Sony Reader or Kindle restrictions on the plane?
Jan 1, 2009, 10:36 pm
#1
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Sony Reader or Kindle restrictions on the plane?
I'm pretty close to picking up a Kindle or a Sony Reader (or one of the cheaper asian knockoffs I see floating around online now), but I have one nagging question...
Will an FA ask me to shut it off during takeoff and landing? It'd be a pain to have to stop reading for those two 20 minute periods on the plane, maybe even enough of a pain to avoid buying the thing entirely and stick with normal books.
I'm sure there are many FTers who have these devices and can answer the question
Will an FA ask me to shut it off during takeoff and landing? It'd be a pain to have to stop reading for those two 20 minute periods on the plane, maybe even enough of a pain to avoid buying the thing entirely and stick with normal books.
I'm sure there are many FTers who have these devices and can answer the question
Jan 1, 2009, 10:42 pm
#3
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Anything with an on/off switch has to be turned off -- at least that's one of the announcements I hear at times. I usually turn off my Sony Reader to avoid unnecessary confrontation, even though I realize that the guy next to me with his camera is violating the same rule. I take it as an opportunity to browse through the inflight magazine. Most of my flights are international (and thus long), so the few minutes don't really bother me.
As for the cheaper Asian knock-offs... ultimately you should look at and consider what books you can put on the device. Kindle and Sony Reader have dedicated stores. Make sure you get the books you want for the device you buy.
As for the cheaper Asian knock-offs... ultimately you should look at and consider what books you can put on the device. Kindle and Sony Reader have dedicated stores. Make sure you get the books you want for the device you buy.
Jan 1, 2009, 10:49 pm
#4
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Jan 1, 2009, 11:22 pm
#5
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You have been able to read books electronically for a long time and there are plenty of sites which sell books that will work on virtually any platform - ereader.com, fictionwise.com, baen.com, ebooks.com etc. The market is much, much bigger than just the offerings you get from Amazon and Sony.
Jan 2, 2009, 5:03 am
#6
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I agree with this this statement though the same is true in music. iTunes was not the first place to offer MP3 downloads, and the iPod was certainly not the first MP3 player. However, the way iTunes and the iPod integrated together the entire process is what revolutionized the market. The Kindle, hands down, does this when it comes to ebooks. It may not be the most ultimate, feature packed, highest resolution machine, though it comes together quite nicely and in the end it just works as it should.
Jan 2, 2009, 7:28 am
#7
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As to the original question, yes, they are supposed to be shut off. I have seem many folks continue reading anyways.
Jan 2, 2009, 9:18 am
#8
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I would take a look and find out if the books that amazon sells for the kindle have the same restrictions as the mp3s
the only way we (non US) can buy mp3 files is by actually creating an amazon account from the US and downloading them there (I imagine it also requires a US based payment method)
good thing for colocated servers in the US ^ (well and my wife's cc.......once I had a brand new amazon account created....I didnt dare to use any of my non-US issued credit cards)
the only way we (non US) can buy mp3 files is by actually creating an amazon account from the US and downloading them there (I imagine it also requires a US based payment method)
good thing for colocated servers in the US ^ (well and my wife's cc.......once I had a brand new amazon account created....I didnt dare to use any of my non-US issued credit cards)
Jan 2, 2009, 9:34 am
#9
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Actually, it is not just the few minutes after takeoff and before landing... you probably cannot use these devices while waiting to take off either, and at a place like JFK, that can easily be an hour on the taxiway.
Jan 2, 2009, 9:53 am
#10
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This is the #1 reason why I stay away from these devices.
Jan 4, 2009, 2:34 pm
#12
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It's more than worth this kind of inconvenience to be able to carry multiple books without actually having to carry the book. I just got back from vacation, during which time I read more than 10 "new releases" on my Kindle. My shoulder thanks me for using a Kindle instead of trying to carry all those books !
Jan 5, 2009, 8:18 pm
#13
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It's more than worth this kind of inconvenience to be able to carry multiple books without actually having to carry the book. I just got back from vacation, during which time I read more than 10 "new releases" on my Kindle. My shoulder thanks me for using a Kindle instead of trying to carry all those books !
Jan 5, 2009, 10:58 pm
#14
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These things are great for fast readers
My reading speed has been consistent at around 3,000 words per minute since 4th or 5th grade (5th grade was when they tested our reading speeds). That translates to a decent length paperback lasting a couple of hours. My Sony 505 is a godsend for trips and long flights. Now I can carry essentially an infinite number of books on that, and *1* physical book for the periods I can't use the Sony, instead of a stack of paperbacks that fill up my briefcase.
Right now, mine has about 200 books from various free sources, and a couple of dozen purchased books on it, but the cheap 4GB SDHC card will hold a couple of thousand before running out of space.
Bob
Right now, mine has about 200 books from various free sources, and a couple of dozen purchased books on it, but the cheap 4GB SDHC card will hold a couple of thousand before running out of space.
Bob
Jan 6, 2009, 5:24 am
#15
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