New Toys!

[sraun]

I got some "shiny!" money - a colleague at work agented getting rid of my old Magic cards, for which I got ~$750.

So, I bought a Kindle. And an iPod Classic 160GB - turns out there are no alternatives right now. I'd have to wait, at a guess, a year, to get something else that would meet my requirements. That would be a RAM-based MP3 player that takes an SDXC expansion card - no one has announced any yet, so that year is really on the minimum side as I see it.

I still need to get cases for both - I'll probably be ordering them from on-line somewhere. And they both need to be loaded with my existing data. My current temptation for the Kindle is this one, which seems to be the one that Amazon pushes. Something like this leather case is tempting for the iPod. I'm trying to decide if a belt-clip is needed for the iPod.

What's your favorite Kindle or iPod case, and why?

I've got one other piece of tech slated to buy - an easy to move around flat-panel monitor. After that - books, and maybe some Cd's.

Comments

[norabombay.livejournal.com]

Kindle-

I got this: http://www.amazon.com/M-Edge-Kindle-Jacket-Display-Generation/dp/B004D4Y3H0/ref=br_lf_m_1000579551_2_37_img?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=electronics&pf_rd_p=1287045862&pf_rd_s=center-5&pf_rd_t=1401&pf_rd_i=1000579551&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0XPEF63ZB0S4Z6S1V7H9

M-Edge Trip, and the booklight that goes with it.

I like how it is a sort of soft feeling canvas- it feels good to hold in a way that the non fabric ones don't. The removable booklight makes it lighter to transport- plus there are times when you won't need the light.

Additionally, the light can be replaced if something happens. Not an option with the built in light.

Either way, I would get a case that allows you to read while the kindle is in it.

Best Buy has a good selection of the covers- while I wouldn't buy from there? It is well worth it to go in, see the sizes, the weights, and feel what you want to hold on to. The tactile aspect matters.

I have nothing on the ipod for suggestions.

[sraun]

Built-in vs. detached light involves a usage question I need to answer. On one hand - how often would I want to use the light anywhere but at home? On the other hand - one more thing to carry around.

It's a question I'm still dithering on. If I run into a really cheap Kindle case that appeals to me, I may go for it on the 'I'll use it this way for a while and see' basis.

Yes, read without removing from case is mandatory!

[sethb.livejournal.com]

I don't know if this case is available for the iPod Classic, though. (http://www.amazon.com/Headcase-Etch-Sketch-Hard-Touch/dp/B004FEYX1E)

[guppiecat]

Big Kindle (DX) or little Kindle?

[sraun]

Little Kindle 3

[guppiecat]

Then I can't help. The case I have only makes sense on the DX.

[adina-atl.livejournal.com]

I bought a non-lighted Kindle cover much like that one when I first bought my Kindle, but I no longer use it. It just about doubles the weight of the Kindle! I don't use a cover at all--I have a Guatamalan bag that is coincidentally the exact size for my Kindle, with a cross-shoulder strap, and I use that to carry the Kindle while on the go. Otherwise my Kindle is naked and seems to survive just fine that way.

[sraun]

The alternative is searching for an all-in-one bag - which I may do. Something messenger-baggish that has lots of pockets, to hold iPod, cell-phone, Kindle, pens, paper, emergency meds, etc. I have to decide if I want it to also hold my netbook.

I really wish there was a Levenger store closer than Chicago - they have some bags that look like they'd do very nicely, but at $150-300 per, I'd really like to look at a physical bag before buying it! Yes, I could buy & return - but I'm awful at getting things into the mail, so it could easily take a month to go through one cycle of bag test.

[rono-60103.livejournal.com]

I've recently uncased my iPod classic, but mostly to allow it to dock in the speakers on my desk at my (work) office for charging purposes.

Before that I used a Griffin brand clear, hard case with a belt clip quite a bit. This was useful for clipping it to my belt (or more often into my front pocket) for my nearly daily walks at lunchtime, and for clipping to the strap on my backpack when waiting for the bus.

After upgrading my phone to an iPhone, most of what I listen to during the walks and commutes (audio books, sermons on podcast) have migrated to the iPhone, and I've found it easier carrying both down to and in the in a pants pocket if the iPod is out of its case.

[carbonel]

For the Kindle, I've heard good things about the one with the built-in Kindle-powered light that Amazon sells -- which is what I assume your link goes to.

I'm sorry you had to compromise your ideals to get the MP3 features you wanted. Are you planning to use iTunes?

[allyra.livejournal.com]

Hooray for shiny money! I can't help with the Kindle question, but I do have a question for you: How does one agent for selling Magic cards? I have a metric crapton I've been meaning to try to do something with, including a few rares.

[sraun]

One of my work colleagues is an active player. I haven't played in ... maybe 15 years? I asked him if he'd take my collection and arrange for its sale, for an appropriate cut. He went through, came up with a ballpark for what it should have been worth, asked his favorite dealer about it, they agreed on a value. Said value was fine by me, so dealer got it.

The important part here for me was that the colleague could go through all the cards and split them in to three categories - bought by the inch/thousand, definitely worth something, and have to look them up. That was what was worth it to me - otherwise, I would have had to inventory all my cards, and then look each individual card up on a price listing. (Or trust an unknown dealer to give me a fair price - it's nice to have a third-party check.) If you can find someone to do that for you, the rest is (relatively) easy. If you want to put a little more effort in to it, establish a cut-off where you're willing to deal with retailing your card (say, eBay?) and give the rest to a dealer. Some cards are worth $1 to a dealer, $2 retail - not worth hassling with. Other cards are worth $100 to dealer, but you can get $200-300 retailing it yourself. That could be worth it.

[allyra.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Sorry to be so slow, but I just realized that LJ isn't emailing me comments anymore. Ugh. I'll have to see if anyone around here is an active player. I can't remember when the last time I played was, but a good 10 years at least, probably longer.

[maureenans.livejournal.com]

I have a nook and I got a case for it on barnes&noble.com that says "literature is a luxury, fiction a necessity" - and I think it would fit kindle, but you might want to check

[sunlizzard.livejournal.com]

I have a Kindle 3 that Emily bought me for birthday/Christmas. Love, love, love it! She offered to get me a cover with a light but I was afraid that would be glare-y, which is death to my eyes because of the cut of my glasses; I've since had many people tell me they don't think the light glares at all. Oh well.

What I did get was the flip-over case. It opens like a steno pad, props up perfectly for (ahem, I know it's bad manners, but...) reading at the table while you eat. Also plops perfectly over my knees when reading propped in bed. Has a hand strap if you prefer to hold it, though most of the time I don't--just prop it and it's hands free! Whee! :)

I also indulged in a Vera Bradley Kindle cover, which fits fine even with it inside its little flip-cover. But, ummm, VB probably isn't your style, Scott... :)