• Quick note - the problem with Youtube videos not embedding on the forum appears to have been fixed, thanks to ZiprHead. If you do still see problems let me know.

Just got a Kindle.

I've been curious about getting a Kindle/Nook, but looking at Amazon.com I noticed that a British author I like, Andy McNab, is not available to US readers. How does one get around this, as it's really a deal killer for me.
 
BenBurch said:
That's very cool. If I could run I'd read it. (I had a horrible car wreck many years ago, and that is not an exercise options for me.)
Click to expand...

Just fyi, the subtitle is "A Non-Training Manual". It's more of a personal log of the attempt to prepare for a Marathon in only 21 days.
 
patchbunny said:
I've been curious about getting a Kindle/Nook, but looking at Amazon.com I noticed that a British author I like, Andy McNab, is not available to US readers. How does one get around this, as it's really a deal killer for me.
Click to expand...



If you can get it in any format, there are tools to convert it to formats the Kindle will read. Also, if it's available in the mobi format, the Kindle will read that just fine.
 
patchbunny said:
I've been curious about getting a Kindle/Nook, but looking at Amazon.com I noticed that a British author I like, Andy McNab, is not available to US readers. How does one get around this, as it's really a deal killer for me.
Click to expand...

I can see a load of books (56) by him in the Kindle Store if I look at amazon.com, with US prices.
 
alfaniner said:
I just published my first book, for Amazon Kindle! I'm not sure if one is allowed to self-promote here by posting the link, but if you're interested it's called 21 Days to a Marathon.
Click to expand...

I'm heading to a doctor's appointment and I'm downloading a sample. I'm rather big into running, and usually find such stories entertaining.

BenBurch said:
Arrived and charging.
Click to expand...

Got mine yesterday, and I quite like it. It's hard to tell if the eye strain is due to the LCD screen, my current illness, or a combination. But I was able to download Fruit Ninja for my 4 year old, and he can talk about nothing else today.

I would, however, like more information on the app you talked about above. I was only being 50% facetious, as I really didn't understand what such an app would do?
 
RobRoy said:
...

I would, however, like more information on the app you talked about above. I was only being 50% facetious, as I really didn't understand what such an app would do?
Click to expand...

Lets you use your tablet as a remote video screen for the mac. Like most modern OS's, OSX can have multiple screens, and this would pretend to be one.

You open your iTunes or similar player, and drag it to that second screen, and then run the app on the tablet.

You can then tap on the tablet to push the player's buttons, and watch your DRM protected content at some other place but in front of the computer.
 
Hello folks.

I have to get an e-reader for a loved one and I know nothing about them!

I don't want to spend much more than $100 so my options are limited.

I am planning on getting a Nook Simple Touch which are now $99 ($108 after tax):

http://www.walmart.com/ip/All-New-NOOK-The-Simple-Touch-Reader/16662202

It topped a recent Consumer Reports list.

I also heard that Kindles have less compatibility (which I am second guessing after reading this thread)?

Any suggestions?

Also, I'm pretty sure they do not have Wi-Fii (or even high speed internet). So I assume they will be loading books (downloaded slowly onto a computer) from an SD card.
 
OnlyTellsTruths said:
Hello folks.

I have to get an e-reader for a loved one and I know nothing about them!

I don't want to spend much more than $100 so my options are limited.

I am planning on getting a Nook Simple Touch which are now $99 ($108 after tax):

http://www.walmart.com/ip/All-New-NOOK-The-Simple-Touch-Reader/16662202

It topped a recent Consumer Reports list.

I also heard that Kindles have less compatibility (which I am second guessing after reading this thread)?

Any suggestions?

Also, I'm pretty sure they do not have Wi-Fii (or even high speed internet). So I assume they will be loading books (downloaded slowly onto a computer) from an SD card.
Click to expand...

