Book VS Kindle

[EmilieT]

Hi everyone!

With today being Shakespeare's day as well as a symbolic day for world literature, I thought it'd be a good opportunity to learn more about your reading habits and how much your phone or technology in general is involved in these. 

As I studied literature, I used to think physical books were the only legitimate way to read, and that reading on a screen could never compare. Commuting everyday with 1000+ pages novels in my handbag slowly made me reconsider my position : I now find that I read much more thanks to my kindle, and how convenient it is 

The Kindle app on my iPhone is also great for a quick read inbetween other things! That being said, the smell of a fresh new book will always be something special, and I don't plan on completely stopping to extend my library anytime soon 

So what do you guys think, how do you go about getting through your novels and other books? Are you firm traditionals, a mix of both or do you prefer your books on a screen?

[ComaChameleon]

My best friend and me got tattooed today, she has bought a kindle now too. But she said it's hard to get books "online" *cought* bc it's not in amazon's format. Do you guys only buy on amazon itself or do you load anywhere and format it into the matching one?

@Glory1

How can you watch them, are they on open uk-tv?

We can't get any foreign tv channels here. Always had to load Doctor Who etc 😞

YT: Not everything was blocked, but many, many things. But now luckily they made a law and opened it, so we can see/hear them all. It looked like THAT *click*

@Cleoriff

So it's normal for you buying used stuff? It's really unusual here (unless flea markets and some hipsters in the cities start to like that, but it's only in the hip-quarters...

Do the sellers there work for free/voluntary or do they get payed?

What happened with Oxfam?

We like to buy some pens and pins at some (heart association has always some). Selling wristbands and such stuff for the good cause isn't usual here too, saw some of them for example in Chesham (lovely small town <3)

Youtube was all over Germany, as soon as you had a German IP... So with a bit knowledge you were able to see it... But it was nasty.

It's an organisation which works for the interest of the artists.... So we here have to pay, but all the other world is able to see it and the artist is still happy.... Don't know what they wanted to achive with that system -.-

[Glory1]

Morning @ComaChameleon.

Yes the foreign TV shows I watch/have watched are on UK TV channels. They're mainly shown on BBC4, although another digital channel More4 has shown some Swedish and Belgian TV shows and Channel 4 has also shown French and German TV shows. I've watched TV series from Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Germany and France, and thoroughly enjoyed them. BBC4 has also shown films from Scandinavia, Spain and France and Film4 has, in the past, shown some fantastic Japanese horror films. I think we tend to get the more popular TV shows and films from these countries. They certainly are very good and I enjoy watching them.

Again, I'm surprised you can't get any foreign TV shows. Germany is part of Europe and if they sell their TV shows to us, for example, why they don't buy our better TV shows for German TV, dubbed into German.

There are, I believe, many other sites you can buy and download books from. I personally can only speak for Amazon and Google Playstore as these are the only two sites I use. Primarily Amazon as I prefer to read books on my Kindle rather than my phone, even with its 6.1" screen.

Perhaps other members can add more information regarding other book sites.

Btw I am glad to hear Youtube is again open to you in Germany for streaming music. I can't really understand why they blocked it. But then who really understands politicians 🤣

[Cleoriff]

@ComaChameleonIt is normal for people to buy used stuff.

You have a varying degree of second hand or charity shops (certainly in Warwickshire) You will have those that sell goods of 'lower' quality and then there are those 'Pre-loved, Pre-owned shops where you can buy designer outfits for a ridiculously low amount of money. 

My sister was a master at buying clothes from these shops. She could spot a desgner outfit from miles away.

It was a real hobby for her. She didn't need second hand clothes. Her and her husband were very very rich but she just loved a bargain.

When I went into management, and out of uniform, she got a lot of pleasure shopping for outfits (suits) for me

So I could look 'great' in something that cost under £10

My husband attends antique fairs and can pick up a bargain in ornaments, jewellery etc from any charity shop

As for Oxfam. They had a lot of bad publicity recently regarding how little the donated money from goods sold, was actually getting to the people who need it most. It was disclosed after the earhquake in Haiti and the actions of some of the senior staff . Read it here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43112200?intlink_from_url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cz3nmk0k7k3t...

They may be squeaky clean now but there are other charities that benefit more from my donations

[gmarkj]

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@ComaChameleon wrote:

My best friend and me got tattooed today, she has bought a kindle now too. But she said it's hard to get books "online" *cought* bc it's not in amazon's format. Do you guys only buy on amazon itself or do you load anywhere and format it into the matching one?

---

You can read books purcharsed elsewhere on a Kindle.

This is based on Amazon.co.uk, so may differ to the .de version.

Log into Amazon account.

Drop down from the menu - Manage your content and devices

Then choose settings from the three options at the top

Then choose Personal Documents Document Settings.

This then shows an email address for the Kindle. You can email certain file types to this, that Amazon will then convert for reading on the Kindle.

Alternatively a program/app called Calibre can convert ebook files from one type to another.

