Most of you are probably aware by now that I have a plain old e-ink Kindle and that I read on it five days a week during my public transit commute to and from work as well as during my lunch break. When I first started reading on a Kindle five years ago there was hardly anyone one else on the metro train who had an ereader. In fact, I’d frequently have people ask me questions about mine. Now there are so many people reading on ereaders, tablets, phones and iPods that the people actually carrying books are outnumbered.
As someone who loves to spy and see what people are reading, with the increase of digital devices it has become difficult. Though there was a woman yesterday next to me on the train who was obviously reading over my shoulder. It wouldn’t have been so annoying if she had been a bit more surreptitious about it. It was so bad I almost tilted my screen towards her a little and asked if that was better for her. I doubt she was able to figure out what I was reading — Willa Cather’s The Troll Garden. I have considered taping a piece of paper with the title of my book to the inside of my Kindle cover so when I am reading the curious reader will not be left wondering, but I’ve never gotten around to it.
But now The Onion reports the release of the Kindle Flare, a Kindle that will loudly and repeatedly tell everyone what you are reading. And, if you are reading something you aren’t so very proud of, it has an “explanation mode” where it will explain that yes you know the book is trash but you are also reading Infinite Jest.
My favorite feature, however, is “bookshelf mode.” In bookshelf mode you can place your Kindle on your now empty bookshelves (because, you know, you don’t need to buy print books any longer) and it will run through a list of all the books on your Kindle. So it is still possible to impress your friends at parties by the books on your virtual shelves.
I think I’ve got to get me one of those Kindle Flares!
If you haven’t figured it out by now, this is a joke produced by the satirical newspaper The Onion. Unfortunately, The Onion and WordPress would not let me embed the video, so you will need to click on the link above to have a good laugh. Enjoy!
Better yet, why don’t you just ask them what they are reading. I do that all the time. It can be a way to make a friend. And while you’re at it, get yourself an iPad Mini. Can’t be beat, wonderful device. I read my Kindle books with it and that’s about all. Send me invoice.
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Richard, well, that’s fine in theory, but when the person is sitting 5 or 6 seats away from you it is difficult to execute. I have a full-size ipad and do not like reading on it because there is too much glare. I doubt an ipad mini would be any different. However, should I change my mind I’ll send you the invoice 🙂
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I’m with Richard on this. My i-Pad mini has replaced my Kindle and I love it as a reading mode. I really haven’t noticed any problems with glare.
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I have the feeling that many are reading the Kindle version of Fifty Shades. 😉
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Arti, LOL, then the explanation mode will come in quite handy for those individuals! 🙂
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Sigh!! I do miss figuring out what others are reading, but one must draw a line – I mean peak into another’s kindle/tablet???? Have to start saving for Kindle Flare…the show off in me loves the virtual shelves option!! 😉
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cirtnecce, I know, the thrill of recognizing the cover of a book you read and enjoyed and then seeing someone else in the middle of it obviously enjoying it too. I miss that though I am part of the “problem.”
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The only time I sat beside a stranger on a plane who was reading a kindle, Arti was right. It wasn’t hard to see.
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Jeanne, heh, that’s pretty funny.
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Oh good, just what we need..more noise. After saying I’d never go tech (although I have a Kindle my son gave me) I just purchased an iPad Retina and love reading on it, I guess because it is…back lit? Is that the correct term? I don’t know, there’s just more contrast between background and print. When I first used it, it kept flipping and tilting sideways and doing all kinds of weird things. It made me dizzy. Then one of our assistants (whose degree is in computer science) explained it all to me. I’m still learning. And I’m playing a game where I am a god, have followers and I build my own world. I could get used to that.
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Grad, heh, it would be noisy wouldn’t it? Make reading difficult. But then people who would want to announce their book to everyone around aren’t really reading anyway. Yes, back lit is right. I have an ipad with retina display too but find it has too much glare for me to read comfortably though it is awesome for magazines (I can borrow from my library which is also awesome). I have a game called Infinity Blade where I get to kill monsters with magic and a big sword. It’s great for working out frustrations from the day. I think being a god might be pretty awesome too. What is the name of the app?
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Hahahaha, I love the explanation mode. I sometimes do explanation mode inside my head, when I’m reading a romance novel. I am always thinking, okay, yes, currently I am reading a romance novel, but right before this I was reading The New Jim Crow. So it is okay! :p
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Jenny, isn’t that a hoot? Ah, the ways we justify the things we read 🙂
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Oh this is a hoot. I love the effort they have gone to to make it look genuine. I did guess, of course, when you said the Onion and started describing it, but still I couldn’t resist looking at the “ad”. Like you, reading books on the iPad is not for me. (Just back from 10 days away so once again playing catch up with my favourite blogs).
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whisperinggums, I know, they did put quite a bit of effort into that video, didn’t they? I wonder what Junot Diaz said when they asked him if they could fake quote him?
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Yes, I wondered that too … Shows he has a sense of humour!
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As much as I love the screen quality of my iPad, I find the glare too much when sitting in the sun so now for holidays I am having to justify taking both iPad (so I can email, blog etc) and the Kindle. You had me going with that spoof by the way – there is so much that technology can do these days that I can no longer judge what is real. Though if you really want something to fill the space of the empty bookshelves, then get one of those digital photo frames and just show pics of book covers….
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BookerTalk, we’re supposed to have one device to rule them all but it’s not exactly working out that way is it? A digital photo frame for book covers is an excellent idea!
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Send the royalties my way when you take it to market!
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Heh, funny! I love jokes like that. Now you need the ‘superior’ app, that says ‘oh dear!’ when walking past someone else reading Fifty Shades on a kindle or other device….. The explanation mode is a hoot.
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Litlove, LOL, the superior app made me laugh. It could have a range from the mildly alarmed “oh dear” to a full on sneer.
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People are so nosy, aren’t they? I love the Onion–they are always good for a laugh! You can tell Minneapolis is far more literate than Omaha-rarely are there people reading on my bus ride–maybe one other rider–she sometimes has a Nook and sometimes has a paper book. And it is rare than anyone ever asks me what I am reading or tries to look. Maybe that is a good thing in terms of not being terribly annoying! 🙂
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Danielle, it’s very fun seeing so many people reading even when most of the time I have no idea what the book is. You are setting a good example for Omaha so maybe gradually more and more people will start reading on the bus. You never know!
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