Has WotC/Hasbro given thought to the idea of Kindle-izing the rule books for fourth edition?
Given that a new version of the Kindle will almost certainly be out sometime this year (news reports are saying February), and the supposed ease of making an e-book out of a book, and the ease of use of the Kindle would this kind of idea make sense?
They do burn pretty nice. If you're not using the sacrifice rules from BoVD, though, you won't get the +2 bonus for sacrificing the holy symbols of an opposing deity.
Kindle . . . Kindle-izing . . . kindling? I was confused too, until I remembered seeing that black-and-white picture on Amazon (That picture is black-and-white, not colored, right?)
Doesn't Kindle read pdfs?
I believe it does, but I'd rather buy the e-book so that they can continue to make the game....
I believe it does, but I'd rather buy the e-book so that they can continue to make the game....
???
You can buy legit pdfs for 4th edition (at least I think Drive Thru RPG is selling legit pdfs).
Do these ebook readers work well with pdfs?
???
You can buy legit pdfs for 4th edition (at least I think Drive Thru RPG is selling legit pdfs).
Do these ebook readers work well with pdfs?
From Amazon's page re: personal files:
"Personal Files
Eliminating the need to print, Kindle makes it easy to take your personal documents with you. Each Kindle has a unique and customizable e-mail address. You can set your unique email address on your Manage Your Kindle page. This allows you and your contacts to e-mail Word documents and pictures wirelessly to your Kindle for only $.10. Kindle supports wireless delivery of unprotected Microsoft Word, HTML, TXT, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, PRC and MOBI files.
PDF conversion is experimental. The experimental category represents the features we are working on to enhance the Kindle experience even further. You can email your PDFs wirelessly to your Kindle. Due to PDF’s fixed layout format, some complex PDF files might not format correctly on your Kindle.
If you are not in a wireless area or would like to avoid the $.10 fee for wireless delivery, you can send attachments to "name"@free.kindle.com to be converted and e-mailed to your computer at the e-mail address associated with your Amazon.com account login. You can then transfer the document to your Kindle using your USB connection. For example, if your Kindle email address is [email]Jay@Kindle.com[/email], send your attachments to [email]Jay@free.kindle.com[/email]. "
Also from a blog I found from Google....
http://www.rosevines.org/blog/2007/11/25/the-kindle-does-pdfs.html
"Well, it turns out that’s not the case. The Kindle can’t store native PDFs, it’s true, but you can use the Kindle’s conversion service to transform your PDFs into the Kindle’s AZW format, and get them onto your device that way."
So....official WotC sanctioned "kindle-ized" e-books would be preferable for me. Granted, I don't own a Kindle yet, but if the 2.0 version is decent looking, I just might pick it up.
Yep it doesn't look like the pdf wouldn't work so well. A Kindle version would be great.
I just wish kindle's were a bit cheaper
I just wish kindle's were a bit cheaper
Me too. This thread has got me looking at the Kindle in more depth. It would be great but it isn't cheap. Maybe the rumored "kindle 2" will be cheaper. Probably not, but I can dream.
Due to PDF’s fixed layout format, some complex PDF files might not format correctly on your Kindle.
Rather, due to Kindle's limited graphic processing capabilities, anything that has a design more complex than your typical MS Word newsletter will not display properly.
Basically, the Kindle is never going to take off until it have a nice big color screen that can handle layout and design. By then something else that does have a nice big color screen that can handle layout and design will have replaced it. Seeing what my iPhone can do, I suspect that's not too far off.
Rather, due to Kindle's limited graphic processing capabilities, anything that has a design more complex than your typical MS Word newsletter will not display properly.
Basically, the Kindle is never going to take off until it have a nice big color screen that can handle layout and design. By then something else that does have a nice big color screen that can handle layout and design will have replaced it. Seeing what my iPhone can do, I suspect that's not too far off.
Yes and for these reasons it does not make much sense to make RPGs for the device
Perfect small-sized PDF-reading netbook.
