For The L♥ve of Reading discussion

With the growing popularity of the Kindle and the nook, what do you think the future of books is? Will there be a time when people only have electronic books? Do you prefer e-books to the real thing?

I don't have either. (Great Topic)

I'm wondering if anyone recommends the Kindle or nook?

I don't have either, but I do have some books on my iPod. I would MUCH rather read an actual book, plus I love haveing the hard copy of the boos I read, not a computer copy. But I supose that it would be handy to have something that holds a bunch of book, especially when traveling or something, less to carry.

I do like audiobook for when I travel. Last semester most of my classes were 45 minutes away. I also tend to drive from Wisconsin to South Carolina and Florida often throughout the year, (visit grandparents). But I would have to say that the only electronic read for me has been the partial draft of Midnight Sun by Meyers

I read that too. But I prefer real books to ones on the computer, It hurts my eyes if I stare at a screen too long.

I'm the same, it's just to bright. And I have also read that, and I think that it's the only one that I have read on the computer.

I think that even though e-books are cool and the world is becoming highly digital, we book lovers will always prefer the paper version of books. There is just something intimate(not sure if thats the word i'm looking for)about have an actual book in our hands. Does that make sense?

Yeah, I agree. I don't have a Kindle or nook, but I don't like reading a virtual book.

I do like paper books. However, I do like the concept of destroying less trees that electronic readers offer.

I'm real old-fashioned so I definitely like having a real book in my hand. I can see the appeal for the e-readers. It's like when we got ipods instead of CDs but I think books are different. It's cool to carry around numerous amount of books in one easy device but where is the fun in that? Not being able to browse through selves and think that's gonna look awesome on the my shelf! That's an experience I don't want to give up.

I'm actually pretty excited about e-books! Sure, I will always want to own physical copies of books I love, but I'm all for the portability of e-books. A lot of times, I would read a book once and may never read it again, so a digital book would be great for that, and of course there's nothing better than saving trees.

You can carry all your textbooks with you without suffering back pain! That's what I'm really interested in. For nursing, we use a lot of thick reference books, and it would be great to be able to condense it into a digital format. Sure, you can look things up on your smartphone, but it'd be nice to be able to read it with ease.

Kindle already offers many textbooks and nursing references, but I am really interested in a Nook. I talked to B&N and some publishers about the future availability of books I want that aren't available. I think with demand, many more books will be in e-pub format. And then we can have all the books we want ready to read anytime.

Though I wasn't all that interested in the beginning, seeing one in action really convinced me. You could get a book anytime you want without having to wait to go to a bookstore or library (I would save so much gas for all the times I run to the library each week). I also love the built in dictionary, being able to highlight and annotate. Yeah, they really got me hooked.

I haven't bought one yet, though. I'm waiting to see whether B&N will get all the kinks worked out, or until a 2nd gen model is released. If it doesn't improve by then I'd probably go with a Kindle. Though it's such a growing market that there may be something even better around before the year is through!

I love e-books. In fact I"ve started to prefer them to hardcover - I read on my iTouch (like and iPhone) and its great,easy to read, takes up no spaec and I can bring it anywhere. I am really into the chick lit genre and I even came across a forum online where you can download free chick lit e-books..we're talking almost limitless, updated daily books! I may never have to buy a book again..and that makes me happy:)

Another note about those e-readers is that the ones, like Kindle and Nook, that use e-ink technology actually aren't backlit to prevent eye strain. If you wanted to read in the dark, you would have to get a light source. Some of them do come backlit though, like the Sony ones.

Yes, and many libraries offer e-books also! That makes me really happy. :)

Looks like I'm going to have to look into them as well. You are making them sound pretty cool. I read on my iphone when I forget a physical book when I run out of the house. I have so many books loaded on my phone but I've only finished one and I'm working on two.... I guess I don't forget my book often enough.

I agree about saving trees. It would help save trees going digital. Plus think about the money we would save if we can get our textbooks on a kindle/nook/smartphone. That's a big plus for us who are in college.

uh...i dont need more time on the computer than the one i already spend thank you very much

ahaha :P

It doesn't take long to get sick of looking at a screen. Computer, phone, ipod.

I totally agree about saving trees- but I also think about all the jobs lost from libraries and bookstores closing...

This is coming more and more of a bigger debate. I like the idea of a Kindle or Sony reader to listen to books or use while traveling. Part of me likes having that book in my hands when I need something to do.

i think that its better to have the book in book form because its just better and you can keep it for as long as you like and if you get it ebook then th ebook can just get forgotton

1 day left to get your FREE E-COPY, Join today! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Post-Hu...

