Do you like e-readers?

[KCGrant]

I want to take a quick poll and see who has and likes reading on an e-reader like Kindle or Nook. Do you think it changes the reading experience? Does the convenience outweigh any drawbacks? Will it make print books obselete one day? What does everyone think?!?

[Guest mormonmusic]

I LOVE eReaders. I have an Aluratek Libre which I used regularly until last month when someone GAVE ME a Kindle with 3G Wireless. Now, I use that more than the Aluratek Libre. I keep both, however, because the Libre can read open-source books in ePub format while the Kindle reads only the Amazon Kindle format. Both can read PDF files, though.

Will they make books obsolete? Not entirely. For casual reading, I think definitely, but for some applications, a book is better. For textbooks, for example, when you have to do a lot of looking up of stuff and flipping between pages I still prefer a physical book to something electronic. If anything will replace the book I think it will be the iPad tablet style of reader since it has a bigger display and can seem more like a book.

In terms of reading experience, I think it's better than reading a book. Here's why:

1. You can increase the font, getting rid of the need to wear glasses when you read, for some people.

2. The electronic paper of the Kindle and the Nook rivals paper reading, so the experience is very similar to reading a book.

3. The kindle has a built-in dictionary -- all you have to do is move a cursor to the word and the dictionary meaning automatically pops up. I find my vocabularly is growing much faster since certain words were a hassle to look up when I read only paper books. Now, with a dictionary at my fingertips (literall) it's worth it to look up the words.

4. The kindle weighs less than a lot of books out there, so you can read longer without getting tired of holding the "book".

5. You can play back the book in MP3 format on your eReader.

6 You can carry around 100 books or more, meaning you are never bored standing in line anymore -- a huge boon. I carry my Kindle with me everywhere now.

The biggest detractor of the Kindle, for me, is the price of the electronic books. Paper books for mass market (used) sell for as little as 1 cent plus 3.99 shipping on Amazon, while a typical fiction ebook sells for $9.99. Plus you can't lend the ebooks as easily to others. Nook lets you lend a book once, they tell me, but it's not like having a physical book that can be shared with others.

Granted, there are a lot of free eBooks at the Guttenberg Project and on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, and I suspect more and more will become available as books go out of copyright, however. But I never buy electronic books anymore. I read the free ebooks, and if I have to buy a book, I get it used if it costs less than an eBook by a few dollars. Or, try to get it out of the library.

Yep, I love eReaders...I hear Amazon is coming out with a rival to the iPad in October -- that will be an interesting unit to see. It will be interesting to see how this technology evolves and integrates with common devices used by the populace over the next 10 years.

[tubaloth]

I posted this about Tablets (not really e-readers, but really the next step up)

http://www.lds.net/forums/general-discussion/41218-tablet-future-here.html

MormonMusic covers pretty much most of the pros and cons. I talk about how much I like the Kindle app on my tablet.

I think it will come down to price. The reason nobody buys CD's anymore is because its easier (and sometimes cheaper) to just buy MP3's. I think there will be a day that the same thing happens for books, but we aren't there yet.

I bought this book for my Dad

Amazon.com: Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II (9780061988349): Mitchell Zuckoff: Books

I was able to download almost the first 3 chapters for free. I was almost ready to buy the book for my tablet. With the price only being $3 different I would still prefer the actually book. If it comes down to like $6, I would have bought it.

I do think there is going to be the day where we are buying both the physical book and the ebook at the same time.

One last thing, that I'm not sure how it works on a normal e-reader. Having the Android tablet I have access to Google Books I haven't actually bought any books. But Google scans in any public domain books. Because the pages are really just pictures of the pages, its not as good as an actually ebook, but on the other hand it gives you access to books that aren't published anymore (and haven't been coverted over to e-book). For LDS I have access to old church publications.

[Backroads]

I will not argue anything against e-readers, but on pure preference I like a good ol'fashioned book in my hands and my only arguments for that is nostalgia and greater comfort in holding a book. I guess I also like the look of a bookshelf. I feel giddy going into libraries, bookstores, etc. I almost passed out at a bookmobile sale because I refused to leave the stuffy heat of the trailer. I love books.

I don't think I'll ever invest money in an e-reader, at least not in the forseable future. But I have nothing against them and find them to be a brilliant idea. My mother also prefers a good bound book, but bought herself a Kindle because it really is easier for her to read.

[Blackmarch]

I want to take a quick poll and see who has and likes reading on an e-reader like Kindle or Nook. Do you think it changes the reading experience? Does the convenience outweigh any drawbacks? Will it make print books obselete one day? What does everyone think?!?

I think that the day when book printing will be obsolete is still far off.. however i do think it will put a good dent in it. I love my tablet and its nice to be able to carry around my library.

[KCGrant]

Thanks for the feedback!

[ADoyle90815]

I'm still one who prefers actual books, and not only being able to hold one, but the smell of them as well. One other benefit is that when I fly somewhere, I don't have to stop reading during takeoff and landing, while those gadgets have to be turned off until the flight crew says they can be turned on while in the air. I love the look of full book cases, and I feel uncomfortable in a home where there are no books being displayed. I know it's wrong, but I judge someone like that as being anti-intellectual until proven otherwise.

[confuzzled]

I debated and debated on whether or not to get one. I like the feel of the page, I like the feel of opening a new book or for that fact an old favorite. Well.....my husband got me one for my birthday and I love it. Do I still miss some aspects...yes. But not living close to a real book store this has allowed me to read more (which could be bad!!) and not have to worry has to where to store them.

[zippy_do46]

I work at a used bookstore. We have talked about this at the store. Many have told me that they will be hold outs. They love their books. They love the feel of them. They like being able to turn back several pages and compare thoughts by flipping the pages. They love to share them with others. I have to laugh at one customer. She came into the store very excited about her son giving her a reader. She told me all about it as she went through the store gathering books to buy. She looked down and realize that she was gathering books to read. She looked at me and started laughing. She told me the reader did have its limits. She bought her books and I did not see her for awhile. She came in one day. "I'm back!" she said. I smiled and welcome her back to the store. She gathered her books and talked with the other customers and laught at comments made about certain characters. When she was checking out she told me with a twinkle in eyes. This is what that reader can not do. I laughed and told her that they might have a program for that soon. She looked around and told me."I do not think so." I believe sometimes those things we enjoy about books can not be scanned into a machine for us to read. :)