The Need to Re-Kindle.

Of all my gadgets and devices, my favorite has to be my Kindle. It's one of the older models with the keyboard and I've become accustomed to getting free e books from Amazon and Project Gutenberg. I love my Kindle so much, that I bought one for my eight year old just before we left the United States. He hasn't, as yet, become the enthusiastic reader that I hope he will one day become, but I wanted him to have the Kindle when he's ready for it.

Being the "new and improved model", his Kindle doesn't have the same external keyboard. That isn't a major problem, but it lacks one feature that I'm not so happy with. Before leaving the U.S., I attempted to load an e book (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz) to his Kindle which I had downloaded onto my PC from Project Gutenberg. I don't understand why, but the new Kindle would not permit me upload this particular e book. I was able to get around that by getting the e book free from Amazon. This would not be a problem except that there are a number of e books out of copyright available at Project Gutenberg that aren't yet available on the Amazon website.

On the flight over from the U.S., I somehow managed to damage my Kindle. There is a crack in the screen and it's now a thin, rectangular paperweight. When my PC arrives (hopefully within the week) I'll be able to at least access the files in the Kindle, but that's little consolation; I can already access them from my online Amazon account- with the exception of those downloaded from Project Gutenberg.

I've been reluctant to borrow JP's Kindle; it belongs to him and I don't want him to feel that I've taken it from him.

I can always order a new one for myself from Amazon. It can be sent to me via a future balikbayan box, or hand delivered by whichever of my friends visits Philippines next. Unfortunately, it's unlikely that I will be able to find another old Kindle keyboard that will allow the downloads from Project Gutenberg. For those, I can read on the Kindle for PC that's on my desktop, though I don't really care for reading a book on a PC. I'd much rather hold the reader in my hand like a traditional boo.

Yesterday, I discovered that there is a Kindle app available for my android. Thanks to the app, I'm able to finish reading the e book I started reading before I destroyed my Kindle. Like JP's Kindle, the app allows me to access my Kindle library on the Amazon website, so all is not lost. With this, I have the same advantages and disadvantages I have using the new (non-keyboard) Kindle. I'm still unable to get the ebooks from Project Gutenberg, but I suppose I can live with what I have.

Now, if only I could do something able this @#$#@* slow Internet connection.