I don't know if the experience would be the same. You can lend a book to a friend, read while you eat your breakfast, borrow from the library (how would you borrow an ebook?), and so much more with a physical book.

I prefer the physical book. There are so many things extra that you can do with a book book. Julie has mentioned a few of them. Also, I think that it is just fun to be able to manually turn the pages as I read.

I love the feel of an actual book but I've been looking at an e-book because of the trip we're taking. I'd rather have an e-book than not taking anything along at all because of luggage considerations.

Traveling is the main reason why I would want to buy an e-reader. Although, when I travel I plan on getting in as many sights as possible and never really have the energy to read. Two books would probably be good for me. Or I hit a cafe with book exchanges.

Personally I love books, as in books with pages you physically turn. My parents wanted to buy mye an e-reader but I told them that I didn't want one. There's just something about having a book that's nice. E-readers are good for traveling but I still will bring my book books.

I got sucked in and I bought a Kindle. So far, I LOVE it!

Traveling is the main reason why I would want to buy an e-reader. Although, when I travel I plan on getting in as many sights as possible and never really have the energy to read. Two books would probably be good for me.

I would agree with that as well. I from me this would be the upgrade for audiobooks. I could use the ereader in the car.

I don't have an e-reader but have been very much considering the pro's and con's. I have decided to wait for now...but am carefully watching the situation. I am concerned about the eye strain and fatigue of reading an electronic screen after working all day on a computer and of course spending too much time outside of work on here and Facebook...lol. I do still love my dead tree books though.

Oh the dilemma...

I was looking at the googlebooks - they have tons of Public Domain books available for free download - that's really cool. And I love tech, so I get tempted...especially the new iPad. That looks awesome. I'm a library junkie though, I still would have my paper-book fix. And it's a lot of money to invest in something I don't NEED. I agree - oh the dilemma!

I like the concept of e-readers that use e-ink but the execution needs a LOT of work. Things like Amazon reaching out and deleting everyone's copy of 1984, for example shouldn't happen. They shouldn't be able to happen. But currently it's very difficult to tell what the maker of the device and seller of the ebooks can and cannot do. But one thing's for sure, you don't actually OWN the ebooks you buy. You can't re-sell them. You can't loan them out. You can't trade them with friends. You may wake up one day and discover that, hey, the company in control of the DRM scheme has gone under and now all your books are useless. Or Amazon might decide to close your account and hey, now your shiney Kindle is useless. Until I can do all the things I can do with real books, I doubt I'll go over to e-books.

That said, I use Stanza on my iPhone to read DRM-free ebooks like the Sherlock Holmes stories and some of Cory Doctrow's work on the bus to and from work. Project Gutenburg has been a great source for books that are in the public domain. I always have my phone on me so if my bus gets stuck in traffic or if I'm waiting for an appointment somewhere I can read. It might be worth the money for one of the Sony Readers if I started traveling extensively but for now I'll stick to my beloved paper books.

I love e-books because there are many books that I can't buy in my country (Venezuela), I mean the physical book, 'cause they are not published here, but I can download or buy the electronic version, although I rather have the physical book, it's easier to read, more confortable, more special... but for traveling the e-book is better.

Tiamat_the_red wrote: "I like the concept of e-readers that use e-ink but the execution needs a LOT of work. Things like Amazon reaching out and deleting everyone's copy of 1984, for example shouldn't happen. They shou..."

I am so glad that you posted this info Tiamat. I have been considering an ebook reader and have been looking for insight such as this since I don't know anyone personally that has one. I think I am going to wait until the technology is perfected a bit more before I sink that kinda cash into anything.

Dara wrote: "Tiamat_the_red wrote: "I like the concept of e-readers that use e-ink but the execution needs a LOT of work. Things like Amazon reaching out and deleting everyone's copy of 1984, for example shoul..."

It's not really the technology that needs work so much as the clarification of rights. Those end user license agreements (you know, that contract you click past at the beginning of just about anything these days) are incredibly difficult to understand and seem to be basically designed to screw the user.

If I was going to buy one, I'd go for one of the ones sans wireless. Makes it a LOT harder for them to reach out and take back your books. My dad has a sony reader and adores it.

