I was on a discussion board over the weekend and there was a thread where people trashed ebook readers. The kindle and its ilk were thought to be signs of the end of the civilized world.
I like paper, I really do. I like the feel of the book. I like to see a shelf full of books.
But…
What everyone seemed to miss was that it is the WORDS that are important.
The kindle makes it easy to read books. I can carry around 100 books and pick the one I want to read according to my mood. The paper does not need to be part of the process. eBook readers are very good things and is a step forward in reading.
People who hate the Kindle have missed the point.
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I think the Kindle actually expands access the more things to read…I would not bother carrying a heavy book on a plane but with a Kindle, I can load it with lots of titles and have access to all of them.
Also, I think everyone changes their mind as soon as they actually get a Kindle and use it. Once you realize how much access you get without the corresponding poundage of books, you are sold…..
A store clerk at Radio Shack told me there is a problem with page turning in the Kindle that it flashes white when pages are turned.
that and you need a credit card in order to buy kindle books is a big turn off for me
Jim,
Sometimes the kindle gets lost when turning a page, although I have only seen it once or twice in the thousands of page that I have read. The liquid paper display is a little slower to paint than LED and you can see it paint, but it is very very clear and readable. I usually bump up the font size so my old eyes can read the page.
If you have a bank account you can get a debit card. This should not be an obstacle.
I have yet to pay for a book. Gutenberg has millions of books in Kindle format. I have a bootleg library of about 10,000 books. Also, I find there are occasional free books on Amazon and Smashwords that are worth reading. All these should keep me in reading material for as long as I take the bus to work.
There is a cheap version of the Kindle that uses advertising to keep the cost down.
I do not say that you should save your money for a Kindle, but in a few years you will be able to pick them up used for $20 or thereabouts. Watch out for a cheap one on craigslist or in the local thrift stores. It will be worth it.
No, No, No! ALL progress must stop! We are losing the past. Kindle BAD! Cave wall drawing GOOD!
This issue comes down to the same one that is at the root of all of our problems: TOO MANY FRICKIN PEOPLE.
If we reduce the world’s population to a tenth of what it is now there would be no need for such devices and hand printing leather bound books would once again become a viable economic activity.
Steve,
I am embarrassed to say that I totally agree with you.
The population is so dense down here near New York, that I can’t sneeze without starting an argument.
I am thinking of moving to New Hampshire and growing a beard.
Keith