Do You Want Your Books in Digital Form…or on Dead Trees?
By Harry McCracken | Thursday, August 27, 2009 at 12:33 pm
The news about devices for reading books just doesn’t stop these days, from the good (Sony’s Reader is going wireless and is supporting the ePub format) to the bizarre and troubling (Amazon yanking back books people have already bought).
So today’s T-Poll takes your temperature on the whole notion of electronic readers. Are you an owner, a potential fan, or a naysayer?
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August 27th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Paper for me. It’s easy and I don’t have to worry about it getting wet on vacation. Having said that, when I commuted via subway I did read a decent number of novels on various handhelds. Still prefer paper.
August 27th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
While the technology brings all sorts of advantages, and I can see using it as it becomes more affordable. Nothing, however, can match the feel of paper and holding a book.
August 28th, 2009 at 5:45 am
I am an avid reader (10+ books per month) who LOVES his Kindle. I find it both enabling, in the sense that I can more easily read anywhere, and money-saving – books are 20% or more less cost. My wife and daughter are on my account with their Kindles, so we can share books. Paper is fine for those who think they need it, but after nearly 60 years of living in a paper world, I won’t be going back!
August 28th, 2009 at 7:11 am
I’m of two worlds here as far as these eBook readers are concerned. Being an old tech head I can see where these readers might eventually replace paper books in some ways until the day that brings all of us in the mainstream a simple “all-in-one” multifunction handheld that’s as standard as the common cell phone is today. And I don’t really believe that day is that far off either. In that way the eBook reader of today is only step in that direction and not a permanent thing.
So yes, I would definitely consider purchasing one once the market became more competitive and the price dropped to something more reasonable than it currently is. But I don’t really believe that these readers will ever replace the paper book altogether so I will hold onto those also–use both in other words. These are very tumultuous times and if things go awry all these wonders of technology won’t amount to a proverbial hill of beans. And all you’ll have left for books are the ones printed on dead trees.
August 28th, 2009 at 7:24 am
Jim, it is not a question of thinking “I need it”, but rather what I prefer. Having said that, I think the next part of the discussion is in what context. I teach high school, and we spend a fortune on textbooks, and the kids carry around 40+ pounds of books to class.
To give all my kids a durable, long battery life e-reader would be fantastic. We could load all the books, have them do homework on the book and so on. Think of having an American Government textbook in the fall of 2008. After the election, the kids could download an update that included the results of the 2008 Presidental Election. We replace textbooks every 4 years or so. Now it would simply be an update. With one textbook costing more than $100, the cost savings come quickly, even when factoring in lost and broken e-readers.
But to read Thomas Paine’s Common Sense? That has to be on paper.
August 28th, 2009 at 7:44 am
The technology is certainly useful, but in some cases, it just seems better to have a physical book.