A netbook is better for many purposes, but reading e-books isn't one of them.
The problem with a netbook vs. an e-reader is that an e-reader has a higher resolution, electronic ink or e-paper screen that is MUCH easier to read, and that uses much less power.
A netbook is better for many purposes, but reading e-books isn't one of them.
Yet, the e-readers can't properly handle the PDF books that we're concerned about, and they can't do it in color.
And the netbook has a lot of other uses, besides just reading a book.
A kendalized version would have to be text and tables. And getting tables kendalized is rather difficult anyways.
Yet, the e-readers can't properly handle the PDF books that we're concerned about, and they can't do it in color.
True. But neither of those issues deal with the fact that an LCD is really hard to read for extended periods, which is the primary advantage of an e-reader.
And the netbook has a lot of other uses, besides just reading a book.
A Swiss Army Knife has a lot of uses besides being a knife, and yet it's still not great for carving a turkey. Your point?
True. But neither of those issues deal with the fact that an LCD is really hard to read for extended periods, which is the primary advantage of an e-reader.
Never had an issue, myself. I stare at 4 of them for work, and another 2 when I get home...
A Swiss Army Knife has a lot of uses besides being a knife, and yet it's still not great for carving a turkey. Your point?
The netbook or laptop has a lot of other uses that can directly benefit a gamer - online access to resources (DDI, d20srd.org, whatever you want), gaming-related software/utilities, network access to a printer - there's all kinds of things that a netbook/laptop can do that would benefit a gamer, whereas the Kindle or another e-reader can do one thing, and for gaming material as it exists right now, do it poorly. And more expensively.
That's pretty much my point. The netbook/laptop will carve a turkey a lot of different ways, the e-reader won't.
Never had an issue, myself. I stare at 4 of them for work, and another 2 when I get home...
I spend a lot of time staring at a computer screen, too, but I wouldn't want to read a book on one. When I'm using a computer, I usually look away from the screen fairly often, but when I'm reading a book I hardly ever look away.
The netbook or laptop has a lot of other uses that can directly benefit a gamer - online access to resources (DDI, d20srd.org, whatever you want), gaming-related software/utilities, network access to a printer - there's all kinds of things that a netbook/laptop can do that would benefit a gamer, whereas the Kindle or another e-reader can do one thing, and for gaming material as it exists right now, do it poorly. And more expensively.
Yeah, as it stands, a laptop or netbook is a vastly better RPG tool than a Kindle. If you want to read a book, a laptop is pretty sucky, and an e-reader is pretty good (although not worth any where near $350 more than a hardcopy book).
I think that a Kindle 2.0+ version of the D&D books would be a bad idea, though - assuming that, some day, there is an affordable e-reader that can actually display full-color RPG layouts. Kindle books cost something like $9.99 when the hardcovers cost $29.99, and ScottR made it pretty clear in the "I bought $240 worth of books" thread that WotC has zero interest in making the electronic copies of the books less expensive than the hard copies.
This makes laptops even more attractive than e-readers, because if it's so expensive to get electronic copies of the books, most people won't be using (legal) electronic copies, at all, for anything. A laptop or netbook, on the other hand, can still view the compendium, store character sheets, etc.
The only potential downside I can see for a Kindle version would be if the time (and money) invested to convert to the Kindle version wouldn't be worth the return. I am no graphic artist or book designer, but I can't really see the conversion being a significant expense.
Since textbooks usually have similar display issues to RPG books (complicated layouts, graphics, charts & tables), it seems likely that a textbook Kindle would be able to handle RPG books really well. It'll be interesting to see.
I've heard rumors that Amazon is developing a Kindle for textbooks - the idea is that it would have an 8.5"x11" screen, which would allow native PDF display. The Kindle 2 display can do 16 shades of gray (as opposed to the 4 shades of the v.1 Kindle) so graphics should be decent.
