Bought the missus a Kindle 4 for her Christmas as
a. she reads lots of books and
b. Can't think of anything else.
This may turn out to be a good or bad present as she
a. reads lots of BOOKS and likes to browse the shelves and
b. She can be a stubborn technophobe when it suits her!
Anyway, its bought now via Tesco and used a lot of Clubcard points so kids want to get her a cover for it.
Question to anyone who has a kindle type device, what type of cover works best in day to day use (which is round the house as opposed to on buses / trains / aeroplanes
a. the sock type cover that the kindle just slots into when not in use or
b. the leather book/flap type cover which is on the kindle permanently?
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B
Someone I know has the leather one. You dont need the agro of keep taking off the sleeve type.
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I've got a pukka Kindle one - leather with a solid "front" to protect the screen - smells like a well worn Filofax...
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but is it a type b - dont confuse the poor lad
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 11 Dec 11 at 16:46
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B because it will protect screen much better. A sock type one won't prevent outside objects pressing on the screen.
The new but pricey official one with inbuilt light looks good. Two metal contacts ob the back of the Kindle provide power. But you won't get one this side of christmas.And it is fifty quid!
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I was given a rubber type sleeve for my Kindle, it has a clear sheet of acrylic stuff over the screen for protection but there is nothing over the keypad (old model Kindle). Works OK for me.
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B - I bought one for my daughter's Kindle last year and it does the job.
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I buy my hardback books, in very good nick, from the Oxfam Book Shop. The well-off types buy them new, hardly look at them and pass them on the Oxfam.
I think my supply of reading matter is going to soon start to tail off.
Bet you can't get second-hand books on a Kindle and how do you leave them on your shelves for others to read.
PS I'm not really an anti-Kindle technophobe as I've just bought one (Tesco again!) as a present.
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>> I buy my hardback books, in very good nick, from the Oxfam Book Shop. The
>> well-off types buy them new, hardly look at them and pass them on the Oxfam.
>>
>> I think my supply of reading matter is going to soon start to tail off.
>>
>> Bet you can't get second-hand books on a Kindle and how do you leave them
>> on your shelves for others to read.
No you cant.
Its a great idea for the publishers, you have reserected the fixed price Net Book agreement, And book reuse in one fell swoop. It should increase income ten fold.
Dont you just love technology?
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 11 Dec 11 at 19:46
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Personally the beauty of the Kindle (I have a version 3) is it's light weight. Adding the official cover virtually doubles this weight, and also handling it generally is compromised. I suggest taking no action until your wife has used it. Meanwhile, one of the slip-in cases for a fiver is useful if you wish to carry it around.
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Not a bad idea for the government either as they can increase their tax take by charging VAT on ebooks
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>> how do you leave them on your shelves for others to read.
If it's your own shelf then have another Kindle. You can read your books on more than one device, e.g. phone, computer and a Kindle. I think the limit is 5 devices to one account.
I read Kindle books on a Sony eReader and ePUB books on a Kindle. A bit of a faff but it's doable. Why would I? I had a Sony eReader but sometimes Kindle books were cheaper and maybe even free. I also have ePUB documents I bought. I now have a Kindle 4 too. Hence knowing about the cover with the light.
Current solution is I've stuck the Kindle 4 in the leather lighted cover of the Sony. It fits exactly although I had to snap a few bits off and it's temporary. If I can improve how it's 'stuck' I might keep using it. Cover + Kindle 4 about the same weight as the Sony PRS-300 on it's own.
Someone in John Lewis the other day was looking at the Kindles and asked me for advice. I had gone to see if they had covers. When I mentioned a light he proclaimed why were they needed if it was so brightly lit. I had to explain how eInk works.
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A book I've just read on the Kindle (first published in 1987) was pretty good. And free. It will have been a way to tempt you to buy his more recent books.
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I have a slight issue - I think my mind works in graphics rather than text. I'm currently reading a traditional book (WW1 History) - It's the diary of a guy who fought in various theatres - If I need/want to cross-reference to another book about the same area that this is being fought, I "see" the book cover in my mind before I remember the name and author, I can locate it quicker on my bookshelves rather than trawl through an electronic archive, plus I can have both volumes open.
I have read various factual books on Kindle - including a recently published books that had been painstakingly "translated" to its new format, where the footnotes are actually links from the text to the relevant note - brilliant. I just hate traditional footnotes, especially when you have to dig in an appendix at the back. Another gripe with factual books is that you miss out on the photographs. Maps render well though.
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Well, an update....
