Amazon Releases Kindle 2

The much anticipated release of the new Kindle has come. Amazon officially released it today at 10 am Eastern Time.

Among the new features are better placed buttons, increased storage capacity, 16 shades of gray for added color depth, skinnier form, and increased battery life. Kindle 2 also has the ability to read books to you and to sync between Kindles. Pricing remains the same, $359. Kindle 1 owners get shipping priority (their orders ship first) on the February 24 release date.

I sure do love my Kindle. Kindle books comprise 10% of Amazon's book sales, so I am not alone in my opinion. The new features look great and would be enticing if you don't own a Kindle yet (I am happy and don't need to upgrade). Pretty cool!

Win a Free Kindle

 You all know how much I LOVE my Kindle. If you want one, but don't want to shell out the $$$ (after a 10-12 week wait, minimum), try entering Shop.com 's Kindle Giveaway .

Good luck!

What I'm Reading (January)

We're into February already! Here's what I read last month...

	Death Angel  by Linda Howard Kindle Edition From Amazon: "In Linda Howard’s gifted hands, second chances, unexpected romance, and unrelenting action combine into a riveting new novel of suspense. In Death Angel, bad girls can wake up and trust their hearts, bad guys can fight for what’s right... and dying just might be the only way to change one’s life. A striking beauty with a taste for diamonds and dangerous men, Drea Rousseau is more than content to be arm candy for Rafael Salinas, a notorious crime lord who deals with betrayal through quick and treacherous means: a bullet to the back of the head, a blade across the neck, an incendiary device beneath a car. Eager to break with Rafael, Drea makes a fateful decision and a desperate move, stealing a mountain of cash from the malicious killer. After all, an escape needs to be financed. Though Drea runs, Salinas knows she can’t hide–and he dispatches a cold-blooded assassin in hot pursuit, resulting in a tragic turn of events. Or does it? Left for dead, Drea miraculously returns to the realm of the living a changed woman. She’s no longer shallow and selfish, no longer steals or cheats or sells herself short. Both humbled and thrilled with this unexpected second chance, Drea embraces her new life. But in order to feel safe and sound–and stop nervously looking over her shoulder–she will need to take down those who marked her for death. Joining forces with the FBI, supplying vital inside information that only she can provide, Drea finds herself working with the most dangerous man she’s ever known. Yet the closer they get to danger, the more intense their feelings for each other become, and the more Drea realizes that the cost of her new life may be her life itself–as well as her heart." I thought this was a [virtual] page turning thriller and loved it!
	The Brass Verdict  by Michael Connelly From Publishers Weekly: "Bestseller Connelly delivers one of his most intricate plots to date in his 20th book, a beautifully executed crime thriller. When L.A. lawyer Mickey Haller, last seen in The Lincoln Lawyer (2005), inherits the practice and caseload of a fellow defense attorney, Jerry Vincent, who's been murdered, the high-profile double-homicide case against famed Hollywood producer Walter Elliot, accused of shooting his wife and her alleged lover, takes top priority. As Haller scrambles to build a defense, he butts heads with LAPD Det. Harry Bosch, the stalwart hero of Connelly's long-running series (The Black Echo, etc.), who's working Vincent's murder. When Haller realizes that the Elliot affair is bigger than simply a jealous husband killing his cheating wife, he and Bosch grudgingly agree to work together to solve what could be the biggest case in both their careers. Bosch might have met his match in the wily Haller, and readers will delight in their sparring." I enjoyed this book (though I wished it were on the Kindle).
	Creation in Death  by JD Robb From Publishers Weekly: "At 27 books and counting, Nora Roberts is more prolific under her Robb pseudonym than most authors manage in a single career. Yet the latest in her not-so-near-future detective series featuring New York Police Det. Eve Dallas offers a satisfyingly novel mélange of suspense, sex, forensics and heroics. It's 2060, and the serial killer nicknamed The Groom is back in town after an absence of nine years, resuming his horrific run of kidnapping, torturing and killing young women. Dallas, who served as a detective in the frustrating first investigation, assumes lead role in this one. This time, not only do the killer's chosen victims have ties to Dallas's husband, Roarke, but Dallas herself may be the killer's ultimate target. Swiftly paced, the story cuts frequently from the investigation to the killer's progress with his victims. Dallas works to outplan, outfight and outsmart the killer; to keep her handsome, rich husband happy; and to be ready for the next round after a good night's sleep. Robb's latest is bound to please Dallas fans."
	Star Bright  by Catherine Anderson From Amazon: "Faking her own death to escape her murderous husband, Rainie Hall takes refuge in the rural community of Crystal Falls, where she finds work as a bookkeeper on a horse ranch run by dangerously good-looking Parker Harrigan. But as their initial attraction blossoms, Rainie fears she can never escape retribution from the man who has sworn to kill her—and that her mere presence could jeopardize everything the Harrigan family holds dear." I love Catherine Anderson and was thrilled to get this book after she took a 2 year hiatus for health reasons. It was a nice story, with her typical storyline (women involved with villain overcomes and falls in love).
	Fireside (The Lakeshore Chronicles)  by Susan Wiggs From Amazon: "Baseball hopeful Bo Crutcher is about to get his shot at the majors. That is, until life throws him a curveball. When AJ, the son he's never met, lands on his doorstep, Bo's life becomes a whole new ball game. He needs help—fast. Enter Kimberly van Dorn. Hired to smooth Bo's rough exterior for the media, she expects the kind of shallow pro athlete she's used to handling. But Bo is willing to sacrifice everything for his vulnerable son. Kim can train him to hit a home run with the press, but over a breathtaking winter on frozen Willow Lake, she realizes he has far more to teach her about the game of life…and putting love first."

