[Cuechick]

This was posted on the Amazon board and I thought you all would enjoy it!
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/magazine/02wwln-medium-t.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

 

[Khabita]

Oh, man, that is beautiful! Someone finally gets it!

I love this part in the very beginning:

Unlike the other devices that clatter in my shoulder bag, the Kindle isn’t a big greedy magnet for the world’s signals. It doesn’t pulse with clocks, blaze with video or squall with incoming bulletins and demands. It’s almost dead, actually. Lifeless. Just a lump in my hands or my bag, exiled from the crisscrossing of infinite cybernetworks. It’s almost like a book.

 

[Betsy the Quilter]

Excellent piece.  What's wrong with having a dedicated tool?  Nothing, as far as I'm concerned.  I really only wanted a phone that would make phone calls, LOL!  I think maybe I'm an electronic Luddite, LOL!

Betsy

 

[pidgeon92]

Oh, I am a HUGE proponent of dedicated gadgets. A gadget cannot be everything for everybody, it doesn't work. Though I have to say, the iPhone does come close. However, I prefer reading on the Kindle, I prefer the larger screen and B&W interface. My Garmin GPS does exactly what it needs to, it is close to perfect in its field. My Nintendo DS is a wonderful gaming platform. I have two digital cameras: a point & shoot and a DSLR. They are both awesome in their own way, and I choose which one to use based on where we are going and what I may shoot.

 

[Lotus]

An interesting piece.

I guess reading really is uncool. Oh well.

 

[RovingSoul]

I show my Kindle to friends all the time. This is the basic refrain.

"What is that?!"
"It's... an electronic book. Well, lots of books really."
"What do you mean, a book?"
"You, know.. You buy books, they are downloaded to the Kindle, and you read them."
"And that's it?"
"Basically.."
"Does it have internet access?"
"Well... it does, but.. not so much, no."
"So all it does is let you read books?"
"Well, it's more than that, see, cause you can download them instantly, whenever and wherever you want. As long as there's sprint service of course. It's really awesome, I swear."
"So it's a book. I don't get it."
"...Well, I think it's cool... ... ... *Tear*"

And I'm left with this feeling that I'm a complete idiot, and never should have spent such an outrageous amount of money on the thing. Then I look back at it, and realize that my book still lies open, and the page draws me back in. And, eventually, it's time to go. So, I tuck my Kindle back into my purse. Next to my phone, which only makes calls (and texts, I admit), and my iPod, which only plays music, and my traditional paper calender, and my laptop. I realize that my laptop can do everything that the other devices can do, but not nearly as effectively. Because all the other devices try to do one thing, and one thing only. And I love my laptop, for Word, and the internet, and games. But I don't read books on it, I don't make calls with Skype, and I don't listen to music. And I'm happy.

 

[KBoards Admin]

^ I identify with that - there are a lot of devices that perform a task in some basic way, but it's a joy to use a device that excels at what it does.

I'm, admittedly, a gadget junkie. I travel a lot with my work, and I frequently get ribbed by my co-workers about my geeky accessories:

- iPhone. Does a lot of things really well - like web browsing - and a few things moderately well, but not so well as the specialized gadgets below that also accompany me.
- Canon SD750 digital camera. Yes, my iPhone takes pictures, but not as well - and no zoom!
- Garmin Nuvi GPS. Yes, also available in my iPhone, but functionally it doesn't compare with the Nuvi.
- Blackberry. Unfortunately I have to carry this, as my work email is only provided through our Blackberry exchange server.
- Zune 120GB. The best high-capacity portable music player. Seriously.
- Zune 16GB flash player. Small and light, perfect for running or working out.

The reason I want a Kindle (yes, it's still on my wishlist) is that it seems to excel at the very specific function it's designed for. I like that a lot.

 

[RovingSoul]

You carry an iPhone and a Blackberry? Well, I've never been able to decide which one I like better, so I guess just getting both would be a solution. I got my iPod before they came out with Zunes, so there was no way I was going to transfer all my music to yet another device. I have been considering getting an iPod shuffle, for the jogging and such, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. And I must say that I am shocked, shocked, that you, Good Sir, have created a Kindle discussion website, and you don't actually own one.

 

[KBoards Admin]

^ It is sad but true. I am at the point in my life where it's advisable to get spousal permission before a major gadget purchase. I'm working on it, though.

