Okay, so I've reached a moral decision point in my life. . . give in to the snazzy temptation that is the E-reader, or resist the urge?
I'm not overly concerned about the Internet access as a feature: my Android phone runs the 3G network fine, and I don't really need EVERY device in my possession to do so. I'd be in love with the Lending feature, but I don't actually know anyone who's bought themselves this particular present, so there goes that perk. Having moved three times in the last six months, I DO appreciate the idea of not having to drag fifty pound boxes of books up two flights of stairs. Plus, hey, I'm a material girl: cover design options are the perfect accessory.
But then again, what compares to curling up with your favorite dog-eared, broken-spined copy of a good read?
Does anybody have an e-reader that they've had seriously positive or negative experience with? I'm currently intrigued by the Nook specifically, but I'm looking for any opinions or input before I run out and buy.
Using the iPad to read is surprisingly nice. The ability to download books and read them immediately is pretty great and there are some cool features (like being able to make notes or look up definitions). On the other hand, I'm so used to actual books that it will take a little getting used to. The tactility of a book hardly lends to the pleasure of reading it, but it is a comforting familiarity.
I only keep books I can't replace or that have sentimental value. Beyond that, there's really no reason to not use a Kindle for all the "normal" books in your library. Paperbacks, pulp, whatever. If you already own an iPad, use it for books. If you don't, get a Kindle or Nook or whatever flavor you prefer. Personally I use the Amazon store for everything so Kindle ahoy.
And really, people make a big deal of actually holding a book and turning the pages and all that, but if you think about it it's only because of familiarity, not for any actual benefit that the format offers. Give yourself five minutes to adjust to e-paper and it'll be exactly the same as a paper book (except on the iPad, which is pretty clear but still nothing like e-paper). Our kids will all complain the same way when their kids ditch e-readers for matrix uplinks.
d20 said:
And really, people make a big deal of actually holding a book and turning the pages and all that, but if you think about it it's only because of familiarity, not for any actual benefit that the format offers. Give yourself five minutes to adjust to e-paper and it'll be exactly the same as a paper book (except on the iPad, which is pretty clear but still nothing like e-paper). Our kids will all complain the same way when their kids ditch e-readers for matrix uplinks.
I haven't bought an e-reader yet but I just want to say I agree with this. It's the stories and characters and ideas in books that I get sentimental over; not the material they're printed on.
d20 said:
And really, people make a big deal of actually holding a book and turning the pages and all that, but if you think about it it's only because of familiarity, not for any actual benefit that the format offers. Give yourself five minutes to adjust to e-paper and it'll be exactly the same as a paper book (except on the iPad, which is pretty clear but still nothing like e-paper). Our kids will all complain the same way when their kids ditch e-readers for matrix uplinks.
I haven't bought an e-reader yet but I just want to say I agree with this. It's the stories and characters and ideas in books that I get sentimental over; not the material they're printed on.
Don't you people understand? You can't stick your dick in an e-book.
I don't think I'd care about the medium once I was reading, but I would really miss bookcases. I love sitting there and scanning through a full bookcase for something to read, and seeing so many interesting titles, and then finally seeing some old favorite that I hadn't read in a long time but would really be a great story for the night.
d20 said:
And really, people make a big deal of actually holding a book and turning the pages and all that, but if you think about it it's only because of familiarity, not for any actual benefit that the format offers. Give yourself five minutes to adjust to e-paper and it'll be exactly the same as a paper book (except on the iPad, which is pretty clear but still nothing like e-paper). Our kids will all complain the same way when their kids ditch e-readers for matrix uplinks.
I haven't bought an e-reader yet but I just want to say I agree with this. It's the stories and characters and ideas in books that I get sentimental over; not the material they're printed on.
I'm sure there were plenty of people lamenting the use of books over scrolls citing tactile differences and availability to the masses. I don't think Gutenberg would mind getting crushed by clouds.
@MrCrisp: omgsh. i really spit mountain dew laughing.
I'm really seeing everyone's point really clearly, and I think I'm going to give it a try when I get paid. What's the worst that could happen, I hate it, have to sell it and buy books? :3
I guess it depends on what you want to experience. If you like instant convenience and the ability to carry an entire library in your bag, go for the e-reader. If you like the experience of going to a bookstore and browsing around, the feel of the pages, and the ability to write notes in the margins with a pencil, stick to books.
Lemonkid said:
None of you ebook users will have anything to read after the coming apocalypse. I will get rich off of your library fees. I accept bacon as payment.
Yes but after the apocalypse when you finally find the library and sit down with a book your glasses will fall off and brake.