Missus is delighted with the Kindle and cover, however, the battery is draining down to zero within the space of a day - and that without any use!!
Anyone experienced this before, will start googling before I return it to Tesco.
Won't do that till I work out what happens to the books she has already bought that re now on Kindle???
Mmm, never had these issues with a paperback.....
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Have you turned the wireless off as they will drain down within hours if it is left on, but last for months with it off ?
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Yes, wireless has been off since Xmas day when she downloaded her books.
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Summat wrong, mine lasts weeks with external services switched off.
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Rob, what do I do before I return it - I would want to delete amazon account from kindle etc I assume. What about books bought - are these stored on her amazon account and will just download again?
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Sounds although there is a problem - battery should last up to a month. Don't worry about losing books - you can't. They are retained on Amazon server indefinitely. Even if you delete them from your KIndle they are still available to download again when you want them.
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Sounds like a fault to me as well. Mrs B has been reading hers non-stop since Xmas day and no sign of battery drain.
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Sounds faulty Bobby.
Is this poor battery life for the Kindle only - there's no official Kindle cover with backlight on all the time? just checking.
My Kindle 4 has wifi on all the time and I've used it quite a bit. Just checked it (not charged for over a week for sure). It is showing over 3/4 battery charge. It's been used and wifi is still on.
If you want to delete your account from it then from the Home screen select the Settings menu. Then from there De-register. No need to worry about books they are on Amazon and associated with your account. You can have a few devices off the same account too. I use the Android phone, the Kindle and Kindle for Mac.
There is probably a form of hard reset somewhere but I'm not trying that.
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Just as an update, have now had Kindle replaced with a new one and this seems fine.
Bit cheesed off with Tesco's attitude though, bought it from them and when I took it back to them they would not exchange it but instead insisted I contacted Amazon. To be fair to Amazon, they took all the details and arranged for a new one to be sent out within 48 hours but I still feel Tesco should have swapped it in store. My contract was with Tesco not with Amazon!
Anyway, all's well that ends well.
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...My contract was with Tesco not with Amazon!...
I had something similar with the faulty netbook/charger.
The retailer was very keen to shunt me to the manufacturer.
I don't know the legal position, but it seems the 'contract with retailer' rule increasingly no longer applies with gadgets and electrical goods.
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The problem is that increasingly you don't know who you are buying from. There is a chance the Kindle stand is actually Amazon, with Tesco simply processing payment.
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Agree RP except that I have not come across "footnotes (that) are actually links from the text to the relevant note".
For that reason, I don't think Kindle will ever completely replace "real" books. For example, Kindle edition of "The (French) Resistance" by Matthew Cobb had numerous large footnotes but these were very difficult to access on the kindle. Also, photos were "missing" and maps difficult to read because I couldn't enlarge them enough.
Same problem with a couple of other books - Hockey Stick Illusion by Montford and The Delinquent Teenager by Laframboise (you may be able to guess my take on "Global Warming" from these choices!!). Just got to finish "Watermelons" by Delingpole and then I can get onto some fiction - Conn Iggulden is next in line - no footnotes or photos or maps.
One great thing about kindle is that my wife keeps buying books (on my Amazon account!!) which I wouldn't usually read so get to read a lot of stuff I wouldn't usually look at.
Kindle is brilliant when I'm on "overnighters" delivering cars - light, compact and the battery lasts for ages! We bought ours as Christmas presents for each other (at Tesco) in mid November - mine has been continuously switched on since then (couldn't wait for Christmas to start using them!!) and have charged it twice - once on purchase and once last week when I thought I would be away for a few days and it was down to half charge - something wrong with Bobby's!
As for cases, b is probably best IMO especially if you take it evrywhere and just cuck it in a bag like me - good selection at Tesco and some at half price when we got ours. Son and daughter got their covers yesterday at Tesco - reduced price.
Phil
Is someone going to start a "Good Kindle Book" thread - cheap kindle books well worth a read??
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Entire Charles Dickens collection 99p.
The footnote thing appeared in "The Finest Years" by Max Hastings - A critique of his Premiership. Cracking read Phil. Second the picture and map thing.
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"Entire Charles Dickens collection 99p"
Damn good value - but can't stand Dickens!! Sorry!
"Max Hastings" - will try that - just bought his book (not available on Kindle) - "das Reich - March of 2nd SS Panzer Division through France". It's about the Division which passed through Tulle and Oradour sur Glane (an area we know well!) on its way to Normandy in 1944. Supposed to be excellent - will let you know.