Since textbooks usually have similar display issues to RPG books (complicated layouts, graphics, charts & tables), it seems likely that a textbook Kindle would be able to handle RPG books really well. It'll be interesting to see.
I have heard of that. There is also a company called Plastic Logic doing a similar large ebook reader (there is a video of it on youtube). Those products would be great for textbooks (and I wish I had one while in college).
However, I would still like to see D&D products for the regular sized Kindle.
It would actually give me a pretty big reason to buy one! (Committing to it with their novels line would make sense too, I know the RA Salvatore latest is on kindle)
I am really hoping the Kindle 2.x will have a better PDF interface with the 16 shades of grey / where we could read Dragon articles on there along with PDFs.
The whole $240 of books / electronic version kinda rubs me the wrong way / especially as an insider
Kindle file formats are proprietary / (like Ipods) so there should be zero worries of a Kindle version getting copied all over the world, etc. (Whereas a PDF file they have legit worries)
However, I think that having e-book versions of Dragon and Dungeon would be as useful or more useful to me than versions of the rules. I would much more likely subscribe to Insider if I could read the mags on a comfortable medium.
And Kindle (& E-Reader) both already have quite an array of magazine content available to them.
-Mike
By the way, if you go look up the books on Amazon, there's a link beneath them that says "I want this on Kindle...tell the publisher." I suggest everyone who wants it goes and does that.
I'd love to see Wizards do something for those who have Insider subscriptions or have already bought the books to get the Kindle versions more cheaply. Especially since they won't be color. Let the regular price be $9.99 (seems appropriate considering the format and competition) and let Insider subscribers or those who enter in the serial numbers from the books they purchased get it for $1.99 or $2.99.
I'm not thrilled about the idea of re-buying the books, but I'd pay a convenience fee to have the books I bought in Kindle format so it's less to carry around, easy to search, etc.
I got the Kindle 2 this week and it is a huge improvement over the Kindle 1. I am a person who has been calling for reasonably priced PDFs for years, but I have bought PDFs at a "premium" -- $25 per core book PDF vs. $66 for the three physical core books from Amazon. But, what I would actually much rather have is the books in Kindle format! A good price point would be $10-20 on Amazon.com. If you sell them for $10 I will buy *every* book you publish in that format! I already buy just about every print book for $20-25 that you publish on Amazon.
This morning I spent $200 on various books for the Kindle 2. I would *love* to spend another $100-200 on D&D books. You would probably have to have someone work on making the books look good in Kindle format, but I bet if you spent 20-40 hours on each book to create them and then 10 hours a month on *updating* them so that customers had versions with errata applied so that users would just always have the latest versions automagically downloaded to them. Well, I would be in heaven.
I really want to give you guys more money, but I want quality products in return. If you can't afford an employee to do the work... Get a Graphics Design intern to do it for free. I bet that there are plenty of people who would jump at the prospect.
Now you might think to yourself, well it is just not worth our time, but I really think *now* is the time. So I ask you fellow D&D players, how many of you would buy Kindle versions of D&D books? Let WotC know. I would think that this has got to be more attractive to WotC than PDFs -- it has DRM built into it unlike the PDFs I bought (for *more* than the price of the physical core books). Scott, do you really want to turn down players' money?
Oh, and by the way, I have converted the core PDFs into Mobireader format and sent them to my Kindle 2. They look OK, but just OK -- you know that artwork looks pretty good on the Kindle 2. But, I would rather someone do a more professional version...
And on the subject of the magazines... Wow!!! I would love to have them delivered to my Kindle 2. I am going to be much more like to read them on my Kindle 2.
But please explore a more substantial relationship with Amazon and the Kindle 2. The Kindle 1 sold 500,000 units -- mostly to Oprah fans ;-} But I think techies will buy the Kindle 2 and a lot of those folks are ex-/current-/potential-D&D customers. And you can bet that Kindle 2 users have disposable cash ;-}
If you are afraid of the your products not looking good, get someone to show you a copy of the NY Times on the Kindle 2. I can't believe that at a company like yours that you don't have several technically oriented people who have bought one. They are sweet -- they will sell out. You could have another revenue stream...
