E-readers - seriously?

[nanoc]

I bought a Kindle Paperwhite when they first came out and I love it. With wifi turned off I get over 2 weeks of usage on a single charge with daily use. I also use Calibre to back up all my books on multiple computers. If you are a devious rebel or a cheapskate there is also the fact that every book you can think off is online and can be downloaded illegally.

[anthem]

My wife bought me a kindle several years ago. I resisted using that foreign electronic device for months and months. It sat untouched; a mockery to all things literary. I refused to give up the touch of paper and the smell of a new book or the act of going to a book store and wandering aimlessly among the aisles.

But a few things happened fairly simultaneously. When I would go to my book store, I would constantly be asked whether I wanted to be a member of something or another, would I like to buy a thing for some charity, or do I want to support this or that. Checking out turned into an event. It started pissing me off.

I traveled. A lot. I would find myself carrying two or three books in my bag. I would finish my last book on the plane, but my flight would be late, and I would not enough time to run into a bookstore to pick up another book. That sucked.

I reluctantly decided to bring the Kindle with me on my next trip. I put one book on it and off I went. I finished the book I was reading while in the bar at the airport. There was a book store in the terminal directly across from me. I decided to test the Kindle. I knew what I wanted to read, so I wifi'd into Amazon. Did a quick search, and downloaded the book I wanted in what seemed like 60 seconds. I couldn't have walked to the bookstore in the same amount of time.

I take one device with me on a trip, I can carry a thousand books on something that weighs mere ounces. I have a friend that has given me thousands of e-books. They reside on my computer, and I can put them on and take them off of my Kindle as I wish.

If you look at pure efficiency of time and money: I don't have to drive to a bookstore, I don't have to store physical books (even though I still want a physical library), I can shop for a book, virtually any time I want. It's a no brainer at least for me.

I always wanted a library of books. I just never thought that it would take the shape of a 6X8 black electronic device.

I'd be happy to participate in a CG e book trading group.

[Funtimes]

My favorite is the ability to read in the dark without having to have some bright *** light in my eyes.

[Funtimes]

I have yet to see a waterproof book.

I read on my Galaxy S5 - it is waterproof (at least to like 9 feet, so it says..).

I have only tested it by tossing it in a 21 gallon storage tote of water.

[JustEd]

eBooks save trees!

[44fred]

I'm not a big reader, the wife on the other hand is. I bought her a Kindle a few years ago that she really likes. We picked her up an iPad mini when they came out as well. She uses both to read but the Kindle for travel reading.
Out of the hundreds of books she has in her acct. I think she has paid for a dozen or so.
Absolutely the best deal going if you read a lot.

[nephrodoc]

Still use my 3 year old kindle to read. I have multiple tablets with the kindle app and it is it the same experience. The kindle is so much easier on the eyes. Additionally the kindle is easily viewed when sitting outdoors.

[NaSir510]

You read bro?

[A-J]

Some good info here, thanks to all who contributed. I guess I'm just a Luddite when it comes to these things though, cause I'm totally unswayed at the moment. But I do appreciate the insight that those who love them have provided. It's nice to see dicssussion on here that didn't devolve into "Cause F--- YOU, that's why!!"

[Hoshnasi]

Not really fud talk, the technology is still relatively new, and yes while many e readers have excelent battery life, can u vouch for that in 5 years.. probably not...by that point most will re invest in a new device... i have owned many pda 's over the years and none of the batterys will hold a decent charge..pds' from the earily 2000's from sony clie's ,palm pda's and dell pda's.. btw no fear,uncertainty, but yes some doubt... i just dont like constantly upgrading all my devices .. one good drop and your device is doa or screen gets messed ... im sure many ereader owners will come to grips with this reality some day, but i guess not today...

Let me address something quickly with regards to e-ink screens, since you're comparing apples (e-ink) to oranges (PDAs and tablets).

When a page is displayed to an e-ink display, it's a single burst of "power" that causes capsules to either display black or white (they can do greys) but the point that the screen is "printed" with an extremely low power burst then the consumption of power is over. There is no more power use until another pages is requested by the user.

PDAs & Tablets that use LCD screens (or comparable) use power to continuously flash the printed screen to the screen at a rate that is faster than you can consciously perceive (hertz). Displaying an image on a screen -any screen- is continuously using power. The power consumption is astronomically higher in these devices than eReaders.

Not to be critical, but you are making FUD arguments since you don't fully understand how the device works and yet you're trying to pass off you're opinion as knowledgeable on the subject.

[Tripper]

I like the kindle as a reader over the iPad simply for battery life, lots of hours can be read on a single kindle charge where only limited hours of reading on an iPad, but I do have the app on multiple devices for convenience and space saving at times, the kindle just might not be something to carry at times


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bonusweb]

Some good info here, thanks to all who contributed. I guess I'm just a Luddite when it comes to these things though, cause I'm totally unswayed at the moment. But I do appreciate the insight that those who love them have provided. It's nice to see dicssussion on here that didn't devolve into "Cause F--- YOU, that's why!!"

Maybe you can pick up one cheap used or get a friend to lone you one. Read at least on book on it.

That should tell you if you like it or not.
Its like people saying they don't like guns because they have never fired one.

Some after trying it confirm their attitude, but many change their minds.

Do you still read paper newspapers, magazines only? Or do you get your info from your computer screen, use email, web forums etc.

[Iknownot]

Cheap one? The basic kindle is selling for $70 if you get the one with advertising on it. It can't get much cheaper than that. The basic Paperwhite runs $120.

I think used gen 2 kindles (the one with the tic tac keyboard) go for $50-$80. I'd just buy a new paperwhite at that pricing. IMO at least, having a Gen 2 and seeing how nice the paperwhite is via other family members.

[bonusweb]

Cheap one? The basic kindle is selling for $70 if you get the one with advertising on it. It can't get much cheaper than that. The basic Paperwhite runs $120.

I think used gen 2 kindles (the one with the tic tac keyboard) go for $50-$80. I'd just buy a new paperwhite at that pricing. IMO at least, having a Gen 2 and seeing how nice the paperwhite is via other family members.

If you get the older ones, and maybe not kindle, used or refurbished. They are fully readable.

For the example.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002MSNS4S?cache=2f7d6bb9d73230c29b667ff86dacaf49&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&qid=1404190316&sr=8-4#ref=mp_s_a_1_4

$23.61
+ $4.74 shipping

Used
Comments: USED, FUNCTIONS WELL, IN VERY GOOD CONDITION, ITEM MAY BE REPACKAGED OR ORIGINAL PACKAGE MAY SHOW WEAR
----------------

I have this model I like because unlike my kindle 3g its small and does not do anthing fancy, but its has a clear screen and does not use much power. No wifi, no 3g. But Battery does not get killed if you leave it months like kindle.

BTW bought a used battery off ebay, for kindle that died. Paid like $8 but its working again. Will have to open case and remove battery for long term storage this time.

Try to avoid touch screen readers they add a layer to the screen, makes it harder to read.

[Iknownot]

I wouldn't get that sony over the paperwhite. The paperwhite is so much nicer, in terms of screen resolution, battery life, the amount of books it can hold and the backlight. It's worth the price difference. I say this as a person with a gen 2 kindle. I haven't updated because my gen 2 is still chugging along, but if it ever dies, I'm getting a kindle paperwhite immediately.