I don't know anyone who's got one. Or wants one. Seems like an irrelevant invention to me. What's wrong with a book?

I still think it's far, far easier to just open your book at its bookmark, rather than fiddle about turning stuff on,m and they look cumbersome to hold. Plus, you'd have to hide it on the Tube in case someone mugged you for it, but he seems to really like it, however he's annoyed that a new version has been released so soon.

Can you move files from a PC to the Kindle? There is a really good program that I have (free download) called Calibre for converting ebook formats, which will convert PDF to whatever format you require. I have the Kindle app for my phone, and have recently converted a bundle of PDFs to the Kindle format. A couple convert strangely (misread words in places), but for the most part they convert ok, although the formatting sometimes goes astray.

http://calibre-ebook.com/

My main concern is that the books are all in a proprietary file format. What happens if you want to buy a different eBook reader in the future?

I bought one a few months back, and loved it immediately. It increased my reading habit. But, I bought an iPad recently, and that has killed the Kindle for me, even though the Kindle has a better screen for pure reading.

I'm really interested in how people use these things.

As mentioned above, it's upped my reading no end, although there could still be the novelty factor at play. Perfect for bedtime reading - easy to hold & change pages with one hand. Books download wirelessly in an instant, free Guardian appears every morning via Calibre and a cheap sub to New Statesman via the Kindle page which lands on there every Thursday. Battery lasts almost forever - four weeks in and I'm still on the first charge. I'd be more than happy to take a text-only sub to Word on my Kindle in addition to my 'real-world' copy. How about a Kindle-friendly version for existing subscribers for a small premium, David?

of books with illustrations - not comic books - and I cannot imagine how a Kindle could have brought me the same pleasure as these books. I'm old fashioned about books but if it increases reading, then no bad thing, though not sure that book designers or bookbinders would agree.

I got one pretty much the day it came out and it's been fab. The absolute killer was taking it away for a fortnight's holiday and freeing up a raft of baggage space/weight into the bargain.

The weight of the Kindle is ideal for long spells of one-handed reading - far more comfortable than the surprisingly weighty iPad.

It's great in bright sunlight and fits into a suit jacket pocket perfectly.

Battery life is phenomenal.

Magazines/newspapers - a different reading experience but the Spectator/New Statesman versions include all the text and the reading is good (although I agree about the overall magazine 'experience' being missing). I have picked up a couple of Guardians via Calibre for free, and they've been fine - b/w pictures are a bit fuzzy but legible enough.

I would take a Word Kindle subscription - but it wouldn't replace the magazine for a second.

The Kindle does one thing and does it extremely well. Obviously it's not as versatile as an iPad but it doesn't pretend to be - and it's a fifth of the price.

In my humble opinion - (iPhone + Kindle) >> iPad by some distance.

Check out '3D Classic Literature Collection' at the App Store. It was free: now 99p. But, it will give you a taster of the turning-pages-and-bookmarking-and-some-shit-like-that experience. Ought to give you a taste of what is possible, and if you want to go down that road.

I read 'Dracula' on it. Great fun.

Dig the Link:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/3d-classic-literature-collection/id352342...

Reading is my favourite and my best (to quote Charlie and Lola). Even more so than music, and that's really saying something.

It's very practical and works very well. I don't think of it as an eReader - it is just something I read. I love the fact that I have a Guardian, Independent and BBC "newspaper" delivered every morning thanks to Calibre (and for free).

And my reading resistant son thinks it's great so thats a bonus.

I would happily pay an extra £5 on my regular Word subscription for a Kindle friendly download as well. Maybe even a little more....

It's very, very good at what its for and absolutely dreadful at everything else. Suits me fine. You can't really web browse on it despite its included browser but its a nice wee free addition.

It's impact on my reading habits has been very interesting though. I'm reading like I did when I was a teenager. Devouring everything I can get my hands on, downloading Russian classics, Dickens, Gothic Horror and have finally read the Sherlock Holmes stories which I've been putting off my entire adult life. It's revolutionised my reading habits the way the iPod changed the way I listened to music.