Cheers,
John the Librarian
There is also a couple other software/products that apparently do the same thing. (Sometimes one works better than another)
http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40725
If you want to see what DRAGON content looks like on it!? (I am inside subscriber / sent a short article to be tested for us!!)
I will post up my impressions later this week - ordered mine today!
That's why a large-screen Kindle textbook reader would probably eliminate most issues with displaying PDFs.
If an automated program can do a half-way decent job of converting these books to the Kindle then I am sure the smart people at WotC could do a professional-looking job fairly quickly.
I just used Mobipocket Creator to convert the PHB pdf (legally purchased) to a Kindle friendly format and for an automated conversion it ain't half bad. I was surprized the links in the pdf transferd over to the Kindle. The formatting is very rough and could be cleaned up (especially the table) and for that I would pay to purchase it again.
If an automated program can do a half-way decent job of converting these books to the Kindle then I am sure the smart people at WotC could do a professional-looking job fairly quickly.
oooh....thanks for that, I'm buying a kindle and own the 4e pdfs...*jots down the name*
Even if the tables aren't very polished it'd be worth it not to lug around a dozen books or a laptop...
I suspect the issue will be / I am not going to keep spending nearly $30 to buy the same book over and over again.
I tell you what I WOULD buy in a heartbeat though is a "lite" book(s) with powers & a DM "screen" with all those tables built into a nice neat Kindle file. (Yeah I could retype them myself but bleh..)
But if they had a "powers" book, with 1 page per power (or 2 in a page for shorter ones) with everything all pre-bookmarked etc, so I could run in and "SEARCH" for a power or goto Ranger==>Split the Tree, or Magic Weapons==>Flaming Weapon (with the nice little table in PHB) that would rock!!
There is lots of "fluff" that I don't really need to refer to when gaming... but at the end of the LFR adventure and I am trying to remember how a +1 Symbol of Battle works...vs getting myself that vicious weapon or....etc
Just my 2 cents. LOVE my Kindle so far
Kindle items are available to be viewed on the iPhone and iTouch if you buy the item through the Amazon portal. So that market has opened up to Kindle style eBooks to people who don't even own a Kindle. More platforms for Kindle eBooks will be opening soon.
This seems like it it is a WIN-WIN-WIN scenario! WotC management & marketing, are you listening?
Cheers,
John
What I propose to WotC is this: Give Kindle rights to RPGNow/DriveThruRPG to produce some or all of the items they now have PDF selling/production rights to. Let DriveThruRPG either take a crack at producing a really decent Kindle version -or- use a professional conversion company if more economical. Then put the books in the Amazon store.
The Amazon store is the key! They will get new customers that way, *maybe* even new players all together. For the end user I get a really nice version of the PDF on my Kindle *and* it is also available on my iPhone, because as of about 10 days ago I can now access all Kindle items *purchased* from Amazon on my iPhone/iTouch (that drastically opens up the market).
I sent an email to DriveThruRPG and proposed this idea to them and they wrote back saying they would discuss the idea with WotC. Now I realize, and boy do I, that I don't understand all the business issues involved but I would really like it if WotC could find a way to make this happen, especially if there was no down side to them. Let DriveThruRPG do the heavy lifting and perhaps take a larger share of profit to recoup the cost of Kindle conversion.
Maybe start with a dozen 4e books to see if the idea is practical, those would probably be the best sellers... And then allow selling of the 3.5 catalog.
John
I am working on cleaning up the formatting of the PHB pdf I have to reload on to the Kindle. I copy and pasted the entire file into a word document and I am working on cleaning up the fomatting in there. It is a slow process (I am halfway through chapter 4) but I will see how it come out. I would still want to see the professional done Kindle files though.
