Light My Kindle

Lifehack.org, one of my favorite websites, posted a great beginner’s guide to e-books that came at a perfect time for me. Since the Kindle introduced me to e-books, I’ve only just begun to learn that I can get them other places than the Kindle Store.

Of course Amazon is first on the list, but is followed by a list of other e-book stores and places to get public domain (aka FREE) e-books.

For Kindle owners, the Kindle store will probably remain the easiest place to get a book, especially if you’re purchasing it directly from your Kindle, but it’s nice to know there are other options out there.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has been speaking lately about the Kindle and confirms that a second version of the device isn’t planned anytime soon. He does say that there will be future versions of it, but that a second version is “not that near.” On the other hand, an Amazon spokeswoman was quoted saying that no future iterations of the Kindle are planned. This makes it seem as if no official plans have been made, but as CEO I’m sure Bezos has long-term goals in mind.

Most gadgets get upgrades and improvements that necessitate future versions (like the iPod, computers, cell phones), but I have a feeling Amazon may be taking a Nintendo-type approach.

When the original Nintendo was released, the company may not have envisioned that anyone would need another version. You could make more games for the version you had, so why would you need another system? But as the technology improved, we got the Super Nintendo, and the N64, and of course now we have the phenomenal Wii system.

Perhaps in a similar way, Amazon doesn’t forsee a need for a Kindle 2.0 right now because there are tons of books for users to download, and the system works. But users are making wish lists of missing or improvable features, and eventually Amazon will probably find a reason to release another version.

The early adopters in the crowd are hoping it won’t be for a while. After all, we dropped $400 on this thing and don’t want to have it become obsolete any time soon.

As an avid Kindle user, I’m constantly searching for tips & tricks on improving the Kindle experience. These Tips & Tricks posts will be my place to share what I find with my readers.

The first tip, one I just learned recently, but use constantly, is how to display the time on your Kindle. It’s so very simple - press ALT + T. If you’re on one of the menu pages or the Kindle store, the time displays as it would on a digital clock (ie: 10:15). If you’re reading a book, the time displays written out longhand (ie: Fifteen past ten). It’ll show up in the lower left-hand corner and only shows for a few seconds.

Some users may be disappointed with the time not being a constant, but I think it’s a great thing. I think if there were a clock constantly in my face, I’d check it compulsively while reading, which would detract from my reading experience.

Engadget pointed out that Amazon has dropped the price of the kindle from $399 to $359. Now might be a great time to buy yours.

The Washington Post reports that the Amazon Kindle is estimated to contribute as much as 3% of Amazon’s revenue by 2010. According to their numbers, that’s $750 million.

I’m assuming that a nice chunk of that revenue will come from the dedicated Kindle owners purchasing books, in addition to all of the people buying new Kindles.

I first read The Talisman when I was about 12 or 13-years old, about the same age as Jack Sawyer, the protagonist in the novel. The book fascinated me in ways that kids couldn’t imagine before Harry Potter. It had fantasy, danger, and an added element that I always loved in books as a kid – a young protagonist facing the world on his/her own. Books like The Talisman and A Wrinkle In Time made reading my number one childhood activity.

I decided to finally re-read The Talisman after I found a sequel while browsing the Kindle store. Naturally, I wanted to refresh my memory before diving back into Jack Sawyer’s story. The Talisman is a tale of a young man, a child really, on a dangerous mission. He sets out to find the talisman, a mysterious object on the opposite coast of the country. He travels in both the real world, and an alternate reality he calls The Territories. The Territories are an idyllic place – clean air, no cars, simple clothing and homes. The physical description of The Territories most resembles medieval times.

Jack’s mission is to get the talisman to heal both his mother (who is dying from cancer on the east coast) and Queen Laura, the ruler of The Territories (who is dying from some unknown Territories disease). We are with Jack every step of the way. He has help along the way from a handyman named Speedy, a wolf named Wolf, and others.

