Comments on: The Kindle Dilemma http://www.jrdkirk.com/2010/01/30/the-kindle-dilemma/ Telling the story of the story-bound God Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:46:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jonathan B. Horen http://www.jrdkirk.com/2010/01/30/the-kindle-dilemma/#comment-5882 Jonathan B. Horen Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:46:41 +0000 http://www.jrdkirk.com/?p=132#comment-5882 It's half-a-year later, and I'm wondering if anyone has gotten any first-hand experience with Hebrew on the Kindle? I'm curious about native Kindle format, as well as PDF and converted ePUB (by way of "calibre"). Anyone willing to share? My interests lie in Torah, commentaries, Talmud, and halacha (in Hebrew, of course). It’s half-a-year later, and I’m wondering if anyone has gotten any first-hand experience with Hebrew on the Kindle? I’m curious about native Kindle format, as well as PDF and converted ePUB (by way of “calibre”). Anyone willing to share?

My interests lie in Torah, commentaries, Talmud, and halacha (in Hebrew, of course).

]]> By: Randall Short http://www.jrdkirk.com/2010/01/30/the-kindle-dilemma/#comment-150 Randall Short Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:46:18 +0000 http://www.jrdkirk.com/?p=132#comment-150 I'm glad for a discussion like this. Daniel, I suspect that you're right about the Hebrew. I've been thinking that the best route is probably to cut out as much of the Hebrew text as I can, and then transliterate what's left. In that case, I need to find out if Kindle can handle all of the diacritics of academic transliteration. Or maybe I should just go with the standard transliteration to begin with. On a different subject, have you considered enabling an option, if available, for commenters to receive notifications when new comments are posted? I know that RSS could handle that, but it would require separate feeds for each page of comments. A notification service, on the other hand, would presumably let me know about new comments months later. Just a thought for the suggestion box. I’m glad for a discussion like this. Daniel, I suspect that you’re right about the Hebrew. I’ve been thinking that the best route is probably to cut out as much of the Hebrew text as I can, and then transliterate what’s left. In that case, I need to find out if Kindle can handle all of the diacritics of academic transliteration. Or maybe I should just go with the standard transliteration to begin with.

On a different subject, have you considered enabling an option, if available, for commenters to receive notifications when new comments are posted? I know that RSS could handle that, but it would require separate feeds for each page of comments. A notification service, on the other hand, would presumably let me know about new comments months later. Just a thought for the suggestion box.

]]> By: J. R. Daniel Kirk http://www.jrdkirk.com/2010/01/30/the-kindle-dilemma/#comment-143 J. R. Daniel Kirk Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:56:39 +0000 http://www.jrdkirk.com/?p=132#comment-143 Mark, I chose Kindle over Nook. Nook had a few features that I really liked, such as the ability to loan books out for a couple weeks and read whatever you want in a B&N. But, there were two major reasons I went with Kindle. One was that the Nook was getting some negative reviews based on performance, response times, etc. It seemed they needed to work out some software bugs. The other issue was that there are more New Testament academic books available on Kindle than on Nook. I'm not sure how much I'm going to purchase such books, but if, for example, I anticipate using the same textbook in my intro courses for the next five years, it might be worth it to me to have it on the Kindle so that I can take my books to class without carrying a stack of books 18 inches high. I didn't look at the Sony. Mark, I chose Kindle over Nook. Nook had a few features that I really liked, such as the ability to loan books out for a couple weeks and read whatever you want in a B&N. But, there were two major reasons I went with Kindle. One was that the Nook was getting some negative reviews based on performance, response times, etc. It seemed they needed to work out some software bugs. The other issue was that there are more New Testament academic books available on Kindle than on Nook. I’m not sure how much I’m going to purchase such books, but if, for example, I anticipate using the same textbook in my intro courses for the next five years, it might be worth it to me to have it on the Kindle so that I can take my books to class without carrying a stack of books 18 inches high. I didn’t look at the Sony.

