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I got tired of hauling so many books around on plane flights, and decided to try downloading some Kindle books to my Ipod Touch.  I don’t yet have a Kindle, although apparently if I am very, very good ...  I know that Glenn Reynolds prefers the Ipod to read Kindle over the Kindle, but then he is a Known Geek.  However, I downloaded Nick Hornby’s Juliet, Naked for Kindle, and have been reading it more than I should on the Ipod.  Including late at night in bed, and my wife informs me she likes not having a reading light on and I should do all my late night reading this way.  At least when reading Hornby — many quick, humorous asides and cuts, light and easily picked up and put down — the small screen is okay.  However, reading on planes is one thing, but I’ve been sitting on the porch taking in the sun and reading on my Ipod.  Sublime ahead of the curveness or terminal geekiness?

Categories: Internet, Literature    

    23 Comments

    1. SueSimp says:

      For the first time, my sturdy early-generation iPod seems inadequate to me. I wish I had a Touch, now.

      I’ve been putting off on buying a Kindle forever in the hopes of getting a fabled iTablet instead. But at the rate that’s going, it won’t be released until 2015, and I’m going to seriously regret not having given in and bought something sooner.

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      November 22, 2009, 6:32 pm

    2. loki says:

      I do not think I could ever read an entire book on my iPhone. The screen is simply too small, and the finger I used to scroll pages with gets a burning sensation after 20 or so minutes. I have yet to try a Kindle, but since it is a bit bigger I think I may try one out when they lower in price.

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      November 22, 2009, 7:16 pm

    3. Off Kilter says:

      One thing to know about the screen is that you can change the font size, and choosing a larger size does NOT (as it would on, say, Safari) cause you to have to drag the text on the screen to see all the words. It automatically reformats. 

      It’s amazingly comfortable to read Kindle downloads on the iPhone. I was shocked by how easy. I had previously been concerned about buying a Kindle–one more thing to lug around; easily lost or forgotten because it doesn’t easily fit in a pocket–but now I see the Kindle as simply unnecessary.

      PLUS, it you want to just try it, the Kindle app is free AND there are quite a few Kindle books you can download FOR FREE to test it out. They’ll come up when you do a book search after the download.

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      November 22, 2009, 7:54 pm

    4. Bookie says:

      Kindle for PC (Mac version coming soon) is now available in beta from amazon and is free. If you are like me and always travel with you laptop this can be an easy solution for reading kindle books without having to lug around the reader and you have a larger screen than an ipod or iphone.

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      November 22, 2009, 8:09 pm

    5. Charlie B says:

      Nothing beats those interminable waits in a doctor’s office like Kindle on my iPhone.

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      November 22, 2009, 8:18 pm

    6. anonymous says:

      you all miss the point of the kindle and other readers:

      digital ink. It is NOT like reading a computer screen. the whole point is that you are staring at something that looks like a piece of paper, not a backlit LCD.

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      November 22, 2009, 8:48 pm

    7. BobB says:

      I am using the Kindle app on my iPhone, and it is great! How else can you have your current read at hand when stuck in a line somewhere? 

      The downside is that sometimes I buy books I don’t read. I have no problem with the size of the screen. At about $10.00 for each book, the American Express bill from Amazon can really add up.

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      November 22, 2009, 10:02 pm

    8. Bookie says:

      anonymous: It is NOT like reading a computer screen. the whole point is that you are staring at something that looks like a piece of paper, not a backlit LCD. 

      I agree and prefer the kindle at home and when on vacation, but when traveling on business the last thing I need is another device to lug around. For those without A Kindle the Kindle for PC is A Great option and it is priced to sell.

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      November 22, 2009, 10:04 pm

    9. ll says:

      Including late at night in bed, and my wife informs me she likes not having a reading light on and I should do all my late night reading this way.

      I read about this in the “advice” columns and see the ads on tv, and I don’t understand it.

      Why in hell do people read in bed, ESPECIALLY with a light on, or watch tv in bed, when their spouses are right next to them trying to sleep?

      That is just so f*****g rude and inconsiderate.

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      November 22, 2009, 10:30 pm

    10. newshutz says:

      I really like my Kindle DX. Once again, I can read on the treadmill. The large print on the Kindle DX is great, and I can use my reading glasses and small print if I am not on the treadmill.

      Just wish they had hierarchical file management. (That would be folders and sub-folders for the technically challenged)

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      November 22, 2009, 10:33 pm

    11. newshutz says:

      Why in hell do people read in bed, ESPECIALLY with a light on, or watch tv in bed, when their spouses are right next to them trying to sleep?

      Because she wants me to be there.

