I've been wanting to buy an ebook reader forever. I had set my heart on the Amazon Kindle and just when it finally became available here, a friend persuaded me to wait for the Barnes and Noble "Nook" because it looks better, with a color display. So I bought an iPod Touch in the meantime and I'm happy with it so far, though I get eyestrain if I read a book on it too long--the screen is just too small for my astigmatic eyes.
Now that the iPad has been released to mostly rapturous reviews, I was thinking of getting one when it gets here--but after reading about the soon to be released HP Slate's specs--I've decided to wait. The Slate reportedly will have a camera, webcam, SD card reader, Adobe Flash support and USB port--all the stuff the iPad lacks. I hope this prompts Apple to add more features to the iPad... I like its design better but it would be so great to have a tablet computer/ebook reader with all the extra bells and whistles.
I've been drooling over the Amazon Kindle 2 for months and was planning on getting one last Christmas... my blog friend Marty told me that the Barnes & Noble "Nook" seems better due to its colored screen. It got me thinking that I might just as well wait for Amazon to release a Kindle with the same features because the Nook is not available for shipping in the Philippines.
I bought the 64 gig iPod touch to tide me over 'til then and it's been amazing so far... it's sleekly designed and very user-friendly. It's such a great gadget I think I'm well on my way to becoming an Apple geek because of this. If I could find an MS Office application so I could type my reports on it--I'd be in hog heaven...
But wait, Apple just released their iPad tablet computer and it looks really good. Now I'm thinking I should have bought the 32 gig iPod touch instead since I won't be needing so much memory once I get the iPad. There's still a few months to go before it gets here and I might change my mind yet but I'd love to have one.
It's like the Kindle on steroids! The iPad has this iBooks application and I could buy books at the Apple store and read them on the go. It doesn't make sense to me now to buy the Kindle--which just functions as an ebook reader, when I could have the iPad which does just about everything netbooks can do. At least that's what the early iPad reviews say.
I so appreciate these books my cousin Kuya Zaldy (YangYang) just gave me for Christmas. I actually read 'The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game' years ago but it was an ebook and in my view there's nothing like the feeling of holding the actual books in your hands. That sounds so geeky but that's how I feel. Maybe if I finally get the Amazon Kindle I'm crushing on, my opinion would change but for now, printed books rule!
Kuya had to buy these at the Hudson Booksellers--Dallas Forth Worth airport before he left for Manila because these books are not yet available here. I'm so happy I will get to read 'Going Rogue' now. I'm fascinated by Sarah Palin's rise in US politics so this is a real treat for me. I'm looking forward to reading non-medical books for a change. Will try to write a review when I'm done.
Read more...
I have always been an avid reader so when the Amazon Kindle first appeared, it piqued my interest immediately. Never mind that it was not available in the Philippines, I kept on going back to the amazon website just to drool about the possibilities. A device you could read on without the glare? Count me in.
I have downloaded ebooks on my Palm Zire 72 for years. I used to have the Zire 71 before that, until I threw it on the floor in a fit of stupidity and broke it ( I was instantly mortified ) but I digress. The glare is terrible for my poor eyes but bookworm that I am I still read on its puny screen. I even read my medical books there because it's handy.
...leave me alone!
So now I'm in a bit of a quandary since the Kindle has just been made available for shipping here--now I can't decide if it's worth the US$350 ( inclusive of custom duties and taxes ) it would cost me to order it . This article from yahoo only made it worse. The geek in me says "go", the practical side of me says "think long and hard". Hmmm... but it is so pretty, light and handy. I could read wherever I want... I also would go bonkers if someone steals it! I'm going nuts. Help.