Some guides here:

https://www.stevebremner.com/2014/03/how-to-put-non-amazon-e-books-on-your-kindle/

http://uk.pcmag.com/ebook-reader-reviews-ratings-comparisons/41944/feature/how-to-put-free-ebooks-on...

http://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/2017/02/15/6-different-ways-to-load-ebooks-on-your-kindle/

Please note, I am not responsible for any of the links above - they were the top 3 links on a google search.

[jonsie]

I use Calibre to convert files into the correct format. My son downloads genres of books by top authors as the piracy laws are different or should I say, the ISPs tend not to block the sites, then he just adds them to Dad's folder on Dropbox. This is also the source of most of my music as my collection is on a portable hard drive back home. I don't keep much on my phone.

I'm bad. I'm going to hell aren't I? 😢

[gmarkj]

No more than the rest of us @jonsie!
The price of most things are growing much faster than the amount of money people have to pay for them.
While it is not ideal that people do this, if things were cheaper then there is more chance people will pay for it.

[sheepdog]

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@Glory1 wrote:
Morning @ComaChameleon.

Yes the foreign TV shows I watch/have watched are on UK TV channels. They're mainly shown on BBC4, although another digital channel More4 has shown some Swedish and Belgian TV shows and Channel 4 has also shown French and German TV shows. I've watched TV series from Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Germany and France, and thoroughly enjoyed them. BBC4 has also shown films from Scandinavia, Spain and France and Film4 has, in the past, shown some fantastic Japanese horror films. I think we tend to get the more popular TV shows and films from these countries. They certainly are very good and I enjoy watching them.

Again, I'm surprised you can't get any foreign TV shows. Germany is part of Europe and if they sell their TV shows to us, for example, why they don't buy our better TV shows for German TV, dubbed into German.

...

---

Its slightly bizarre to watch German dubbing when you know the english voices. Except David Hasselhof in Knight Rider, then there was really no difference  Besides like most TV, there is a limited pool of voice-over artists so after a time you get to hear the same voices over and over on different shows being dubbed. 

Even more entertaining are the Japanese programs spoken into English (as in dubbed into English) with english subtitles. Sometimes there is quite a mis-match in spoken English and written....but enjoy them a lot with or without subtitles. 

BTW one thing about Netflix is that it is quite good for foreign shows though as I inadvertently discovered, it depends on the regional licensing available if it gets picked for streaming. 

[Glory1]

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@gmarkj wrote:

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@ComaChameleon wrote:

My best friend and me got tattooed today, she has bought a kindle now too. But she said it's hard to get books "online" *cought* bc it's not in amazon's format. Do you guys only buy on amazon itself or do you load anywhere and format it into the matching one?

---

You can read books purcharsed elsewhere on a Kindle.

This is based on Amazon.co.uk, so may differ to the .de version.

Log into Amazon account.

Drop down from the menu - Manage your content and devices

Then choose settings from the three options at the top

Then choose Personal Documents Document Settings.

This then shows an email address for the Kindle. You can email certain file types to this, that Amazon will then convert for reading on the Kindle.

Alternatively a program/app called Calibre can convert ebook files from one type to another.

Some guides here:

https://www.stevebremner.com/2014/03/how-to-put-non-amazon-e-books-on-your-kindle/

http://uk.pcmag.com/ebook-reader-reviews-ratings-comparisons/41944/feature/how-to-put-free-ebooks-on...

http://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/2017/02/15/6-different-ways-to-load-ebooks-on-your-kindle/

Please note, I am not responsible for any of the links above - they were the top 3 links on a google search.

---

Thanks for that info @gmarkj. I didn't know that. All the books on my Kindle are from Amazon.co.uk. but I will be investigating other sites to see what's out there and if they are cheaper than Amazon.

[ComaChameleon]

@Glory1

Ah. nooo... We just don't get the foreign channels. We have everything dubbed on German TV. But things like Doctor Who (the base got bigger now, but it's still not common here) are mostly on pay-tv (sadly).

@Cleoriff

So she's a real "Schnäppchen-Jäger" (bargain-hunter)  

I liked some hospice-shops. But I like hospices in general, I think it's important to put the last remaining days of people to some of the best.

@gmarkj

I tried the email, but it didn't worked good for me 😞 like .pdf wasn't converted..

I use calibre too, but didn't tried that special book again yet.

@jonsie

In UK the sites are blocked? Thought it would be even easier...

Hell - with a VIP-bracelet and welcome-cocktail?

@sheepdog

Same way round if you only know the dubbed versions and hear the real voices

Netflix is very limited here, it's almost the same range of films & series as amazon prime has.

[Glory1]

Oh dear @ComaChameleon that's not good and expensive I imagine. Of course, we have Sky (sattelite) and Virgin (cable) and, of course, Netflix (streaming). But, in addition, we have Freeviee which is a free-to-air TV service with over 100 TV channels that cost you nothing to watch plus an extra 50-odd channels that are subscription only. You only have to have a TV which is full HD or purchase a reasonably priced set-top box which allows you to watch all the Freeview channels. So you have a one-off cost either for a full HD TV or for a set top box. No further cost is incurred.

Initially, I couldn't really afford Sky or Virgin. I can now afford either one of them but don't want them. There is more than enough for me to watch on Freeview. And any TV shows I want to see on Sky or Netflix I buy on Amazon.