It seems like there should be more. Hopefully next month!

Oooh...

One book on the Kindle and I am already spoiled. I finished Death Angel last night and switched to a standard hardback to read today. Boy I miss that Kindle. I keep thinking, "Hmm... I could just send this hardback on to the next bookswap person and buy the book for the Kindle..." It isn't going to happen (because I am too cheap) but the thought has crossed my mind. More than once.

On another topic, I don't know why I love these photos so much (they are pretty boring, actually), but I just think he's such a cutie...

Mattie snoozin' on the couch

He's so content

The only way he let me get away with taking his picture -- he usually runs to me when I get the camera out and try to take his photo -- is that I used my phone. He thought I was surfing the web, I guess.

Happy Day!

Kindle Lovin', Part 2

I'm a little shocked at myself and a little embarrassed to admit... How much I really LOVE the Kindle. Yes, I know I just posted about it this morning.

Here's the thing. I've been doing my book swap for 3 1/2 years . I love to read and have sent/received 570 books in that period of time. You all know how hooked I am at saving money.

But... This Kindle thing... It is really great to use. I swear to God I am reading way faster than I do on paper (strange, huh?). I am [more than] willing to actually start paying for books again.

Does that mean I'll give up PBS? No. Absolutely not. I love it, and I love getting books for $2.50 or so (the cost of shipping). It does mean that books I am really excited to read -- new releases -- that I am low on the list for at PBS will become purchases. I'll also lean way more heavily on Kindle books for travel than a traditional book.

There are lots of possibilities for how it will work. Right now, I am going back to my love fest!

I LOVE my Kindle!!!

Mike's mom got me a Kindle for Christmas. She heard about it on the Oprah Show and thought I would love it. I had heard of it, but had not really looked into it. Anyway, once I started reading about it I got really excited.

I purchased my first Kindle book, Death Angel by Linda Howard , yesterday. I am sooo hooked.

My Kindle

So, here's my review, both the good and the bad, of the Kindle after using it for 5 days.

