Sometimes I find it to be a real challenge to get my son to read on outings away from home instead of play games on his Nintendo DS. He doesn’t carry a book, even a small paperback, because he says it weighs too much with all his other stuff. My solution is to leave all the other stuff at home and just carry the book, but that goes over like a lead cloud. When I insist, I’m bombarded eventually with the whole I’m bored routine, so I quit insisting he leave the Nintendo DS at home. In fact, the less of an issue I make it, the less he will actually play it in the car or while waiting somewhere.
I have a partial solution to the reading problem, but I am less happy with it as time goes on. I have a couple of ebooks on my old Palm Tungsten E PDA. I’ve read all of them and I need to download some new books. I’ll have to take the old ones off because my old Palm doesn’t have much memory. It’s also hard to read on the small screen and the Palm Reader is really clunky. It’s definitely old technology whose day has come and gone.
I keep a small variety of books on my son’s reading list in the car so he has no excuse for not being able to read. I keep a fair number of my own books in the car, too. The back seat of the car is becoming a junk pile of books! It’s in total disarray and I have to clean up the back seat before anyone else can ride with us.
I also keep all the textbooks I use when tutoring in the car so they’re accessible when I get to any library and I don’t have to remember to put them in the car. Forgetting a textbook for a tutoring session can mean the difference between being productive or wasting the student’s time and my own. At $45/hr that is NOT cool. With gas prices so high, I’ve removed some of the reference books I used to carry because more weight means worse gas mileage.
But what if there was a way to have all your own books, all your homeschooled student’s books and even audiobooks, textbooks, references, newspapers, blogs and Wikipedia available in a single, compact, light-weight, electronic gadget that has a long battery life and can wirelessly download anything formatted for the device without having to use a computer? What if it also came with a USB cable to allow you to download certain other formats of written material, like MS Word documents, pdf files, and some other eBook formats available through your public library? That would be really cool. I’m not sure how good the sound quality is or whether you can download MP3 files to listen to music, podcasts, etc. That would be a great benefit.
Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? But it’s not. It’s real and it’s getting more affordable. It’s the Amazon Kindle
Please watch the following introductory video:
That video was published by Amazon.com, so it doesn’t point out any negative features, but there are plenty of YouTube reviews of the Kindle and other eReaders, so hop over there and play several of them. In my own experience and that of several people who made review videos, we all had similar likes and complaints.
There are several eReaders going on the market by several manufacturers including Bookeen Cybook Gen3 ($379 for 512 Mg), iRex iLiad ($599-$649), ECTACO jetBook
Apple is definitely missing from the list. All these eReaders may have sound quality that’s good enough to play music, too, so it could end up replacing the audio iPod. Apple came out with the iPod Touch, which looks a lot like the iPhone, but plays audio, video, podcasts, runs applications and has some games with fantastic graphics. The iPod Touch costs $299 for 8 Gb and $499 for 32 Gb. Apple hasn’t come out with a comparable device for reading yet, and I would like to see what they eventually put on the market. I’m not sure they will want to compete here because what makes for great multimedia generally isn’t great for reading text.
There are a couple of things I don’t like about other eReader devices that the Kindle handles very well. Other readers are much more like reading an ebook on your Palm Pilot. Paging is slow, bookmarking has to be learned, not all models allow you to clip pages and annotate, they don’t have the full resources of the world’s largest bookstore at your fingertips anywhere you can use a cell phone, and you can’t forget you’re reading on a screen rather than a paper book. After a few pages on the Kindle you forget you’re reading on a device.
What I don’t like about the Kindle:
- It’s white and it shows dirt if you carry it around and use it without the cover. I’d like to see a version in black. I’m sure as time goes on and the Kindle’s popularity increases other colors will become available. They chose white because we read books on white paper and they wanted the device to disappear from your reading experience and it truly does that.
- The corners of the device are sharp, and after holding it for a couple of hours they dig into your hands. It’s uncomfortable. I’d like to see new models with rounded, smooth corners.
- You can’t hold the device by the sides easily without accidentally turning pages. There should be some way to hold the reader by its sides and not turn the pages when you don’t intend to.
I have this complaint about all ebooks that aren’t free in the public domain. When you’re done reading it, you can’t pass it on to a friend. But that’s the case with all electronic books. Even when you check ebooks out from the library, you have to download the license to view it and when the license expires (if you haven’t gone online and renewed) you can no longer view the ebook. Same goes for audiobooks. You can’t share them off the device when you’re done with them. If they’re on CD or tape you can pass the CDs or tapes on to someone else.
In my short time of researching and trying eReaders, I find the Kindle
Computer technology makes homeschooling much easier than it would be without it. We are usually the education pioneers when it comes to innovation, especially to help our kids learn faster and better with superior research and multimedia skills to present their work to us, family members, homeschool groups and even on YouTube or other video/multimedia sharing sites. I predict we will be some of the first parents to introduce a portable technology solution for our children to read more often with greater flexibility.
What do you think? Please speak your mind about technology and homeschooling in general or the Kindle in particular in the comments.
August 1st, 2008 at 9:42 am
The Kindle does sound intriguing!
In the meantime, why don’t you use your Ipod to listen to books? I’ve found that even books that are too dry to read, come to life on audio.
Right now, we’re listening to the John Adams biography using a connector that allows you to listen to your Ipod over the car’s sound system.
Now, we’re hooked on a book that I guarantee none of us would ever finish otherwise.
Added plus, I’ve never seen a Teen who minds hauling an Ipod.
August 1st, 2008 at 11:11 am
I have managed to get him to download an audiobook from the library and he listened to most of it before he wiped it and loaded more songs. I fixed that by making a separate folder for books, but he still hasn’t gotten through an audiobook.
He’s not an auditory learner. He’s a visual, kinesthetic learner. He does far better actually reading (seeing) the words on the page. He’s also a natural speed reader and can get through the pages a lot quicker than anyone can read them to him.
I listen to podcasts and audiobooks on his iPod more than he does. I’m an auditory learner. I have very poor vision, and I’m functionally blind without my glasses. I had poor vision long before I ever realized I couldn’t see and asked my parents for glasses. I had significant difficulty learning to read, but must have compensated by listening in class. My achievement test scores and math skills were off the charts so they just thought I had a learning disability when it came to reading. I didn’t get glasses until I was 13 when I complained I couldn’t read the music on the music stand in band anymore.
My son doesn’t have any visual problems but does have significant problems processing auditory information. If I want to get something across to him with no misunderstandings I write it down or send him an email. This is probably the major reason he began to do so poorly in traditional school as he got older and learning changed from multi-sensory to sitting in class, listening and taking notes. The big transition is from 3rd to 4th grade, and he was an honor student in kindergarten through 2nd grade. He started having trouble in 3rd grade, but when 4th came, he failed and had to repeat it. I withdrew him in 5th grade.
Since he’s so visual, I’m seriously looking at all eReader devices and the Kindle especially. I really don’t think he’ll ever enjoy audiobooks.
August 1st, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Would it be awesome if the Apple iTouch – which is just beautiful – could also be used to read books like a Kindle? Then, anyone could have the best of both worlds – auditory and visual.
Kudos to your for being a Homeschool Pioneer who is willing to explore unchartered waters in wired learning.
August 2nd, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Sandra,
Thanks! Technology is the one thing that’s helped my son the most. That’s why I look for technology solutions that are very visual and hands-on when we have a problem that needs solving.
If I told my son he was getting an iTouch but he could only have it if he would read books downloaded to it, he would read, hands down.
I hope Apple makes iTouch compatible with ebooks and the screen has the same or better resolution as eReaders, they will get a chunk of the young market.
The advantage I see with the Kindle is it connects wirelessly to Amazon.com from anywhere you can get a cell phone signal and you can buy books and download blogs and updates of your news subscriptions immediately. You don’t have to connect to a computer to get your material.
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February 14th, 2009 at 3:27 am
Just came across your blog on Google. Interesting post, you bring up a few good things to think about. Good luck with the blog.
February 18th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Hi there, just came across your blog doing a search on Google for Amazon Kindle Product Reviews. My personal opinion is that the Kindle really blows away the Sony Reader and all other products out there, and the Kindle 2 will be Amazing! Can’t wait for the Feb. 24th release date!!!
February 26th, 2009 at 6:19 am
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June 2nd, 2009 at 7:43 pm
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December 13th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
I spent the last month trying to decide whether I wanted to purchase a Kindle or a Nook. After significant examination of merit and shortcomings of both, I chose the Kindle. I’m sure that I couldn’t go to far wrong with any decision that I made. But, I feel that I made the right decision for me. The purchase and set up was a cinch! I purchased a platform type case and really appreciate hands free reading in bed!
The big pluses of the nook were not important to me. I don’t have a need to share books for two weeks. Although an Android operating system opens the door to other applications, I wanted an ebook reader, not a Blackberry or “grocery list maker”,etc. The epub format for nook vs the proprietary format of the Kindle was an issue that I thought about. Kindle has a wealth of free books,including a lot of classics that are out of copyright. So, access to that material isn’t a problem. However, for copyrighted material, I feel that a proprietary format(Kindle) might be more secure and appealing to publishers.
I compared a list of about 30 books that I wanted to read. About 14 were not available either as an ebook on Amazon or BN. Three were available on BN and not Amazon as an ebook. Seven were available on Amazon and not BN.The others were available on both. These were not the best sellers that I knew would be available, but rather, more obscure titles.I did see a few big price differences eg.- New York by Rutherford -9.99(Kindle version) 14.99 (BN ebook) Clinton Tapes 9.99(Kindle)28.00 (BN ebook).
Finally, I looked at the way both companies handles electronic delivery of “peeks” or “samples”on their websites. I have always found the Amazon method more fluid and less time consuming. To me, that says a lot about their ability to understand electronic dessemination for the reader. With all that in mind, I chose the Kindle -keyboard and all!- and I am really pleased with my purchase!
December 25th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
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January 18th, 2010 at 8:36 pm
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January 19th, 2010 at 7:04 pm
Have you ever considered adding more videos to your blog posts to keep the readers more entertained? I mean I just read through the entire article of yours and it was quite good but since I’m more of a visual learner,I found that to be more helpful well let me know how it turns out. This is good…thanks for sharing
I post videos when I find relevant ones to what I’m writing. I will consider adding more video. I, too, think they cover more material better for auditory, visual and kinesthetic learners.
January 19th, 2010 at 11:17 pm
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January 24th, 2010 at 9:30 pm
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January 27th, 2010 at 10:28 am
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February 8th, 2010 at 11:21 am
Amazon will have to come up with something if they want to continue to dominate the market. Apple has raised the bar with the iPad hochgelegt quite so Amazon must erstmal can compete. Kindle users, I myself am very satisfied, but it will be difficult for Amazon.
March 23rd, 2010 at 10:45 am
Thanks for this excellent blog.
June 6th, 2010 at 8:37 am
I am disappointed that the Kindle automatically sacks out after five min because if you are using the Kindle for reading patterns or music, it times out on you while you are still “working” on a page
August 17th, 2010 at 11:02 pm
This is a good step to save paper. And will save the rain forests in Indonesia. Moreover, this will reduce the burden on the back of elementary school students. Of course this will make the traditional printing companies and governments in the third world into a panic because of their unpreparedness of information technology. . .
November 30th, 2010 at 12:05 am
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December 1st, 2010 at 10:40 am
The new Kindle also offers a better contrast than previous editions and it looks fantastic compared to every other e-reader I have seen. I have no trouble seeing the screen in dim light or in bright sunlight – it really opens up the ability to read almost anywhere you are. Of course, you’ll still need a separate light for extremely dark areas.