The Old Git Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 I see the Kindle is now available in for the UK but not for the Isle of Man. I presume it will need some deal with Manx Telecom, which could take a while, if ever, before content will be available here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimcalagon Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Alternatively, you could buy about 50 books for the same price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted October 7, 2009 Author Share Posted October 7, 2009 Alternatively, you could buy about 50 books for the same price. Bit hard to carry around with you though. I don't particularly want one myself, but my wife would love one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 I see the Kindle is now available in for the UK but not for the Isle of Man. I presume it will need some deal with Manx Telecom, which could take a while, if ever, before content will be available here? The data rates are pretty evil even for UK users. 99c per meg, ouchey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBloodyNine Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 The thing in the UK is about £250, for that you could buy a Sony e-reader and a crap load of e-books. I like the idea of a e-reader but cant justify it, there is something inherently more pleasurable about reading a proper book compared to having it on a screen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted October 7, 2009 Author Share Posted October 7, 2009 The data rates are pretty evil even for UK users. 99c per meg, ouchey. Is that only for your own content though? I assume Amazon ebook content is "free" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wazir Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 The data rates are pretty evil even for UK users. 99c per meg, ouchey. Is that only for your own content though? I assume Amazon ebook content is "free" Right... The Kindle is the most fantastic thing ever and here is why: http://xkcd.com/548/ 1) Free access to wikipedia and wikitravel - what a fantastic thing. Consider: eventually when trapped in a foreign city we can bring up information on places to eat, local customs, basic phrases all for free 2) Books are cheaper and there seems to be no difference in strain on the eye from reading these on paper or on kindle 3) budget airline luggage allowance are the bane of my life - 20kg is not enough for the books i want to read especially if I am going to a country where books in languages I an read aren't available 4) news and magazine subscriptions for pennies 5) books are cheaper 6) it is much more enviromentally friendly than the 'deadwood' editions of books 7) project Guttenburg and the like allow free access to books out of copyright - most of the classics and some new stuff which is also free 8) you will never be bored if you have a kindle Also on the other point about manx telecom - this works with 02 and as such we should be able to get coverage sorted out when the island wakes up a bit to this sort of thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevster Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 The thing in the UK is about £250, for that you could buy a Sony e-reader and a crap load of e-books. I like the idea of a e-reader but cant justify it, there is something inherently more pleasurable about reading a proper book compared to having it on a screen. Yup - give me a proper book anytime.... One problem with these ebook things is that if you lose it - not only have you lost an expensive gadget, but also all of the books. If I'm out and leave a paperback book in a cafe, I've only lost a few quid. Plus, for me anyway, the smell of a second hand bookshop is a delight..... are there any on the island apart from the charity shops? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wazir Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 The thing in the UK is about £250, for that you could buy a Sony e-reader and a crap load of e-books. I like the idea of a e-reader but cant justify it, there is something inherently more pleasurable about reading a proper book compared to having it on a screen. Yup - give me a proper book anytime.... One problem with these ebook things is that if you lose it - not only have you lost an expensive gadget, but also all of the books. If I'm out and leave a paperback book in a cafe, I've only lost a few quid. Plus, for me anyway, the smell of a second hand bookshop is a delight..... are there any on the island apart from the charity shops? 1) try not to lose it 2) i'm pretty sure that the books are backed up in your Amazon account and so are not lost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBloodyNine Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Although if you buy anything from the Kindle store Amazon can revoke access to it at any time with no explanation warning or refund, as per their terms and conditions. As for being cheaper I think you will find that is not always the case. Anansi Boys - Neil Gaiman - Kindle $11.49 - Real book - $7.99 http://www.amazon.com/Anansi-Boys-ebook/dp...9927&sr=1-3 http://www.amazon.com/Anansi-Boys-Neil-Gai...9953&sr=8-1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted October 7, 2009 Author Share Posted October 7, 2009 Plus, for me anyway, the smell of a second hand bookshop is a delight. Not too sure about the smell of some second hand books though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted October 7, 2009 Author Share Posted October 7, 2009 Although if you buy anything from the Kindle store Amazon can revoke access to it at any time with no explanation warning or refund, as per their terms and conditions. As they did recently with "1984", although they now seem to have sorted that and apologised fore the way they handled it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBloodyNine Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Although if you buy anything from the Kindle store Amazon can revoke access to it at any time with no explanation warning or refund, as per their terms and conditions. As they did recently with "1984", although they now seem to have sorted that and apologised fore the way they handled it Exactly, proving they are willing to enforce their terms. Also Mort by Terry Pratchett - Kindle Book - $11.03 - Real Book - $7.99 http://www.amazon.com/Mort/dp/B000W967UQ/r...0239&sr=1-3 http://www.amazon.com/Mort-Terry-Pratchett...248&sr=1-11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 oldgit: Not entirely sure how the roaming data rates work to be honest. You might be right. The thing in the UK is about £250, for that you could buy a Sony e-reader and a crap load of e-books. Is it? Looks like £175 to me? I like the idea of a e-reader but cant justify it, there is something inherently more pleasurable about reading a proper book compared to having it on a screen. I'm a bit the same, and I love me toys. I love the library too, going down and spending half an hour just browsing, plus its so cheap its practically free. Kev: Many of the charity shops/oxfam etc have good book sections. I high recommend libraries though, they rule! I'd far rather kindle tied to a library type subscription. That model makes far better sense to me for books.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wazir Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Guys... this is progress.... You are the kind of people who would might historically have said "an internet forum for Manx people, that will never take off" but look at it now! Ok, bad example. You get the point. I think in the future this view of books as being sacred (which we have inherited as a nation because they are so closely linked to knowledge and its availability which IS sacred) will be abandoned. Books have been, up to now, the best way of communicating knowledge and are, therefore, sacred. But, looking forward, I think things will change. Also, even if you can pick the odd example (or even the frequent example) of a book being more expensive digitally than in deadwood think of all the books which will be freely available which before you would have had to pay for - million (literally) of titles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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