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I really dislike the idea that I need to pay $100 to $200 for some electronic machine that will let me then purchase programs that will let me do...
Hmm, they'll let me do exactly the same thing I can do if I just buy a book, but they cost more for some reason.
That's the big problem I have with electronic books. If electronic books were offered at much cheaper prices, then an ebook reader might be a good investment (except they break and have to be replaced). Really, it's all a matter of paying real money for a tiny amount of convenience. I can buy a used paperback book for $5, or I can pay $200 for the privilege of paying $20 for a new copy of the same book.
Now, one giant advantage of ebooks comes if you're learning a new language, since you can get a pop-up dictionary that will give you translations of any words you don't know. An ebook with automatic translation is an excellent learning tool that past generations didn't have.
Of course, I can do the same thing with my computer, and my computer allows me to do a bunch of other things (like work and programming projects and such), so I'm still not completely convinced.
The biggest advantages of ereaders and ebooks are:
Ability to change the font size, font style and page margins, as well as rotate the display to "landscape mode." If you have never had eye problems, that may mean nothing to you. Once you've had a problem, though, that means a lot. Think of how small the "large print" books section always was in the library.
The lack of eye strain on an eink ereader compared to a computer, laptop or tablet - or compared to reading a regular book at night in dim light to avoid keeping the spouse up.
Being able to carry a lot of books in a limited amount of space.
Being able to access library rentals instead of buying and a huge number of free and very low cost books. Since I already have Amazon Prime for other reasons, I can get many books as free rentals from Amazon on my Kindle ereader. I can also get books from sources other than Amazon on my Kindle, I am not limited to a single source.
I have a smartphone, a laptop, a tablet and desktop computer for other stuff - the ereader is for me to read. Of all the electronics "toys" I have had over the years, my Kindle Voyage tops the list.
Except, as always, the article isn't actually talking about dedicated ereaders but rather tablets/laptops/cell phones. Note the bits about eyestrain and headaches (that would be from reading on a backlit LCD screen, not an e-ink ereader screen) and "temptation to check mail or read the internet" that would be a device OTHER THAN an ereader, which is pretty much dedicated to reading only.
EXACTLY!I much prefer reading on my Kindle Touch, than a paper book.
I love paper books! There is something freeing about having an object that conveys thought without electricity or connection to a network.
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Love paper books, but ebooks are nice sometimes.
I much prefer reading on my Kindle Touch, than a paper book.