I absolutely love this book. I loved it as a child (reading Stephen King novels far too early for my age) and I loved it while reading it for a second time. It flawlessly moves from “the American Territories” to “The Territories” (as Jack calls them) and back. The imagery is so powerful that you almost start to believe in The Territories yourself. The length of the book isn’t a problem, and in fact once you near the end, you don’t want it to end. (Luckily there’s a sequel titled Black House.) I would absolutely read it again, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy/mystery novel. You can grab the paperback on Amazon, or get it for your Kindle at the Kindle store.

On Writing was a wonderful read for me as both a Stephen King fan and a writer. The book is divided into three sections. The first covers King’s early years up through when he sold Carrie. The middle section has tips and advice on how to improve your own writing. The last section deals with King’s accident and how the recovery affected his writing.

It’s a book with true personality. For fans of King’s writing style, you almost feel as though you’re having a conversation with the man. Much as his Entertainment Weekly columns give you a glance into the real Stephen King (behind all the monsters and ghoulies), On Writing feels like a very personal piece.

Parts I and III are fascinating glimpses into King’s personal life. We learn all about his childhood, how he met his wife, and, most importantly, how he started writing professionally. It’s almost a mini-autobiography.

Part II gives practical advice on how to improve your own writing. Rule #1 is, of course, to read more. Coming from a man who reads at Red Sox games (I’ve seen him on TV reading books in the stands.), this is a suggestion every writer should take to heart.

I wholeheartedly recommend On Writing to any writer or Stephen King fan. It’s a great read, and one that I’m happy to keep around for future re-reads.

You can buy On Writing at the Kindle Store or pick up the paperback.

It looks like the Kindle is turning into an even more useful device than first thought. There are now two calendars available for your Kindle - both a daily and a monthly version. Even better news is that they’re both under $2 (a far cry from the $16 I just paid for my new paper-based planner).

The monthly calendar has a very simple functionality of just showing you the calendar days, whereas the daily calendar allows you to enter appointments. There’s no ability for synchronization with an outside calendar system, which is a drawback, but for less than two bucks you can have a place other than a scrap of paper to jot down appointments on the go.

Personally, I don’t see much need for the monthly version, but it has two five-star reviews at this writing. The daily calendar is more my speed, but is getting mixed reviews. The two calendars give me hope for Amazon or developers to create even more useful applications for the Kindle - perhaps a notebook of some sort.

You can get the 2008 Daily Planner for $1.59 or the 2008 Monthly Calendar for 99 cents.

Amazon’s Kindle Blog announced a new program called See A Kindle In Your City where Kindle owners can connect with prospective Kindle buyers. The Kindle owners can show off their Kindles and the prospective buyers can take it for a test-drive before purchasing one.

I think it’s a genius move on Amazon’s part. Everyone I’ve shown my Kindle to has been fascinated by it. It’s a great way to encourage word-of-mouth marketing and turn customers into evangelists.

Would you be more likely to buy a Kindle if you were able to try it hands-on first?

Welcome to LightMyKindle.com. This is my way of exploring all the wonderful things about the Amazon Kindle e-reader. I wanted to write a review of the Kindle, but I kept putting it off because I learned new things about my Kindle just about every time I used it.

I received my Kindle as a wedding present from my husband in February. We’re gadget geeks, so it was an extremely thoughtful gift. It arrived just after we got back from our honeymoon since it was sold out and on back order until extremely recently. I liked it as soon as I opened the Amazon box. The Kindle was packaged in a fake book which perfectly illustrated the difference in size between the Kindle and a real book.

The second thing I liked about the Kindle was that the instruction book was on the Kindle in digital form. Who needs a bulky instruction manual when you can browse and even search it on the device itself?

The first Kindle book I purchased was On Writing by Stephen King. Reading a book on the Kindle is a wonderful experience. You don’t notice you’re reading on an electronic device. You melt right into the story just as if you were reading a typical book. The first thing I noticed that was noticeably better than reading a traditional book was the weight. I love reading while lounging on the couch, but that was impossible with books like the Harry Potter series (at least the latter books) and a lot of Stephen King novels.

As I read more on my Kindle and spend more time with it, I learn new things it can do. Light My Kindle is my way of sharing that with other Kindle owners and people thinking about buying their own Kindle (which is highly recommended!). Feel free to ask me a question about the Kindle by emailing cj@lightmykindle.com.