I can read absolutely anything, anywhere as soon as my desire to read it manifests itself. The more I read the more I want to read. I no longer read trashy paperrbacks as theres so much amazing stuff out there for free I've never found time to get into. My new personal treat is reading the sunday papers and downloading anything referenced in an article or review which catches my fancy. I dont forget about it during the week or put it off. I can have the book, or at least a sample, immediately and can then make my mind up about it there and then. The "oh but its not a book. The lovely smell of the lovely books, all papery and smelly" people remind of people who like to appear lovably clueless about using a DVD player.

You dont sign a contract preventing you from ever buying a paper book again when you get one. Its an amazing device whose convenience means you read more, more often. And surely thats a good thing.

to flick backwards? I'm an avid reader, but as I tend to speed read, I frequently need to check back on something that didn't seem important at the time.

And we have a really good book game that needs a healthy bookshelf so I'm in two minds about it.

One more question - can you download reader software for a lap top? I've got one of those swivelly top ones, (if you'll pardon the tech speak)so wouldn't that work just as well?

Can it view second hand books? That's all I read.

A couple of the posts above suggest that it is possible to get a Guardian on the kindle via Calibre. How does that work then? Presumably not via an automatic daily download that will appear on my Kindle?
(Amazon don't do a Guardian subscription)

Two months in and also loving it. I think I'm reading more in fact.

At the moment I'm alternating between 'Popular delusions and the madness of crowds' and Chris Mullin's diaries (that's Junior Minister crossed off my 'jobs I'd like to do' list). The latter has some black and white photos which are well-reproduced.

The huge range of (legal) free books makes forthe online equivalent of a second-hand bookshop. I've been through Sir Richard Burton's account of his trip to Mecca (in disguise, obviously) and looking forward to Sir Walter Scott's Letters on Demonology.

And slightly beside the point but I can't recommend John Lanchester's 'Whoops! - Why everyone owes everyone and no-one can pay' highly enough.

will we see the same in the UK next year?

http://www.thebookseller.com/news/132287-more-kindle-editions-sold-than-...

I was actually planning on buying one tomorrow. I keep seeing them around our nation's capital and I'm drooling. It's this or a Traktor setup, but I think I'm going with the Kindle.

Have one since last Christmas. Delighted with it. The download process is cumbersome, if you're not in a wireless suitable area (and I live in the middle of nowhere, so the wireless thingy is not much use). iTunes or eMusic it's not. However, I find myself reading more than I've done in years.

As for the iPad, the comparison/rivalry is misplaced. Kindles are for dedicated readers. iPads are too big and cumbersome for that. But they beat the Kindle hands down in terms of the visual experience. iPads are sexy. Kindles are the the nondescript girl with the mousey-brown hair and the thick glasses at uni who ends up with the fantastic career. In short, the two products are aimed at quite different audiences.

Most important tip for Kindle wannabes: buy a cover - they're essential.

Just ordered mine, it's coming tomorrow. I'm awfully excited.

I'm a pretty voracious reader and although I like some aspects of the Kindle I dislike lots too.

Some people complain about the size & weight of a book, complaining that hardbacks can't be stuffed into a bag and taken on the train to work, or read in bed etc. but I've been doing these for years and haven't had a single issue, aside from the time I fell asleep reading one of the latter Harry Potter books, dropped it onto the floor and woke myself up.

When I go on holiday I normally take a book for each day, usually 300+ page books too (once took "Infinite Jest", "A Suitable Boy" and "Ulysses" as two of my bits of light poolside reading, and the longest of these took me a week to finish) so about half of the total weight of my suitcase is taken up with books. Yes, it would be nice to have something as small and light as a Kindle with all of my holiday reading on it instead of this mass of paper, but...
* There's no chance of opening my bag and finding my book is "broken" and won't work.
* There's no possibility I'd get to the beach, turn my book on and find the battery is flat.
* If the book gets suntan lotion or sweat on it, or it gets splashed or dropped into the sea or pool I moan for a bit but a few minutes later it is dry, if crinkly, but still in working order.
* I can leave my book on the sun lounger when I go to the toilet or the bar, and I know it will still be there when I get back.