 

[RovingSoul]

Well, it must be sad to have to sit here and moderate all of these comments about how wonderful everyone's Kindles are. If it makes you feel better, I always get a shock when I log on to my bank account and see how much money I've managed to spend on books. By the way, how do you choose moderators? Because I am online for usually at least 5 hours a day, and if you wanted to name some more, I would be estatic to take the job. Just for future reference. And now I won't beg anymore.

 

[Cuechick]

As a photographer, I was pretty cynical when cell phones first started including a camera function. I did not get it, "I need a camera in
my phone like I need a camera in my toaster" I use to joke. Now, having an iPhone I can see how a little camera can come in handy, when your
out and about ...I certainly do not tote around my pro gear and do not even always have a high quality point & shoot with me. I use it all the time for fun and function.

That said, with the exception of maybe my two Digital SLRs, I do not remember being so satisfied with a single purchase of technology as have been with my Kindle. In explaining to the curious, I keep it simple and just say, "It is like an iPod for books." most people seem to get it from that. A man I sat next to at lunch yesterday asked a lot more questions, which I happily answered and seemed truly impressed. If he thought me a geek, then oh well, I am a happy geek!

 

[Linda Cannon-Mott]

Harvey, had to laugh  "at the point in my life where it is advisable to get spousal permission." My hubby loves tools & we've been down the "permission" road several times. Some of his surprise purchases would double the price of a Kindle! Maybe you will get your Kindle for Christmas.

Linda

 

[Leslie]

Thanks for posting this, Octo. I've added the whole article to the Kindle in the News! thread, for anyone who wants to read it there.

L

 

[Betsy the Quilter]

Oh, I am a HUGE proponent of dedicated gadgets. A gadget cannot be everything for everybody, it doesn't work. Though I have to say, the iPhone does come close. However, I prefer reading on the Kindle, I prefer the larger screen and B&W interface. My Garmin GPS does exactly what it needs to, it is close to perfect in its field. My Nintendo DS is a wonderful gaming platform. I have two digital cameras: a point & shoot and a DSLR. They are both awesome in their own way, and I choose which one to use based on where we are going and what I may shoot.

I just love anything (or anyone) that does something excellently (such as the Kindle). I also have a Garmin, love it and two digitals--a P&S and a DSLOR, and just as you do, I pick which one is most appropriate to the day.

I have used my Palm T/X as a music player, a book reader, and a video player, but once I decided I really liked using those functions, I got my video iPod and then a nano for working out, and the Kindle. (Though really, the screen for videos is bigger on the Palm!)

I haven't shown the grandkids the Kindle yet, but I know the younger ones will want to know what else it does! And lose interest. They're not readers yet. The two oldest girls ARE readers, and I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't fascinated.

Betsy

 

[Linda Cannon-Mott]

GREAT article octochik, thanks for sharing. Yes, someone who does finally get it.

Linda

 

[Leslie]

I love the last sentence: My Kindle announces me as an oddball, a wallflower. A reader, then.

Wonderful...

L

 

[Cuechick]

bumping for those that might have missed it....

 

[Ann in Arlington]

You know, I don't think bumping is required here.  When I log on, the home page tells me where there have been new messages posted.  So if I didn't see it because it was posted after I last logged off, it tells me it's there when I log back on.  If you click the title of the thread you get the whole thing.  If you click the little "new" icon, it starts at what is a new post to you.  Pretty slick, actually.

Perhaps one of the moderators can clarify or correct?

Ann

 

[Leslie]

You know, I don't think bumping is required here. When I log on, the home page tells me where there have been new messages posted. So if I didn't see it because it was posted after I last logged off, it tells me it's there when I log back on. If you click the title of the thread you get the whole thing. If you click the little "new" icon, it starts at what is a new post to you. Pretty slick, actually.

Perhaps one of the moderators can clarify or correct?

Ann

That is correct, Ann.

A thread will move down on the list if someone hasn't posted on it but with a new comment, it goes right back to the top -- which is obviously what a bump does. But at the same time, there is the notifications of new messages in a thread. So as you say, someone coming back after an absence of X hours can come back and see all the threads that have new posts.

Bumping is not against the rules or anything, but it's not really required. I think an active thread will stay near the top of a board because of posting activity.

L

 

[sjc]

OctoChick: I saw that piece a few days ago and it's funny; I posted a reply at the end of the article and said the exact same thing that you said with this post:  Someone finally gets it...  wow talk about thinking alike!  Those were my "quote-unquote" exact words in the reply.