Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6" Display, Graphite

[Old Salt]

To Anyone who has used one of these, would you please take a couple of minutes to answer a couple of questions, before I make a decision to purchase one of these for my wife who is in a wheelchair and cannot easily get around the library any more. Although they say the library is designed to help the disabled, she finds it extremely difficult to use and because I have to push her, she feels very awkward.

Amazon are advertising this Kindle as, "just open it and start using it."

Is it that simple? And most important, Mrs OS, who is nearly a Ludite, how might she get on with it?

She loves to read, virtually anything, and I was thinking this could really give her some much needed enjoyment. But..................do you have to pay to download the newspapers, books, and magazines?

Thank you for any feedback and advice

Old Salt

[woofgang]

I just got my DH an e reader. apparently one of the differences between that and kindle is that with e reader you won the book you have bought but with kindle Amazon licence you to have the book on kindle and you don;'t actually own it.
http://www.amazon.co....html?nodeId=200501450

scroll down to digital content

[woofgang]

sorry not "won" the book..."own" the book

[woofgang]

PPs if she doesn't mind reading off a computer screen (you can put them on e reader too) go and take a look at project Gutenberg....thousands of free, out of copyright digitised books

[Old Salt]

Thanks woofgang.................I think

Still not sure how it works. Do I buy the book and read it on kindle? Or do I buy the kindle and pay to download the books, newspapers and magazines to it? And in addition, is there a monthly subscription charge?

It sure sounds like it's something I should avoid. I can't afford to buy something that has a lot of hidden costs.


OS

[bibblebub]

there are free Kindle books here: http://www.freekindlebooks.org/ which might provide some to start with

[Old Salt]

Thanks bibblebub

Sounds like it's worth a try. I'll order one tonight

OS

[hc4361]

You mostly have to buy the books, especially if they are relatively recent publications.
Some libraries offer ebooks through their library service, so check with yours.
I have a Sony eReader and it is very easy to use.

[Wak]

If your wife can use the computer, she could also find over 17 million books, newspapers & magazines here and they are all FREE to read.
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/

[Old Salt]

Thanks hc4361, that good to know.

OS

[Old Salt]

Unfortunately Wak, she hates them...........and I spent forty years maintaining, teaching and operating them.

OS

[bednobs]

books: you either pay for them as you would a normal book, or get free books downloaded (less of a selection)
Newspapers/mags:you pay monthly for them to be downloaded.
if you are looking at the kindle, you might wonder what the difference is between the 109 pound one and the 149 pound one.
With the 109 one you either download the books on your comp and transfer them over to the kindle, or you pay as you go for downloading directly to the kindle
with the 149 pound one, you can download books directly onto it anywhere as it has "free" wireless forever

[Old Salt]

Now that is some much appreciated good news bednobs

Ordered one and Amazon says due to demand there will be a two to three week wait. But, I will stay with them as they are very good about refunds in a timely manner, if, "When you see it don't like it."

OS

[bednobs]

actually, just looked at the site again and you don't need to connect to a comp to download, but you do need to connect to a wireless network (for the 109 one) for the 149 one you can do it anywhere.. I am thinking of getting one but still undecided. Most of the free books are the classics eg dracula, sherlock holmes etc and i would like to read those