By the way, just checked my email and there are 6 emails from Amazon confirming of 6 more books all at 99p - must be SWMBO again!!
Can't complain at 6 books for 99p though - and she usually chooses good 'uns.
Must be a million books I want to read - kindle encourages me because it is so easy to use anywhere.
You should try the Montford, Laframboise and Delingpole books I mentioned above - certainly shed some light on "Climate Change" - not that I am biased!!
Happy New (reading!) Year
Phil
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Damn good book Das Reich...
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Funny that, as a lifelong avid devourer of books on a wide range of subject matter I too have never got on with Dickens. Along with Zola I find his depressing renditions turgid and self-flagellating in the extreme. Of the obvious choices, I can read and re-read Shakespeare, Dostoevsky, Solzenitsyn, Scott and Kipling time without number and find something new to enjoy but Dickens, no thanks, bloke does me 'ead in like.
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Last novel I read was Oliver Twist about five years ago.
It was my first - and probably last - Dickens, but I thought it was a decent tale.
Reading books to me is like going to the theatre when I was in London.
Enjoyed it, promised to do it again more often, but rarely did.
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So what do you do in the caravan then Iffy? Would have thought it was the ideal spot to get page turning?
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...So what do you do in the caravan then Iffy?...
Same as I do in the house, prat around on the computer, watch telly and listen to music.
Plus there's always 'caravanning' to do - messing around with the van or the patch of grass and gravel outside.
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>> I too have never got on with Dickens
I did Hard Times for O level English. Hated it. I'm going to give my stepson my Sony eReader so downloaded a few items he will find useful (doing creative writing). So stuck on Dickens amongst others.... I still remembered the opening lines to Hard Times! I studied it in 1987/88. Put me off Dickens.
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I did Shakespeare for O level English. Ruined me for Shakespeare for 30 years.
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...Ruined me for Shakespeare for 30 years...
And you're only 45 now.
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...But well worn...
Must have had a hard paper round, as we say in the north east.
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I think I was lucky with Shakespeare. Our English teacher was hot. Straight out of Uni. Looked a bit like a young Hannah Gordon with elements of Felicity Kendal teamed with Mariella Frostrup's voice. All boys school so there wasn't much else to look at. She loved Shakespeare and brought it to life.
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...Looked a bit like a young Hannah Gordon with elements of Felicity Kendal teamed with Mariella Frostrup's voice...
I'm surprised you managed to take anything in while looking at such a vision of womanly loveliness.
Possibly a shade too young for complete infatuation, if my schoolboy memories are anything to go by.
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I did a few plays for O level too. But seeing them performed in Manchester in the last decade brought them to life. Especially some of the modern productions at the Royal Exchange and some productions at the Lowry.
Highlights so far were Pete Postlethwaite in the Tempest at the Exchange. And Derek Jacobi as King Lear at the Lowry.
But we've seen some excellent plays every year. Henry V was well done at the Royal Exchange. But Bottom ending up naked there was uncalled for in a Midsommer Night's Dream years ago.
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...But Bottom ending up naked there was uncalled for in a Midsommer Night's Dream years ago...
My best memory of Shakespeare is a school trip to see an open air production at Ludlow Castle.
Couldn't tell you what the play was, but Gayle Hunicutt was the female lead in a long sheer dress.
That was quite exciting in itself for a 13-year-old Iffy, but it started raining and as the dress got wetter, it became more and more transparent.
Quite exciting became very exciting, although I don't suppose I fully understood at the time what I was excited about.
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>> My best memory of Shakespeare is a school trip to see an open air production
>> at Ludlow Castle.
yes Fabulous backdrop, saw Othello there!
Didnt rain tho.
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Very good program on tonight on the life of Charles Dickens wife, Catherine. Narrated by Sue Perkins. Catherine was was very badly treated by Dickens and discarded in later life in favour of a mistress.
The program threw a very different light on the inventor of modern Christmas
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"Das Reich"
I had a feeling you might have got there before me!!
Phil
Last edited by: PhilW on Fri 30 Dec 11 at 19:24
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Six Armies in Normandy, John Keegan is another recommended read.
Last edited by: R.P. on Fri 30 Dec 11 at 19:32
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"Six Armies in Normandy, John Keegan is another recommended read" Noted.
V good on WW1 as well.
PhilW
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Do you two stay in the French equivalent of Fawlty Towers when you go on site visits to Normandy?
"Don't mention the war? Of course I'm going to mention the war, it's why I'm here!"
