(Yes, we know it’s Tuesday. Work with us here.)
So did anyone get a new ebook reader for Christmas (or winter holiday of choice)? Do you have any questions or problems? Ask away–whatever the Editrix can’t help you with, perhaps we can crowdsource from a reader and fellow ebooker. We’re particularly interested in hearing from those who received the Nookcolor. We checked it out at B&N and it’s a pretty slick piece of kit. How do you like yours?
Just to prove that this is actually Jane Austen-related, here’s an article about how classic titles, including Herself’s novels, are becoming bestsellers once again as more and more people acquire ebook readers. The article doesn’t point out how many of those are free downloads, however. When the Editrix acquires a new ebook reader (we’re up to four now…and yes, we find that as nerdy and embarrassing as we probably should) the first thing we do is load up the “Hall of Fame” authors–all our favorites, most of them free classics.
AustenBlog 
I have joined the ranks! Santa brought me a Kindle for Christmas and I’m very happy! One guess what the first downloads were…L.M.Montgomery followed right behind.
Still learning the ropes but welcome to all hints and suggestions!
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As I told the sales person that tried to sell me a Kindle, “I’m waiting for the formats to be standardized.” Until then, I have every Austen on my iPhone and iPod Touch. And some other classics too. 😉
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The formats won’t be standardized completely, or at least anytime soon. The various players have too much interest in keeping their own walled gardens well walled-in. You’re probably in the best position, because you can have a Kindle app and a Nook app and a Kobo app on your iThings, and even use Stanza for freebies (and each smartphone OS has its own version of these, except WHERE ARE THE WEBOS APPS AMAZON AND B&N????). I think my next “reading device” will be some kind of a tablet…and I will share the reason why in a response to Meghan Belle below. 😉
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I know the manufacturers don’t want to standardize, but I don’t plan to give in. I’m not going to buy a product that locks me and then it might fail. Instead, like you, I lean toward a tablet at this point. I’ll wait and see what the second iPad will bring.
I notice Border’s has/had a Kobo on sale for less than a $100 for a few days, but I haven’t heard many reviews of it and the lack of standardized formats is still a game breaker at that price.
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I received the best Christmas gift of all (the gift you save and purchase for yourself) a Nook Color. I promised myself a couple years ago that I would never get an e reader. I am so happy that I broke down and bought one. Such an amazing feeling to have your favorie books always with you. My first download was (big surprise) the complete works of Jane Austen. I couldn’t recomend the Nook Color more. 🙂
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Heh. My present-to-myself was a new laptop/printer combo, much-needed and I’m really happy with them!
I haven’t purchased a Nookcolor but I have to say I’m fascinated with it. It’s a slick piece of kit, as I wrote above, but what really interests me about it is that it’s not just an ereader–it’s a reading-centric entertainment tablet. Give it time: B&N will provide apps for it so that you can watch movies and listen to music and do an awful lot of the stuff one can do with an iThing or an Android tablet/smartphone, but it’s still a walled garden that will gently encourage you to do a lot of business with B&N. I’m surprised Amazon didn’t do that first, but glad as I want to keep the market diversified. 🙂
My next device will be a tablet, I think, but I’m not sure when the perfect one will come out. I have high hopes of HP’s event on February 9 when they will be announcing some new webOS devices, including, reportedly, the PalmPad. I’m not sure that will be the device for me, but it will be interesting to see.
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