How do you read your FanFic?

Previously titled : Kindle or Sony eReader

My eyes are really starting to show signs of distress with all the FanFic I've been reading lately. I started considering getting an Amazon Kindle or a Sony eReader. Does anyone out there have one, know anyone that does, heard anything firsthand about either of them? I'd really be curious to hear anything about them...

Or do you have any other advice on how to keep from ruining your eyes. I work on a computer all day long, so staying on for hours at night is killing me!

*bump*

Does everybody just read it on their computer, killing their eyes?

DBCrazy wrote:*bump*

Does everybody just read it on their computer, killing their eyes?

Yep, that's what I do

fairytales_end wrote:

DBCrazy wrote:*bump*

Does everybody just read it on their computer, killing their eyes?

Yep, that's what I do

Me too.

Fluffernutter wrote:

fairytales_end wrote:

DBCrazy wrote:*bump*

Does everybody just read it on their computer, killing their eyes?

Yep, that's what I do

Me too.

Okay, so teenage eyes can take plenty of abuse! Thanks you two!! Anybody else?

I'd even like it if FF.net would let us change the color of the screen. I saw that you can change the screen to black if you want. But I'd like it if you could make it the gold that we have here. That simple change helps a lot.

I was on Amazon.com the other day looking at the Kindle2 again, when I saw this link: See a Kindle in Your City

Wow! I clicked on it and there was somebody in my town wanting to show theirs to anyone interested! I went by this evening and took a look. Oh, it's so easy to use - he showed me how to do it from start to finish. And it's so easy on my eyes!

I think I'm gonna jump, take the plunge and buy one! It'll be my first truly geeky thing. I have a regular ol' pc at home, a tracfone (no camera or music or video), regular cable (not digital or DVR), so this will truly be my first geeky something!

I'm getting excited!!

you have people who show things to other people?
I always read online and ruin my eyes.....there is a reason why I got glasses a few months ago.....

ToZiKa wrote:you have people who show things to other people?
I always read online and ruin my eyes.....there is a reason why I got glasses a few months ago.....

Yeah, I'm afraid I'm not far behind you ToZika. I've always been an avid reader but I've been really tearing through the fics for the last few months and my eyes are starting to feel the strain.

DBC, $350 American for a kindle or an e-reader? Yikes. I mean, I can afford it but can I justify it? They seem awfully pricey for a piece of single use hardware. I did find this article comparing them though, and the kindle fairs well with the readers even if the reviewer chose the Sony.

[Only admins are allowed to see this link]

I'll be interested to know what you think of the Kindle when you get a chance to look at it.

RM

I read all mine online.

But my eyes have been horrible since I was 6 so now I just read until I get a bad headache. LOL

Yes, Toz! This guy was really nice - he was a wireless engineer at our university here. He was all jazzed about it, and now I am too!

I went to Amazon last night and put it in My Cart - then I balked. They have a bigger one coming out this summer and for some reason I was thinking it was in June. I thought to myself that the price might come down a little after the new ones come out.

I agree, THX, it is a lot to pay for something that only does one thing. I knew I was going to have a problem justifying this, but I haven't totally backed out - and I probably won't wait long - I'm just thinking if it (KindleDX) comes out in three weeks and the price of K2 drops significantly then I'll get really bummed. But I justify it with - I do well for myself, I am pretty frugal in general, and the last straw is my oldest has been running around with a $400 iPod Touch since they came out (thanks to his mother!) and I've never had anything like that!!

I've got a little more research to do to find out when this comes out!

DBCrazy wrote:I agree, THX, it is a lot to pay for something that only does one thing. I knew I was going to have a problem justifying this, but I haven't totally backed out - and I probably won't wait long - I'm just thinking if it (KindleDX) comes out in three weeks and the price of K2 drops significantly then I'll get really bummed. But I justify it with - I do well for myself, I am pretty frugal in general, and the last straw is my oldest has been running around with a $400 iPod Touch since they came out (thanks to his mother!) and I've never had anything like that!!

I've got a little more research to do to find out when this comes out!

Wow. You remember what it was like when we were kids? I wanted a $40 Walkman once and got the lecture on "That's a lot of money and if you want it bad enough, you'll get a job and earn it. Then it'll mean something to you." from both parental units. Now days we don't think twice about dropping some serious change for the little buggers. Heh, you may have just convinced me to get one on the grounds of a deprived childhood.