If your going to go all digital with your DnD books, wouldn't it be better to just use a laptop? Bigger screen, full color, you can have every book open at the same time, full size keyboard, and better search (I assume anyway). I also hear that Kindle screens have a low refresh rate, I haven't seen them in action I admit; that would be really annoying when using a reference tool.
I think the Kindle is neat technology, but I don't see it fitting here. I think it's meant for long reading, as in sitting down with a novel or a newspaper. Am I wrong?
I don't own a Kindle, but I have questions.
If your going to go all digital with your DnD books, wouldn't it be better to just use a laptop? Bigger screen, full color, you can have every book open at the same time, full size keyboard, and better search (I assume anyway). I also hear that Kindle screens have a low refresh rate, I haven't seen them in action I admit; that would be really annoying when using a reference tool.
I think the Kindle is neat technology, but I don't see it fitting here. I think it's meant for long reading, as in sitting down with a novel or a newspaper. Am I wrong?
Well I'm not getting a Kindle FOR DnD books, I'm getting it purely for the long battery life for reading books and the free wikipedia access anywhere. For reading a DnD book, I concede a laptop would be more ideal ...
But, since I'm getting one anyway, I'd love to have that as an easy place to put my DnD books instead of lugging around a laptop or 10-20 books everywhere. I'd rather a tiny little ebook reader I can keep on the table next to my character sheet and dice. A laptop would never work as we usually are cramped for space and a laptop set up would be annoying to other players.
So, having said that, I think you can see why some Kindle owners (or soon-to-be owners) would want a good way to put their DnD books on it.
I don't own a Kindle, but I have questions.
If your going to go all digital with your DnD books, wouldn't it be better to just use a laptop? Bigger screen, full color, you can have every book open at the same time, full size keyboard, and better search (I assume anyway). I also hear that Kindle screens have a low refresh rate, I haven't seen them in action I admit; that would be really annoying when using a reference tool.
I think the Kindle is neat technology, but I don't see it fitting here. I think it's meant for long reading, as in sitting down with a novel or a newspaper. Am I wrong?
The thing about the Kindle is that you can take it anywhere. With the Kindle if I am stuck at the doctor's office for an hour waiting or if I go out of the office to eat lunch by myself I always have the Kindle with me. I would love to have the option of reading some of the D&D books during these times as well.
A laptop is more powerful, but it isn't as portable and doesn't have anywhere near the battrery life of the Kindle. Plus the Kindle is much easier on the eyes.
For something that would take very little effort to produce (the books already exist you just have to convert them to the Kindle format) I am shocked that WotC wouldn't do this.
The thing about the Kindle is that you can take it anywhere. With the Kindle if I am stuck at the doctor's office for an hour waiting or if I go out of the office to eat lunch by myself I always have the Kindle with me. I would love to have the option of reading some of the D&D books during these times as well.
I guess I could see that. One of my issues with the Kindle is I have no need for hundreds of novels at once! LOL I suppose being able to flip through various RPG books is nice. Unfortanatly, I can never see myself ever paying full printed price for an ebook. Maybe if they offered a kindle ebook for free or very inexpensive along with the printed book.
For something that would take very little effort to produce (the books already exist you just have to convert them to the Kindle format) I am shocked that WotC wouldn't do this.
I's probably a business issue. I'm sure Amazon is taking a nice cut off of Kindle sales.
I guess I could see that. One of my issues with the Kindle is I have no need for hundreds of novels at once! LOL
I don't need hundreds of books either, but it is nice to have several books available whenever I get a chance to read (no matter where it is -- I have 3 kids at home so I take reading time when I can get it).
I suppose being able to flip through various RPG books is nice. Unfortanatly, I can never see myself ever paying full printed price for an ebook. Maybe if they offered a kindle ebook for free or very inexpensive along with the printed book.
I would pay what I pay for the printed books (which so far is $15-20 each) since I would probably read the Kindle one more often.
I's probably a business issue. I'm sure Amazon is taking a nice cut off of Kindle sales.
Possibly. I am sure they have their reasons.
I don't own a Kindle, but I have questions.
