Kindle (or any ebook reader) queries

[moktan]

Being an avid reader of books it is tempting to consider the e-reader. However I am completely new to these things. I would be obliged if some forum member would help me out with these doubts. (I have never owned a smartphone or a tablet. So I don't know how these things work.)
I have a BSNL broad band connection at home. How exactly does one get/buy books on something like kindle? Does one have to use some other internet connection on the device itself? Or do I buy downloads of books on my computer and then transfer it to the reader? I have some movies on an external hard disk. Can I watch these on my device? Besides reading books, watching movies and listening to music, what other computer-like functionality do these devices offer? I am thinking of basic things like wordprocessing etc.
I know answers to these queries could be available somewhere on the net. But I trust the opinion of our forum members more. And I am sure the information would also help other noobs who are contemplating e-readers.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Shivam]

I use a Kindle.

The device features a free 3G (on any network) or Wifi connectivity which can be used to download books. It can also be connected by USB to a computer and books can be uploaded from the computer iteself. I prefer this method and use a program called Caliber for sorting and uploading the books.

Black and White Kindle display is not back-lit and the brightness depends on the room light. This is very comfortable to read and easy on eyes.

If you want to watch movies, browse internet etc. then you can opt for a tab which have 'Kindle app' but reading books is not as comfortable as on the 'Kindle device' itself.

 

[apk]

+1. Another recommendation for the Kindle.

I have been using one for the past couple of years, and this is as close to a real book as you can get with a digital reading medium. You can officially get a kindle in India through Croma stores. With Amazon launching operations here formally, I think you should be able to get one through Amazon India too.

Downloading books is not a problem at all. As Shivam said, you can download through WiFi or use the computer to download the e-books (in kindle format) and then copy this to the kindle using a USB cable. I use the latter method and find it more convenient, through some others may prefer the wi-fi route.

Rest assured, if you love reading books, the investment is more than worth it! You can also get lots of free classic books from the 'project gutenberg' website.

Best,
APK

 

[moktan]

Thank you very much Shivam and Apk. I sure appreciate your responses. Things are clearer now. However I didn't understand this-

I use a Kindle.
The device features a free 3G (on any network) or Wifi connectivity which can be used to download books.

What does 'free' mean here?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Shivam]

Thank you very much Shivam and Apk. I sure appreciate your responses. Things are clearer now. However I didn't understand this-

What does 'free' mean here?
Thanks in advance.

You can use almost any mobile network in the world to download books on kindle device. There are no added costs for using the mobile network on kindle for this. Deepening on the model you buy, it can be ad supported or without ads.

I sometimes get books from Amazon and then download them on whatever mobile network I can connect to on Kindle.

Read up about 'whispernet service'.

 

[moktan]

Since 3g was not available where I live, i ordered the basic Kindle. Calibre is a very convinient tool to manage books on the Kindle , if one is using ubuntu. Currently my plan is to download free books from the Project Gutenberg site.
Taleb in his book Antifragile has an interesting take on 'old books'. (Antifragile is a word that Taleb has invented because he did not find any word that meant the 'opposite of fragile'. Fragile -things, people, profession, systems- break on stress. Resilient the dictionary antonym just means something that withstands stress. Taleb coined "antifragile" to mean something- people, economic systems, metals, profession, countries- that gets stronger with stress).
Anyway he says a book (he calls it The Lindy Effect) that survives (because people read it) for 10 years will survive for another 20 years (I don't remember the exact number) and so on.
So books like (Thoreu's Walden or Himalayan Journals by Hooker or those of even greater antiquity like The Public Oration by Demosthenes) have with time become stronger, more antifragile and will probably be read (at least by some who have kindle) for ever.
I bought a no fuss ebook only Kindle because it is cheaper and doesn't have other features that would detract the book reader from the book.
My sincere thanks to Shivam and APK.
P.S. Taleb by the way doesn't think the ebook reader will survive the test of time. Currently it is fueled by what he calls neomania , the fascination for the 'new' that seems to drive our aspirations.

 

[sgmane]

Reviving or hijacking the thread.

For all those kindle book lovers

If you are not aware of this before.
Download free kindle books from here Hundred Zeros - Download Free Books for Kindle

Apart from the other locations down here
1. Amazon
2. Free ebooks - Project Gutenberg
3. openlibrary.org
4. books.google.com/advanced_book_search
5. manybooks.net
6. Public Domain | Feedbooks

which may have already been discussed here in our HFV.