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When the French resolutely claim that they broke the backs of their armies, their honour and their country to save the British Army and its retreat across the channel
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Individual actions apart, the British Army hardly fought with distinction in any theatre. (said he controversially)
I'm the first to concede that there were many, many heroes.
The RAF and the RN took the brunt of the war continuously from day one to the last.
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>> Individual actions apart, the British Army hardly fought with distinction in any theatre. (said he
>> controversially)
It never has, One decisive victory in a thousand years warfare is not brilliant.
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"One decisive victory in a thousand years warfare is not brilliant."
Which one? Crecy? Poitiers? Agincourt? Or one of many others - some against other than the Froggies?
Last edited by: PhilW on Fri 30 Dec 11 at 21:05
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Decisive I said. I believe the French kept getting up again.
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 30 Dec 11 at 21:06
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"Decisive I said. I believe the French kept getting up again"
Come on Zero - at Crecy we obliterated the French Aristocracy, they got up again and we wiped them out at Agincourt.
They didnt get up much in May 1940 either.
"Crécy was a battle in which an Anglo-Welsh army of 9,000 to 15,000 (depending on source), commanded by Edward III of England and heavily outnumbered by Philip VI of France's force of 35,000 to 100,000 (depending on source)"
Poitiers:
Amongst the notable captured or killed according to Froissart were:
King John II of France, captured.
Prince Philip, the King's youngest son and progenitor of the House of Valois-Burgundy, captured
Peter I, Duke of Bourbon, killed.
Walter VI, Count of Brienne and Constable of France, killed.
Jean de Clermont, Marshal of France, killed
Arnoul d'Audrehem, Marshal of France, captured.
The Count of Eu, wounded and captured.
The Count of Marche and Ponthieu, captured.
The Count of Étampes, captured.
The Count of Tancarville, captured.
The Count of Dammartin, captured.
The Count of Joinville, captured.
Guillaume de Melun, Archbishop of Sens, captured
Geoffroi de Charny, carrier of the Oriflamme, killed.
The Duke of Bourbon and the Counts of Étampes, Eu and Marche were members of junior branches of the House of Capet.
Agincourt
The French sources all give 4,000–10,000 French dead, with up to 1,600 English dead. The lowest ratio in these French sources has the French losing six times more men than the English. The English sources vary between about 1,500 and 11,000 for the French dead, with English dead put at no more than 100.[51]
For a cracking good book on Agincourt
Agincourt: The King, the Campaign, the Battle, UK - Juliet Barker
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...Which one? Crecy? Poitiers? Agincourt? Or one of many others?...
Hastings - 'we' got beat there, except 'we' are now the descendants of the victors, so we'll claim that one as well.
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>> ...Which one? Crecy? Poitiers? Agincourt? Or one of many others?...
>>
>> Hastings - 'we' got beat there, except 'we' are now the descendants of the victors,
>> so we'll claim that one as well.
Woooooo Hold on PU will claim to be Welsh again and hence not one of "us"
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"Woooooo Hold on PU will claim to be Welsh again and hence not one of "us"
Wooooooo yourself - the Welsh longbowmen were a major (some would say decisive) part of the "English" victories - for a very good reason the Welsh bowmen were feared throughout Europe for their accuracy and rapidity of fire - the equivalent of a modern machine gun.
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>> "Woooooo Hold on PU will claim to be Welsh again and hence not one of
>> "us"
>>
>> Wooooooo yourself - the Welsh longbowmen were a major (some would say decisive) part of
>> the "English" victories - for a very good reason the Welsh bowmen were feared throughout
>> Europe for their accuracy and rapidity of fire - the equivalent of a modern machine
>> gun.
Wooo Yourself too
We were talking 1066 and all of us subsequently having Norman blood and claiming it as an English victory. You brave enough to go to Wales and tell them they have Norman blood?
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 30 Dec 11 at 21:53
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The BA fought with distinction in the First World War - specifically in 1914 and in 1918 - the former is one of the most remarkable fights in the history of warfare, the latter is a forgotten victory in many ways. If the British Army had fought in the second war like it did in the first, it would have led to a different outcome earlier. The British Army fought with distinction,prowess and bravery in the American War of Independence, fought brilliantly under Wellington, fought well in Korea - fought well in the Falklands (apart from one Guards regiment who were trying to march in bulled boots) and Iraq 1
Last edited by: R.P. on Fri 30 Dec 11 at 21:19
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>> The BA fought with distinction in the First World War -
When you mention the Army, you have to include the leadership. Performance of same in 1914 was abysmal, tactical and strategic awareness Zero. Laid the seeds for 4 years of slaughter.