If your going to go all digital with your DnD books, wouldn't it be better to just use a laptop? Bigger screen, full color, you can have every book open at the same time, full size keyboard, and better search (I assume anyway). I also hear that Kindle screens have a low refresh rate, I haven't seen them in action I admit; that would be really annoying when using a reference tool.
I think the Kindle is neat technology, but I don't see it fitting here. I think it's meant for long reading, as in sitting down with a novel or a newspaper. Am I wrong?
Laptops have bigger screens, but they also have a bigger footprint especially if you are annoyed by the touch pad and want to use a mouse. In my groups table space is at a premium when we are actually playing at a table (most of my groups don't). I have had a laptop at the table before and have most of my players and dm's find it annoying to have the barrier between us.
You might also run into problems of plugging everyone in if batteries run low.
Color just doesn't seem like it would be an issue to me. Sure it would be nice to look at and the art would be better, but i really don't need it to be able to get the information i am after.
As for having multiple books open, i don't find myself often looking at more than one book.
I don't think i would be typing enough to be worried about a larger keyboard. but then i have used and EEE pc on vacation to write a travel log. After a day or so i was used to the tiny keyboard.
I imagine searches would be faster, but i doubt they would be any better.
As for refresh rates, I'm not usually in a race to find things so i doubt it would be an issue for me.
In the end, it really is going to come down to personal preference.
I would love to see an ebook reader formatted series of books.
the portrait orientation of the ebook display is easier (in my opinion) to read than the landscape orientation of laptops, which will require more scrolling.
one additional point on Laptop vs ebook reader.
the portrait orientation of the ebook display is easier (in my opinion) to read than the landscape orientation of laptops, which will require more scrolling.
well, just buy a convertible notebook or a netvertible. ;)
i think the idea behind the kindle is great - just the missing pdf support and that its "just for reading" is a factor that i don't like about it. thats like going back to portable dvd player for videos and a cd player for music... but e-ink is great for reading newspapers in daylight.
I think that the 3rd or 4th generation of netvertibles will solve the problems. good screens and high battery life with a nice low voltage processor should need all my portable needs for a long time.
well, just buy a convertible notebook or a netvertible. ;)
i think the idea behind the kindle is great - just the missing pdf support and that its "just for reading" is a factor that i don't like about it. thats like going back to portable dvd player for videos and a cd player for music... but e-ink is great for reading newspapers in daylight.
I think that the 3rd or 4th generation of netvertibles will solve the problems. good screens and high battery life with a nice low voltage processor should need all my portable needs for a long time.
a convertible notebook may be an option in the future. currently they are too expensive for me for me to justify....especially already having an EEE.
as for pdf's on the kindle, according to the ads they do support pdfs. they may have trouble claiming to fully support pdfs, given how many bells and whistles adobe is trying put into the pdfs. Most of which you will never encounter in ebooks.
kindle does have bookmarking and annotation. I'm not sure if they have an independent text editor for writing but you can put notes in your books.
I don't know if it will have any true effect, but there's a communications firm (from overseas) that is suing Apple for promoting the iPhone as a digital book reader. They claim that they patented the eBook thing over seven years ago. I just heard that news this morning, actually. I wonder if they're after Amazon as well?[/indent]
Kindle... that costs the same as an X-Box 360 last time I checked
Would you feel different if they gave them away for free if you signed a 2 year contract to get the web access via cell network (that you currently get for no charge) at $15 per month?
I just wish kindle's were a bit cheaper
I got the Kindle for FREE! If you have an iPod Touch or iPhone, you can download the Kindle Application for free. I have an iPod Touch and rave about it day and night.
So, if you compare the costs (roughly $229 for a 8GB Touch to $349 for the Kindle), I think the Touch is your best bet.
The problem with Kindle though is it doesn't read pdfs. or tables. So it might prove difficult.
However, there are many free applications for the Touch/Phone that you can read and download .pdf files. And the best thing about the Touch over the Phone is no monthly fees.
