E-books lost on Kindle, found on iPod Touch
When I misplaced my Kindle last year, I not only lost the device, but also any means of reading several e-books that I was in the middle of.
That all changed on Wednesday. My Kindle is no closer to home, but by downloading the new Kindle app for the iPhone (which also works on my iPod Touch), I was able to recover access to my virtual library. Not only that, but thanks to Whispersync, I was able to start reading right where I left off. Whispersync is Amazon's technology for keeping one's place in a book across multiple Kindles or cell phones.
Although I don't think the "I lost my Kindle" crowd is the target market, I must say it was very satisfying to wake up Wednesday once again having access to books that had seemed lost.
The experience highlights both the pros and cons of the "digital locker" approach taken by Amazon with Kindle content. Although some have criticized the fact that one can't resell or give away their Kindle books, the site does provide other aspects of true ownership. In this case, I didn't need to re-buy anything and as soon as I entered my account information, I had access to every book I had purchased for the Kindle. (Periodicals don't work on the iPhone or iPod Touch.)
As for reading on the iPod Touch (or iPhone), I found it quite acceptable for my 15-minute public transit commute to work. The iPod's small size makes it easy to read on a crowded train. One can even hold the iPod and flip pages in one hand while hanging on to a handrail with the other hand.
Ina Fried's Kindle is still among the missing, but thanks to the new iPhone/iPod Touch application, she was reunited Wednesday with her electronic library.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)That said, I'm not sure I won't go out and buy a Kindle 2 eventually. The iPod Touch reading experience, while fine for short bursts, isn't the easy-on-the-eyes phenomenon I had with the Kindle. It's harder to buy books and I can't read newspapers or magazines. Also, I suspect it will do a number on my iPod's battery.
At the same time, I won't be deleting that iPod app even if I do replace my Kindle. The option of reading on my iPod will help for my commute to work and for those trips where I can't bear to carry an extra device.
Ultimately, the end result is likely to be that I will just be reading (and buying) more electronic books. And, in the end, that's exactly what Amazon wants.
During her years at CNET News, Ina Fried has changed beats several times, changed genders once, and covered both of the Pirates of Silicon Valley. These days, most of her attention is focused on Microsoft. E-mail Ina. 
Just curious, as I was debating this with a friend, what's your opinion of the Kindle? I'm tempted to get one, because I've seen some people are starting to load the technical manuals for some hardware I work on (I direct and technical direct TV newscasts) into files that are readable by the Kindle. My friend, though, says it's way too overpriced and not worth it to purchase one.
I wonder what it was like when the first commercial paperback came out and suddenly everyone was blogging about this fantastic new written language they discovered! :-)
And I do like the Kindle.
Again, to me, it is way too overpriced for both what it delivers and currently does not deliver (i.e., better PDF conversion that includes graphics and tables vs. just text).
I am sure it will get better with time....then I might buy one.
While Kindle 1.0 has many well documented shortcomings, overall it makes reading a book very easy to do. I just finished my 18th or 19th book and bought another one while at lunch. That kind of convenience is hard to ignore.
I have used my iPhone in the past for reading. As the author stated, it is fine for short bursts or a quick browse through today's headlines. It is not a comfortable experience for a long read. The form factor is too small and making the font bigger only means more scrolling or page turning.
And, it is just as easy to forget a Kindle on the bus or at a restaurant as a traditional book or pair of gloves. The only difference is degrees of expense.
http://booksontheknob.blogspot.com/2009/03/kindle-marries-iphone.html
Along with pictures of all three Kindle devices, open to the same book, comparing fonts and graphics between them:
http://booksontheknob.blogspot.com/2009/03/kindle-iphone-pictures.html
- by 1812dave March 7, 2009 2:39 PM PST
- oh, and Kindle content is in color, but Kindle users can't see it! I downloaded a digital photography book to my Touch and marveled at the beautiful pictures in that book.
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