AWI? result - America won.
Korea? Apart from some regiments (the Gloucestershires) was not good. Mind it didnt help to be shot at and bombed by Yanks and the Koreans.
Falklands? As you said the Navy bore the brunt of that, tho the Paras and Marines ended up plunging in the knife.
Iraq 1? Turkey shoot
Iraq 2? Ignominious defeat really .
Hundreds of years of crap management.
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"Do you two stay in the French equivalent of Fawlty Towers when you go on site visits to Normandy?
Yep - and the food was fantastic!!
www.relais-guillaume-de-normandy.com/en/hotel-baie-de-somme.html
One of many!
"Don't mention the war? Of course I'm going to mention the war, it's why I'm here"
Did many a trip to N France with my Dad (RIP) reseaching his father's WW1 diary/story - and always found French hospitality to be wonderful - especially when you mention that your Grandfather was there 1914-1918! (and survived - otherwise, no me!)
www.soar100.freeserve.co.uk/
Phil
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Me the same - had some remarkable places to stay, especially in connection with the first conflict. A group of us stayed with an old lady, whose house featured in both conflicts, in the first the house's cellar was a dressing station and in the second it briefly served the same purpose, there are unreconciled graves in the back garden. She also mentioned an occasion in the second war when a shell passed through the windows of the ground floor, in through one and out with another...I helpfully suggested that Apple was better than windows.
Spooky night that night, looking at an illuminated Thiepvel memorial....the home made Pernod didn't help.
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"stayed with an old lady, whose house featured in both conflicts"
I think her house is well known amongst those who do research on WW1? - not stayed there myself but it figures as a recommended place to stay on
1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php
which site I think you may be familiar with RP.
On our early visits (early 1980s) there were still some (very old) French people who could speak with direct knowledge of WW1, gradually it became their parents memories they were recounting, then grandparents.
I have friend who used to accompany WW1 vets to the Remembrance Day Parade - this year (or was it last year?) there was no survivor he could accompany.
We should still remember their sacrifice. I was sad to hear that 2 young guys had been killed in Afghanistan recently - one of them had 2 young kids - very, very sad.
But then there were 60,000 casualties on first day of the Somme - 20,000 killed (?)
Grandad W was there - thankfully manning a howitzer a few thousand yards behind front line.
Sorry, getting a long way from kindle covers!
P
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Great grandad Z was there, alas in the Front Line. He inherited a line on the Menem Gate.
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Phil,
It was in a little village called Mailly-Maillet.
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R.P.
Post 58 and photos might ring a bell
tinyurl.com/6nn7yee
P
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"He inherited a line on the Menin Gate."
And still commemorated and saluted every evening at 8 pm (since 1925ish?) by the playing of the Last Post. If he was your Great grandad he must have been v young?
Well worth a visit. And somewhat reassuring to realise the esteem in which these poor souls are held by the Belgians (and French).
Have you researched his war story Z - can be very rewarding, as well as bringing a tear or two to the eye. Most of them went through things I couldn't even contemplate.
Good place to start finding out is website mentioned above - some v helpul and knowledgable people who can advise.
1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php
P
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>> "He inherited a line on the Menin Gate."
>>
>> And still commemorated and saluted every evening at 8 pm (since 1925ish?) by the playing
>> of the Last Post. If he was your Great grandad he must have been v
>> young?
24
>> Have you researched his war story Z - can be very rewarding, as well as
>> bringing a tear or two to the eye. Most of them went through things I
>> couldn't even contemplate.
Private, 2nd Battalion, East Surrey regiment. Died, believed gassed, - Second Battle of Ypres April 1915.
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 30 Dec 11 at 22:08
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"24
Private, 2nd Battalion, East Surrey regiment. Died, believed gassed, - Second Battle of Ypres April 1915"
Makes you realise how lucky we are not to have been though that.
Tragic waste of a young life - one of so many.
Don't know if you have tried to find out more, but a Q on above forum might get some results?
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I'll have a crack - thanks.
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>> Is someone going to start a "Good Kindle Book" thread
No. Although I did think the Penal Colony (Richard Herley) was okay for free. Some might not like it but okay.
As for Dickens... it's free! So why pay even 99p. You can put non Amazon content on a Kindle you know. I have some converted ePub books on mine too (in MOBI format). But Dickens' collection and others is available for free download. You do have to copy it to the Kindle yourself (or email it).
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And most of the Sherlock Holmes are free.
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Kindle 4 cover - CGNorwich