So that's at least 4-1 to the paper-style book already.

I really don't get this whole "you can have the complete works of Shakespeare and Dickens on your Kindle, and carry it around with you, and cross-reference things!" argument which keeps appearing. I'm sure someone will call me a heathen but I'm a fan of neither, plus when I'm reading a book I tend to read A (singular) book, and have never had the urge to carry a stack around with me. As for the often mentioned Project Gutenberg site, I've looked many times but have yet to find a single thing I'd like to read. Again, call me a heathen but I've no desire to read the classics - I've read all the ones I want to read already.

Somebody up there ^ mentioned the Kindle being great as you can read it in bed at night without the light being on to disturb your partner. Er... no, that's not true. The Kindle isn't backlit, so you still need a light to read it in the dark.

There's one other thing, and it's a bit of a strange one. Books have a whole social aspect which is often overlooked. I've had countless conversations with people on the train and on holiday about books they're reading, when I notice the cover of something I've read myself and loved, and we'll chat for ages about the story. I also often have "clear outs" of books, where I get those I've read but don't see myself reading again (I keep my books in mint condition and refuse to break the spine or bend pages) and pass them on to friends I feel would like them, or give them to charity. It's hard to do either of these things with e-books. It's also impossible to get an e-book signed by the author, and I can't see a glorified PDF gaining value like the rare, signed Haruki Murakami book I have has done over the years.

Part of me is very tempted by the idea of a Kindle - probably the gadget freak inside me - but I've yet to read or hear a single compelling reason to buy one. Sure, if I'm given one for Christmas, or I win one in a competition, I'm sure I'd be delighted, but I wouldn't actually buy one.

I dont have a Kindle but do have a Sony.
I like the ebook experience for a number of reasons mainly the ability to buy a book instantly from my house.
BUT BEWARE, from 20 Oct 2010 book publishers have banned all sales of ebooks outside of the UK. This is a similar situation to emusic where publishers have a problem (or percieved problem) so immediately punish good and loyal customers.
Its a disgrace and really hacks me off.
In the words of my hero "I dont believe it"

I got mine yesterday and I have to say, it's wonderful.

It took a while to read the manual, but now it's done and I'm rolling.

I've downloaded Calibre too, and while at first it's not the most user-friendly application I've ever used, I can see it's going to be seriously useful.

Hooray.

We bought the Sony and then sent it back. The black to white to black text every time you "turn" the page was headache-inducing for speed readers. Would like to hear if the Kindle is any better in this regard...

and absolutely love it.
Got over the 'real paper' issue within hours and now don't enjoy reading a real book as much as I do the Kindle.
The web browser isn't great but it works and if you bookmark pages it is quick.
Do get a cover for it as it can break if dropped.
I've doubled my amount of reading since buying it (and I read a lot anyway) and find that most new books now also release Kindle versions.
In summary: It's ace.

Bookcases stuffed full, eight piles of books on the dining room floor each over 6 feet high , the attic full, Mum's house also annexed for book storage... thank God for the Kindle, I say. I got mine with 3G two months ago and I would hate to be without it ever again. It is easy to use and can be read for hours without eye strain.I have arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome but thanks to the Kindle I can now read whatever I like rather than whatever I can manage to hold. I don't like the text-to-speech function though. I resort to it now and again on the days when my hands won't obey me at all but the voices are a)American and b) utterly without any reflection of the written punctuation; which makes passages of speech hard to decipher. If you want a toy, get an iPad, but if you're a serious reader, get a Kindle - you won't regret it.