The Good

• Free sample chapters. This did not seem like such a big deal to me at first. I know who I like to read. I figured it would be good for exploring new authors or if reviews of a book were mixed. Wow, did I get that wrong. I downloaded a sample from an author that I have read in the past and liked. Within the first few pages I knew that this was not the book I wanted to read now. Further, if I did read it, I'd get it through Paperback Swap (PBS) instead of paying $9.99 for it. I downloaded another sample (for the book I am reading now). I wasn't really sure I would like it, thought it was on my PBS list. Lucky for me, the free sample saved the day again. Not only did I like the beginning of the book, I loved it and couldn't wait to read more. I can't tell you enough how valuable the free samples are.
• Quick downloads. When I got to the end of my sample for Death Angel I had the option to "Buy Now" or Continue (or something similar). I chose to buy and Amazon did 1-Click ordering using the primary card associated with my Amazon account. The book was downloaded in less than a minute. The entire book!
• Ease of Use. Flipping through the pages is easy and straightforward. You don't have to be a computer geek to use the Kindle. Page navigation buttons appear on the left (Prev Page, Next Page) and the right (Next Page, Back) of the device. There is a slight delay as the page draws that is reminiscent of turning a page in a paper book.
• Readability. Kindle uses E-ink that is designed to be as crisp and clear as real ink on real paper. It is great. You can also adjust font size if you need/want to.
• Portability. The dimensions of the Kindle are 7.5" x 5.3" x 0.7" -- somewhere between a trade paperback and hardback -- and it weighs 10.3 ounces. But this device can hold up to 200 books. The weight and size don't change, but you get your whole library (or a fair portion of it) in 28 cubic inches. 200 books not enough? Add a 4GB or 8GB sD card. The possibilities are almost limitless.
• Whispernet. The Kindle is a wireless device. But it isn't like a notebook computer, it is more like and iPhone or Blackberry. Communication occurs over a cellular network (Sprint EVDO, I believe) and works just like a cell phone. There are no fees, no passwords, no nothing. You don't have to think about how the content is transferred to your Kindle, it just gets there. The coverage is good for urban areas , but if you are in a rural area, you may need to get content by connecting to your computer's USB port and downloading through your local internet connection .
• Other Goodies I have not needed yet, but know I'll use. You can search you entire kindle for a word or phrase. There have been so many times I wanted to flip to another section of a book, but can't find it; no problem with the Kindle. Ability to bookmark and annotate pages. A built in dictionary. Let's be honest, this has happened to all of us. You are reading along and encounter an unfamiliar word. Kindle makes it easy to look it up on the spot!
• Basic Web Functionality. I list this last because it is what it is called -- basic. Since the Kindle has a wireless data signal you can check email and do basic web surfing. I have bookmarked my Gmail in case I am in a pinch, but I'd rather use my iPhone.

The Bad

Let me preface these items by saying, if this is the worst of it, no one should complain.

• No backlight. This is intentional. Kindle is meant to give you the same reading experience as a written book. A backlight would turn the nice screen into a more computer like device, which is harder on the eyes. Solution: buy a clip on book light. I just ordered mine.
• No page numbers. There is a progress indicator, but no traditional page numbers. I can live with this.

Kindle books vary in price. Amazon says (in loose terms) that prices go up to $9.99. I paid $12.60 for the book I am reading now, but it is worth every penny.

Smiles!

New Year's Day Christmas

We were fortunate to celebrate a third Christmas yesterday! They just kept coming and coming this year!

We exchanged gifts with Michael's family (we only took little things down to Amelia Island) and enjoyed a lovely Christmas dinner. Connor and Fiona enjoyed unwrapping gifts and exploring their new toys. We got them a puppet theater and puppets and are looking forward to a show when they are back in their house here in Massachusetts.

Pat got me a Kindle and I am really excited to get my first book on it. I am trying to decide what it should be... Anyone have ideas?

Have a happy day!