Just got a Kindle.

Does anyone here use their Kindle professionally, ie for their work?

The backbone of my work is something called the DMRB. As with everything else, it used to be issued as hard copies, but now is available as a set of pdf files. Several other standard documents relating to the design work I carry out are also available as pdfs.

Since it always seems to be the case that no matter how well I prepare for meetings someone always asks a question relating to the one document I didn't bring, I'm increasingly drawn to e-readers as a way of not getting caught out (as much).

So, does anyone already do something similar? If so, do you get odd looks when you whip it out...fnarr...fnarr..., or those admiring glances usually only seen in adverts?
 
RobRoy said:
Anyone get the 3G + WiFi option? I'm thinking for the extra $50, why not?
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That's the one I have, and I'm happy with it.

I like the fact that I don't need a WiFi hotspot to download stuff to the Kindle.

And it's free 3G that works globally, so I think it's worth it.
 
RobRoy said:
Suggest a title?
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Homunculus, Adventures of Langdon St. Ives, Digging Leviathan, Ebb Tide, Affair of the Chalk Cliffs, The Elfin Ship, Lord Kelvin's Machine, Stone Giant, Disappearing Dwarf.

Who do you recommend?

That's interesting, and I could see how it could be annoying, but knowing this, if I get one, I'll just put it to sleep.

Anyone get the 3G + WiFi option? I'm thinking for the extra $50, why not?
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I have the WiFi only and Mrs. Timbo has the 3G + WiFi. I couldn't think of a time when I would be away from a network long enough that I would have to worry about downloading a book that I had to have right then. I have my whole library on mine so it isn't like I'm without choices.

For hers, she doesn't have to set up a network whenever she travels, she can get stuff using 3G when she's away from home. You can always download to a computer and sideload from there to your Kindle. Doesn't even have to be your own computer.
 
AdMan said:
Piscivore said:
That's the question on my mind, too. What can it do the other can't?
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That's the one I have, and I'm happy with it.

I like the fact that I don't need a WiFi hotspot to download stuff to the Kindle.

And it's free 3G that works globally, so I think it's worth it.
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This, which is why I figured I would just shell out the extra money and then not worry about configuring my system or whatever in order to make the Kindle work. It would just be ready to go out of the box.

RoboTimbo said:
Homunculus, Adventures of Langdon St. Ives, Digging Leviathan, Ebb Tide, Affair of the Chalk Cliffs, The Elfin Ship, Lord Kelvin's Machine, Stone Giant, Disappearing Dwarf.

Who do you recommend?
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I'm reading Cherie Priest right now. I have a Tim Akers queued up, The Horns of Ruin. Mike Resnik's The Buntline Special looks good, especially because it has Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday.

I have the WiFi only and Mrs. Timbo has the 3G + WiFi. I couldn't think of a time when I would be away from a network long enough that I would have to worry about downloading a book that I had to have right then. I have my whole library on mine so it isn't like I'm without choices.

For hers, she doesn't have to set up a network whenever she travels, she can get stuff using 3G when she's away from home. You can always download to a computer and sideload from there to your Kindle. Doesn't even have to be your own computer.
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Yeah, that's what I figured too, but then I thought, why bother?
 
Elizabeth I said:
Since Kindle is proprietary and you can't download from anywhere except Amazon, could I ask why you went with that one instead of some of the other e-readers out there, that would let you download from multiple sites, including freebies from your library?

Also, were you aware of that glitch a couple of years ago when Amazon discovered that they didn't have e-book rights for the version of 1984 (or it might have been Animal Farm, but I think it was 1984) that they were selling, and just Big Brothered right in to all the Kindles around the world and deleted the book, including notes users had made for school assignments?

Just curious.
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As has been said, this isn't true. I've downloaded books for mine for free on a Net site that has thousands of free books whose copyright has expired.

The Kindle reads to me when I'm driving, though they haven't solved the punctuation reader skill of the thing. So it's an acquired taste.
 
Piscivore said:
Can it do anything else with that besides download books? Email, websurf?
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I'm pretty certain it can't. I did see a $200 unit at Office Depot yesterday (can't remember the name) that could do all that. I assume you could add the Kindle app and use it the same way.
 
Piscivore said:
Can it do anything else with that besides download books? Email, websurf?
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The question is what someone plans to use it for. I have an IPod I can go online from free WiFi sites. I have a phone. I have a computer. I'm not online traveling very much of the time and my IPod doesn't have a monthly fee.

Altogether, these things more individually suit my use than one device that costs a lot more and I wouldn't use all the options on a regular basis.
 
Piscivore said:
Can it do anything else with that besides download books? Email, websurf?
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It has an "experimental" web browser, which means it's not great, but you can surf and do web email if you don't have a better device available for that.

 
Skeptic Ginger said:
The question is what someone plans to use it for.
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I'm just trying to find out if there's any reason to spend that $50, because I really don't need to download books globally.

I have an IPod I can go online from free WiFi sites. I have a phone. I have a computer.
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I have an oldschool ipod nano and no phone, and my laptop is big and clunky and inconvenient to use in public. :)
 
AdMan said:
It has an "experimental" web browser, which means it's not great, but you can surf and do web email if you don't have a better device available for that.
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That's interesting. I was certain it didn't, but it's cool if it does. I can see a time when maybe I want to get a bit more information on something I'm reading.
 
This might have been answered already, but is there a way to write on the Kindle, like a notes program or some sort of word processing? Because if there is, I'm ordering it as soon as someone answers.
 
LibraryLady said:
This might have been answered already, but is there a way to write on the Kindle, like a notes program or some sort of word processing? Because if there is, I'm ordering it as soon as someone answers.
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You can write notes as you're reading a book by using the keypad. I don't know if that's what you mean.

Linda
 
LibraryLady said:
Hmmm. I actually meant like separate writing. Can one get apps for it?
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Right now you can't get apps for the Kindle, aside from what comes with it already. You can write notes but they are "attached" to particular points in your books (although I don't think the book needs to be open to read the notes attached to it--you can easily view all the notes you've written). I would imagine that it would be pretty easy for Amazon to add a separate notes app, but they haven't yet.
 
I'm getting one anyway. There's enough in the piggy bank for it and I want one.

And yes, it's an actual piggy bank where I dump my change.
 
You could create a blank Word document, save it in the Documents folder of the Kindle, open it like a book, and type notes in that.

A librarian with a Kindle? Isn't that illegal or something?
 
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