I didn't want a Kindle. It was never on my wish list, not something I thought I would use. But when I won one without even trying, I wasn't about to turn it down.
Even after it arrived in our house, I avoided it. What can I say? I love the feel of pages beneath my fingers. I like looking at my titles on the book shelf and pulling out one that I love and thumbing through to find a favorite passage.
But the day Mockingjay released, I woke up around 1:30 a.m. and downloaded it to my Kindle. I'd finished reading it by the time my local book store opened, although I did go in and pick up my pre-ordered copy. And that was kind of cool, to have immediate access to the book, right when I wanted it.
When we went on vacation I downloaded about ten new books onto my Kindle to read. Much easier than lugging along the printed versions. We also brought along the iPad my husband gave me for Christmas and downloaded some books for the kids. I went back and forth between the Kindle and the iPad for my reading, and I was impressed that no matter which device I used, it always opened to the last page I read. The kids enjoyed the novelty of electronic reading and appreciated the color illustrations on the iPad over the grayscale images on Kindle.
So, I guess all of that is to say that while I still enjoy having physical, paper books in my possession, I'm also seeing the benefit of the e-readers. According to this article in the New York Times, e-book sales jumped sharply after Christmas, and more than ever, books for children are fueling that rise.
Has your family joined the e-revolution? Which device do you (and/or your kids) read on and why?
And if you'd like to win some old-fashioned hard-cover books, I've got copies of Beautiful Darkness, Catching Fire and Mockingjay up for grabs. Leave a comment on the post below, telling me which ONE book you'd like to be entered for, before midnight on Thursday. I'll announce the winners on Friday.
20 comments:
Though I read on my Kindle, I still prefer the printed book, unless the print is really small and smushed together. I don't think I'll be buying ereaders for my kids soon b/c most of their books they get from the library or library loan. And it killed me when my nephew started letting the Kindle read to him. Kind of defeats the purpose. And I promise, my kids would use it for online access. Or they'd try.
I don't have a kindle but have been trying to read a book on my computer for the last month or so. It is driving me CRAZY not being about to flip pages and see how close I am to the end.
yes yes yes! I use my Kindle for iPhone app and love it so much for the reasons you described!
Would never replace the picture book experience though (but never say never)!
I've actually come to prefer my Kindle because it is SO light and I don't have to prop the book open or be sure there's light reaching all the way into the crevice of the pages. I have to admit, I can't believe I'd ever say that, but it's true.
I also LOVE being able to take an entire library around in my purse.
That said, I LOVE a beautiful cover, and I love physical bookshelves/libraries, so there will always be books in my home. I'm just going to start being more selective about them. :)
(And yes, flipping pages around in a real book is MUCH easier than Kindle. For books where you're going back and forth a lot, I recommend print. Or else becoming really, really adept at Kindle bookmarks.)
Oh, and I used to read on my iTouch a little bit, before I had a Kindle, but the screen is definitely harder on the eyes than the Kindle's. I feel the same is true of my boyfriend's iPad. So Kindle > iDevices, for me. Except iDevices are backlit, so they win at night.
I received a Nook as a gift and I love it! I don't use it all the time, but it's wonderful when I travel. I used to lug around 6-8 books a trip (i read really fast) so now i can carry even more than that! plus, can't beat instant gratification, right?
I use my smart phone. The screen is smaller than a Kindle, but that doesn't bother me. I'd like an actual e-reader someday, but it's not high on my list. I do like the instant gratification of being able to get a book in a few seconds, but I prefer a real book any day.
I haven't got one yet. Um, I don't think I ever want to get one actually! I'm quite happy lugging books along on holiday. If I run out, I just buy some from whereever I am :o)
I got a nook for myself on Black Friday and the partner-in-crime got a Kindle from his fam for Christmas, so we're a dueling platform household. I still find myself reading all the books that have been piling up on my bookshelf, but the long battery life and easy access to whatever I want whenever I want it (sort of) is pretty tempting. How did you win a Kindle (color me jealous)?
I won the Kindle after I signed up for an online mediabistro class last year. I blogged about it here: http://bit.ly/hIgBYs
I have a Nook Color, and I love it. I still read a lot of regular books, though, and if I love an ebook enough, I usually want the hard copy.
I begged for a Kindle for Christmas, and I love it. I love it for the very reasons you mentioned. And yes, I still love and read my "real" books, too. My 9 y.o. LOVES to read on my Kindle. I think it makes him feel grown-up. :-)
I'm not yet an e-reader, unless you count in the internet.
I'm not yet an e-reader, unless you count in the internet.
My daughter brought me a NOOK for Christmas. Up to that point, I honestly had no plans on going the e-book route.
Guilt of how much she spent (brought a leather cover and several e-books with it), finally convinced me to sit down and read a book on it (Hunger Games).
Now? I can't wait till next Christmas to ask for the Nook color. True I don't read everything on the NOOK, but it's nice to have that instant book when you want it. My only complaint is the NOOK and Kindle are not back lit. (Hugs)Indigo
I'm still finishing up some 'real' books :-), but hubby and I have both downloaded Kindle onto our Droids ... he's reading from that now and loves it!
I LOVE my KOBO reader. I use it because it cuts down on the amount of space all those hardcover books were taking up, and I live far from any towns or bookstores, so it'd be weeks before I could get to new releases. Now, it's right there. Love the convenience! And I find it's actually easier to read than holding a book open! especially in bed.
I'd like to have an e-reader someday when I can afford one. I like to read while working out and it would be so handy for that. Trying to balance really big books on those tiny little ledges is hard.
No. I'm always behind the times on tech.
You won a kindle??? Dang! You lucky thing. I still don't have an ereader. But I can be lame like that. And cheap. I know I'll get one eventually though. I've heard it makes it easier to get through more books!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Kindle. My husband does, too. He loves it so much he's going to get his own when our tax refund comes in. Thing is, I still read print books, too. There are huge benefits to both!
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