I'll have to admit, when I first heard of the Kindle, or any e-reader for that matter, I was a bit skeptical. When I buy a book I like to have something physical and "real" to hold in my hand. Plus I like having and owning books that I can fill a bookshelf with and putting them on display. I think you can tell a lot about a person and their interests by viewing their bookshelf. Buying digital books is just like downloading digital music mp3s and for whatever reason that doesn't bother me at all. I've been doing that for well over 10 years and I don't even own music CDs anymore. I have no interest and housing hundreds of CDs and as long as I can listen to the music I don't care if it is coming from something on my computer or a physical album I can see. Books and magazines are just different for me for some reason. I like to have the physical object in my hand to hold.
The other reason why I was skeptical is because reading off a computer monitor is just not as comfortable as reading from paper. The screen is too bright and there is always scrolling involved. I don't have a problem doing it for short reading (i.e. a web site) but long reading like a novel I think would be headache-inducing.
I bought Sarah a Kindle a year or so ago and I've been trying to get back into reading (besides all of the reading I do for work) and so I decided to try her Kindle out. The bottom line is that this little device is amazing. First off, get rid of any hesitation regarding reading from a computer screen. This screen looks nothing like a regular computer screen. It is a gray-scale monitor that looks exactly like reading from a paperback book. Utilizing e-ink technology, it is almost difficult to explain how much it looks like a real book. You just have to experience it to believe it. The only comparison I can think of is that it looks similar to an etch-a-sketch. The picture is great and is not hard on the eyes at all.
I am still a bit disappointed in not having an actual physical copy of the books that I read. I like to hold them in my hands and make notes in the margins (which you can actually do with the Kindle) and I like to fill my shelves with books that I read. However, when I think of the advantages of owning e-books versus real books (instant delivery, not having to transport them every time I move) I think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Anyone who does at least a moderate amount of reading should get a Kindle. They are great little devices for reading, and it is worth noting that library systems are beginning to lend books on e-devices such as Kindles. I really enjoy reading on this e-reader.
They could consider a NOOK also. I like the ability to read .PDFs. Also with my word processor being able to save in .pdf format means that I can write something and put it on my NOOK. We are a two NOOK family and using the same Barnes & Noble NOOK account means that both NOOKs share books.
ReplyDeleteI've actually never used a NOOK or any other e-reader which is why I commented only on the Kindle. Does the NOOK use e-ink technology as well?
ReplyDeleteThere are two types of NOOKs a B&W and a color. the B&W (mine) uses the e-ink screen with a color menu screen across the bottom. It is very much like the Kindle. The color (Mary's) is more like a LCD screen. The color handles the internet better. I guess it depends on what your looking for there. Mary likes the color kids books and the color NOOK handles those very well and I can't even down load them to my NOOK. Maybe the next time we get together we can show them off.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'll have to check them out next time I'm down. I'd have to see the color screen before I passed judgment. If I were gonna get something to read books on and surf Internet I'd probably get an iPad.
ReplyDelete