In November I posted about fighting off the urge to get an iPod Touch and a Kindle. I confess soon after I wrote that entry my husband treated me to an iPod Touch. Despite not having the best battery life (I returned the original and replaced it with one with somewhat better battery life) I do like it. I don't have a smart phone so the iPod with its wi-fi capability allows me to check email, the all important twitter and facebook etc. The apps are fun. I'm not having to open my laptop to do a few quick tasks yet I am not always connected either if I am not in a hot spot. I realize many of you will disagree but I do think we (at least me) need to allow some time to not be constantly notified about emails, tweets, comments etc. I don't want to finally get together with a friend for lunch only to be having her look at her phone the whole time.
Okay I'm drifting here. Getting back to the second item - the Kindle. I loaded the Kindle app on my iPod Touch. While it's not the best reader compared to the Kindle itself, it is darn convenient especially when we got snowed in. I am not as big a reader (of books that is) as I use to be thanks to being on the computer. I can see many advantages to the Kindle especially on our vacations. Also having a lot of books on the shelves is not us nor is it "green". We are trying to reduce. Even if I enjoy a book I usually do not care about owning it. However strikes go against me getting one: 1) My daughter is a huge reader. We encourage her love of reading. She has mentioned a Kindle too. If anyone in our family deserves one it is her. 2) I'm a big user of our public library. It has a decent inventory and a great online request system. It goes back to not owning books. Many times I will request a book I've already read and discover it again. 3) The device itself is very expensive and not multi-functional. This argument has been brought up a lot after the iPad was released (though note the iPad with its LCD has prettier pages than the Kindle, it is not as good for the eyes). The Kindle books are reasonable priced, many below the standard $9.99. I've gotten several good free ones for my Kindle app. Still overall it is no bargain. 4) Technology is always improving. I hate spending a lot of money then a newer, greater version is released.
I won't say "yes" or "no" to getting one in the future. For right now I just went on our library website and requested some more books. Do any of you have an e-reader or considered getting one?
As a side note or I should say side bar - I re-established Shelfari on my blog. I'd like to continue keeping track of the books I've read. Most of the recent ones were either downloaded to my iPod Touch Kindle app or from the library.
3 comments:
I tried getting into e-reading, but I just can't get used to not holding an actual book. I love to turn pages, smell the ink/paper...guess I'm just old fashioned that way. I do read blogs and stuff on my Blackberry when I have down time (usually in bed late at night - the worst time ever to be on a BB). I've recycled a lot of books that I owned by donating to the library or trading on paperbackswap.com. I've recently gotten turned on to books-on-cd, and I'm hooked. I love being able to listen to a good book during my commute - killing 2 birds with 1 stone. I also get them from paperbackswap and the library.
I agree, ~Mel~. There's just something about burrowing into a blanket with a real book in your hands. I have a hard time reading a lot online, too, though. While I hate lugging 40 pounds of school books around every day, I appreciate being able to read the material in print, make notes, and highlight important things. It may be easier for non-school reading, but I don't see much of that in my near future!
I will also be a late adopter, if ever, to getting a Kindle or something like it. To me, they seem great for people who travel a lot, and want to be able to have several books on hand for long plane rides, etc. But I work from home, and don't need to travel much. Besides, I like loaning my favorite books to friends, and donating books to the library, and so on. Couldn't do that with a Kindle.
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