Princeton Students Find Kindle "Disappointing"

[ravewulf]

Depends on the course and the textbook in question, but I would prefer my convertable tablet/laptop over it in any case.

 

[JohnnyLucky]

I bought my first computer in 1984. There was no Internet at the time. Instead we read pc magazines published by Ziff Davis. I remember an article in PC Magazine about going paperless. It never really happened. Instead we wound up using more paper. Now we use "electronic paper". By all accounts use of "electronic paper" is going through the roof.

 

[JohnnyLucky]

Hmmmm... a though just popped into my head. I wonder if the target audience is housewives that read romance novels.

 

[Montezuma]

The only device that might serve as a replacement for textbooks would be a device similar to a tablet PC that has about the same surface area as a closed, moderately sized text book. It would need a feature that would allow the user to view two pages at the same time(similar to have a book opened), and be able to keep up with the working speed of top-tier students.

It would also need great menu options(i.e. having multi-colored tabs to bookmark pages for starters), allow the user to write notes on the pages in free-hand form, and also allow for the backing up for all works to a secured location(as we all know, Amazon just has too much control over these devices from the 1984 book incident).

The perfect device could be made today, but the problem is that everyone is more concerned about getting paid rather than giving students what they need. It is the same reason that we do not have batteries that last longer and why we do not have high horsepower cars that can get 100 MPG.

 

[tipoo]

I'd take it. One of my classes has three textbooks, one has two, and the other four all have one (plus some books). An average textbook is what, 5 pounds? Its a pain to carry around all the time. A Kindle DX would be a welcome change for me, but only if they paid for it

 

[Guest]

what the hell does Princeton students have to do with the kindle being a piece of shit? Do these writers actually think we care what geeks from Princeton think?

 

[toofly]

Tablet PC FTW... I photocopy my books with a point-n-shoot camera, turn the JPGs into PDFs for each book, open it in Foxit PDF Reader, and you can highlight, bookmark, write anywhere on the page... And then copy it into OneNote.
It already has replaced physical text books for me for over a year and a half now...

 

[hakesterman]

Who ever thought the Kindle was designed for students is either on Crack or Meth. It was designed for home use for readers who didn't want all the books lying around. It was never meant to be a replacement
for students books. I am shocked that Amazon would even allow it knowing that that's not what it was meant for. Amazon only cares about sales, but this mistake may cost them more sales in the end. Shame on you Amazon.

 

[acme_petey]

As a engineering student, I fully agree with the article. For example, I just flipped through 80+ pages in a textbook, not to read it, but for all the equations and notes on the subject. I just don't see an e-reader being useful until they come with a stylus and margins so I can annotate and bookmark key points.
On another point, if I had the money (big IF), I would would consider getting one for leisure reading.

 

[gorehound]

Buy your Kindles....I never will.I own over a 1,000 books and buy/sell 1st editions.I have collected books since I was a child.
Bet I can get a ton of money selling "KINDLE" books huh !!!!
These devices are evil and may end up destroying the paper publiushing like mp3's.
real shame buying digital books instead of real ones.

 

[mcshasta]

A book can't have hardware issues or have battery die. Kindle isn't a good match for the college lifestyle.

 

[nelson_nel]

I'm sure the device is crap. Still, I can all but garuntee a large problem with those who are complaining has to do with it being 'different' in general.

"Horvath went on to say that he's had to adjust the way he digests information and completes his coursework because of the Kindle."

Well, I think all technology that is purposed with supplementing a task involves 'adjusting the way' you go about that given task. I doubt people who have made it that far into their academic careers are too receptive to change their habits by that point. I bet a more receptive group would at least address this angle.

Still, I'm sure the component isn't doing its job. Oh well.

 

[eyemaster]

I prefer books myself. Just fanning the pages to find information sometimes is a great way for me to find something. The best tool would be a paperbook with a nice search engine on it!

 

[annymmo]

THe kindle and especially kindle content is very restrictive.
I wouldn't buy a kindle because of the problems with the actual owning of the books, includes both that Amazon can do anything they want with the books I purchased and that it does not offer advantageous that paper does!

 

[Guest]

I think it's funny, everyone says "this needs this, this, this, this and this... netbooks need to be faster with bigger screens, ebooks need to be faster with more features..." everyone is really wanting tablets to be the answer for everything without realizing it.
Get this straight, if you want a laptop, go buy a freaken laptop. This is meant to be an electronic book! I agree that it could use a few more features like a pen to jot down notes in the margins, but it's primary focus is to read books. You start adding too much to any particular device and your getting into overkill. Someday we'll have cell phones with quad core processors the size of an flee (the processor, not the phone), with a pull out paper thin screen that folds out to be 15 inches if you so desire and it will hold 200gb of storage - for an end all be all device. Until then, buy this for books, buy a netbook for ultra travel webbing, buy a tablet for school, a cell phone for calling, an MP3 player for music, and stop bitching that your stuff doesn't do enough!