Customer Reviews

The Kindle 2 Cookbook: How To Do Everything the Manual Doesn't Tell You

5 star:		(57)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

As a new Kindle owner and an avid follower of the Amazon "Kindle Discussion" forums I knew that the Kindle had the capability to perform a multitude of tasks not listed in the Users' Guide. I also knew that I purchased this rather expensive device simply for convenience-convenience of reading,obtaining and storage of books. And when I used the Kindle I wanted to utilize all the potential short cuts of the Kindle and to optimize the use of the whisper-net(not limited to just obtaining books from Amazon.com). I did not want to use USB cables unless it was absolutely necessary...again I paid good money for the convenience...so why not spend $4 more to make sure I've optimized my convenience?

The problem was that I am only marginally technically competent and I am also a "techno-phobe" (reason why I don't want to use USB cables). With all that in mind I decided to down-load the sample of "The Kindle Cookbook."

Frankly I found the sample a bit scarce. The sample simply contained the book's Table of Contents and a couple of introductory remarks. Hardly impressive. However what drew me in was "The CookBook provides step by step recipes for capabilities you won't find in the Users'Guide." Further, the Table of Contents listed topic after topic of Kindle capabilities that I had encountered in my followings of the Amazon Kindle discussion forums. Needless to say the forums had not always explained clearly and simply how to accomplish all of the above. Thus I risked $4 to download the complete CookBook.

Best $4 I ever spent. There was no re-hashing of the Users'Guide. The book explained each topic in simple step by step manner. In the first night alone I downloaded several free books via whisper-net from non-Amazon.com websites. This alone was worth the $4 but I went on to learn other ways to maximize the use of my Kindle.

My advice is to first review the Table of Contents(using the free sample download). If one or more of these listed Kindle capabilities /topics are worth $4 to you then buy the book with the confidence that these capabilities will be easily realized with the purchase of the book. And yes, you may learn about some of these Kindle capabilities on the internet but for $4 I would just assume store all this information conveniently in my Kindle. So for all you out there who are like me (techno-phobes who possess limited technical skills) this book is for you. Enjoy!

This is a good book for someone just getting a Kindle. This is not a techi book that teaches you how to hack the Kindle to do stuff that it was not designed to do, but rather takes you step by step to those features designed into the kindle but not explained in the user guide. Among other features it shows you how to convert documents, music, and audiobooks to Kindle acceptable format, send and receive Email, load and display pictures and find 100,000+ free ebooks. Many of these operations require the use of free software available on the web. This book gives very clear straightforward step by step instructions for implementing this software. The greatest benefit to me in reading this book is in the time it saves me in accomplishing these tasks. All of the information contained in this book and the programs are available on the internet but require a lot of time to search and alot of time fiddling with the software and the Kindle to get them to work.

There are many Kindle guides out there and this is the first one I read. There's currently 3 guides out there and I'd recommend getting all three in case each one has even one bit of information that the other two don't. The price can't be beat!

This one covers a lot of information including free books, free newsfeeds, and other services. I've spent a lot of time on my Kindle so I had already come across most of it, but it did give me Google Reader's mobile address. I didn't know there was a mobile Google Reader site, and just for that information alone it was worth the buy. Has a lot of useful links. Easy to understand and straightforward - not techie at all. So if someone who has spent countless hours researching Kindle stuff found new stuff in this guide, there's a good chance you'll find quite a bit of new stuff too! Highly recommended.

This is one of those books I wish I read first. I have two other Kindle guides and, while there is information overlap, this guide is much easier to use. I'd recommend this to a new Kindle owner as the one he should get.

I was moderately disappointed it wasn't really a cookbook thro. Recipes on a Kindle would be cool.<grin>

If you would like to save your money you can simply go to the authors website and subscribe to some kindle blogs as there is nothing and I mean nothing that cannot be found easily by taking the review list on this page (list of "whats inside") and cut and past into google with the added words ON KINDLE. Youre now done. While the author clearly means well, this how to is a big let down. Full of links to elsewhere instead of explaining within its contents. Very very very very short book. I hate to give negative reviews but this should have been so much better. I feel kind of ripped off even for paying such a small amount of money. The author is talented enough to do a real job and live up to what we as Kindle people need and expect.

About an hour after I got my kindle, I was still fumbling around trying to find FREE books. I read the directions that came with the Kindle, and there was not much information. Luckily I came upon the Cookbook and an hour later I was a kindle expert! For all the griping some people do regarding the Kindle's limitations, it far exceeded my expectations. Being able to view weather, news and even send and receive gmail was a nice surprise. I am madly in love with my Kindle and The Cookbook played a big role in the relationship.

I just got my Kindle yesterday, and while waiting for delivery I have been reading reviews etc. on what book to buy first and I think this should be on the must have along with the book light. Even before I had my Kindle in hand I was wondering if this new toy could be used to enhance the overall reading experience. It doesn't disappoint and now I can listen to music, catch up on email, and even play a game without leaving my easy chair, park bench, or commuter train seat. I am thrilled that this advanced user guide is available and for only $4! I am off to explore my Kindle and my Kindle Cookbook.

This book is well worth the time saved researching all of the helpful hints I got. I make $4.00 in about eight minutes at work - it would have taken me hours to sit down at the computer and with the Kindle to figure out all the stuff David has thoughtfully researched and documented in a concise, well crafted book. Thank you, David!

I read MANY of the reviews prior to purchasing this book. I am a technically savvy person (perhaps bordering on the geeky side :)) and I wasn't sure if it was going to be "worth it". The majority of the reviews were raves, but then I went to the one-star reviews and got discouraged.

Now that I've downloaded the book, I can unequivocally say that it was worth every penny. Yes, you can probably find a lot of this online, but that would mean you had a very specific question in mind and you knew the exact search term to look up. This book does all of that for you and more. Within the first few pages I learned how to download a direct link to free books that I could download directly to my Kindle with one click. Well worth the price of admission!

If you want an easy, comprehensive book that quickly shows you the ropes, do yourself a favor and download this book. You will not be disappointed.

I originally bought the kindle because I travel frequently and relished the thought of not carryinga bagful of books with me. I had no idea what the kindle was capable of until I read The Kindle Cookbook. The book is clear and concise and written for a general audience. If you really want to get the most out of your kindle this is a must have.