]]> By: Mark Baker-Wright http://www.jrdkirk.com/2010/01/30/the-kindle-dilemma/#comment-142 Mark Baker-Wright Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:22:34 +0000 http://www.jrdkirk.com/?p=132#comment-142 I would be curious to read about your thought process behind selecting the Kindle over the Nook. Most folks I read who write about e-readers seem to default to the Kindle as if it's the only thing out there (although I usually use the Sony Reader as my example of "there are other readers, you know"). You seem to have made a very conscious decision for the Kindle, and I'd be curious as to your thoughts on the strengths and weaknesses of each device. I would be curious to read about your thought process behind selecting the Kindle over the Nook. Most folks I read who write about e-readers seem to default to the Kindle as if it’s the only thing out there (although I usually use the Sony Reader as my example of “there are other readers, you know”). You seem to have made a very conscious decision for the Kindle, and I’d be curious as to your thoughts on the strengths and weaknesses of each device.

]]> By: Jerry Fourroux http://www.jrdkirk.com/2010/01/30/the-kindle-dilemma/#comment-141 Jerry Fourroux Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:19:15 +0000 http://www.jrdkirk.com/?p=132#comment-141 I too don't think the iPad will kill the Kindle. My iPod touch has some books but it is not practical for long sustained reading as the Kindle's e-ink screen. I don't have a Kindle yet, but may get one soon enough. ireaderreview.com is a good resource for downloading free books and over-all Kindle tricks. I too don’t think the iPad will kill the Kindle. My iPod touch has some books but it is not practical for long sustained reading as the Kindle’s e-ink screen. I don’t have a Kindle yet, but may get one soon enough.

ireaderreview.com is a good resource for downloading free books and over-all Kindle tricks.

]]> By: J. R. Daniel Kirk http://www.jrdkirk.com/2010/01/30/the-kindle-dilemma/#comment-138 J. R. Daniel Kirk Mon, 01 Feb 2010 05:10:42 +0000 http://www.jrdkirk.com/?p=132#comment-138 Randall and James: I haven't had an opportunity to use Hebrew or much Greek yet. I'm working on the latter. In particular, I'm not sure if you can put notes on PDFs. I know you can on the "normal" formatting. Randall, I anticipate that the Hebrew wrap would be a total pain in the butt unless it's PDF rather than Amazon's special format. I mean, even full wordprocessors can't get that right, so I have little hope for this! Randall and James: I haven’t had an opportunity to use Hebrew or much Greek yet. I’m working on the latter. In particular, I’m not sure if you can put notes on PDFs. I know you can on the “normal” formatting.

Randall, I anticipate that the Hebrew wrap would be a total pain in the butt unless it’s PDF rather than Amazon’s special format. I mean, even full wordprocessors can’t get that right, so I have little hope for this!

]]> By: James F. McGrath http://www.jrdkirk.com/2010/01/30/the-kindle-dilemma/#comment-133 James F. McGrath Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:01:28 +0000 http://www.jrdkirk.com/?p=132#comment-133 Daniel, I'm VERY interested in the possibility of getting a Kindle, and so I'd really love to hear more. Two things in particular I'd like to know more about. First, there are pdf files on Archive.org with all sorts of interesting things for folks like us - Apostolic Fathers in Greek, Mandaic texts, Aramaic and Syriac grammars and chrestomathies. I've sometimes found such texts will not display on my Pocket PC. Any chance you can try them on the Kindle? I'd love to know how such things look. The other question I have is whether note taking is a great inconvenience. Typing on an iPod or Pocket PC is never as fast as on a regular keyboard, but if it is really awkward, that would still be worth knowing about the Kindle, since if you can read a book and work on writing a review of it or type lecture notes, that would once again make it all the more useful for academics. If you have time, I'd love to hear your comments or thoughts about this, whether here or on one of my recent posts about devices like these! :-) Daniel, I’m VERY interested in the possibility of getting a Kindle, and so I’d really love to hear more. Two things in particular I’d like to know more about. First, there are pdf files on Archive.org with all sorts of interesting things for folks like us – Apostolic Fathers in Greek, Mandaic texts, Aramaic and Syriac grammars and chrestomathies. I’ve sometimes found such texts will not display on my Pocket PC. Any chance you can try them on the Kindle? I’d love to know how such things look.

