Kindle or Paper Back!!!! (fantasy, ebook, human, bookstore)

[in_newengland]

I have a Kindle but I found that I couldn't get new books on it. Now that I already got them from the library, they are available on kindle but I've already read them. I think as more books are available on overdrive, this may change.

I can buy used books for about $1-- saves money.

The other things I don't like about it are that I'm constantly "turning the page" because unless I make the font very small, there isn't much on a page.

Another thing is that in books the publishers consider the layout--margins, font type and size, etc. and it suits the book but on kindle you lose that.

I do like the light weight of it and the ease of taking it with me. I didn't know you could send documents to it? You can? Like if I had some medical information from my computer and wanted to store it and show it to my doctor?

Lately I've been using my kindle as a coaster.

[Ohio Hello]

Favorite things about using a Kindle:

• 24/7 access to books, audio books, and magazines through my library or through Amazon. Great for night owls and insomniacs like me.
• Ability to read in the dark without a book light.
• Ability to carry around several books at once.
• Dictionary look up with the tap of a finger.
• Free books to keep! From classics to up and coming authors.
• No more lugging heavy bags of books into HPB to sell once they get kicked off my shelves.

I love paperbacks, but I use my Kindle nearly every day to view materials from the library. I still do purchase books in print, but only if I know I'll want to add them to my collection and return to them at a future date. Pretty much how I used to do it five years ago, just without driving down to the library every week.

When my Kindle Fire (first generation) dies, I'll probably get whatever the equivalent is to the Paperwhite at the time, because the only complaint I really have is the inability to read in bright sunlight. The novelty of being able to stream Netflix or Pandora has faded for me; I'll just get out my laptop or iPod for those applications. If you think you'll only be reading on it, don't waste the extra money for a Fire.

If you have a Best Buy near you, I think they have different models of Kindles on display so you can see all the options, and not just your wife's device. If you do like all of the features of the Fire, you also might consider just getting a full out tablet. You can download the Kindle app to it (and Nook app, iBooks app, plus various other reading apps) and read all your books on that. You don't need to use a Kindle to access AZF/KF8 e-books -- you can read them on your computer, phone, iPod, tablet, and probably whatever else is coming out next. Conversely, you can read EPUB books on your Kindle, if you just use a program to convert the file first. Calibre is good for this, but I think I've read that there are apps you can download for your Fire as well.

Originally Posted by Lowedown

I have dropped many books in the water.

Caption with photo (from reddit): Never drop a book on the bath again. My eight year old daughter's invention.

[PA2UK]

Originally Posted by Cida

Speaking as someone with no interest in e-books, I'll speak up in favor of paperbacks.

1. You may not have to hold e-books open, but there is far less on the page. I know that the type is supposedly scalable, but when I watch people reading, one e-book page seems to contain about as much as one-third of a paperback page, meaning they have to turn pages about six times as often.

I don't know what paperbacks you normally read but most eInk screens are 6" and in my experience, an average paperback is not much bigger, especially a mass market paperback - it's only about 8". So ereaders are more like 3/4 the size of a paperback page. Additionally, the screen margins on the Kindle are smaller than the margins on a normal paperback so the amount of text that fits on one page is about the same. Granted, the screen is only one page rather than a spread of two pages so you do have to turn the page more often... but certainly NOT six times more often. And if you've ever used an ereader, which you clearly haven't, you'd know how much quicker and easier it is to flip a page on it than it is with a paper book. The action of moving your thumb an inch or less to tap the screen or a button is much quicker and easier than lifting another hand to corner of a page, separating the pages (and don't you hate when it's difficult to separate them?), and moving your hand across the spread.

Honestly, a LOT of people have concerns about having to turn the "page" more often with an ereader but once they actually use it, they find it is not intrusive to their reading at all.

2. Every e-book I've seen so far has less contrast than a paperback, so I imagine they're ultimately harder to read.

The white of the screen was very grey on past devices but the latest Pearl eInk is quite white and actually whiter than a lot of older paper books which have yellowed. It really depends on the individual paper book whether it's whiter or not. Furthermore, most brands now have a front-lighting option, which when set low does not look illuminated but merely makes the white of the screen look whiter. Hence the reason why the latest Kindle is called the Kindle PaperWHITE.

If ereaders don't appeal to you, that's fine, but it's unfair to be making assumptions about them when you clearly have no hands-on experience with them. Perhaps you should stop "imagining" and actually use one before you try to tell people what the disadvantages are.

3. Since the point of reading books, for most people, is to concentrate and look yourself in them, I fail to see the advantage of being able to hook it up or sync it up to other things that will just distract you.

