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Wolfie00
My dog is an elitist
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join:2005-03-12

Wolfie00 to Guspaz

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to Guspaz

Re: Kindle Paperwhite finally launching in Canada

You didn't read the second paragraph? I'm trying to buy it from Amazon, but first I have to find out what the hell they're selling. That's why I sent them an email. I don't want the ad-infested one. But the price structure -- relative to US pricing, and what The Source is selling it for -- suggests that it probably is.

Guspaz
Guspaz
MVM
join:2001-11-05
Montreal, QC

Guspaz

MVM

Amazon in Canada does not sell the ad-supported version.

Wolfie00
My dog is an elitist
Premium Member
join:2005-03-12

2 edits

Wolfie00

Premium Member

I would certainly have assumed that, but The Source sells only the ad-supported version of that model, and for the same price (actually a dollar more, $89.99 at The Source vs $89.00 at amazon.ca). This is what made me suspicious, otherwise it would never even have occurred to me that it had ads. I didn't think the ad-supported version was even available in Canada, it makes absolutely no sense, but there it was, ads on the demo unit, and it said so right on the box, too.

I got a useless response from Amazon that just said "I've checked our website and see that Kindle Wi-Fi, 6" E Ink Display comes without special offers at the CDN$ 89.00". IOW, he doesn't know any more than I do. I can check the website, too.

EDIT: The more I research this, the more I think there's something screwy going on with The Source. I don't think any Canadian models should be ad-supported. This seems to confirm it, too: "Cheaper ad-supported models aren't available [in Canada]."

milnoc
join:2001-03-05
Ottawa

milnoc

Member

Maybe The Source is trying to screw you out of an extra $20. Do you remember who owns the chain?

Wolfie00
My dog is an elitist
Premium Member
join:2005-03-12

Wolfie00

Premium Member

said by milnoc:

Maybe The Source is trying to screw you out of an extra $20. Do you remember who owns the chain?

A certain telecom giant whose name rhymes with "hell"?

It's also telling that this whole enterprise has a shady history of complicated ownership changes since the Tandy and InterTan days and, in an ironic twist, InterTan once ran the Rogers Plus chain. I really never liked the place but would have been willing to pick up a commodity item like a Kindle, and here they are trying to screw their customers. This is blatant deception, and I bet they're counting on the fact that 90% of buyers will think that this is just how Kindles work, and either not care or blame Amazon. Worse, the "special offers" probably don't even work in Canada so they probably shouldn't be selling these even if honestly priced and represented!

milnoc
join:2001-03-05
Ottawa

milnoc to Guspaz

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to Guspaz
said by Guspaz:

So I've been doing a bunch of reading the past two days on it. You can still turn pages single-handed, but page turning is indeed not as good with the touchscreen.

Just how big are your hands?

Guspaz
Guspaz
MVM
join:2001-11-05
Montreal, QC

Guspaz

MVM

Errm, you need only move your thumb half an inch or so to advance to the next page. It's not as nice as the button, but it's not exactly running a marathon...

milnoc
join:2001-03-05
Ottawa

milnoc

Member

I hold the Kindle in my left hand. I'd be reading backwards.
BobSagget
join:2005-06-23
Barrie, ON

BobSagget to Guspaz

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to Guspaz
said by Guspaz:

Errm, you need only move your thumb half an inch or so to advance to the next page. It's not as nice as the button, but it's not exactly running a marathon...

I believe before the Paperwhite when they had the touch screen models you had to literally swipe your finger to change a page. A lot of people complained I believe. So I think they changed it with the paperwhite where you only have to touch the screen on the left/right side of the screen to change the page?

I would definitely be interested in a paperwhite v2 with physical side buttons.

ekster
Hi there
Premium Member
join:2010-07-16
Sainte-Anne-De-Bellevue, QC

ekster to milnoc

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to milnoc
Kindle doesn't allow you to change the page turn areas? Maybe you should get a kobo then.

Wolfie00
My dog is an elitist
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join:2005-03-12

Wolfie00 to Guspaz

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to Guspaz
One last thing I needed to check, to see how various non-Kindle books would convert to the Kindle format. The pagination is screwed up on other apps but displays perfectly on the Kindle app on the Playbook. So I ordered the button model. Looking forward to it, but if it's the ad version, it's going right back. Pretty sure now that it isn't, though.

Thingamajig
Premium Member
join:2004-11-03
B.C.

Thingamajig to Guspaz

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Just broke down & bought the $139 unit. Looking forward to giving it a good work out.

