Back in the saddle again – Review of Kindle DX as textbook replacement (part 1)

It’s been two months to the day since my last post, so I wanted to touch base with the internet community that I am alive and well, and so is this blawg.

One of my law school classes has been chosen for a pilot program with a legal publication company and Amazon.  I have had the opportunity to use Amazon’s newest Kindle DX with my textbook installed.   I must say, the fact I don’t have to lug that heavy book to class every day is a big plus.

I’ve previously blogged that more and more textbooks should be made available on e-readers such as the Kindle.  The day when all my textbooks would weigh less than 20 ounces and would be available anywhere i took the Kindle seemed like a distant dream when I first wrote about it.  Now, it’s a reality.

The full details of this reality, however, will have to wait until the pilot program comes to a conclusion.  I am my own sample in this experiment that will last an entire semester.  From a preliminary stand point, I must say there are serious drawbacks to using an e-reader in place of a classic textbook.  For example, the page numbers on the Kindle do not correspond to the pages in the textbook – a serious drawback when “on-call” in class that may not be so relevant when reading a fiction novel.

Stay tuned – I will continue my review as the semester moves on.

Law Books on Kindle? It’s about time…

Just the other day while sitting in my judge’s law library, I thought to myself that those dusty law books should be made available on Kindle (Amazon’s digital e-book).

How awesome would it be to pick up a Kindle and have the power to search through hundreds of law books without using Lexis, Westlaw, or other traditional means?  Aside from the ability to index and set up bookmarks, digital law books can be updated with a simple download, eliminating the use of pocket parts.  Moreover, they are cheaper than traditionally bound versions.  Just think how easy it would be to get to class with all your law books on a Kindle?  Or how nice would it be to have thousands of books at your fingertips while in front of the judge?

Well, it seems as though that day is coming.  The Practising Law Institute has started offering its books on Kindle.  I sure hope more publishers follow suit.  You can read the article here.