I got the Kindle for FREE!
Actually no, you didn't. You got software that allows you to read Kindle formatted stuff. Big difference. But that doesn't mean you you have is inferior to the Kindle (soods like it works great for you), just different.
Call me old fashioned, but I will continue to go to my brick and mortar store and buy my trusty hard-copy books
Nothing wrond with getting hard-copy books. They still work great.
than go out and get a Kindle (that costs the same as an X-Box 360 last time I checked)that will most likely be obsolete in a few years because some thing better and less expensive will have come along. just my
It probably won't be obsolete in a few years, just not the latest and greatest. And the X-Box comparison means nothing to some of us since we (or at least I) would never buy an X-Box (or any video game system) at any price.
Actually no, you didn't. You got software that allows you to read Kindle formatted stuff. Big difference. But that doesn't mean you you have is inferior to the Kindle (soods like it works great for you), just different.
I quite understand that - I am merely saying there are cheaper alternatives that may be more practical (using the ddi to generate a .pdf character sheet and sticking to your iPod touch with all your character's powers - all in the palm of your hand - not too shabby).
What I would like to really see is a few Dungeon and Dragon Apps for the iPod touch. Such as mini character builders or a iPod Touch friendly browser for the compendium.
What I would like to really see is a few Dungeon and Dragon Apps for the iPod touch. Such as mini character builders or a iPod Touch friendly browser for the compendium.
I don't own an iPod Touch, but if I got one, I imagine one of the first things I would do is write up an app to quickly generate/tweak monster and NPC stats for any level and role. I can make up appropriate powers on the fly just fine, but getting the damage, defenses, and HP right takes a bit more work to compare and contrast with existing monsters (HP especially), and I think it would open up a world of flexibility for me as the DM. "Really? You're attacking the guards? Well, I don't have stats for these guys, but give me a sec." (click click tap) "All right, roll initiative."
I just wish kindle's were a bit cheaper
I'm waiting until e-book readers go colour myself. They've already got one in Japan so the technology exists. All we need now is for it to migrate to over here and then drop in price.
ScottR made it pretty clear in the "I bought $240 worth of books" thread that WotC has zero interest in making the electronic copies of the books less expensive than the hard copies.
Which is a real disappointment
The process is going to become cheaper for publishers, and yet if they share ScottR's attitude, consumers will be paying even more (because they have to first buy something that will allow them to read the e-book).Color just doesn't seem like it would be an issue to me.
I'm mainly waiting for colour because I want to buy just 1 that can also read my (theoretical) comic books on it (theoretical because very few publishers currently release them in PDF).
Call me old fashioned, but I will continue to go to my brick and mortar store and buy my trusty hard-copy books than go out and get a Kindle (that costs the same as an X-Box 360 last time I checked)that will most likely be obsolete in a few years because some thing better and less expensive will have come along. just my
Does the Kindle meet your current needs? If yes, does it meet them cheaper then all other options? If yes, then buy it and ignore any future versions of the Kindle that comes out. If no to either of these questions then don't buy the kindle.
My computer is an Intel 2 Core Duo with only 2 GBs of RAM and only 300 GB of memory. However it meets all of my needs, and so I don't buy a Core 2 Quad with 4 GB of RAM and 1,000 GB of memory for $1524. The second I get sick of how long it takes to load programs (compared with how quickly things can load in modern computers) or the second I want more memory, I'll consider the $1524 computer. However by the time this comes around, that computer will have been reduced in price with the latest version perhaps being even more enticing.
If you wait until you can get the best thing to ever be created for all eternity in electronics, you'll forever be in the stone age.
KINDLE
KINDLE
KINDLE
KINDLE
KINDLE
KINDLE
KINDLE
KINDLE
KINDLE
KINDLE
If you want the Core books on Kindle, there is a link on every page on Amazon to let the publisher know you want that particular title on the Kindle.
-g
If you want the Core books on Kindle, there is a link on every page on Amazon to let the publisher know you want that particular title on the Kindle.