The other question I have is whether note taking is a great inconvenience. Typing on an iPod or Pocket PC is never as fast as on a regular keyboard, but if it is really awkward, that would still be worth knowing about the Kindle, since if you can read a book and work on writing a review of it or type lecture notes, that would once again make it all the more useful for academics.

If you have time, I’d love to hear your comments or thoughts about this, whether here or on one of my recent posts about devices like these! :-)

]]> By: Randall Short http://www.jrdkirk.com/2010/01/30/the-kindle-dilemma/#comment-132 Randall Short Sun, 31 Jan 2010 03:29:48 +0000 http://www.jrdkirk.com/?p=132#comment-132 I've also been thinking that I would prefer Kindle over iPad for reading. I expect that lots of publishers will increasingly add multi-media components to their ebooks, giving iPad the edge in those cases, but there's so much more that would be easier to read (both on the eyes and the battery) using a device like the Kindle. I'm really curious to find out how Hebrew text looks and wraps on Kindle, assuming it can display Hebrew unicode. I would love to have the first electronic version in the Harvard Theological Studies series (they appear to be willing), but I have quite a bit of Hebrew mixed in with the English text. Even if the font doesn't present a problem, I'm worried that it can't properly adjust the word wrap when increasing or decreasing the text size. Have you run across any Hebrew or other right-to-left scripts mixed with left-to-right text so far? I’ve also been thinking that I would prefer Kindle over iPad for reading. I expect that lots of publishers will increasingly add multi-media components to their ebooks, giving iPad the edge in those cases, but there’s so much more that would be easier to read (both on the eyes and the battery) using a device like the Kindle.

I’m really curious to find out how Hebrew text looks and wraps on Kindle, assuming it can display Hebrew unicode. I would love to have the first electronic version in the Harvard Theological Studies series (they appear to be willing), but I have quite a bit of Hebrew mixed in with the English text. Even if the font doesn’t present a problem, I’m worried that it can’t properly adjust the word wrap when increasing or decreasing the text size. Have you run across any Hebrew or other right-to-left scripts mixed with left-to-right text so far?

]]> By: S. Daniel Owens http://www.jrdkirk.com/2010/01/30/the-kindle-dilemma/#comment-131 S. Daniel Owens Sun, 31 Jan 2010 02:10:37 +0000 http://www.jrdkirk.com/?p=132#comment-131 I think the Kindle needs to go back, that is if, the kindle app will work on the Ipad. Also, Ipad uses the standard e-pub def a plus. I think the Kindle needs to go back, that is if, the kindle app will work on the Ipad. Also, Ipad uses the standard e-pub def a plus.

]]> By: Ed Gentry http://www.jrdkirk.com/2010/01/30/the-kindle-dilemma/#comment-130 Ed Gentry Sun, 31 Jan 2010 01:54:32 +0000 http://www.jrdkirk.com/?p=132#comment-130 I did the same thing with my Palm Pilot almost 10 years ago. The screen wasn't as good of course but the idea was the same. A platform for reading public domain books. I for one am not going to by an e-reader until there is a public cross-vender standard for e-books. I even have *some* mixed feelings about Libronix in this respect. On the other hand who wants to actually have an ABD on your book shelf when you can search it on your computer. I did the same thing with my Palm Pilot almost 10 years ago. The screen wasn’t as good of course but the idea was the same. A platform for reading public domain books.

I for one am not going to by an e-reader until there is a public cross-vender standard for e-books. I even have *some* mixed feelings about Libronix in this respect. On the other hand who wants to actually have an ABD on your book shelf when you can search it on your computer.

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