Before I purchase I REALLY want to know

[abnops]

Here's the deal. I have spent countless hours of research and really want the Kindle 2. After reading almost everything about it, nobody has posted regarding the Kindle's ability (or the owner's capability) to search between various books, and how fast or efficient the process is. I wouldn't consider myself an avid reader, but I do enjoy to read. I also know that the Kindle isn't a "reasearch tool", or a "computer" or anything but an e-reader......that is ok, I am ok with the price, I am ok with everything that it is not.....BUT, I would like to know, before i push the button if the Kindle has the above mentioned ability. The purpose for owning this for me is to store multiple books with the (hopeful) ability to access them during discussions or classes (which often require cross referencing). We have all been there; either sitting in a study group or a class and have books about us. That is after we have a back ache from bringing all of them to where ever it is we came from. As I stated, I know that this isn't a "research" tool per say, but if anyone has experience moving from one book to another, and how long that process takes, it will be the last extra nudge that I need. I'm not a college student, so I don't need to know that it doesn't transfer .pdf files very well, or that certain "educational" books aren't available to purchase. All I want to know is how fast and easy it is to move from book to book (so I can leave the trunk full at home and just have to bring this 10oz wonder.

THANK YOU TO ALL who takes the time to respond. I do appreciate it. Any and all opinions are welcome.

Ron

[Vegas_Asian]

I use my kindle for class and discussion all the time, but usually transfer things from my computer to my kindle before hand. Its easy to move from book to book so long as you don't clutter your home page. The search feature is really helpful when you are lookng for information from a book to reference, so long as you remember a certain phrase or word the make the search easier. Using the highlighting feature and bookmarking feature also makes discussion later, cuz all you have to do is go to 'my clippings' or "my notes and marks". It all depends on you and what books and articles you are reading. Even if you are not much a reader now, you never know what book discovery you may make with such a device.

[davem2bits]

Welcome, Ron.    Hope we can convince you to buy that K.

We aren't ignoring you, I don't think.

I am a new K2 owner and hadn't thought of any practical use of the search, so I zoomed past that chapter in the user guide.  I'm sure someone will post an answer here real soon.  Or else I will after some research.

Again welcome.

[Leslie]

Welcome, Ron.

One difference between the K1 and the K2: in the K1, when you brought up the search function, it always searched everything on your Kindle. How long it took depending on how many books you had stored (on the K and the SD card). I heard about one person with thousands of documents and a search could take 30 or 40 minutes. On the other hand, my searches usually took about 5 or 10 seconds.

On the Kindle2, if you are at the home page, a search will search the entire device. However, if you are in a book (or magazine or whatever) it will search only that book which can substantially speed up the search process.

Either way, I find the searching on the Kindle to be pretty quick. Once you have the search results, it is easy to navigate to the individual items.

L

[r0b0d0c]

By "ability to search between books," do you mean typing in a word or phrase to search a book for, or to sort and retrieve notations or highlights you've made within these books?

And welcome to kindleboards.com!!

[abnops]

Thank you all for all of your insight. By search I mean both words, and books. Referring to books, let's say I am in book X and someone says, "if we look in book Y on page 14 we will find......" assuming I have both books X and Y, how fast is it to make the jump from page 221 of X to 14 of Y?

thanks again for the love,
Ron

[Ann in Arlington]

Jumping between is dead easy. . .the problem is that there are no "pages" as you're probably thinking of them.  The Kindle uses location numbers to identify where you are in a book.   The location number doesn't change with different font sizes. . .so if Chapter 2 starts at location 453 in font size 1, it starts at 453 in font size 6.  You might have 10-15 locations on the page in font size 1, and only 2 or 3 in font size six. . but you'll be at the same place in the book.  If everyone else in the group is using a standard text with pages, you're going to have to work out, first, the relationship of the pages in text to the kindle location numbers. . . .someone once figured out a sort of equivalency and posted some info on the Boards somewhere.  Probably if you search on 'location numbers' you'll find some informative threads.

and welcome!

Ann

[abnops]

Thanks again,

I guess it makes it a bit tricky, but if it can at least get me to the book, I'm assuming I can go to the Table of Contents or chapter page (and maybe they have hyper links??) maybe not, but getting me there in a short amount of time is good. And like it has been mentioned previously, once in a book, I can do a search....which is nice.

I'm sold....probably like everyone else, we just work out the kinks the longer we have a gadget.
Ron

[Ann in Arlington]

You can also book mark and make notes or highlights on pages, so if you do that the first time it's referenced, then it would be relatively straightforward to go back to that point later.  Some books WILL have hyperlinks within the book.  For example, I have the complete works of Shakespeare and there's a linked table of contents to each play, and to each act within each play.  Not sure if it further links by scene.

Ann

[dwaszak]

I just used mine for my bookclub I was hosting- had over 9 pages of notes, highlights and bookmarks on my kindle.  It was effortless to go between the book and my notes- just a click.  The search feature adds another dimension

[abnops]

ok, it's a done deal...purchased......why don't any of you get a commission?

kind of sucks huh? I guess if we all had Amazon stock (and if it were going up) we kind of would be.

anyways, thanks again.....you made my weekend (I started early)

Ron

[Leslie]

ok, it's a done deal...purchased......why don't any of you get a commission?

kind of sucks huh? I guess if we all had Amazon stock (and if it were going up) we kind of would be.

anyways, thanks again.....you made my weekend (I started early)

Ron

If they had a referral bonus plan, I'd be rich. Oh well.

Welcome to the club, Ron. Glad to have you here.

L

[r0b0d0c]

ok, it's a done deal...purchased......why don't any of you get a commission?

kind of sucks huh? I guess if we all had Amazon stock (and if it were going up) we kind of would be.

anyways, thanks again.....you made my weekend (I started early)

Ron

Congrats on your wise purchase! You won't be sorry - and welcome to Kindleboards!

[Vegas_Asian]

Condgrats on your purchase! Hope to see you around the KindleBoards!