Life after "Send to Kindle" retires

I've been an avid user of "Send to Kindle" over the last year or so. Last year 25% of my reading was Logos books on the Kindle.

So, I had a choice. (1) Revert back to manual ways of sending to Kindle; or (2) Use the Logos app on an Android-based e-Ink reader. For the sake of others thinking of the same options, here are the pros and cons I've found of both:

Things that are better on the Kindle Paperwhite

Battery life is measured in weeks, not days.
You can easily look-up unfamiliar words in the Kindle dictionary, and it will remember all those words for you.
Switching to different books takes a few seconds, and there's rarely a delay when you turn the page.
The Kindle will estimate how much time is left in the book (although that's rarely accurate on Logos books because of all the footnotes).

Things that are better on an Android e-Ink device

You don't have to spend 15-30 minutes exporting your book before you read it.
You can look up any reference, not just Bible references.
Highlighting and notes will sync back to your Logos desktop.
You can use Reading Plans.

Overall

I'm actually glad Logos are turning off the Send to Kindle service, because if they hadn't I wouldn't have bought my Android e-Ink device (a Boyue T62+, if you're interested). For me, being able to look up any reference, and not just Bible references is a huge plus. That's enriched my reading — although I certainly miss not being able to look up words in the dictionary.

In terms of time/money, I read about 20-25 Logos books on an e-Ink device in a year. If they take an average of 20 minutes to convert to the Kindle, that's around 7-8 hours of my time a year, which is certainly worth the $118 I spent on the Boyue.

So, overall, if you read a reasonable amount of Logos books, switching your Kindle Paperwhite for an Android device is worth it — both for the time it will save you, and for the benefit of better linking, reading plans and syncing highlighting/notes.

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Comments

Bruce Dunning

Mark, thanks for reflecting on your journey to use Android e-ink. Before you switched from Kindle to Android did you ever have any experience with an iPad?

The reason why I ask is primarily because I had already chosen to own an iPad mini to do my Logos reading but the only drawback is e-ink which now I'm wishing I had. Long stints of reading on my iPad mini still is quite straining on my eyes. Ideally I'd love it if apple would come out with an e-ink reader so I can stay with it but the Boyue T62+ does look tempting.

Graham Criddle

Hi Mark

Thanks for this analysis

One of the issues people using earlier e-Ink devices have reported is that they are "stuck" on a particular version of Android which eventually can't use the latest Faithlife app. One of the implications of this is that some resources won't load, another is that the app they are running is no longer supported.

The page you link to about the device states that it will be upgradable - which may suggest supporting later Android versions.

Any thoughts how you see this developing over the next year or so?

Graham

Mark Barnes

Before you switched from Kindle to Android did you ever have any experience with an iPad?

I had an iPad but I sold it when I purchased my Kindle. Or to put it another way, I bought my Kindle because the reading experience on the iPad wasn't good enough.

That said, I wouldn't use my Boyue for anything other than reading. If you have other tablet needs, you'd need an additional device.

Mark Barnes

One of the issues people using earlier e-Ink devices have reported is that they are "stuck" on a particular version of Android which eventually can't use the latest Faithlife app. One of the implications of this is that some resources won't load, another is that the app they are running is no longer supported.

The page you link to about the device states that it will be upgradable - which may suggest supporting later Android versions.

Any thoughts how you see this developing over the next year or so?

I'm not holding out much hope for this running a later version of Android. I'm working on the assumption that if the Android app does jump to KitKat or above, then I'll sell this on eBay and purchase a new device (probably this one, if it's released: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtbglCLEEMk). Resale prices for the Boyue on eBay are very good - it seems some people prefer purchased a used device from a local seller than to import a new device from China.

Yasmin Stephen

Mark, thanks very much for this summary. I have a few questions:

1. Do you use a case/cover for your device and, if so, which one?

2. What was your experience buying from the banggood site? If I buy, I'll want it shipped to the US, which means I cannot use Paypal (which uses my local non-US address) but I'm kinda leery of using my credit card on a site I've never heard of before.

3. Was the device shipped to you within the specified time?

4. According to the product page at banggood, the device is sold out currently - do you know if there's a way to be informed when it's back in stock?

Sorry for all the questions and thanks in advance.

Graham Criddle

I'm not holding out much hope for this running a later version of Android. I'm working on the assumption that if the Android app does jump to KitKat or above, then I'll sell this on eBay and purchase a new device (probably this one, if it's released: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtbglCLEEMk). Resale prices for the Boyue on eBay are very good - it seems some people prefer purchased a used device from a local seller than to import a new device from China.

Thanks Mark

TCBlack

(probably this one, if it's released: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtbglCLEEMk).

Good gravy, that one is still too small. But then I saw this 13.3" beauty by the same company: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/13-3-inch-android-e-reader#/

I. Want.

Mark Barnes

1. Do you use a case/cover for your device and, if so, which one?

I never use a case for any of my devices.

2. What was your experience buying from the banggood site? If I buy, I'll want it shipped to the US, which means I cannot use Paypal (which uses my local non-US address) but I'm kinda leery of using my credit card on a site I've never heard of before.

I actually purchased from eBay because it was out of stock at banggood. I linked to banggood because links to eBay auctions expire over time, but this is the eBay seller I used. I don't remember the exact delivery time, but I was pleasantly surprised, and it was less than two weeks.

Brad Gault

Logos are turning off the Send to Kindle service

I did not know this was going to happen? When will they turn it off? and more importantly why?