I have clicked all those links.
http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-DX-Amazons-Wireless-Generation/dp/B0015TCML0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1244493307&sr=8-1
I wonder if WotC are ready to do Kindle rulebooks for 4th edition.
PDFs would have worked on this edition of Kindle (without conversion) but they don't sell those anymore.
I was encouraged to hear the WotC CEO speak about expanding their Kindle selections. He didn't specifically say the RPG stuff would be Kindlized but there is hope.
Link?
Bring back PDFs, don't get suckered into the Kindle!
I have a Kindle and I love it.
Link?
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/14726.html
Specifically
We are not going in a different direction – Wizards fundamentally agrees with expansion, and we’re participating in that through our Website and D&D Insider. On the novels side of our business, we have recently released titles through Kindle and Sony’s E-Reader, and will continue to add to that in the coming months. Without citing specific numbers, our content is distributed to hundreds of thousands of people, and our PDF business was small in comparison.
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/14726.html
Thanks!
We are not going in a different direction – Wizards fundamentally agrees with expansion, and we’re participating in that through our Website and D&D Insider. On the novels side of our business, we have recently released titles through Kindle and Sony’s E-Reader, and will continue to add to that in the coming months. Without citing specific numbers, our content is distributed to hundreds of thousands of people, and our PDF business was small in comparison.
Talk about disingenuous. Novels aren't the same market as the RPG. Far more people buy the novels than the RPGs, and they were seperate platforms - novels weren't available as PDF, RPGs weren't available as e-books.
I sure wish someone with their heart in the game would get back into management of WotC.
Forget a Kindle or that other E-book thing... get a gaming group with everyone having a mini laptop in a group... or if you wanna get really expensive... get 5 of them and you can put your character builder on all 5!!! then you can pass them around, or what ever!!!!
E-BOOK I laugh at thee!!
http://seattlest.com/2009/07/17/amazons_kindle--now_with_new_take-b.php
Given WotC's established history with yanking digital versions from sale, I don't really trust them not to change their mind on the Kindle version of the books, and decide to yank them back once you've already purchased them...
Heck, the simple fact that this is actually possible with the Kindle should give everyone a reason to NOT support such a platform.
It's hilariously ironic that the deleted books were by Orwell, and one of them was 1984.
Doubleplusungood?
Not a big deal IMO and Amazon has said the following:
Amazon effectively acknowledged that the deletions were a bad idea. "We are changing our systems so that in the future we will not remove books from customers' devices in these circumstances," Herdener said.
This quote is from here
http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_12863354
That's reason enough to stay far, far away.
Sadly, all we have is their word.
True.
They've demonstrated that they have the technical capability to, at will, remove content from your device.
That's reason enough to stay far, far away.
Not for me. I am not going to stay away from a device simple because of a possible minor inconvenience that might happen.
Especially if it is removed (and money refunded) after I read it.
Not for me. I am not going to stay away from a device simple because of a possible minor inconvenience that might happen.
How about that it's a single-purpose device that costs more than some laptops/netbooks out there?
Especially if it is removed (and money refunded) after I read it.
I buy books (and PDFs) to keep. I didn't realize Amazon was a public library. :P
How about that it's a single-purpose device that costs more than some laptops/netbooks out there?
I have a laptop and I wouldn't want to read books on it, but I love reading books on my Kindle. It is a little pricey, but it is worth it to me.
I buy books (and PDFs) to keep. I didn't realize Amazon was a public library. :P
For me it depends on the books. For most novels I read I wouldn't mind getting my money back after I am done, but I am not worried about stuff disapearing off my Kindle.
Just wanted to re-submitt that I want Kindle versions of the D&D books.
Hey, not sure how long this oen has been quiet but I'd like to throw a vote this way as well.
Looks like they are now making a windows app that will display Kindle content. Hopefully this will encourage RPG companies to make Kindle compatible content now.
Still no substitute for Kindle versions of the books.