What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Using a Kindle as a "data slate"?

I was looking at Amazon and noticed the new model of their Kindle thing has a keyboard on it. This got me wondering if could it be used as a carry along word processor - smaller than those netbooks. Is there a typing software program on it, how about a USB port to transfer files to a normal PC, does anyone have one of these?

Or how about these "Digimemo" slates that you write on?
http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=di...&_dmpt=Wristwatches&_odkw=digi+memo&_osacat=0

Anyone used one of these? Do these translate my handwriting into typed text or does it make a JPG of what I've written?
 
I've never used one, actually, but I know a lot about them since I've been following the Kindle since prior to the first release. The keyboard is used for notes and annotations, as well as searching WhisperNet for books to download. The Kindle DX has a full pdf reader while the Kindle 2 has a modified pdf reader. The Kindle 2 does support *.doc files, but only through conversion and for a small fee.

My mom just bought one after months of me trying to convince her (she has more disposable income than I do) so I can't wait until it arrives so I can go see her and mess around with it. Should be any day, so I'll update once I get some hands on experience.

And, as a side note, I told everyone I knew to invest in Amazon stock back in early January prior to the Kindle 2 being announced and nobody listened. Had they listened and invested in 100 shares of Amazon stock they would have almost doubled their investment already. I wanted to buy 100 shares at $48.40/share (steep for me at the time, but I knew it was rock solid) and it is now hovering around $85.00/share, and it peaked at almost $95.00/share mid-July.

I think it was Cassandra in The Odyssey that was doomed to foretell the future only to be ignored.

xvart.
 
I wonder if the Kindle could type in something on, say, a blog text input screen or even these forums. It would be interesting to see. Maybe a mini-blog with simplistic HTML for the Kindle, like maybe a twitter client.

I am about 2 seconds away from buying a Kindle, my manager at work owns one and while laptops aren't allowed, Kindles are. So... Very tempting. I probably would skip the KDX and get the standard K2 -- the PDF support is important to me, but not an extra $200 important. I'd probably make the $299 for the Kindle back in a few months of buying books, especially if I keep buying Terry Pratchett stuff.
 
I wonder if the Kindle could type in something on, say, a blog text input screen or even these forums.

They do have access to Wikipedia, so input is definitely possible online. I'm not sure how restricted it is, though.

I'd probably make the $299 for the Kindle back in a few months of buying books, especially if I keep buying Terry Pratchett stuff.

I did a cost analysis a while back on my blog about the Kindle break even point. While it certainly makes a difference the type of book you read and the price range of Kindle material, the things that don't have an intrinsic dollar amount associated, like sustainability, etc. Plus, there is gobs and gobs of free Kindle material.

Hardbacks
Assumptions:
Hardbacks purchased at Amazon
List price: $27.95
Hard Back discount: 40%
Kindle 2.0 start up cost: $359.00
Equivalent Kindle book price: $9.99
Shipping cost: $3.99
Break even point (without shipping): 53 books
Break even point (with shipping): 34 books

Hardback40.jpg


Paperbacks
Assumptions:
Paperbacks purchased at Amazon
List price: $7.99
Kindle 2.0 start up cost: $359.00
Equivalent Kindle book price: $6.39
Shipping cost: $3.99
Break even point (without shipping): 65 books
Break even point (with shipping): 225 books

Paper.jpg


xvart.
 
Speaking of Kindles and Terry Pratchett only brought to mind my most favoritest webcomic of all...xkcd!
http://xkcd.com/625/
I kinda want a kindle, what for all the cool techiness and all. But I am very cheap and never buy books only ILL from the library to get everything I want for no cost so I probably won't get one...at least untill they are cheaper and I do research and even then...maybe not. Especially since you may end up losing the books and not being able to transfer them from your shop to device after reaching some "unknown" number of times transfered. That would so piss me off. But they are so cool, especially for getting away with reading a novel while in the middle of a giant (borning) seminar
 
Back
Top