. Very good. Nicely thought out, but my only criticism is that really zooming into some of the panels shows up the resolution of the scan somewhat. A simple solution at their end - increase the res of the scans they're using for the app.
Aside from that, that's a bingo in my book.
As for weight, yes, the iPad weighs more than 48 pages of newsprint. It might involve you using some sort of, I don't know, surface maybe. Perhaps a desk, or a table, or even your own lap. Or a friends?

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Sun Aug 08, 2010 6:38 pm
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Nick wrote:
What is bright shade? :?


Exactly what it sounds like: Lounging in the shade of the gazebo on the south-facing terrace of your Greek villa on a bright sunny day under a cloudless sky - so not in direct sunlight, but with lots of reflected light to raise the overall level of illumination i.e. 'bright shade' which is pretty much the only time e-ink displays really come into their own - makes perfect sense, no?? :D

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Sun Aug 08, 2010 7:01 pm
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pcernie wrote:
Well, the comics and graphic novel industry alone is enormous (from kids to people in their forties and beyond), but I was thinking of when you're reading newspapers with pics, online articles with photos... (all that stuff that looks a bit odd in the vid as a result IMO)

I would use a smartphone for that but maybe that's just me.

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Sun Aug 08, 2010 7:13 pm
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Legend

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ProfessorF wrote:
As for weight, yes, the iPad weighs more than 48 pages of newsprint. It might involve you using some sort of, I don't know, surface maybe. Perhaps a desk, or a table, or even your own lap. Or a friends?


See, that's why I put the ' :| ' - personally, I rarely set a book or comic on something to read it, short of a manual...

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Sun Aug 08, 2010 7:16 pm
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Legend

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koli wrote:
pcernie wrote:
Well, the comics and graphic novel industry alone is enormous (from kids to people in their forties and beyond), but I was thinking of when you're reading newspapers with pics, online articles with photos... (all that stuff that looks a bit odd in the vid as a result IMO)

I would use a smartphone for that but maybe that's just me.


You're an utter Philistine, I want you to know that :shock: :lol: ;)

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Sun Aug 08, 2010 7:17 pm
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Kindle newspapers: slower than print

I’m not a great eBook advocate, but the one thing that might tempt me to splash out on the new UK-friendly Kindle is newspapers. If I could download the latest issue before I jumped on my train every morning, saving me the dirty look from my newsagent when I try and pay for The Times with a £20 note (why do I never have change in the mornings?) then all power to Amazon’s elbow.

So when Amazon opened the doors on its UK Kindle Store earlier today, the first section I headed for was the newspapers.

The choice isn’t fantastic: my two favourite newspapers, The Times and The Guardian, aren’t available, but I could happily compromise on the Financial Times or The Independent.

The pricing doesn’t seem too outrageous, either. £14 a month for The Independent and £18 for the Financial Times represents a healthy discount on the £1 and £2 per day cover price. Admittedly, you only get the plain text – no pictures, graphics or any of the fluff such as the crosswords, but I could live with that.

But just as I was preparing to unleash the credit card, I started reading the newspaper description pages. The Independent’s page says: “For your convenience, issues are automatically delivered wirelessly to your Kindle starting at 7:15am London local time.” Ditto The Daily Telegraph. The Daily Mail, meanwhile, won’t start arriving until 8:30am (although it’s best not to read that before the pubs open, anyway). Only the FT gets out of bed at a reasonable hour, with its deliveries starting at 5am.

Why are the Kindle editions of the newspapers so tardy? I’m starting my commute by 7am most mornings. If The Independent and The Daily Mail can manage to write, sub, produce, print and distribute the physical newspapers to my local newsagent by 7am every morning, why on Earth can’t they strip out the text and send it to the Kindle by that hour?

Barry Collins

Read more: Kindle newspapers: slower than print | PC Pro blog http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/2010/08/05 ... z0w2pYfIEP

I thought the Yank publications did pics, so I'm surprised if ours don't...

Oh, and :lol: at the FT being £2 a day - you'd need to be damn near relying on that news, and maybe some are :)

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Sun Aug 08, 2010 7:36 pm
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