My problem? I like the feel of books. I like that they're tactile and that I can snuggle up to them. Plus they aren't that breakable - trust me the amount of times I have fallen asleep on top of a book. The added bonus? Old books smell old. You can just tell there is a heap of history there. The feel of pages between your fingers is pretty amazing if you ask me. I really like counting down the pages feeling a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that I'm getting closer to the conclusion (and maybe sneaking a peak at the end when it gets too intense!). All in all there is just something completely magical about books.
On the side of getting a Kindle: books take up an amazing amount of space in my home. Imagine what I could do with all that room currently taken up by my beloved books. Another fantastic thing about the Kindle? I can buy and download a book whenever I want. No more waiting for the shops to open to get the next book in the series (I simply have to finish a series once I start). Plus big points for having heaps of books on one little device - completely useful for traveling. Having my heavy uni textbooks vanish in favor of a streamlined device would certainly save my spine. Being able to change font size and such is also a mark in the plus column. Are Kindles really that cool? (Sorry had to go there for alliteration purposes). Decisions, decisions, decisions!
I'm just not sure if I can give up the romance of books... So the question remains: to Kindle or not to Kindle? I want to hear from you! Do you have a Kindle or similar? What do you think of it?
I have had a kindle wifi for several months now and I think its great.
ReplyDeleteThe portability, storage capacity, ease of use (easier than a book) and ability to buy a book almost anywhere override any sentimentality I have for the paper format.
Did you know it turns on to the page you were reading when it turned off? It does this even if you read more than one book at a time. I can also read one handed which was a struggle for me with paper books. It allows me to annotate too without the guilt of writing notes in the margin.
Just be aware not all books are available on the Kindle. No Tim Winton, Sonya Hartnett and a host of other of my fav authors can't be purchased on Amazon. It also only reads a few formats but Calibre can convert drm free ebooks for you.
When I balanced out the pros and cons I went for it and haven't regretted it.
I hear kindles are sold out until Feb 2011 though :( Maybe a Kobo reader is an option?