Guspaz
Guspaz
MVM
join:2001-11-05
Montreal, QC

Guspaz

MVM

Pagination? Generally an ePub converted for the Kindle should be indistinguishable from a native MOBI version of the same file... I certainly can't tell any difference between a Baen book where I've converted the ePub to MOBI versus the native MOBI (Baen gives you their books in all conceivable formats when you buy them).

In terms of the left hand, it's a missing feature to be sure. You can still use your left thumb by swiping it, but that requires stretching it farther.

Wolfie00
My dog is an elitist
Premium Member
join:2005-03-12

Wolfie00

Premium Member

said by Guspaz:

Pagination? Generally an ePub converted for the Kindle should be indistinguishable from a native MOBI version of the same file... I certainly can't tell any difference between a Baen book where I've converted the ePub to MOBI versus the native MOBI

What do you use for conversion? Calibre? Does it look OK in the internal viewer? Maybe I'm missing something simple, but going between ePub and MOBI or the other way always seems to lose pagination in the Calibre internal viewer and in Book Reader. For instance, when I convert stuff purchased from Amazon into ePub (because Book Reader doesn't really support mobi all that well) the pagination is shot.

But in the test that I did (going from ePub to MOBI) I specified "Kindle" as the output profile, and though the pagination once again looked shot in the Calibre viewer, it displays fine in the Playbook Kindle app. As long as the conversions display fine on the physical Kindle, that's all I care about.

P.S.- I noticed that the voltage and the microUSB adapter on the Playbook charger are the same as the Kindle, so I should be able to use that charger with it instead of a computer USB port -- an added plus!

Guspaz
Guspaz
MVM
join:2001-11-05
Montreal, QC

Guspaz

MVM

I haven't converted anything in a long time, but I used calibre, and I don't use the calibre viewer. What do you mean by pagination is messed up? eBooks don't use any pagination at all, except between chapters.

Wolfie00
My dog is an elitist
Premium Member
join:2005-03-12

Wolfie00

Premium Member

Sorry, I should have been more clear. What I mean is that explicit page breaks are gone -- i.e.- the title page runs right into the table of contents which runs right into the preface which runs right into the first chapter, etc. At least as observed in the Calibre viewer and in Book Reader. But as I say, ePubs converted to MOBI that seem to have "lost" pagination seem to still display correctly in Kindle. I even verified that the hyperlinked table of contents works, and takes you to the correct page.
Wolfie00

Wolfie00 to Guspaz

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to Guspaz
Well that was efficient -- my Kindle just shipped! It took four hours!

milnoc
join:2001-03-05
Ottawa

milnoc

Member

And you should get it within a day or two, with your account info already pre-programmed.

Don't worry. you can easily change it if it isn't the account you want to use for buying books.

Guspaz
Guspaz
MVM
join:2001-11-05
Montreal, QC

Guspaz

MVM

You'll get it in a day or two if Canada Post doesn't fail to leave a delivery slip during the delivery attempt, proceed to deliver it to a different post office than your normal one, forget to scan it at the post office as it arrives making it appear as if it's still in transit, and then put it on the wrong shelf in the back room so that the post office employee can't find it when you show up to ask where the heck it is.

Luckily, all that only meant that the delivery took 4 days instead of 1. It did mean some unnecessary walks in the cold, though.

Wolfie00
My dog is an elitist
Premium Member
join:2005-03-12

Wolfie00

Premium Member

Ah, yes, the illustrious members of CUPW. Last time I ordered something from Amazon it was just a paperback book and I ended up finding it by accident on a chair on the front porch. It's always an adventure with Canada Post. Maybe this time they will fling it through my window or leave it on the street in a puddle of water at the end of the driveway. We shall see.
Wolfie00

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Wolfie00 to Guspaz

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Well that was impressive. Less than 24 hours after placing the order, and it was sitting in the mailbox (superbox). For all I know, it might have been there for hours! I was expecting a delivery at the door.

Nothing to report yet as I want to let it warm up to room temperature, but it comes in a completely different and much nicer box than what The Source had.

EDIT: Turned it on, network setup was a breeze, there are no ads, it looks beautiful. Happy camper here. Now to load it up with books for tonight's reading!

Guspaz
Guspaz
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join:2001-11-05
Montreal, QC

Guspaz

MVM

The box annoyed me, although that might be because the plastic strip broke when I tried to tear the "tear here" strip and I had to resort to an exacto knife :P

At least they didn't ship the bare Kindle box this time.

milnoc
join:2001-03-05
Ottawa

milnoc

Member

I received just the bare black Kindle box, just like my previous Kindles. No problems here.

