Amazon Kindle...what Are Your Experiences/thoughts?

My husband LOVES his. I also have several friends who have them and love them. I still like having a book in my hands though.

There are no fees once you purchase the kindle (except for books you buy of course). I have had mine for a year and LOVE it!!!!! The book prices are cheaper then a book store (downside not all new releases are available but most are). When I travel or finish a book I can just turm on 3G and buy a new book instead of being stuck with out somethig to read. Also it fits perfectly in my purse so I can bring 5 books on one trip and not take up any additional space hehe. I advise to turn the 3G off (really easy to do) when not downloading a book, makes the battery last 10 times longer. You still need a book light when reading at night, outside in the sun there is absoluetly no glare so it is really nice. Mine was a gift so I dont know how much it costs but they are about the same cost as a Ipod. I have read over 100 books on mine and have never had any issues. You can get classics and some new unknown authors books for free, they also sell them as cheap as $1. If you love to read and buy a lot of books then I would deff suggest. If you are plannig on using it for magazines and newspapers go to amazon.com and check their selection before you purchase, you can also check book prices there as well and check out the selection. If you have any more ?s or I didnt answer something you specifically wanted feel free to message me :)

My thought is , it's a uni-tasker.
It only does one thing, it's an e reader.
I want an Ipad type device that I can not only read books on but I can also do work on, surf the internet, play some games , etc.

as far as monthly access I believe the Nook doesn't have a fee, except for buying the books. And you can share books between Nooks.

Nothing is free! There is a catch somewhere. WiFi is free at many store and restaurants, airports. My Kindle was a gift and I definitely enjoy it. I've paid from $4.99 to $15 for books, but never downloaded magazines. However, I enjoy passing on books to friends, so I still find hard copies to read, especially in the car when we drive through "no cell" zones. Kindle is worth the price, so yes, get it. Good luck.

There is a Kindle app that I have on my iPhone. I think it was free and I would think if you have an iPod touch, you could get it too and try it out. I'm not sure how the actual Kindle is, but I use the service on my phone all the time. I didn't think I would like it since you don't get the feel and weight of a book when you're reading, but it has been the best thing when I find myself with a few extra minutes when I'm picking up the kids, at the doctor's office, etc. I use it a lot when I can't sleep at night - no lamp needed so my husband can sleep.

There are a lot of cheap classics and some new releases are sharply discounted or free (but sometimes you get what you pay for). There is no monthly charge, books can be archived but I don't think they can be deleted.

Happy reading!

I've had my Kindle for years now, and here's why I like it:
1. The screen reads like a book. There is no backlight, so if you are outside in the sun you can still use it. That does mean you need a light at night.
2. With 3G, which has no monthly fee, you can connect anytime and buy a new book. This comes in handy when I am , say, sitting at a Dr's office and bored and want something new to read.
3. All your books are stored on Amazon, so i your Kindle did crash they are still there and you can get them back.

The difference between the WiFi and the 3G is that with WiFi only you have to connect to your home wireless network, or some other free network. With 3G you can connect almost anywhere, even driving down the road. And there is no fee except that it costs a bit more initially.

My husband and I bought each other a Kindle for Christmas last year and I LOVE mine (so does the husband)! We both read alot and having this available to download older and new books, and those that are free is great! I had alot of people ask me if I miss turning pages on a "real" book and NO, I don't. We have no charges except the books we buy.....AND, the great thing is that they are now MUCH cheaper than when we purchased them in Nov. of last year! (around $140-$150 VS. $250+ we paid when they first came out!)

My Mom has a Kindle and loves it. The e-ink is NOTHING like reading on a computer screen or iPod. It looks like a real book page. It's much easier on the eyes. It's really very cool to look at.

There are no monthly fees. She has the kind with free 3G/wifi. There are a lot of free books out there, and new releases are usually about $9-10. They also have a section for free or promotional priced books... so you can easily look for something new thats free :) She doesn't really use the internet connection for anything beyond downloading books and checking reviews, as far as I know, but she likes having easy access to it whenever she needs it. She carries hers around in her purse, she has it in a leather cover that has a light at the top if she should need it. She's taken it on vacations, uses it regularly at home, and hasn't ever regretted the choice of purchasing it.

I want to get a Kindle for my husband - but he wants the larger size so I am saving up for Christmas. (He's a programmer and the idea of being able to carry his "Tool kit" of reference books around with him is thrilling.. considering this would be 20lbs+ in books :))

Good luck on your choice. If you're a reader I seriously doubt you will regret it... I know my Mom loves hers.

If you're looking at a Kindle then you should also check out the ipad which can do the same things and more. Go to the apple.com website to check it out or watch a presentation. It's best to compare and contrast all the options out there. You can also find consumer reviews online pretty easily. Good luck!

I can't answer for the Kindle, but I have a Nook, Barnes and Nobles' e-reader and I love it! Super easy to use, constantly have reading material available, and you can even read one handed. I pay no monthly fees and I do have the wi-fi version, although now they have a version w/o the wi-fi. BN also has an online book club where every Friday they make 1 book available free - it is hit or miss on how good they are but hey it is free! Also all the classics in the Google books archive are available for free for any e-reader. I have been so happy with my e-reader, I cannot rave enough. The one caveat is though is that they can break (as my good friend just found out) so if you have small children or just want to have the piece of mind, get the extra insurance and/or a really protective case.

I got mine about a year ago...LOVE it! I think it is very user-friendly, and there are not any monthly access charges. I have several free books, and a few that I have paid for (never over about $10, although there are those available that are more). I love the idea that I can carry the equivalent of almost 2000 books on one device, and that I can switch between what I'm reading if I'm not in the mood for a particular one. There are also magazine and newspaper subscriptions available! I'm not sure how reasonable the "return on investment" is, but I love the convenience. Good luck!

I'm so glad you asked these questions, I have been wondering too. I'm curious as to how heavy they are, Would it weigh as much as a regular hard cover book, or less?

If you already have an ipod I would just download the kindle app & ibooks apps and not spend on a kindle. The only advantage I see is that the kindle is larger than the ipod. I have the ipod, and my sister has the kindle. We each love their own.
Good Luck!