The kindle I just got came with 1 month of Prime membership. Prime membership allows you to have access to a whole bunch of books on a 'lending library' basis... which is more like a Netflix basis. I noticed when I "checked out" a book that I wasn't allowed to "check out" another one for at least another week. I believe "Prime" also allows you to "check out" movies and tv shows as well.
In the end I suspect that other than the free trial that came with kindle, it ultimately works like my Audible Account where I pay a monthly fee and it allows me a "free" book each month... which isn't actually 'free" because I've paid a monthly fee, but if you're savvy about what you're using your free credit on you can get something like a $50 audible book for your $13 fee.
Basically, I think it's a way to have a constant revenue stream so they allow you pretty good value for your money, but it isn't as 'free' as they're claiming.
Now, local libraries actually do kindle lending libraries. I learned this from someone at work who gets audio books and kindle books through the local library site, and I think Amazon/Kindle promised a list of associated libraries. I know my own local library allows it, so I should actually go get an account with my library, as we're 'taxed' a library fee each year with my property tax I am a member, I just don't have an online account. So, long story short, public libraries also allow you to 'check out' kindle books.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2011-11-27 04:35 pm (UTC)In the end I suspect that other than the free trial that came with kindle, it ultimately works like my Audible Account where I pay a monthly fee and it allows me a "free" book each month... which isn't actually 'free" because I've paid a monthly fee, but if you're savvy about what you're using your free credit on you can get something like a $50 audible book for your $13 fee.
Basically, I think it's a way to have a constant revenue stream so they allow you pretty good value for your money, but it isn't as 'free' as they're claiming.
Now, local libraries actually do kindle lending libraries. I learned this from someone at work who gets audio books and kindle books through the local library site, and I think Amazon/Kindle promised a list of associated libraries. I know my own local library allows it, so I should actually go get an account with my library, as we're 'taxed' a library fee each year with my property tax I am a member, I just don't have an online account. So, long story short, public libraries also allow you to 'check out' kindle books.