I have just recently purchased an Amazon Kindle DX. I am slowly figuring out all the cool things it can do!
One of the the awesome things is that it can read blogs (like Daily Kos!)... updated automatically!
Pictures and commentary below!
First... lets get a picture of my Kindle... This is a Kindle DX, in an Oberon case and a DecalGirl skin:
One of the very first things I tested on it was reading blogs... and I was happy to see that there is an option (reasonably priced) to subscribe to DailyKos.
It automatically downloads all Front Page posting to the device throughout the day. I am bummed that it misses diaries and comments (as well as some links don't work), but at least I can keep up with the main action and news.
I have also discovered a few other really cool tricks...
First, if you are buying actual Amazon content, there are a TON of books out there... but for a Lit major like me there are some serious content deficiencies... for example... no Thomas Pynchon. What the hell? There is also not a lot of contemporary 'academic' literature, like Robert Musil, Thomas Kuhn and the like. The Richard Powers (my 2nd favorite author of all time!) selection is very thin as well.
However, if you scour the web, you can find all sorts of sources for free eBooks that you can get in PDF format and transfer to your Kindle via email or USB for no charge. The Gutenberg Project is a great place to start if you are looking for public domain literature. I was able to find a copy of Ulysses for free that looks pretty good on the Kindle screen. I only wish there were more annotation formats that transferred to the device... but I think this will be coming.
Another cool trick is using Coinstar to generate an Amazon gift card. If you use this, you don't pay the Coinstar percentage that you give up if you just get a cashout on your coins. This gift card can then be used for your Kindle purchases!
I love the ability to put PDF format directly on the Kindle too. That makes it really easy to store all my technical documentation! Using the CutePDF driver, anything that you can print, you can create a PDF version of, and easily view it on your Kindle. I downloaded a Google map of some directions to a PDF on the device and it was a great mapping tool!
Some companies are already looking into exploiting this platform as a way to deliver Business Intelligence content in this form. I think that the device will need to support a little more in the way of web browsing before this becomes a reality, but the possibilities are certainly exciting!
Speaking of the web browser... it has one, but it is pretty slow and clunky... sort of like browsing the net on your cell phone in the old days of WAP-pages... but it DOES work, and it has the added advantage of being completely FREE to use wirelessly!
My wishlist starts with the ability to create FOLDERS to organize content. I can't believe it doesn't do this already! With the ability to have over 3000 documents, it is absurd that there is no way to organize the content into some sort of hierarchical structure!
All in all... very happy with my new toy.
Any other Kossacks out there Kindle/eBook readers? Share some titles or sources for content? Tricks and tips?
Frank