For a while now both Amazon Kindle devices and apps have been available. It seems though, certainly amongst people that I am in contact with, that the take-up started slow, but is now gaining real momentum.
In my personal experience, although I have been aware of Kindle since its release, I have only started interacting with the service in the last couple of months, but why?
I think for me, like many, I have a real romance with buying a book, feeling it, smelling it, having it proudly sat on the bookshelf, seeing it get worn as is loved over the years. I was, up until recently, in a place where I didn’t even want to know about Kindle books, because I didn’t see anything wrong with real books, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
But you see, in my situation something is broke, as in 6 months time I will be getting married, and from then on will be working in full time Christian ministry abroad, and guess what? My beloved collection of books are staying behind, not to be viewed by me for a very long time.
So why am I writing this post? The reason is this: the way I am seeing Kindle grow is quite remarkable, and I truly believe that it is only going to get bigger as time goes by. Therefore I want to challenge you to think about who you are, what you are about, and where you see yourself in the future, as looking at this will help you decide whether to switch your book purchasing to Kindle or not!
Here are some questions which I think would be great to ask yourself, just to make sure that you currently have the right stance on whether you should be using Amazon Kindle or not:
Is mobile technology steadily taking the place of traditional “pen and paper” style tools when it comes to organizing your life and getting things done?
If this is you then I think that we are in the same category. What I love about Kindle is that you can install it on all of your devices and download your books to all of them. Kindle also has a great syncing system so that all of your devices will know where you are at in each of your books.
Where I would before be taking my bible, notebook, pen, and other books that I am reading to the coffee shop in the morning, due to kindle and other apps I’m now running I now just need to take one device, my iPad, or if I forget my iPad, my Android phone. Then when I get to the office and want to read the rest of the chapter of my book, I can check it out on my MacBook and it will know exactly where I am in the book – sweet!
Are you someone who is constantly on the move and spends little time at home?
Like me, you may not know where you are going to be throughout your day and when or where your free time for reading is going to fit in, but one thing you know for sure is that you are not likely to be home till late!
Using Amazon Kindle on the device of your choosing in this situation could be rather beneficial, in fact I imagine that it will allow you to read a lot more, as there will no longer be the worry of taking books everywhere with you, as long as you have your Kindle device to hand.
How is your life looking over the coming years? Have you settled or is it possible that you might be hitting the road with little space for your library?
As I said before, having a built up library of real books has got to be a wonderful thing, so if you are someone who is settled, has space for books, and loves books, then possibly Kindle isn’t for you. I sort of wish that there was some kind of middle ground or best-of-both-worlds, but, for now at least, that doesn’t seem possible.
If you have plans for adventures and life on the road ahead of you, then I urge you to think carefully and be wise about how you invest in literature, especially considering what is available to you as technology is progressing.
For those who haven’t really given Kindle much thought until now, there are various options available to you in terms of how you can use kindle:
Firstly and most obviously you can buy an Amazon Kindle device from Amazon directly. These are fantastic devices, although they have a couple of other features, they only do one thing really well and that is allow you to read books! My fiancee has been traveling for a few months now and she loves her Kindle.
Secondly there are Kindle apps for various devices that I am sure many of you carry on your person on a daily basis. Apps are available for the following devices:
- Windows PC
- Mac
- iPad
- iPhone
- Android
- Blackberry
- Windows Phone 7
To Kindle or not to Kindle? That is the question…
Adam Shields says
I love my kindle. When I moved four years ago, before I bought my first kindle I decided to stop building a paper library. I gave away/sold most of my books and still try to give away all the paper books I do buy. Since I bought a kindle originally in Nov 2008 I have built up a kindle library of around 550 books (many of them were free books, the biggest feature of kindle that most people do not know about – there are now about 50-70 free books a month for kindle.)
James Brooks says
550 books in just over 2 years is pretty impressive! How many have you actually read?! What KIndle device do you use currently?
Adam Shields says
I have the K2 (and also had the k1). I have read around 1/3 of the ones I have. Another not talked about feature of kindle is that if you register them to the same account you can have an almost unlimited number of devices to share books between. Right now we have 8 kindles, two ipads, two iphones and an android phone sharing one account. So I pick up almost everything that is available for free assuming someone might like it. I would guess that between 1/2 and 3/4 of the books have been read by someone on the account.
(Major negative to sharing an account is that there can only be one payment source. So you have to figure out how to track the costs of the books bought by everyone. There are different ways that you can do that. One way is have have the person that buys the book buy a gift card in the amount of the book. Another way is for everyone to buy the book on their own private account, but gift it to the kindle account. Or you can do the rich uncle method and one person just pays it all and doesn’t worry about it.)
James Brooks says
Yeh, I think that the account sharing is going to work great for our family! Glad that you are getting good use out of it!
Dan King says
I just got a Kindle 3 (wifi and 3g) for Christmas this year, and I love it! While I haven’t used them yet, I do have the software installed on my desktop and netbook (Windows PC) and on my Android phone.
I’ve found that I’ve been reading more often… in the short time since I’ve gotten it. It just seems easier to pick up the device and read anything that I want to, than it does to grab a book. We’ll see if that changes at all when the newness wears off, but I can easily see how having one will change how you read… for the better.
James Brooks says
Glad you have joined the Kindle crew Dan! I’m sure you won’t regret it!
Megan Willome says
I’ve had mine for about a year, and I love it. The reasons why are mainly that I live in a rural community (75 miles from a bookstore), and our library doesn’t always carry the kind of stuff I like. I do wish it were backlit (I think the new ones are), but it has made it so easy to purchase books via WiFi. Also, I love the option to download a few pages of a book before buying it.
James Brooks says
Sadly the new Amazon Kindle devices aren’t backlit, however Amazon are selling some fantastic cases which have a built in lamp that pulls out. The other great thing about those cases are that they are powered by the Kindle device itself.
Sounds like Kindle is working out really well for you =)
Trevor says
I have an original Kindle and will be getting one of the wifi versions soon.
James Brooks says
Sounds great. I know that you are very much a book man Trevor, do you buy your books exclusively on Kindle?
Blane Young says
“I sort of wish that there was some kind of middle ground or best-of-both-worlds, but, for now at least, that doesn’t seem possible.”
I wish the same thing but your conclusion is true.
Loved the post!
PS I Kindle: Latest Generation + Mac App + iPod App (and my wife has 1st Generation Kindle)
James Brooks says
It would be great if you got some kind of code to download a personal copy of an ebook version every time you buy a “real” book.
Your challenge is to invent a way to make that secure and financially viable…GO! 😉
Adam shields says
Thomas Nelson is experimenting with their NelsonFree program. If you buy the hardback you can dowload an audiobook and ebook. It is not widely available or from the advertising around it likely isn’t doing well.
James Brooks says
Interesting…
Adam shields says
According to this article 1/4 of ipad owners also own a kindle and another 1/4 have plans to buy
a kindle
http://www.mediabistro.com/thinkmobile/half-of-ipad-owners-also-own-a-kindle-this-could-be-the-case-soon_b9822
John Finkelde says
I am an avid reader & took the plunge into Kindle 15 months ago. I wondered how I would go without the tactile experience
However I have found it to be amazing! Great for a traveller like me and I love the convenience of quickly accessing any book you want.
I am reading lots more books
I doubt I will buy any more paper books – just don’t see the need – I think I am a totally digital book guy now & I will either download to my Kindle or Logos Bible Software
James Brooks says
Great to hear that John!