Jorge Quinteros
Blogger, web enthusiast & avid photographer based in Brooklyn.

28th June 2009

My Amazon Kindle 2

I’ll accept that I was strong in not publishing my initial impression of the Kindle 2 within the hours of receiving it and stayed true to that decision seeing that I had not established a genuine relationship with the device yet. After spending a full week relaxing, reading and effortlessly purchasing books on it, I can’t tell you how convenient this thin 10 oz piece of technology has made the subtle act of reading.

Why the purchase?

Admittedly, the high price tag of the Kindle can be a discouragement for anyone but I think much of the disapproval came from potential buyers not being able to get a tangible sense of it since Kindle sightings are still rare and the only way to get a first hand look at it is for the consumer to dish out the money first. Eventually, I oversaw that shortcoming and don’t regret it since.

In the past year, I’ve felt myself become a ruthless online reader and somewhere in between, I lost touch with having the same passion towards books and if you’re in the same plight, the Kindle I believe has the influence to turn that around. No question I enjoy reading either way but the operative word involving anything Kindle is convenience.

Hardcovers are expensive, annoying to lug around and unless it’s a reference book that you can see yourself pulling off the shelf regularly, it will do nothing but accumulate space and dust. Granted there’s still a few physical books that I would prefer to still buy but as for anything else, the ability to have them all stored in a device is incomparable. I love using the Kindle, love showing it off and if you’re an equally avid reader, you’ll have a harder time deciding which next book to purchase rather than dwelling on the price tag of a device that you’re ultimately going to put use to anyway.

What I like?

The e-ink technology on the Kindle is beyond impressive. I take pleasure being able to have the weirdest posture while hanging loose on the bed or sofa and not having to hold the device directly in front of me because from any angle, the text looks crisp and legible and doesn’t cause eye strain. 

I’m big on annotating and bookmarking insightful passages on books and that in combination with searching words on the built-in dictionary works like a charm. No more the need to rely on Post-it. As an added bonus, when you plug the Kindle into the computer via USB, you can download all the annotations you’ve made in a sweet .txt format.

The portability factor goes without saying. As thin as a pencil and elegant as an iPhone. I read it anywhere and the ability to flip between three different books all varying in subject matter is remarkable and makes you the envy during those commutes.

The Kindle uses the American EVDO network, which is equivalent to the European 3G but perhaps a bit slow moving. Wi-Fi would have resolve that but at the expense of not being able to download books from everywhere, which by the way is seamless and addicting so control your temptation and wallet. 

The basic black/white browser is handy but not one I’ve explored so much because for those moments that I might have to do a quick search, I place reliance on my iPhone for that.  

There’s lots of great inexpensive books from independent authors, from free public domain sites and of course the beauty of not having to drive to the bookstore for a latest release is priceless. I’m really big on going through several reviews on Amazon for books I’m interested in and the availability of that feature on the Kindle Store is valuable.

Based on the direction that the industry seems to be going, I would say that a touch and colored screen would be nice. I’m fond of both options which undoubtedly would be a plus but I’m quite satisfied with where the device stands because it fulfills it’s real purpose; which is to read books.

What don’t like?

The Kindle 2 promises to hold up to 1,500 books which is enough to please your literary craving for the next 3 years but once you start uploading some tunes to it, those 2GB of built-in memory can fill up quickly (something which I have no interest in). An expandable SD slot would have been nice for those that opt to go that route.

Typically every app you launch on your iPhone, the time and date bar on top is always present. Well, the Kindle doesn’t have neither. Often you get so engrossed in your book and that any tiny attribute that would keep you grounded comes in handy.

Amazon was quick to emulate Apple where it took away a piece that was given free of charge at first but then ended up charging you for it the second time around. During it’s initial release, a leather cover accompanied the Kindle but now it’s sold separately for $29.99.

For storage reason, at one point you’re going to delete some books that you’ve already read. Not a problem because Amazon keeps a copy of it for you but what they don’t publicize is that there’s a limit to the number of times that you can download a book that you’ve purchase already. I can’t see why I would want to re-download a book but once you exceeded that limit, you’ll have to repurchase it again if you wish to have it. That’s where the whole DRM issue rears it’s ugly head.

What I would like?

When you download books to the Kindle, they’re all placed on the home section of the device. Yes, it makes it simple to select any which one but if there were a more systematic option that involved folders or drop-down menu to group each literature piece by genre would be friendly to the eye.

Reading is generally a solitary activity but it doesn’t have to be. Amazon has the potential to do what Microsoft accomplished with the gaming industry where you can build communities with other enthusiast players via Xbox Live, right from the comfort of your couch and essentially interact with them. Felix Torres describes what could lie ahead:

All they have to do is give Kindle an optional front page. Make it something like, oh, Facebook. Let Kindle users set up reading circles. Let them build communities. Talk to each other about what they’re reading, what they’ve read, Like the online features on the Amazon bookstore but closed, private. Personal. Friendly.

Is it for you?

Presuming that you enjoy reading, I would say yes. Amazon has really surpassed my expectations with the device and it’s exciting in seeing the buzz that it’s brought forth with people wanting to embrace reading again. Future releases, and speculation on the device looks promising.

On the other hand, if you’re the type of person that would just be enamored with the idea of owning a Kindle and only go through 1 or 2 books a year, then save your money.

5th June 2009

Quik Pod Impression

The QuikPod is a practical little photographic accessory we purchased to take on our recent trip to Europe. John Bigg’s description of the device is most attracting when he introduces it:

To some, the Quik Pod is a nefarious device used for discouraging human interaction while traveling. To others, it’s a stick to which you can attach your camera to take fairly steady and flattering self-portraits on the go.

Asking someone to snap a photo of you falls under the category of things you feel you can execute a better job but often still do to validate that you’ve visited a place. What was interesting in our occasion was the amount of people that approach us to get a close-up look of the gadget as I assume we drew attention to ourselves whenever we used it.

Usage is pretty straightforward but what generally had me apprehensive about handling it was relying on it’s claimed sturdiness. It’s made of polycarbonate and aluminum and meant to handle any type of point-and-shoot camera but that wasn’t the case as it didn’t do so well with our Nikon CoolPix L100, causing it to do a complete 360 when we tried extending it with the Quik Pod, so we relied on a less dense camera.

There’s also a DSLR version meant to support the inherent bulkiness of pro consumer cameras but reviews haven’t been so favoring. Overall, I still enjoyed using the Quik Pod, especially during those impromptu moments of wanting to capture a photo without being an inconvenience to others.