Book collection.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons - Creative Commons 2.0 License - Ian Wilson | ©Wikimedia Commons - Creative Commons 2.0 License - Ian Wilson
Why I Won't Buy an EBook or an EBook Reading Device: I like My Paperback Books Thanks Anyway!
Buying an EBook or an EBook Reading Device is the Last Thing I'm Likely to Ever Do
Now and again, I look at eBooks online. Buying an eBook always sounds like a good idea, until I actually start thinking about the reality of it and, soon, I'm realizing why buying an eBook is probably the last thing I'll ever do. There are obviously many people out there who like to buy and read eBooks but I doubt I'll ever be one of them. It's not that I'm not tech savvy, it's not that I'm a luddite, it's just that I like buying actual books more and here is why.eBooks are Expensive - I just got off browsing eBooks on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble. com and they're expensive. While an actual book is around $9.99 to $14.99, the eBook of the same book is only $1-2 less. Now, why would I spend $7.99 to $12.99 on nothing more than a copied computer file that will just be sent out over and over again by Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com when I can buy my very own book made of real paper, ink and cardboard? eBooks are too expensive.
eBook Readers are Expensive - Another reason I'll never buy an eBook is, when you factor in the cost of the device you need to actually read the eBook, the cost goes up even more. Kindles are running at around $300 right now, an iPod is a similar price, a Blackberry around $150-$250 and a computer even more. A book where I live in Bangkok is about $7. That book will give me hours of reading pleasure without having to spend extra money on a device just so that I can read it.
Reading eBooks is not Convenient - Most devices that help you read eBooks are not convenient. The Kindle, put out by Amazon, is too bulky and difficult to read. The iPhone and the Blackberry are too small. And, quite frankly, I don't want to sit at my computer all day reading an eBook, when I can just shove a book in my bag and take it with me - wherever I go. Reading an eBook just isn't convenient. Reading a book is.
eBook Readers Can Malfunction - Don't know about you, but I've never had a book malfunction. It's just there, always readable, not that heavy and turning a page takes a fraction of a second. The one time I used a Kindle, I found it bulky, hard to turn pages and, I obviously hit the wrong button, because it even turned itself off a few times.
Comments
Bart Stewart
(Guest)
(Guest)
07/25/2009
Hopefully in the future some of the problems you cite will be resolved. The digital book may be environmentally superior, in that no trees are lost to making paper. Of course, the unit may be crammed full of toxic chemicals, who knows? E-books should have the advantage of custom setting of font size and contrast, so I was surprised to read that you got headaches from yours. It was also surprising that the prices are so high. Expect that to change. There will always be regular paper books. Even if digital readers are perfected and take over the market, paper books will still exist as specialty items. Long term, the challenge remains just getting people to read books at all, be it paper or digital.
:)
Well written, I have several friends that swear by their Kindles/ myself however, I love my library- there is something sensual about the way a book smells and feels and above all- it makes me seem more intelligent to show off my "library."
Keep up the great writing and reviews-
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