Levi Durfey

The announcement was made on March 7—see here:https://community.logos.com/forums/t/123765.aspx?PageIndex=1

JT (alabama24)

Logos are turning off the Send to Kindle service

I did not know this was going to happen? When will they turn it off? and more importantly why?

End of month. See here: https://community.logos.com/forums/p/123765/808427.aspx

Jan Krohn

Battery life is measured in weeks, not days.

Just disable wifi, blutooth, automated email checking, google hangouts and all other unneeded services, then any decent Android e-ink device will also run for a few weeks with a single battery charge.

Mark Barnes

Just disable wifi, blutooth, automated email checking, google hangouts and all other unneeded services, then any decent Android e-ink device will also run for a few weeks with a single battery charge.

That's not my experience.

I won't disable WiFi (and don't on the Kindle), but have no other services running. I find that the battery will last for around 5-7 days. I do use my device fairly heavily (perhaps 45 minutes to an hour each day). My Kindle will last for about three times that long with similar usage.

Colin

Hi Mark,

I'm really grateful you took the time to update us about this. You have certainly convinced me of the benefits of having a Boyue t62+! Quite apart from being able to use it for reading from my Logos library, I can also install my kindle and an epub reader (since I have many books in those formats), not to mention being able to read pdfs on it too. This will finally enable me to consolidate my electronic libraries and resources and be my main device for bringing to conferences pre-loaded with relevant material, or on holiday, as well as for more regular reading at home. In addition the backlight is a feature I have wanted for some time in my e-reader for reading in bed.

I have been doing a lot with logos on my phone but it is not such a pleasant reading experience and contributes I'm sure to the inevitable battery drain on a mobile. The 5-7 days of battery use you mention above is good enough for me, and I may get more since I can disable wifi for my non-logos reading most of the time.

Your questions (and the responses) on the other thread -

https://community.logos.com/forums/p/124217/811849.aspx#811849

will no doubt be very handy when I receive mine.

Thanks again,

Colin.

Rod Bergen

I'm actually glad Logos are turning off the Send to Kindle service

Huge disagreement with this statement...

I have a lot of money invested in Kindle books generally so am EXTREMELY disappointed in Logos discontinuing their service. Your post only serves to help Logos justify to themselves what I think is a bad decision.

I don't have any Android devices and have no desire to go there. The Kindle is the most popular reading app so will now have to go back to the old method of taking 15 minutes or so to convert a book.

Mark Barnes

Huge disagreement with this statement...

I have a lot of money invested in Kindle books generally so am EXTREMELY disappointed in Logos discontinuing their service. Your post only serves to help Logos justify to themselves what I think is a bad decision.

I was surprised to find myself writing that. When the announcement was made, my immediate response was that it was "terrible news", as I relied on the service.

Nevertheless, that is the opinion I have come to. It's not intended to make Faithlife feel better about switching the service off. But I can honestly say that whilst I loved the "Send to Kindle" service, reading a Logos book on a Kindle is not as good as reading a Logos book using the Logos app on an e-Ink Android device — at least not for someone who likes to be able to look up references whilst they're reading.

NB.Mick

I have a lot of money invested in Kindle books generally so am EXTREMELY disappointed in Logos discontinuing their service. Your post only serves to help Logos justify to themselves what I think is a bad decision.

I don't think this was a decision Logos could avoid making (or agreeing to) - from the little bit of info we were given and from what can be inferred from the stories on the web that tell other e-book sellers' stories, this probably has been pushed down from the big A retailer.

Todd Phillips

I don't have any Android devices and have no desire to go there. The Kindle is the most popular reading app so will now have to go back to the old method of taking 15 minutes or so to convert a book.

But, if you had an android-based e-Ink device you could install both the Kindle and Logos apps and have the best of both worlds, right?

Jan Krohn

I won't disable WiFi (and don't on the Kindle), but have no other services running. I find that the battery will last for around 5-7 days. I do use my device fairly heavily (perhaps 45 minutes to an hour each day). My Kindle will last for about three times that long with similar usage.

Then that's your own choice of a short battery life.

Wifi on Android is a complete battery waster. I'm sure there must be some reasons to keep it switched on all the time while reading...

Mark Barnes

I won't disable WiFi (and don't on the Kindle), but have no other services running. I find that the battery will last for around 5-7 days. I do use my device fairly heavily (perhaps 45 minutes to an hour each day). My Kindle will last for about three times that long with similar usage.

Then that's your own choice of a short battery life.

Wifi on Android is a complete battery waster. I'm sure there must be some reasons to keep it switched on all the time while reading...

Because without WiFi I can't look up references to resources I haven't downloaded yet, and I can't sync "last read position" between my various devices. Those features are very important to me. I suppose I could keep turning WiFi on and off, but I'd rather just occasionally charge my device.

Bobby Terhune

FYI,

There is a great in depth review of Eink readers on PC Mag called "Best Ebook freaders of 2016, dated March 21, 2016.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2400310,00.asp

Eric Ross

I use both my iPad mini and my Kindle Paper white.

iPad Mini: great for quickly looking things up, navigating through references and doing searches. Not bad, but the eye strain is higher with this device.

Kindle PaperWhite: The best experience by far if you are going to sequentially read one page to the next (like a real book). It has low eyestrain ranging from pitch black to full sunlight. This is as close to reading regular paper as you can get on a electronic device. I definitely would not want to use this device for jumping around between references.

I would love to see a comparison with the Boyue T62+ to see if it is worth the price to still have an e-ink solution. The copy/export only allows you 100 pages and is a bit of a pain if you suddenly want to read a different book.