Lemonkid said:
None of you ebook users will have anything to read after the coming apocalypse. I will get rich off of your library fees. I accept bacon as payment.
Yes but after the apocalypse when you finally find the library and sit down with a book your glasses will fall off and brake.
Coyotemike said:
I guess it depends on what you want to experience. If you like instant convenience and the ability to carry an entire library in your bag, go for the e-reader. If you like the experience of going to a bookstore and browsing around, the feel of the pages, and the ability to write notes in the margins with a pencil, stick to books.
Also, books rarely suffer a server crash.
Yes, I love to mark the pages of the passages I really like. I also love books as beautiful objects. I love the way they smell too. I don't find anything beautiful about computers. The decline of the printed word makes me sad, I don't want to become completely cyborg. I really don't think I could bring myself to read books on a screen, I guess I'm a bit of a luddite. I do suppose that a lot of this probably is just familiarity but a book is a really magical thing to me.
Another thing I was thinking about was that if I stare at a computer screen for a long time I get a sore head or sore eyes but it doesn't happen if I read a book for hours. I don't know if it's the same with these e-reader machines, if they have the same sort of screen as a computer? I think e-readers must be quite useful for academic purposes but in general I'm definitely a dedicated page-turner.
Another thing I was thinking about was that if I stare at a computer screen for a long time I get a sore head or sore eyes but it doesn't happen if I read a book for hours. I don't know if it's the same with these e-reader machines, if they have the same sort of screen as a computer?
The biggest step forward with the new E-readers is definitely the screens. They're not like a computer screen, and you can read them for as long as a book.
I'm still on the book side of things, and I doubt I'll ever get rid of them totally. But after moving with hundreds of book boxes (most of which I'll never read again), I think it's now a matter of time (and a few more generations) before i get into a reader.
There was a point when I thought I'd never switch to CDs/MP3s/iTunes for music.
We could do a comparison
PROS:
Reader:
light weight
carry hundreds of books at a time
tech is improving
fast downloads/no need to go to a store
Book:
No need to charge to read
No chance of a repeat of Amazon taking back copies due to a copyright error
low-tech
Bookstore experience
Tactile (for those who like such things)
CONS:
Reader:
Initial expense
Replacement every few years
Chance of a purchased book being removed without your consent
Tracking of your purchases (big deal for paranoids)
Book:
Flammable
Storage space needed
Difficulty moving/traveling with
fall apart over time/susceptible to weather
Bookstore experience
Tactile (for those who like such things)
...and these are my big pros. Unfortunately, the bookstore experience is getting worse and worse over time. Even in NYC, good bookstores (with informed staff) are disappearing all the time.
Bookstore experience
Tactile (for those who like such things)
...and these are my big pros. Unfortunately, the bookstore experience is getting worse and worse over time. Even in NYC, good bookstores (with informed staff) are disappearing all the time.
Ugh, I know the feeling. I worked in a bookstore all through college and grad school. I could suggest books to anyone. I could find anything. Someone once asked for "A blue book with a dog on the front" and I found it. (Some sort of art book). Now, I go into the same place, I don't dare ask for help for fear of the incoherent stare.
man, that's just one of those obscure cons. i definitely wouldn't have thought to add it to the list. i worry about a lot of things, but book combustion might keep me up at night now. D:
Another thing I was thinking about was that if I stare at a computer screen for a long time I get a sore head or sore eyes but it doesn't happen if I read a book for hours. I don't know if it's the same with these e-reader machines, if they have the same sort of screen as a computer?
The biggest step forward with the new E-readers is definitely the screens. They're not like a computer screen, and you can read them for as long as a book.
I'm still on the book side of things, and I doubt I'll ever get rid of them totally. But after moving with hundreds of book boxes (most of which I'll never read again), I think it's now a matter of time (and a few more generations) before i get into a reader.
There was a point when I thought I'd never switch to CDs/MP3s/iTunes for music.
This sort of implies that you have to choose one or the other. I never leave the house without my earphones and my mp3 player, but at home I'm more likely to throw on a record or cd. I have the same experience with my e-reader, I can carry around ten books without breaking my back.
I don't think e-readers are the devil, but I prefer print books. I am big on the whole tactile experience, I love the smell of books and I love having bookcases full of them. I like to read while eating and sometimes in the bath. I don't want to get mustard or bathwater on an expensive piece of electronic equipment. There is also the whole advantage of having something to entertain yourself in case of a lengthy power outage or apocalypse.
I don't have the same attachment to music cassettes and CDs, and most of my music is on my computer now, but then I never sat around playing with CDs or staring at the liner notes/cover art while I listened to the music.
Katniss
Toledo, OH
January 2009
SEP 25, 2010 03:55 PM