Amazon Kindle

Yes it's brilliant! However I don't have one.

I recognised your blokeyness because I have one myself. I borrowed a friends kindle. I loved it - you can download anywhere, it's backlit so I could read in the dark, you can see it in bright sunshine. It is JUST the right size to hold comfortably (she had a lovely leather cover for hers). And it's easy peasy to use. Simple. I adored it. I asked for one for my birthday.

OH cruises the net - mentions ereaders - apparently they do much more, you can download from other places than amazon, store films, pictures - he thinks this would be a Good Thing. In a girly way whilst not dampening his enthusiasm I say 'not really honey, thanks but I think Amazon offers me enough......... mmmm, does it? Not for me really - I loved the kindle.

The birthday arrives as does my wrapped parcel. I am excited.

I open an ereader.

An ereader which is still in the box, in the garage. It's big, clunky, the screen isn't as readable, it has lines on it, I can't download from Amazon I can't make it work and I can't do it from anywhere else either. I don't know where to look.

I went to work, visibly upset. Someone I work said 'birthday blues' - 'yep' - didn't get your kindle - nope - he bought you an ereader didn't he? - How the hell did you know that? - apparently my colleagues father did the same to his mother. She hasn't used hers either. They are horrid.

Kindles are lovely, useable, nice size, clear screened - they do one thing well, simply, useably - and you can download hundreds or thousands of books for nothing - I don't know, I only borrowed my friends for the weekend.

Don't buy her an ereader. You don't need to. She doesn't need one. She won't want one. The extra gadgets and that which you'd find interesting - she won't. Let her use amazon. She knows Amazon. It's easy.

Strange you say that, Flum got one a bit back and loved it and somebody asked her about it being back lit and she said it wasn't and that you couldn't read it in the dark which is why it was so good in sunlight. Suggest a search for Flum's thread, there were loads of views on there

hah. Well, I read mine in the dark - perhaps the screen is adjustable?

Sell it on Ebay and put the money towards a Kindle

I have a 3G one. I can assure you it does not have a back light built into the Kindle, but you can get a Kindle cover that has a light fitting built into the cover itself. Just head to the Amazon website and click on the "Kindle store" link and have a browse.

I myself have a Mighty Bright music readers lamp to illuminate mine.
Cheers,
Mal.

I remember Flum getting one too Alison, there must be a thread somewhere.

I'll stand corrected - perhaps the one I borrowed had that cover integrated into the leather book thing she had on it.

Sorry - I read that in the dark though without disturbing OH - it was one of the reasons I wanted one.

Excellent,thanks everyone,brilliant will get her one this afternoon ,it really is for her as I only read tech reference books & have them in paper,off to checkout this "Kindle store" now

And a thread hunt as well

I bought a £3.50 clip on light from marks and spencers on-line (delivery to my local small store was free) which I attach to my kindle case - I'm really pleased with it. Plus, as I say to my OH everyday - 'I love my kindle'.

It's not backlit, you need a light just as you do with a book. That's the reason it's so kind to the eyes. Backlit screens (like this laptop!) can cause eye fatigue - good job I have to look at the keys when I type! There are lots of places you can get the books from, including Project Gutenberg which has a lot of out-of-copyright classics available free.

You can get more info and questions and answers (and loads of chatty threads) from Amazon's Kindle Forum - drop down list and go to Kindle Store then click on the Discussions tab along the top.

It's my best friend apaprt from Mr Flum! I was reading over lunchtime while out supervising the chickens in the garden.

It's lovely and light, easy to use, I have 42 books in my To Be Read folder all jostling for position so I know I'm not going to run out of reading on holiday or when I'm waiting for Ma at a clinic somewhere.

I'd buy it agian without a doubt.

By the way - if 2 of you have kindles in the same household, it's worth registering them to the same account so you can read each others. (Unless you read scurrilous literature that you don't want your other half to know about - whoever holds the account gets emails about each download.)

And, if you want to finish a book and your Mr Z takes your - I mean his - Kindle to work, you can download the book onto your Kindle for Mac and just carry on reading....as it's on the same account you don't have to buy it twice.

There are two versions of the kindle3 and only the 3G (+ wi fi) can you download from (mostly) anywhere.

Thank you all soooooo very much,I have been to Tezzies & got herself one & a standard leather cover/case,will look into the clip on light mentioned by Anna ^,Zaz does that apply to her PC or is it just Mac ? Flum thanks very much for your comprehensive reply,I hope she enjoys it as much as you lot obviously do yours.
Will let you know what she says about her random non-specific event present later