Kindles DO have less compatibility as they do not support the epub file format. For their own store, Kindle/Amazon uses a proprietary format, but they do read the mobi format (which is the second fairly open standard after epub). It's mostly a moot point, as you can convert from epub to mobi (for instance, with the frees software Calibre), if the books are not protected.

All readers either need to be fed books from their own manufacturers store (which are usually protected), or unprotected books from others. Here, amazon pretty much has the biggest selection. There are also a lot of books you can buy from amazon which are NOT protected (but it really depends on the right's owner/publisher/author of the book. For instance, thriller author Barry Eisler, who recently got in the headlines for rejecting a $500.000 million advance for two books from a big publisher, and instead self-publishes with amazon, sells his books without protection.).

Kindles DO have Wi-Fi input. In fact, that is the main intended path to get books onto them. The other is to hook them up with a USB cable, and copy the books onto them (they just appear as a drive). The $79 current Kindle (which is the one I have) only has these two options. There are more expensive Kindles which also use 3G/cell phone network to connect.

Another point where I am not sure how non-Kindles work: Amazon/Kindle can easily share the content (with the same account) across different devices. I can easily read my books on either the Kindle, Mac or iPad with the Kindle app. Amazon even syncs the furthest read position between all of them if you want, so you can start on one device, and then continue on another.

In short, I guess I recommend the $79 Kindle or the $99 Kindle touch to you. But I must admit that I never really researched into other readers.
 
Last edited:
elgarak said:
All readers either need to be fed books from their own manufacturers store (which are usually protected), or unprotected books from others.
Click to expand...
All readers need to be fed with Calibre. ;) It's fairly easy (and would take very little Googling; not going to go into detail here), for example, to buy books from the Kindle store and make them available to a Nook.
Here, amazon pretty much has the biggest selection.
Click to expand...
It always depends on what you're looking for. I've had books that were available on Amazon but not B&N and vice versa. I suggest to anyone considering a reader that they look into the stores for some titles they're interested in before purchasing. New titles, though, tend to be platform agnostic because more books get sold if they're on multiple services.
Another point where I am not sure how non-Kindles work: Amazon/Kindle can easily share the content (with the same account) across different devices. I can easily read my books on either the Kindle, Mac or iPad with the Kindle app. Amazon even syncs the furthest read position between all of them if you want, so you can start on one device, and then continue on another.
Click to expand...
There are Nook readers available for every major platform (Windows, OSX, iOS, and Android), just like the Kindle.

I've been using the Nook Simple Touch since it was released (I used the Nook Color, Nook, and Kindle 2 before that) and I love it. It's small (good pocket compatibility), it has a great screen, the interface is excellent, and I love having the hardware buttons for page turning. That said, I'd recommend either Kindle or Nook to anyone starting out. Both companies put out great readers and, as above, book compatibility isn't a significant barrier to anyone with minimal PC literacy. :)
 
BenBurch said:
OK, if you want your kindle fire to charge from a computer, you have to make sure you have put it to sleep. I surmise that otherwise it draws too much current to take any from the USB port.
Click to expand...
The Nook Color (and I assume the Nook Tablet too, though I haven't looked into it yet) has a modified micro-USB port so that it can draw more power than a normal one but still be compatible with regular micro-USB cables. Even with that, if I'm plugged in and using the screen the battery still drains. Turning off the screen, even if the CPU is still working (I sometimes use my Nook to download torrents), lets it slowly get a charge. It's the price of a nice screen.
 
Last edited:
elgarak said:
Kindles DO have Wi-Fi input. In fact, that is the main intended path to get books onto them. The other is to hook them up with a USB cable, and copy the books onto them (they just appear as a drive).
Click to expand...


Sorry I mean that the person I'm getting it for doesn't have Wi-Fi, not that the Kindle doesn't...

Anyone else have any last minute suggestions for me (8 posts before this one)? I could spend a little bit more than $100, but not much...


ETA:

I just read that the Nook Simple Touch can't load .doc or .txt! I guess those are easy enough to convert to .pdf though... Still that doesn't seem to make any sense.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom