“Thoughtful Ramblings” is a feature where we discuss bookish subjects. These posts are just our own thoughts about certain topics that may get us hot under the collar and we need a good rant or just things we want to share with fellow bloggers and readers.
Carolyn’s Kindle Pet Peeves
My love affair with books is still at an all time high. I still love buying them, collecting them and reading them. But last year the hubster and I bought an iPad. I was so excited, but it just didn’t do it for me. I love the other functions of an iPad but just not the ereader part. It’s too heavy and too big for my small hands. I also can’t read it outside due to the reflection on the glass.
So, then I was seduced by the Kindle 3G WiFi. I bought it, downloaded lots of ebooks and then it sat on my bedside table for months gathering dust while I continued to read my ‘real’ books! But one night, and I can’t honestly say why, I started reading my Kindle and didn’t stop. I’ve read three entire novels on it now and I have begun to love it. It doesn’t replace my books it just compliments them. I find that ebooks are cheaper and there’s also some fab deals to be had on Amazon with either free books or top name authors for 99p – how can I resist.
I really didn’t think I would ever be a digital reader and I didn’t think it would take off as much as it has, even supermarkets are starting to sell the Amazon Kindle, which in my mind just shows how big ereaders are becoming.
But on my journey with my Kindle I have begun to accumulate several pet peeves.
- Ebook formats not compatible with the Kindle – very annoying. Surely if I want to read a book I shouldn’t have to have three different e-readers to read it. One should be enough for me to read ANY ebook I want!
- Not being able to even download an Amazon Kindle ebook to my Amazon Kindle reader from the US Amazon. How ridiculous!
- Downloading a Kindle ebook only to find it doesn’t contain a cover! Yes, that’s right – NO COVER! I would never consider purchasing a physical print copy in a bookshop that had a blank white cover with boring text on the front for a title. When I buy a book it’s not just about the story. It’s also about the cover. It gives me a sense of what the book is about! So why should I stand for no cover when I purchase an ebook? Authors and publishers take note!
- When I buy a physical print copy I can take it off my shelf after years of it being on my bookshelf and read the synopsis, the summary, the small couple of paragraphs on the back cover that is meant to whet my appetite. Most of my Kindle ebooks don’t have this. In fact I have to connect to Amazon to get the blurb. Again, I say ridiculous!
- No page numbers! I know they are slowly changing this, especially with new ebooks coming out. You can click ‘menu’ and it comes up at the bottom which page you are on. But Kindle, why do I have to click ‘menu’? Why can’t it just be easy peasy lemon squeezy and just be there!?!
- Not being able to tranfer ebooks from one device to another. I have ebooks on my iPad that I want on my Kindle but I just can’t move them. If I had a paperback I could do what I want, take it where I want and lend it to anyone I want *grumps*
These are of course just my pet peeves, they are not life changing *although they would change my e-reading life* and maybe you don’t get so miffed as I do about these small little things. But they bug me. They bug me no end!
So, do you have any pet peeves with your e-reader? Are you another Kindle fan like me but who also has a few things to get off their chest?
23 Comments
I find Calibre to be quite good for converting books into the Kindle format providing they are not protected by DRM. I also use it to manage all my ebooks not bought on Amazon.
The thing that annoys me the most about the Kindle 3 is that PDF files don't look quite right on. I have a few books in PDF format and I end up reading those on the iPad.
Reply
I agree with Ken, Calibre is amazing. It organises all my books not purchased through Amazon, and will let me transfer them to the Kindle through the software. I was amazed at how much it lets you do. I've been using different websites to convert pdf, html, epubs to mobi, now Calibre does it all for me.
I don't really have any pet peeves with my Kindle. The only thing that annoys me is that I sometimes accidently go on to the next page too early, then use my left hand to go back a page… pressing the wrong button and end up going forward, but that's more me being stupid than anything wrong with the Kindle.
Reply
I haven't got one yet because I have pet peeves before I start.
* not being touch screen. I want to whip the pages over like I do on the IPad.
* screen size not the size of a normal page so you have to scroll up and down.
*no back light, so if I am reading in bed I still need a light attached.Where as with the IPad I can read it without a light.
So you see I am still on the fence.
Reply
Ken & London Squirrel – I have downloaded Calibre and it is very good, but I still can't convert DRM files which is annoying…
Vivienne – In answer to your points:
• There is a new Kindle Touch available £89
• You don't have to scroll at all (unless a dodgy PDF file) all books are static and easy to read, you just press a tab on the side to turn the page.
• You can buy a case with a light attached, which I have and it's brilliant.
Now you can get one ;D
Reply
My son broke my Kindle 2 so I ordered a Kindle 3. I was very upset that I couldn't simply transfer all of my kindle books that were saved on my hard drive to my new kindle. They had been encoded for my Kindle 2's serial number. I hated having to go through and download all of my books again. I have tons of e-books (over 200) and there's no way I have time to slowly download all of those. Since I live in Dubai for most of the year I'm charged an additional amount when I download my books over the wifi. Grrr.
Reply
I love my kindle but have to agree with all your peeves. I bought hubby one for his birthday and then loaded it up with books I thought he'd like, obviously this was done via my account. I've then transferred the kindle to him so he can buy his own books in future. Problem is Amazon doesn't let you do that, in order to transfer the kindle to his account we've had to remove all the books I'd put on there! Yet another of Amazons mental rules!
Reply
My only real issue is with content available on the UK store; it's not that we don't generally get the same content as the US eventually, it's that we usually have to wait longer for the privilege. What really bugs me is the fact that many books in the UK store don't have a pre-order option. I realise that the supply and demand issue doesn't apply with ebooks as it does with physical books, but the option to pre-order would make life a lot easier. For example, Kresley Cole just announced an ebook of The Warlord Wants Forever with extra content to promote her new book: it is available for preorder in the US but doesn't even appear as the UK site. I suppose then, my issue is more with amazon than with the kindle itself, but I think it's unfair to pay the price for the kindle and to always come second to the US. Rant over. I didn't even realise this bugged me so much!
Reply
I agree with your peeves, I really wish there were covers. Surely it can't be that hard!
I'm not a complete convert to kindle or e-books as I still love the real thing but it's a nice addition to my reading addiction
Reply
I agree with your pet peeves Carolyn but I do still love my kindle. I'm glad I bought the cover with a built in light – it's great for reading in bed – but I couldn't read books on an ipad or anything else with a back lit screen because it hurts my eyes too much. That's the main advantage to the kindle for me
)
Just a note about the covers – even though the ebooks usually open at the first chapter you can usually see the cover if you click the button to turn back a page (even though it doesn't look like you can it does work). I don't think I've explained that very well but I've not come across a kindle ebook that doesn't have the cover in there
Reply
LOOOOOOVVVVEEEE my Kindle! BEST. INVENTION. EVER.
I was surprised how much I actually do love it. I love that it looks just like a paperback page and has no glare. It's small and easy to hold. Easier to read in bed in my opinion! I was reading a paperback the other day and I actually missed my Kindle. The book was heavy, hard to hold, and turning those pages in bed wasn't very fun while laying down.
I don't like not having a cover either. There should be one. WHO thought there shouldn't be?!
I use to not like the lack of page numbers, but the % read gives me what I need I guess. I'm use to it now and doesn't bother me now.
I have an Amazon account and an Amazon UK account. I link up my iPod kindle app to the Amazon for in case there is anything from America that I want to read that we don't get here, but it is annoying! I want it on my Kindle not my iPod! I personally find it ridiculous.
Overall, I love my kindle and I love reading on it! I read faster on my kindle. I also BUY more books on my kindle! I love the 60 sec download. I've finished books in the middle of the night and shopped online for new books from my kindle in bed. Then started reading what I just bought never having left my bed. WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE ABOUT THAT?!
Reply
I feel you. I have made transition and prefer ebooks over paperbacks now, but there are some things that gripe me (like those you listed). Yes, I believe an ebook should have everything its paperback counterpart has (cover, blurb, etc.). I get frustrated having to go back to Amazon to read the blurb.
