Does anyone here use an e-reader? I know some people that can't go without them and others that despise them and long for the feel of a physical book. Personally, I have the B&N Nook, which I have found to be much more convenient and cost-efficient than physical books.
I have a Kindle. Very nice device, and makes for a nice reading experience. I like the Nook as well, but not the color version because of the back lit LCD.
I'm one of the ones that hates them. I am actually totally anti-computers. That's right...you read right. I hate the internet. With a deep, angry passion. But here I am, typing on my god damn keyboard.
I like the idea just because I have very little room for storage. Most of my books are in a wooden chest downstairs because I have no room. lol Otherwise I don't like the idea because to me there's something special about owning a book. Which is probably why my room is overflowing with them.
I used to be staunchly opposed, and I still don't love the idea. However, I find myself getting more and more attracted to it, as every time I go into a bookstore to buy a book, it's never available. I can't afford $20 shipping to NZ on top of a $30 book, every time I want to buy something. Plus two weeks for shipping. So I'm kind of thinking I might buy one soon. However, I do have a problem reading on screens--I can't get drawn into a story if I download it to my ipad... But people say the Kindle is different, so I'm hoping they're right.
I love my Sony PRS e-reader. It's not any cheaper to buy the books (especially as second hand isn't an option) but I can store thousands of books both read and to read, make notes on them, note when I read the book, not have to keep finding my page because one of my kids stole the bookmark, great for holiday reading as no limit on how many books I can take, I can put my own Word docs on it.... the list goes on. I thought I'd miss having a real book but can get completely absorbed into the Sony PRS to the point that I go to turn the machine as if it was a page! Embarrassing in a public place... There are a few downsides, like the cost although classics are often free new books are sometimes more costly than paperback, but I'm still a huge fan. Besides, there's no reason not to keep a few books around as well....
I have a Kindle and I love it. It's convenient, cheaper, and means I can have access to thousands of books without having to cart them around. It hasn't stopped me using paper books, which I still read and still have a mountainous pile of. Books which have particular value to me I buy in physical form, but my Kindle allows me to read more, more easily, and spend less money. And I find the screen very easy to read. Unlike an LCD screen, the e-ink doesn't hurt my eyes, I find the inbuilt dictionary incredibly useful, and I can even make notes with it. In short, Kindle=awesome.
My brother has a kindle. It's alright. I've never actually finished a book on it, and tend to spend more time playing the word games than anything else. Even with the text down to the minimum size, it still doesn't read quite like a real book. The flow is off, and the story feels somehow different. Besides, what's reading without the faintly hypnotic smell of a book?
The Kindle and Nook use this thing called e-ink, which is significantly easier on your eyes than a normal screen. It takes no glare and is like reading from paper.
I have never seen the point in a dedicated e-book reader, or even iPads for that matter. I have Kindle on my Android "phone" instead. ("phone" as I use it for everything, like reading books, using it as a clock, as an alarmclock, playing a few games when I'm bored, writing appointments, birthdays etc in the calender, listening to music, even watching movies and so on. The only thing I don't do is talk to people.)
I'm exactly the same way with a tablet or laptop. But the Kindle hasn't posed that problem for me at all. Hopefully, you'll have the same experience.
I always wondered about the Kindle app for phones. The screens seem too small to comfortably read off, in addition to the majority being LCD. I'd much prefer my Kindle, to be honest.
Can't be good for the eyes over extended periods of time. Small text like that would be a strain on them, seems to me.
I was opposed to e-readers, till I got a Kindle for my birthday. Looking at the screen is like looking at a page, there's no glare and therefor doesn't cause any eye strain like a computer monitor will. There are loads of free books available, all the classics and other random offerings, so it's easier to obtain MORE books without breaking your budget. Also if you're desperate to get started reading a new book, you can get it instantly and start reading even if it's midnight and your local bookstore is closed. I think the biggest attraction of the Kindle for me is that I can 'hold' a big thick heavy book in one hand while I am busy cooking, cleaning, whatever and turn the pages with my thumb *click* so I can fit more reading time into my day. I still love browsing in real life bookstores, I like to look at the covers, read the blurb on the back and flick through a few paper pages - so I do still go and buy real books, but the Kindle is a great addition to my reading experiences. Blue
Me too, sort of. But there's a huge difference from reading on a 20" + computer monitor and a small screen on a phone. Before I got the phone, I wouldn't even dream of watching movies on it. Now I love it.
Kindles are great. I love the screen - very easy to read, no glare. And I love how so many classics are free or very nearly free. Complete works of Charles Dickens for less than five bucks - how can you go wrong? All of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan stories for absolutely free? How can you go wrong? All of Kipling, Conrad, many others, for less than the cost of a latte at Starbucks? How can you go wrong? And you can carry all of this in the space of a Kindle, as opposed to filling boxes and boxes with books.