It's a shame there's not a store or something where you could actually try them both out and see which one you really prefer. Still it was nice of that guy to show you his. Good luck on the decision, I don't envy you the choice because I know when I do something like this there's always a hunk of buyers remorse involved. but I think you've probably earned the treat.

RM

I have a mouse that has a button on it that when you press it, a window opens over whatever is on the screen, and its like holding a magnifying glass over whatever you want on the screen. You can move it over the screen with mouse movements.
Currently, the window is shaped like an upright rectangle, I haven't really bothred to see if its possible to change the shape of the window or enlarge it or whatever, but it mightbe an inexpensive option to someone who is having trouble with doing a lot of reading on their monitor.
Whatever the window is over makes the image about twice as large as normal, and its very easy to read stuff that way. The only drawback is having to scroll it across the screen with the mouse as you read.

PIMP wrote:I have a mouse that has a button on it that when you press it, a window opens over whatever is on the screen, and its like holding a magnifying glass over whatever you want on the screen. You can move it over the screen with mouse movements.

Pimp, what brand of mouse? I'm curious about that one because it would be nice to have that option when my eyes are getting tired.

RM

Yep, THX, I remember. I never had any of that stuff growing up. My chore $$ happily went to 16 and TigerBeat magazines. But I did have a beautiful console with a built-in record player and hi-fi stereo in it - nevermind that the TV was out of commission (which is how it came to live in my room!)

And Pimp, I hadn't thought about the magnifier thingy. I have that on my computer too, but mine isn't launched by my mouse. That might be something for me to use in the interim! But now that you mention an alternative I realize that it's not just the monitor making my eyes goofy, it's also wanting to be able to read whenever I want to read - not just when I can get computer time! And lord knows I don't want to start printing!

THX, you might have it on your computer too. Here's the path I use to launch it: Start > Programs > Accessories > Accessibility > Magnifier. When it opens it has a dialog that tells where to go to find out other M$ stuff along the same line at this address ( [Only admins are allowed to see this link] ). When mine first launches it kind of feels like the screen's frozen but I give it a little time and I figure out what's going on.

DBCrazy wrote:Yep, THX, I remember. I never had any of that stuff growing up. My chore $$ happily went to 16 and TigerBeat magazines. But I did have a beautiful console with a built-in record player and hi-fi stereo in it - nevermind that the TV was out of commission (which is how it came to live in my room!)

16 and TigerBeat? Oy, we had different childhoods. Mine went to Popular Mechanics and the local electronics store. I had an old Apple II and a VIC-20 that I spent my time frankensteining.

THX, you might have it on your computer too. Here's the path I use to launch it: Start > Programs > Accessories > Accessibility > Magnifier. When it opens it has a dialog that tells where to go to find out other M$ stuff along the same line at this address ( [Only admins are allowed to see this link] ). When mine first launches it kind of feels like the screen's frozen but I give it a little time and I figure out what's going on.

D'OH! You'd think I'd remember that, it's not like it's my job or anything. Yeesh.

RM

THX1138 wrote:

PIMP wrote:I have a mouse that has a button on it that when you press it, a window opens over whatever is on the screen, and its like holding a magnifying glass over whatever you want on the screen. You can move it over the screen with mouse movements.

Pimp, what brand of mouse? I'm curious about that one because it would be nice to have that option when my eyes are getting tired.

RM

Its a Microsoft Notebook Optical Mouse3000, Model#1049.
the button is a thumb activated one on the upper left side of the mouse, about midship. Its an annoyance to me more than anything, but someone who needs magnification might appreciate it.

THX1138 wrote:

DBCrazy wrote:Yep, THX, I remember. I never had any of that stuff growing up. My chore $$ happily went to 16 and TigerBeat magazines. But I did have a beautiful console with a built-in record player and hi-fi stereo in it - nevermind that the TV was out of commission (which is how it came to live in my room!)

16 and TigerBeat? Oy, we had different childhoods. Mine went to Popular Mechanics and the local electronics store. I had an old Apple II and a VIC-20 that I spent my time frankensteining.

I know you're an engineer-type so I'll make this very simple for you ... you're a boy, I'm a girl. Nowadays that might not mean so much, but back in the day (which you're not so terribly much younger than me!) it did. Boys are snips and snails ... Girls are sugar and spice, and 16 and TigerBeat!

