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| Be sure to read your e-book. A crummy commercial? S.O.B! |
I’m serious: Amazon Kindle
ads appeared in my dreams. Don’t ask me what else I dreamt about, but I shot out of bed and asked myself, “really dude, a Kindle?” It isn’t a surprise though, you can see the ads all along the inside of the train, at the tube stops, and along the outside walls to each and every station. You can’t avoid the Kindle, and I am ashamed to say I want it. I want it bad. I want it the way Ralphie wanted an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle. Love the opportunity to quote Ralphie, but I am dead serious here. Give it to me.
ads appeared in my dreams. Don’t ask me what else I dreamt about, but I shot out of bed and asked myself, “really dude, a Kindle?” It isn’t a surprise though, you can see the ads all along the inside of the train, at the tube stops, and along the outside walls to each and every station. You can’t avoid the Kindle, and I am ashamed to say I want it. I want it bad. I want it the way Ralphie wanted an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle. Love the opportunity to quote Ralphie, but I am dead serious here. Give it to me. What gives? Is the Kindle really that great? The Kindle cameo in my dreams gives me some concern: either I have a strange e-reader fetish, an impressionable proclivity towards mass advertisements, or just happened to have a random dream about a Kindle. I’m praying for the random dream. Either way, the topic warrants a little consideration while I am awake.
There are Kindle comparisons to the iPad and other e-readers, and the benefits are fairly clear. Here is the problem: I am in the middle of a book right now – a long 600 pager, at that. What happens if I buy a Kindle during the middle of a book, do you just put the $150 device aside and wait until you are finished? Do you buy the e-version of the book and pick-up half way (what do you do with the book?)? Do you try and time it so that the e-reader arrives right when you are finished (otherwise, you will not have a new book in “sixty seconds”)? I’m sure there are bigger problems in the world, but the advertisements have not addressed these issues yet, and as a result I’m not sold. I am so confused.
A quick comparison of the Kindle versus my book, The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver):
Price | ||
Less than a paperback (including the Internal Revenue Code in paperback?) | Weight | A paperback, depending on what you store in it (see below) |
No glare in the sun | Screen | Shiny cover glares a little bit, but I rarely read romance novels and there is no sun in the UK so I am not too concerned |
Up to one month with wireless off! | Battery Life | Still going and going… |
20% faster | Page Turning | What if I am a slow reader? |
3,500 books | Storage | Ideal for boarding passes, real pictures, and gum wrappers |
Built-in | Wi-fi | It’s a book |
Lend to friends for 14 days | Lending | Avoid guilt related to throwing a book away by lending it to a friend, forever (“OMG, this book is SO good, you should totally read it!”...hahaha, sucker) |
It’s a toss up. I will continue reading my traditional book. But when I finish it, and I will finish it, perhaps I will allow my dreams to come true. Only time will tell. This whole post is ridiculous…welcome to my world, and happy e-writing.
Hi Dominic, One measure I would add to your analysis is durability. My great fear is the expensive Kindle falling out of my hand when I fall asleep reading it and smashing upon the floor. Given I often read before bed, finding the book on the floor next morning is a fairly common occurance. A book usually survives such treatment or can be taped, binder clipped or covered in brown paper when the glossy cover falls off. I have also heard tell of paper books falling into the bath that can be dried in the oven. Would a Kindle electrocute you? On the other hand, I don't think Hugo would eat a Kindle. Best, Melissa
ReplyDeleteYes, Melissa, these are very good points indeed. Durability, susceptibility to electrocution, and canine taste buds are all things we should consider (the Kindle may be the death knell to "My dog ate my homework" if we are not vigilant). Thanks so much for posting! Hope you are staying warm in ess tea el.
ReplyDeleteNick, the duality of it all. It's so obvious to me. Nick, noun, 1. my brother who wants a Kindle .......Nick, verb, 1. british slang meaning to steal. So Mr. Nick (unlike Mr. Dick), get you ass out there and steal a Kindle. It's so bloody obvious to me! See you soon....gigi, noun, 1. amazing sister abroad, a broad, oh I'll stop. I could go on and on.....
ReplyDeleteGigi, it is dangerous territory in which we now dance...when a comment is better written, and has more wit (wittier is a city in East LA) then I am afraid that I may be in deep dodo. But then again, it may be a good sign... I just don't know. Yes, I do want a Kindle!
ReplyDeleteWell dodo, keep spelling like that and we may have a problem.....dodo, noun, 1. extinct bird..........doodoo, noun, 1. crap
ReplyDeleteand it's wHittier my lovely brotha. :)
I see that the word games are a family trait. Anytime anyone tells a word joke around the office now it is referred to as "pulling a Dominic".
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to read your book, Dom. As long as there are tons of word jokes, that is!
Pulling a Dominic - you have no idea how honored I am! So long as it isn't like getting Munsoned...
ReplyDelete