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      November 22, 2009, 10:34 pm

    12. Ultimate Acai Max says:

      Yes, you can. See it from the question “Which iPhones and iPod touches are compatible with Kindle for iPhone?” below, it can read Kindle books if it is “iPod touch with Firmware 2.0″:
      Ultimate Acai max
      Review of Ultimate Acai Max

      Quote

      November 22, 2009, 11:04 pm

    13. W&MGrad says:

      I absolutely love my Kindle. I broke down and bought one after I realized the dozen books I brought on my cruise in July nearly put me over the luggage weight limit. The digital ink does a good job of making it feel like reading paper instead of a computer screen. I even have a little book light I can attach to the cover. I keep meaning to try the iTouch app, but enjoy the Kindle too much. Amazon changes the free books frequently, so I can generally find something free to read (granted I am an indiscriminate reader) and there are quite a few books in the $4-$7 range.

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      November 22, 2009, 11:53 pm

    14. Martha says:

      I have my sights on a nook: more formats, less drm. If it works with my library’s e-book catalog, it’ll be darned hard to resist.

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      November 23, 2009, 12:18 am

    15. Marriage Records says:

      It’s harmful for eyes to read on the phone.

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      November 23, 2009, 2:40 am

    16. Struthius says:

      I have both a Kindle and an iPod touch w/ the Kindle app.(I didn’t see it mentioned here, but Amazon has a really nice “syncing” process that lets you switch from one device to the other, which automatically takes you to where you left off on the other device.) I have no problem at all reading an entire book on the Touch, and as Kenneth says, reading in bed is much easier (not much to hold) and more polite (no lights shining anywhere) with the Touch. Other than that, I use the Kindle a lot when out and about, if I know I’m going to have to wait. Anything from getting the car washed to waiting at a Dr’s office, having something I want to read, rather than rummaging through the stacks of old mags, is a pleasure. And no decisions as to what to take on trips!
      But as someone mentioned earlier, it’s easier to buy books on/for the Kindle than it is to read them–but they’re pretty cheap (and often free!) so that’s not soooo bad.

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      November 23, 2009, 10:54 am

    17. Gregory says:

      Try Stanza on the iPhone/iPod touch: It has a lot of great books for free, though you can buy more recent ones on the Kindle Ap. 

      But overall your experience reminds me of this great piece by Nicholson Baker for the New Yorker, where he sort of trashes the Kindle, but then admits to consuming books voraciously on his iPhone:

      http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/08/03/090803fa_fact_baker

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      November 23, 2009, 10:56 am

    18. Freddy Hill says:

      The iPhone is like always having 2–3 books in my pocket, because I never know when I will be stuck waiting for something with nothing to do — Dr’s offices, lunch alone, etc. The Kindle, and the paper-and-ink book, although maybe easier to read are often far from me when I need them.

      There are 3 problems with the iPhone as a reader, all of them minor in my opinion:

      - Battery life is shorter than Kindle’s with continuous use.

      - The power saving features mean that the display goes off after a few seconds. Not a problem normally if you read without stopping, but if I stop to think or daydream the thing goes blank.

      - I have observed that many flight attendands will allow Kindle users to continue using them when taking off and landing, but will tell you to put away your iPhone / iTouch. I don’t know why this would be, it doesn’t seem to be justified based on the company policies printed in the back of their magazines.

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      November 23, 2009, 11:53 am

    19. Tweets that mention The Volokh Conspiracy » Blog Archive » Reading Kindle Books on the Ipod Touch -- Topsy.com says:

      [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Julie Mckee, legalry.com. legalry.com said: Reading Kindle Books on the Ipod Touch. http://volokh.com/2009/11/22/reading-kindle-books-on-the-ipod-touch/ [...]

      November 23, 2009, 2:49 pm

    20. iPod Compared says:

      Reading your post, I was totally reaffirmed why the iPod touch is such an amazing gadget to have. Reading a good book from the iPod? So Cool!

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      November 24, 2009, 12:20 am

    21. Richard says:

      The main benefit with the Kindle is that there is no backlighting. Backlighting is making it uncomfortable to read. The price is ok but still high enough to make you stop and wonder if it’s worth it. I wonder for how long “real” books will stay with us, they have their own charm. If you are interested, I saw that it’s possible to win a free Kindle 2 on http://www.americanlisted.com/competition/

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      November 27, 2009, 10:11 am

    22. Jackson says:

      I didn’t know that it was supposed to look as if it’s a piece of paper... That is pretty amazing. Does the Ipod app also mimic this feature of the Kindle? If so, I may look into getting it.

      Acai Burn Diet

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      November 29, 2009, 6:17 pm

    23. eBook Reader says:

      This is very informative post. I love this and I will check your blog again.

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      December 22, 2009, 12:27 am

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