You must be easily distracted... I've never had a problem with this.

4. Part of the fun thing about books, it seems to me, is that they're all different. Someone decided on the font, margins, whatever, and I'm not sure it's an advantage to force everything into the same format.

You don't actually have to force it into the same format - there is an option to leave it on "publisher default". Once again, this is just showing that you don't know much about ereaders and therefore it's difficult for you to have an informed opinion about them.

5. Some of what you mention is sort of part of the social aspect of books. That had never occurred to me until I once read someone saying about how the book industry will suffer simply by the fact that covers would not be visible.

More mythology. Book covers are visible on most ereaders nowadays and furthermore, even back when they weren't, book covers are a marketing tool and still vitally important in conveying what the book is about when one is browsing the store for a book to buy.

In your case, it also involves interaction, and maybe enjoyable browsing, at the book exchange. I'm not really in favor of constructing lives so as eliminate all human interaction.

Seriously? You think ebooks will "eliminate all human interaction"? LOL This is so ridiculous I don't even know how to respond. For starters, I still interact with my friends and family about the books we read (whether ebooks or paper books) all the time. Secondly, there are whole communities on the internet based around discussing the technology and culture of ebooks and ereaders - yes, it's internet based... but we're still interacting with humans, regardless of the medium, just like we are now. Look at you and I, humans interacting about ebooks and ereaders, right now. Merely by responding to this topic, you are disproving your own theory. Thirdly, like I mentioned before, ebooks allow you to share quotes and passages on a number of social networking communities, increasing interaction between people about what they're reading. Lastly, some ebooks are actually lendable and there are websites dedicated to helping people connect to lend each other ebooks.

6. Being a low-technology person myself, I see no reason to buy machines just because their trendy. If you're happy, why do you need to change?

Says the person talking on an internet community with a computer....

ereaders aren't trendy because they aren't going anywhere.

7. By the way, although I haven't used them, I assume they need a constant energy source.

Constant energy source? No, not really. That would mean they would need to be plugged in all the time, while using it. It only needs to be charged for a few hours every 1-8 weeks depending on usage. It's not an inconvenience.

And PA2UK seems to be saying that it's perfectly all right to drop an e-book into a bathtub? Really?

When sealed in a ziplock bag, yes. It works perfectly in the bag and it seals out water. Clearly, you did not read my post very thoroughly.

[ranger17]

my 2 cents, as a couple year vet of an e-reader lol.

As i've grown used to the adjustable font (i use Nooks, but basics are the same) i've found it quite difficult to read the smaller print of paper now. I avoid it as much as possible in book reading.
Any readers with the soft built in lights are perfect for reading at night (sure beats clip ons or table lamps in bed). The color readers can also be used to read at night; and speaking of bedtime reading there's no 'swish' as your partner turns pages while you try to sleep.
While my wife gets most of her e-books thru the library system/'overdrive', i tend to get most of mine thru smashwords or B&N/Amazon (my tablet has the kindle app for nook). I actually prefer to read the newer/indie authors; many have written some compelling stories, and it's a way to try someone new and help them out as well.
For traveling, it's obviously an easier pack, to have a reader/tablet in the bag rather then multiple bound books. And it's easy to find something else to read on the road. Lastly for those with kindle fires, nook hd's, etc they can view movies not only streamed but from mp4's loaded on your system which is perfect for long flights, downtime in airports, etc.

I wont be giving up my nook anytime soon, but can understand how those with a lifetime of bound book reading may find it hard to switch over.

[oeccscclhjhn]

book in the bath - great!

i almost got a kindle several times. but i like being able to see where i am in the book. first 1/8th, 1/2, etc. i like being able to flip to the page that shows year of publication. i like being able to see with peripheral vision on the next page that the chapter is coming to an end. i like being able to see other titles from the author. i like the author summary with picture in some paperbacks. i like paperback covers and will seek out older / maybe the original cover art so as to not get a movie tie in cover - which i avoid at all costs. i also like the fact that i can buy used books. i get my used books online, either amazon or abebooks. you can find listings of old library hard covers going for $1.00, shipping a few bucks. that's the biggest advantage over ebooks for me. the used book descriptions can be very thorough so for the most part you know what you are getting. the majority of my book purchases are used.

i know ebooks can have author summaries with photo. i know that ebooks can list other titles from the author. this is my routine of getting into a paperback. if there is ever a market for old / used ebook titles i may once again consider a kindle / ebook reader.