I recently found information on the new ipad that will be coming out April 3. It is basically a really big iphone but it is a just like a laptop. They created this really cool app for books. Called ibooks. The ipad is really a great deal, starting at 500. I think I'm going to skip the e-reader and get this. I'll buy the books through itunes which is more established.

Check it out, ibooks is under features:

http://www.apple.com/ipad/

I should mention that ibooks is only available in the US, thus far.

I think e boks are good for people traveling so there isn't so much in their luggage but for someone like myself, I don't travel much and if I do it's not too far usually so I would much rather have the real thing. Also considering I stare a computer for 8hrs a day 5 days a week at work I don't want to stare at the computer more for reading. Goodreads is about the only other thing I do on the computer anymore too. FB has become old news and I check my email from my phone now too.

I know, phones have become so useful these days. I facebook and do e-mail while I'm waiting for my classes to start. I also do some posts on goodreads throughout my day. I also use my google, Wikipedia, dictionary.com, and internet on my iPhone almost on a daily basis. The maps app I used yesterday.

My friend and her husband have both a Kindle and a Nook - the Nook (the Barnes & Noble version) has the At&T 3G network - which is useless in ND. :( Not so good...so their Nook is good ONLY in a B&N environment where it can hook up to the wireless and download new books.

I DO like the E-Reader technology, but I'm agreeing with you Elyssa, the iPad looks much more endearing...except for that whole AT&T 3G thing. If they are restricting to that network, I'm probably still better off with a Kindle.

Such a wonderful friend!

Jordan wrote: "With the growing popularity of the Kindle and the nook, what do you think the future of books is? Will there be a time when people only have electronic books? Do you prefer e-books to the real thing?"

I have to say that I am very thrilled with my Nook! While I love the feel of a book; I don't much like adding the bulk of one to what I need to carry to work each day. Until all of the disorder of publisher's balking at offering new books at reasonable e-prices is put into order, I have access to several in-state libraries, which I have many times borrowed from very conveniently with my Nook. I have also accessed a supply of free e-books / classics that will well take care of my need to read while all of the digital book pricing is settled. I have read more since buying the Nook than I have in the past too many years! ..and when I feel the need to feel the paper book in hand, I have plenty on my shelves to choose from.

I have a Kindle, though I am also am ambivalent about it. There is a part of me that loves having the paper in front of me but the convenience of a Kindle is too much. If I run across a book I want, I buy it with 1 Click and it downloads through the 3G network immediately. Its incredibly convenient for travel in that you don't have to carry several books with you. If you read a lot, the Kindle pays for itself, no monthly fee (the IPad has a monthly fee for its cellular connection).

I see E books as not a whole lot different than when books went from being copied by hand to the printing press---its an inevitable progression.

That is great that you use the Kindle. I can just imagine shopping for books while sitting in bed with my PJ's on. What will I read now?

Does the Kindle allow you to go on the web? The web is apart of the IPad. It is a computer but just features the iBooks as an app. It all depends on what you need, want, and will use.

I believe you are right, progression. I mean it wasn't too long ago that they stopped making VHS. I should mention I hate DVD's. My boys ruin them way too easily and their is 20 bucks down the drain in just a months time. UGH!

I have the kindle and stanza apps on my iphone and love them both. I usually pack about 15 books that I take to the beach each summer for our week's vacation - I guess having an iphone on the beach isn't going to work very well for me, is it? :(

I use Stanza apps on my iPhone as well. And the Audiobook app for while I drive. Phones, computers, and electronics are not a good mix with sand no matter how much you want to use them on the beach. Better to be left in the beach house.

Sigh, I'm not sure if I will be making it Ocean side this year.

Oh no, Elyssa. Oceanside is my favorite place to be.

And I agree, sadly, about not reading on the beach with my iphone. I may have to stick it in a ziplock bag and just use it for my music.

I used to live outside of Charleston, SC and we would hit the beach about every other week. I loved it. And now that I'm in Wisconsin I only get to the beach when I visit. (Nanny lives there and Grandma just moved from Key West to Venice Beach, FL.) So, I have options at least.

The Kindle is almost entirely devoted to e reading. It has a web browser but its slow. The IPad costs a lot more but you get more. It has a monthly fee to connect to the network where as the Kindle's connection is free. Kindle can go as long as 2 weeks without a charge which is nice. I suspect the first version of the IPad will have bugs and I would not be surprised if the price of the Kindle drops. To me,its comparable to whether you want a smart phone for all of its bells and whistles or a cell phone just to talk on.