The Kindle does funny things at low temperatures. The power button can freeze up and not work at all. And once it does work, the page refresh can be so slow, it's often incomplete. Luckily, it warms up quickly and is generally unaffected by a cold spell.

Wolfie00
My dog is an elitist
Premium Member
join:2005-03-12

Wolfie00 to Guspaz

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No real complaints so far, and I've moved over a pretty large sample of books, but those of you who bought the Paperwhite have the advantage of being able to choose nicer default fonts, like the elegant Baskerville or Palatino. The basic Kindle has only Caecilia as the default font, albeit in serif or sans-serif or condensed versions. To my eye it looks rather cold and austere, the sort of font you'd expect to find on a customs and immigration form.

All in all, with colours and font choices, and colourful book covers on display, I think either Book Reader or Kindle on the Playbook makes a much visual nicer first impression than the physical Kindle. But then, long-term reading with a paper feel is what it's all about.

I also found that the front USB ports on my primary desktop computer don't have enough juice to charge the Kindle. Possibly the rear ports do but I didn't bother trying. Other computers charge it fine, even the laptop, and so does the Playbook charger.



milnoc
join:2001-03-05
Ottawa

milnoc

Member

You can also use a MicroUSB phone charger.

Wolfie00
My dog is an elitist
Premium Member
join:2005-03-12

Wolfie00 to Guspaz

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More news on the Kindle front. Reading is important to me, so I was checking this out carefully. I guess I've been reading on the tablet for a long time because I'd almost forgotten how hard it is to get comfortable lighting for reading a paper book in bed, especially since I'd gotten used to reading in a pretty dark room and sometimes lying down rather than sitting upright with the book towards the light. And the Kindle possibly needs even more light than most paper books.

Long and short of it is, I went out today to look for a book light to clamp on to the Kindle. After looking at the different types and their advantages and disadvantages and the prices of the better ones, I finally ended up buying the perfect solution: a Kindle Paperwhite (which just happened to be in stock at Staples for the same price as Amazon)!!

So now I have two Kindles. Not sure if I'll bother returning the original one which is also pretty nice, but I love the lighting and the extra font choices on the Paperwhite (Palatino is my favourite by far -- man, does it ever look nicer -- you can get some idea from the screenshot in the other post!). Staples had it on display (unlike the freaking "Source") and I fell in love with it immediately!

Guspaz See Profile .... you should have been MUCH more enthusiastic in your praise of this thing. I blame you for the fact that I have two Kindles now!

Haven't used it enough to see if the touchscreen vs. physical controls make that much of a difference. Only problem I see is that when looking at your book list, you can't tap on the screen to go to the next page because it thinks you want to open whatever book you're tapping at. As far as I can figure out, you have to swipe to go to the next page when you're in book list view.

Couple of other observations. The Paperwhite seems slightly more laggish in responding to taps than the old one is in responding to button clicks. Also, for whatever reason, the Paperwhite charges just fine on my old computer's front USB ports, the old one didn't.

Thingamajig
Premium Member
join:2004-11-03
B.C.

Thingamajig to Guspaz

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Geez I hate UPS. I don't know how they stay in business.
Feb 5 2013 06:00:00 PM RICHMOND BC CA Delay in delivery due to weather or natural disaster
Feb 1 2013 02:15:00 AM CONCORD ON CA Departure Scan
Jan 31 2013 09:23:00 PM CONCORD ON CA Shipment received by carrier
Jan 31 2013 03:44:15 PM Mississauga ON CN Shipment has left seller facility and is in transit

Didn't arrive today either. I had no idea a tsumani in the Solomon Islands affected distribution from the UPS station in Richmond B.C. As to our weather... it did what it always does rain & about +9C.

I send & receive Fedex shipped items almost daily. Never late, in fact days ahead sometimes.

UPS is so full of shyte.
Grrrrrrr!

Wolfie00
My dog is an elitist
Premium Member
join:2005-03-12

Wolfie00

Premium Member

Funny that they sent it UPS, mine was sent as an expedited package via Canada Post and arrived the next day. Waiting nearly a week for a courier shipment that doesn't even go through customs is nuts!!

Thane_Bitter
Inquire within
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join:2005-01-20

Thane_Bitter to Thingamajig

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to Thingamajig
LOL judging by the time stamp it’s more likely that "Driver clocked out for the day".

milnoc
join:2001-03-05
Ottawa

milnoc

Member

I had one UPS package sent to Minnesota instead of Montreal.

It was a rackmount server. Pretty big package to misplace.