Another pet peeve–or maybe it's more of a wishlist item–I wish the Kindle app would have a column in the library that shows how I rated each book. I use Calibre for that now but would love that ability on my Kindle app.
Reply
I love my Kindle! I only wish that more books were lendable and that they could be loaned out more than once. This is more of a pet peeve with the pubs but still a Kindle-related one.
Regarding missing book covers, like other people have mentioned, Calibre is a great ebook managing program and it can also download a cover for you as well. An extra step, I know, but I go through the motions b/c I want a cover too.
Reply
I ended up getting a Nook Color a few months ago and so far none of these problems have cropped up for me. It ha it's own backlight and anything you buy from B&N stays int the library. So if you accidently delete a book all you ahve to do is re download (for free) from B&N. And it reads many formats.
My only gripe is I can't download book from Amazon. They really need to do something about that.
Reply
DH's sister sent him a Nook for his birthday knowing he loves to read. He gave it to me since I am a bigger reader than he is and isn't sure about this whole electronic thing. *smile* My gain.
I like it so far, but it stays on my nightstand to get to once I mow through the 'real' books already on the nightstand. I might make the Nook my purse book, but having trouble getting it turned on without plugging it in is a pain in the tookus. So on the nightstand it stays for now.
Reply
Oh, dagnabbit! Sorry for the multiple posts!
Reply
I don't have an e-reader, but now I'm reading on my kindle app on the pc. Can't say it's really handy, so I don't read much in a time. It's also very annoying that there aren't page numbers! I think I stay with my old fashioned 'real books!
Reply
I have yet to get an ereader of any sort. I am very reluctant as I am a total book hoarder and love to see an overflowing bookshelf. I'm not sure if I will ever be able to quit that habit.
I think if I ever do get one, it will be a gift from my husband as he is tired of my collection.
Great post, LOVE your blog design, new follower and I can't wait to read more from you!
Miranda- http://www.momsbookshelf.com
Reply
I think that most of your pet peeves are the reasons I choose a Sony ereader over a Kindle. That and I could buy the Sony from Future Shop right then and not have to wait for it to be shipped to me.
Reply
I'm like you Carolyn, never thought I could grow to like ebooks, but then my Kindle happened and now I read 3 times more on my ereader than paperbacks.
But I agree with your pet peeves, geographical restrictions are STUPID! And I miss the page numbers, can't wait for them to finally be here, HATE it when I think there is still time for things to get resolved but the story ends at 95% and teasers from other books are after that arghh!
Yes, miss the cover but as even if there are any, they are only in B&W…
I never had any problem with the ebook format, have you tried any of the free and legal formatting devices (Calico or Mobipocket)? They are the best!
Reply
ps. sorry Calibre not Calico.
Reply
Yet another vote for Calibre for converting formats to something the Kindle can handle. My Kindle will read .pdfs but the font is tiny, so I've found Calibre to be an invaluable resource.
It is kind of a pain that it doesn't have page numbers, but I've found that bothers me less and less the more I get used to reading on my Kindle.
The cover thing doesn't bother me much either, mostly because my Kindle only displays black-and-white, and couldn't show the cover art well properly anyway. It's nice to see the covers, but I don't find that I miss them very much when I'm reading on my Kindle.
Reply
My biggest pet peeve is with the major publishers who over price the kindle editions. Sometimes they are more than a print edition.
I've been reading digital since 1999. Really. I have an original rocket ebook reader. But I love the kindle. Prefer digital reading to print. In fact, i whine when I have to read a print book. What, I have to hold it up AND turn the pages? Exhausting. (grin)
Reply
Great post! I'm another reader who never thought I'd be swayed to the Dark Side of eReaders, yet I now love my nook and am seriously considering getting a nook Simple Touch. I agree that eBooks complement physical books, and I love the opportunity of eARCs through NetGalley and the like.
I've noticed that some eBooks don't display cover art, which I think it the publisher's fault. They need to realize that readers want blurbs and covers and a synopsis included in the eBook without having to go online. Hopefully, they'll catch on sooner rather than later!
Reply