[Q44]

I'm a hi-tech freak. iPhone, tablets, PC's, wi-fi, video games, you name it I'm on it. The one exception was reading a book. I had the Kindle app on my tablet, but rarely used it. Family decided to get me the Kindle Fire HD for Christmas. And . . . I still have not finished my first book. I do not like 'turning on' my book. I like slipping a real bookmark in between the pages when I'm done. Mostly though, I like being able to gauge my progress by how many pages do I still have in my right hand and how many pages are now in my left hand . . . not by a percentage meter. I also don't like my reading speed being measured. I find myself arguing with the Kindle, telling him that's not fair, I got up to make a sandwich. Admittedly, I need to get with the program.

[theatergypsy]

Originally Posted by ranger17

my 2 cents, as a couple year vet of an e-reader lol.

As i've grown used to the adjustable font (i use Nooks, but basics are the same) i've found it quite difficult to read the smaller print of paper now. I avoid it as much as possible in book reading.
Any readers with the soft built in lights are perfect for reading at night (sure beats clip ons or table lamps in bed). The color readers can also be used to read at night; and speaking of bedtime reading there's no 'swish' as your partner turns pages while you try to sleep.
While my wife gets most of her e-books thru the library system/'overdrive', i tend to get most of mine thru smashwords or B&N/Amazon (my tablet has the kindle app for nook). I actually prefer to read the newer/indie authors; many have written some compelling stories, and it's a way to try someone new and help them out as well.
For traveling, it's obviously an easier pack, to have a reader/tablet in the bag rather then multiple bound books. And it's easy to find something else to read on the road. Lastly for those with kindle fires, nook hd's, etc they can view movies not only streamed but from mp4's loaded on your system which is perfect for long flights, downtime in airports, etc.

I wont be giving up my nook anytime soon, but can understand how those with a lifetime of bound book reading may find it hard to switch over.

I agree that some people find it difficult to change the habits of a lifetime. (I started reading at age three and got my Kindle at age 73 so obviously I'm not one) but it is hard to understand the air of superiority some print-only supporters give off. There is, after all, room for all of us, is there not?

[Ohio Hello]

I got a few rep comments (thanks, guys!) from my post about the bath invention....but I just wanted to clear up that it's not my daughter (I don't even have kiddos!).

It's from reddit, and I just wanted to share it with you because it was funny and cute, and some people were talking about the perils of reading in the bath. I should have been clearer in my wording that the caption was included with the photo on imgur. Thanks for the reps though!

[PA2UK]

Originally Posted by f.2

i also like the fact that i can buy used books. i get my used books online, either amazon or abebooks. you can find listings of old library hard covers going for $1.00, shipping a few bucks. that's the biggest advantage over ebooks for me. the used book descriptions can be very thorough so for the most part you know what you are getting. the majority of my book purchases are used.

True, I never bought used books before so this was never a big deal to me. If you mostly buy used books, it's probably not worth getting an ereader. However, I did want to point out that a LOT of Kindle books get discounted as temporary promos to $0.99-$4.99, sometimes even completely free! I use eReaderIQ | The Easier, Faster, Smarter Way to Kindle! to track books I'm interested in - when the price drops on one of them, I get an alert. Looking over my recent purchase history, about 80% of my ebook purchases have been under $4. Unfortunately, I don't think these promos are always available from other stores - I've heard Nook users complain that Kindle seem to have more discounts.

[ranger17]

Originally Posted by PA2UK

True, I never bought used books before so this was never a big deal to me. If you mostly buy used books, it's probably not worth getting an ereader. However, I did want to point out that a LOT of Kindle books get discounted as temporary promos to $0.99-$4.99, sometimes even completely free! I use eReaderIQ | The Easier, Faster, Smarter Way to Kindle! to track books I'm interested in - when the price drops on one of them, I get an alert. Looking over my recent purchase history, about 80% of my ebook purchases have been under $4. Unfortunately, I don't think these promos are always available from other stores - I've heard Nook users complain that Kindle seem to have more discounts.

another site to get info on free and low cost books is Bookbub: BookBub: Free and Bargain Kindle Books, Nook Books, and more, you sign up listing the genres you read and each day they will email you links to sites with specials on said books. It has given me some pretty good suggestions to try, and some are from "known" authors as well.
While i use nook, most of what i read now (fantasy/thriller) and from new/indie authors tends to be similar pricing between B&N and Amazon (& smashwords). I'll add though i recently picked up one of the nook hd+ tablets since they are priced so low now, and you can get the kindle app on it to read the file formats from amazon so if i can only get a book at a certain cost at amazon i can read it on that nook. I'd say all my ebook purchases have been under 5.99, and the high % in the free to 3.99 range.