kindle

[ailie]

Any comments about convenience, help for partially sighted user, cost/availability of materials?

[Count-A-Strong]

Kindles often get discussed on here. If you type 'kindle' into the burgundy box above, you will see lots of results with peoples comments and advice. I'm pretty sure you can make the text larger for partially sighted users.

[AB Editor]

Morning Aile

I believe the kindle provides a zoom-text-size increase.

It definitely has a built in "reader" which turns the text into an audiobook (which may also be helpful).

"cost/availability of materials?" - by which you mean e-Books? They can range from much cheaper (or even free if they're out of copyright). Occasionally however you can buy the "real" book cheaper than the kindle version (I think this applies to new releases mostly however).

All the best,

Spare

[ailie]

Thnx you two. The audio convert sounds useful. Does anyone have experience of a newspaper download? How much does that cost & would you be able to do a crossword on it?

[Count-A-Strong]

Crosswords for kindles:
http://www.amazon.com...1-ebook/dp/B0031ERCD0

[ailie]

That's cool CAS ....I can turn 86yr old Dad into a Gamer!
After reading on one of the links that you can read newspapers on the kindle, I really meant would you be able to do the crossword in a newspaper? That would be the function that would win me over so I'm still hoping for an AB response from someone who uses it for newspaper. I've seen the advert for iPad newspaper subs but think that would be too steep a learning curve for Dad.

[bednobs]

no you can't

[rojash]

Sorry to use your thread for a rant, ailie, but you asked about cost.
I've just read "The Bodies Left Behind" by Jeffery Deaver.

In paperback, It costs £4.66 from Amazon. That covers the typesetting, artwork, printing, materials, binding, distribution, and final delivery. What's more it's now mine to do with as I please. I can give it away, lend it to friends, sell it, donate it to charity.

The Kindle version costs £6.99. That covers typesetting, and distribution via the Internet. I can read it on Kindle. I can't lend it out, give it away, donate it to charity, or sell it. If JD's publishers should ever get in a dispute with Amazon, it can be removed from the Kindle without so much as a by-your-leave. It's not mine.

When we made our software available for download, we (like most other software houses) were able to drop the price by over 50% compared to distribution on physical media. Amazon, on the other hand, mark up the price by over 50% for a similar setup.

Where I come from, we define this as a rip-off.

[ailie]

Roj, glad you got the chance to air these points. I would always have reservations about being locked-in when there is so much marketing hype from competitors. Shame that gets mixed up with the opportunity for the technology to get to and help those with problems. You're right, it is a rip off.......maybe in a few years time? That title sounds great & good reviews.

[Buenchico]

This RNIB press release might be relevant:
http://www.rnib.org.u...release27aug2010.aspx

Chris

[ailie]

Chris you have morphed into Ethel ! Thnx, I will check it out

[ailie]

Don;t like the sound of this...to quote ' 'Read to Me' facility, that in turn outputs the text of an ebook as synthetic speech' ......that might be a bit disturbing, like Stephen Hawking reading the story?