blackbird_9
11-19-2007, 06:07 PM
Amazon just came out with their Kindle, and not too long ago, Sony with it's EBook. I'm totally split on whether it would be worth owning one of these.
While there are many advantages:
- Portable electronic library of hundreds of books.
- Instant buy to read time.
- Newspaper and magazine access (Kindle).
- The electronic paper screen. (no glare. Looks like paper.)
- Excellent battery life.
- Cheaper books (Kindle/ Amazon is at $10, the Sony is more expensive)
- And compatible with certain text files.
The disadvantages weigh pretty heavy:
- $300 and $400 is really pricey
- The types of files accessible are limited (like the Kindle isn’t PDF compatible)
- There are a limited amount of books available to download (although it grows every day)
- The Kindle design just doesn’t cut it. It’s flat-out ugly. This day and age is all about sleek innovative designs.
- The 6x9” b&w screen isn’t ideal if the book you’re reading has reference pictures or graphs.
- What about the books I already have? I’m going to have to pay $10 just to put them into my electronic library. Whether I’ve read them or not, I would want to have those books on hand.
- I’m not very technology savvy, and from what I’ve been reading, it sounds like converting files to make it compatible can get a little complex…
My biggest issue with these however is the simple lack of the physicality of the book. I like the way books smell, I like the colored covers. I like that you can hide behind them. I like the way they look in my bookcases. I like alphabetizing them every few months. :( I like my books.
What do you guys think of these new fangled things?
While there are many advantages:
- Portable electronic library of hundreds of books.
- Instant buy to read time.
- Newspaper and magazine access (Kindle).
- The electronic paper screen. (no glare. Looks like paper.)
- Excellent battery life.
- Cheaper books (Kindle/ Amazon is at $10, the Sony is more expensive)
- And compatible with certain text files.
The disadvantages weigh pretty heavy:
- $300 and $400 is really pricey
- The types of files accessible are limited (like the Kindle isn’t PDF compatible)
- There are a limited amount of books available to download (although it grows every day)
- The Kindle design just doesn’t cut it. It’s flat-out ugly. This day and age is all about sleek innovative designs.
- The 6x9” b&w screen isn’t ideal if the book you’re reading has reference pictures or graphs.
- What about the books I already have? I’m going to have to pay $10 just to put them into my electronic library. Whether I’ve read them or not, I would want to have those books on hand.
- I’m not very technology savvy, and from what I’ve been reading, it sounds like converting files to make it compatible can get a little complex…
My biggest issue with these however is the simple lack of the physicality of the book. I like the way books smell, I like the colored covers. I like that you can hide behind them. I like the way they look in my bookcases. I like alphabetizing them every few months. :( I like my books.
What do you guys think of these new fangled things?