When the eBooks were making their first appearance, some analysts predicted that eBooks would be the death of printed books. I got on board the hype train and bought my first Amazon kindle in 2013 as, according to those analysts, eBooks will overtake the use of physical books by 2015. Even though I was so excited to get my hands on my Amazon Kindle, I couldn't get past the plastic back and a white screen no matter how much it would imitate the actual paper. It just didn't feel like the real deal, especially the smell. Being the avid reader I am, I put away my Amazon kindle for good and went back to my physical books. Or so I thought.
Losing The Books – A few months back, my library had grown quite large by this point, shelves upon shelves of books I collected and read. I had to make some space in my room, and the books and the bookcase had to go. I had already read most of those books and didn’t feel like keeping them there anymore. Around the same time, YouTube kept suggesting new kindle e-reader model reviews and their comparison with older models. Out of curiosity, I watched more and more of these tech YouTuber’s reviews which tempted me to go and buy a new one. Just then, I realized I already owned one.
10 Pages a Day – I dug out my old kindle E-reader and fired it up. I then started searching for books I had been postponing reading. I was already battling the bad habit of watching either my tablet or my phone before going to sleep, and the Amazon kindle seemed the best solution to break this bad habit. I bought those books I wanted to start reading digitally and aimed to start reading 10 pages each day before going to bed. Without having the light turned on or disturbing anyone.
I Love it! – Lo and behold, I am now regularly reading books before going to bed instead of wasting time and health by watching a mobile or tablet screen before going to bed. It was a win-win situation for me. All those tech YouTuber reviews rubbed off on me, and I think this year I will reward myself with a new E-reader as soon as it is launched.
Why Should You Should Consider Buying It – I still wonder why I held back reading from a kindle for so long as now I believe that eBooks are the future. Therefore, the following are some great benefits of an Amazon kindle over physical books if you are also on the fence about buying your first Amazon kindle or any eBook E-reader for that matter:
Best Features – You can read it in any light condition, and it doesn’t strain your eyes. You can highlight it for later reference. All your books come in a compact device. You can change the type and size of your fonts within a few seconds, which may appeal to a vast crowd.
Ease of Use – There lightweight even while holding with one hand; you don't feel any strain. 100 books on Amazon Kindle have the same weight as 1,000 books, which is still less than a single hardback book.
Cost – One-time buying cost, and after that, eBooks are much cheaper than printed books in the long run. You can also get numerous free books online that can last quite a long for your reading itch.
Sustainability – No matter how excellent or nostalgic paper books are, they eventually negatively affect paper production. While plastic in the making of Amazon Kindle isn't better, at least the number of books you can hold on one kindle in itself saves a lot and lots of trees.
Where does an e-reader does not excel yet:
Accessibility – This is where the contention may lie. While E-reader enthusiasts might tell you that what can be better than 100 books in your pocket? But the collectors would respectfully disagree. Vintage and collectable books have that certain charm that eBooks can never provide.
Feeling and Nostalgia – Call it nostalgia if you want, most printed books have one thing that sets this point apart. The feel, smell, and serenity people get from reading physical books can never be compared to reading E-reader.
Illustrated Books and Comics – In this aspect, an E-reader can never compete; eBooks haven't captured the quality of the immersion from a printed book of this kind. Reading comics and picture books on a tablet is totally different, which we aren’t discussing here.
So, have you bought a new E-reader this year or will you be buying one? Share in the comments below what you love or dislike about it.