I was in Walmart the other day and I asked the guy in the electronics section if they were going to carry the new Kindle. Blank stare. He had no flippin' idea what I was talking about. In the electronics section!
Ebooks are becoming more and more popular, but how are they going to catch on if none of the companies producing the ereaders ever advertise? Have you ever seen a commercial for an ereader? A billboard? A print ad? I haven't.
Then yesterday, this: http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=218392&title=Jeff-Bezos
Now, I personally find the CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, to be kind of a creepy dude. It's the way he laughs. Not that I have anything against people who throw their whole bodies into laughter and rock back and forth with mirth at the drop of a hat. His laughter just seems so forced. Like he's really an archvillain prentending to be a jolly old elf. (Admittedly, my attitude toward him might be impacted by the fact that I tend to think of Amazon as an evil empire populated by soulless minions. Bless their greedy little hearts.)
Oh my god! I just realized who he reminds me of! Data! From Star Trek! You know how when Data is trying out emotions it's always forced and weird? Hello, Jeff Bezos! It's like someone told him not to be too serious on The Daily Show (lack of humor will alienate the kiddies, you know), so Jeff went out and downloaded laughter, but he didn't really know how to use it so it got a little out of control. He laughed long and hard, with very little provocation, but he certainly can't be accused of being humorless.
So aside from the creepy over-laughing, I'm super psyched to see someone spreading the word about ebooks. Awesome. It's about time.
Today's Gigolo Question: How did you first learn about ebook readers? What prompted you to buy your first or what would it take to get you to buy your first?
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I had heard something about Amazon coming out with an ereader....thought it sounded cool, until of course I discovered it didn't totally work well in Canada. *sigh*
So, when my husband bought be an iPhone for my bday in July, I went and did some searching to see what amazing apps I could find for it. Low and behold there were book readers! That is what started my love of ebooks!
Amazon definitely needs to make a Canada-compatible Kindle. At least Apple is international - yay, iPhones!
I ran across this link on Twitter
Sony vs. Kindle
Makes me think some stuff....lol
and may help me make a decision when I decide to buy a REAL reader :D
Very interesting link. Thanks, Natasha! I don't have an ereader yet (I read ebooks on my laptop for now) but I hear good things about the Sony.
A Kindle ad on Amazon was my introduction to ereaders. I realized that an ebook reader would be a perfect way to take lots of reading material on trips without loading my suitcase down with half a dozen paperbacks. But the price was steep, so I waited for Christmas.
I read every online review I could find (including the link posted, which is a good one) and was torn between the Kindle, with its wireless access anywhere and slightly lower book prices, and the Sony, with very sleek styling and a durable metal (not plastic) case.
When I tried to order a Kindle the day before Thanksgiving they were already backordered until February, so I walked away from that. I discovered that some local stores were beginning to carry Sonys, so I bought a Sony at a pre-Christmas sale price. Ordered the lighted case I wanted online and I'm one happy camper.
Even if you aren't sure you want to buy the Sony, I encourage you to test-drive one at a store. That gives you a good feel for what any ebook reader will look and feel like.
The other major choice now is whether to get a backlit screen or not. The Kindle 1 and the older Sonys don't have backlighting, so unlike a computer screen they are very easy to read in bright light. The Kindle 2 and the newest Sony have backlit screens and the Sony has touch screen features too (not sure about the Kindle). I intentionally got the old style screen after reading a review from someone who traded up to a backlit screen and thought it was much harder on the eyes, but I haven't seen a backlit one to compare them.
I was on a group and it sent me to Ellora's Cave site and I was hooked.
I don't have one. I think I first heard about them on the ReBeL Romantica website.
I waited for the Kindle 2, and just got it Friday. I am totally hooked on it already. The page turns are fast and it's less bulky than Kindle 1. If you're debating between the Kindle and the more economical Sony Reader, here's a couple things to think about.
The Sony Reader has a bigger screen because it doesn't need a keyboard (because you load it from your computer). Because you load it from your computer, you don't need to be in the U.S.
Advantages of the Kindle are that the whispernet allows you to buy and load the book directly on the Kindle which is dang convenient. But the main reason I choose this ereader was to have the Wall Street Journal waiting for me each morning.
My friends have said that they still enjoy reading paper books and the ereader allows them to read more - which is way cool.
For me, I am not so sure - I really like the digital format and could see using it for a majority of my reading.
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