DBCrazy wrote:

THX1138 wrote:

DBCrazy wrote:Yep, THX, I remember. I never had any of that stuff growing up. My chore $$ happily went to 16 and TigerBeat magazines. But I did have a beautiful console with a built-in record player and hi-fi stereo in it - nevermind that the TV was out of commission (which is how it came to live in my room!)

16 and TigerBeat? Oy, we had different childhoods. Mine went to Popular Mechanics and the local electronics store. I had an old Apple II and a VIC-20 that I spent my time frankensteining.

I know you're an engineer-type so I'll make this very simple for you ... you're a boy, I'm a girl. Nowadays that might not mean so much, but back in the day (which you're not so terribly much younger than me!) it did. Boys are snips and snails ... Girls are sugar and spice, and 16 and TigerBeat!

Heh, You should know better than to say you're going to make it simple to an engineer. That'slike waving a red flag infront of a bull. You know what the third rule of engineering is? "If a non-engineer can understand it we need to add more options." Wait, no, I think that's the 13th rule of engineering, the third is "If it ain't broke we ain't trying.", or is that the 33rd? I'm sorry, but the scematic that explains the flowchart that diagrams the index for the manual on how to read the book of rules for engineers is smudged, someone spilt coffee on it.

Anyway what I heard was, men are from Mars, women are from Bed, Bath, and Beyond; hence 16 and TigerBeat, Gotcha.

RM

Just like a man ... thinking that he doesn't have to be anywhere around (Mars!) because the women are just out shopping anyway (BB&B)!

DBCrazy wrote:Just like a man ... thinking that he doesn't have to be anywhere around (Mars!) because the women are just out shopping anyway (BB&B)!

OMG! She broke the code! Quick men, run for it!

RM

THX1138 wrote:

DBCrazy wrote:Just like a man ... thinking that he doesn't have to be anywhere around (Mars!) because the women are just out shopping anyway (BB&B)!

OMG! She broke the code! Quick men, run for it!

RM

LOL! I'm outta here - gone shoppin'!

DBCrazy wrote:

THX1138 wrote:

DBCrazy wrote:Just like a man ... thinking that he doesn't have to be anywhere around (Mars!) because the women are just out shopping anyway (BB&B)!

OMG! She broke the code! Quick men, run for it!

RM

LOL! I'm outta here - gone shoppin'!

... and shoppin' I did go. I did it. I ordered my Kindle2! I was even gonna order it overnight ( ) but I chickened out. But I did get 2-day, so it'll be here on Thursday!!!

I feel slightly light-headed right now!!

DBCrazy wrote:

DBCrazy wrote:

THX1138 wrote:

DBCrazy wrote:Just like a man ... thinking that he doesn't have to be anywhere around (Mars!) because the women are just out shopping anyway (BB&B)!

OMG! She broke the code! Quick men, run for it!

RM

LOL! I'm outta here - gone shoppin'!

... and shoppin' I did go. I did it. I ordered my Kindle2! I was even gonna order it overnight ( ) but I chickened out. But I did get 2-day, so it'll be here on Thursday!!!

I feel slightly light-headed right now!!

Cool, well in that case we expect a nice review in a few days. No pressure but I could be basing a purchase on your say so!

RM

I read online all the time. sometimes if I read for like a whole day, my eyes kinda hurt and I have a headache but that doesn't happen very often bacause I always take breacks in between chapter so I don't kill my eyes. Sometimes if I read a really long chapter without stopping, I need to blink a few times.

I will definitely be providing feedback!

THX, as I recall somewhere you mentioned reading plenty of Jane Austen and a lit degree (or maybe just a class, I don't know) ... I've been thinking about what stories I'd initiate my new toy with. I figure it should be one classic, one contemporary, and of course, one FanFiction.

I've never been a reader, at least until FF that is. As my taste goes ... one of my favorite movies, and definitely my all-time favorite scene, is in the movie Emma (1996, Gwyneth Paltrow & Jeremy Northam version). So in keeping with the slogan "never judge a book by its movie" ... would you suggest one of Jane Austen's novels for the classic, please?

And I'll take any advice on the contemporary and FF choice too, if you have something you want to suggest!

Thank you!

(... and all you others that might be following this thread ... feel free to speak up too if you have any recommendations.)