11 March 2013

eBOOK OR PAPERBACK - WHICH DO YOU PREFER?

After swearing I would never depart from the paperback format as I happily ran my duster over the spines of  my beloved books that fill the growing number of bookcases in my home, I have finally succumbed and entered the eBook world.

 This doesn't mean, of course, that I'll never buy another paperback because I will.  Just not as many. 

These are the benefits I've found:
  • My Kindle is great to take with me when I go away on holiday or to the hairdresser.
  • I can receive any book I want to read in 60 seconds.
  • I can organise my books into categories on my Kindle screen.
  • I won't need to buy as many bookcases.
  • eBooks are cheaper than paperbacks, plus there's no postage cost.
  • I can take hundreds of books away with me on holiday.
  • Links are sometimes added to the eBook.
  • I can change the font size.

These are the drawbacks:
  • I can't see how long the chapter I'm reading is.
  • There's not always a Contents list.
  • I like to hold a real book in my hands when I'm reading.
  • I like collecting all the books my favourite authors have written.
What do you think?  Have you plunged into the eBook world and, if so, what has been your experience?

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22 comments:

  1. Anonymous11 March 2013 at 14:58

    There is nothing better then holding an author's paperback, and turning the pages to the next scene. I have made the change a little bit to ebooks, and I love being able to change the font sizes. The only thing that is a drawback to paperback is you need a light to read them in the dark. I do love being able to take several books with me wherever I go.

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    1. Jill Paterson11 March 2013 at 17:41

      I think we're of the same mind, WolfDreamer. There are positives about both formats and a few drawbacks. Aren't we lucky though. eBooks have given us another reading option.

      Delete
  2. Marla M12 March 2013 at 12:25

    Nice post! I initially bought a Kindle when I first put my novel on Amazon, thinking that if I wanted to sell eBooks, I SHOULD know how to and use a Kindle. So it was a grudging process, but I have to admit I really enjoy reading on it now. I still read print books, but spend a nearly equal amount of my reading time using my Kindle.
    For me the biggest drawback of eBooks, is it's a lot harder to go back to find something you may have missed.
    Marla

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    1. Jill Paterson12 March 2013 at 19:07

      Thanks for commenting, Marla. I agree about trying to find something on an eBook. I think the ones that are formatted with chapters that you can click on make it a bit easier.

      Delete
  3. Unknown12 March 2013 at 13:29

    I love e-readers! I was first introduced to the Kindle in 2009 and immediately purchased one for my husband who is an avid reader and international business traveler. He loved the fact that he could take a whole library of books with him in such a small, portable device. He loved it so much, he bought me one shortly thereafter. We were both hooked!

    In 2011 we both upgraded to the Kindle Fire. I loved the fact that I could also have access to all of our magazine subscriptions in digital format and in full color!

    We ended up gradually converting the majority of our old physical books and magazines to digital copies which freed up tons of storage space in our house!

    I really like the fact that many digital books have links to other books by the same author that I can immediately have access to and download in seconds.

    I also love that I can highlight and make notes as I read and even print out those notes for later reference.

    I still have several bookshelves full of real books in my home and don't foresee ever going "bookless". Most of the real books that I own now are copies of my all-time favorites like Pride and Prejudice & The Mists of Avalon, or books with photos like cookbooks and decorating books for example.

    Since I have gotten older, my eyesight has began to deteriorate a little so also being able to adjust the font size is a huge benefit, as is being able to read in bed with the light off while my husband is asleep (I am a bit of a night owl).

    The only negative thing I don't like about my Fire is that unlike the earlier version of the Kindle, you can not organize your books into categories (unless you download a separate app) and have to scroll through hundreds of books to find the one you want to read.

    Most importantly, due to the lower prices of a majority of self-published ebooks, I find that I purchase and read a lot more books now , and have discovered some wonderful new authors that I probably would not have read otherwise.

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    1. Jill Paterson12 March 2013 at 19:14

      I agree with all your comments here, Rechelle. I only have the basic Kindle. The Kindle Fire sounds a bit like my Apple iPad when reading ebooks. It doesn't have the ability to organise the books as well either.
      I too buy a lot more books now. It's so easy, not as expensive and we come across many more authors.

      Delete
  4. Anna Maria12 March 2013 at 18:17

    I resisted as long as I could but after the kids gave me a Kindle Paperwhite for Christmas, I found I liked being able to trow it in my purse and pull it out if I found a few moments to read. It's the perfect size and weight. I especially love the back light that allows me to read in any kind of light. I will still buy special paper books but I'm happy with my eBook reader also.

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    1. Jill Paterson12 March 2013 at 19:17

      I tried to buy a Paperwhite Kindle but was unable to do so from here in Australia. The back light sounds good, Anna. I think the convenience is one of the big pluses. But I couldn't go bookless as Rechelle says.

      Delete
    2. Anna Maria13 March 2013 at 07:05

      They do have the Paperwhite Kindle on Amazon Jill. It's not as expensive as some of the others because it's not in color and doesn't have all the Internet options but for reading books it's great. You can change the font size also and I do like that feature.

      Delete
    3. Jill Paterson13 March 2013 at 18:34

      I'll have another look on Amazon, Anna. When I tried previously, it wasn't available if you live in Australia.

      Delete
  5. Marttha Emms Cognitive Dreamer13 March 2013 at 18:10

    I found your great blog through the WLC Blog Follows on the World Literary Cafe! Great to connect!

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    Replies
    1. Jill Paterson13 March 2013 at 18:32

      Thanks Martha for joining me here. Do you have a blog?

      Delete
  6. Anonymous15 March 2013 at 01:16

    I found your great blog through the WLC Blog Follows on the World Literary Cafe! Great to connect!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Allyn Stotz15 March 2013 at 10:57

    I found your great blog through the WLC Blog Follows on the World Literary Cafe! Great to connect! My blog is www.allynstotz.blogspot. Hope to see you there!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Jim Liston21 March 2013 at 13:44

    I'm a big fan of the Kindle. I still read books too, but the convenience of having all of my books together in my coat pocket is unbeatable.

    One of the things that I use my Kindle for is to edit my own stories. I use Scrivener and then convert it, then read it on my Kindle. While I'm reading it I can type notes to myself about changes that I want to make.

    Thanks,
    Jim

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    Replies
    1. Jill Paterson22 March 2013 at 21:56

      I agree Jim. The Kindle is so convenient. How do you manage to read your work on it though?

      Delete
  9. Edward M Wolfe4 May 2013 at 20:33

    Looks like you can get a Paperwhite here:

    http://dicksmith.com.au/product/A3512/

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  10. Jill Paterson4 May 2013 at 20:49

    Thanks Edward for letting me know. I'll check it out.

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  11. ReneeRose1 December 2013 at 23:34

    I'm very very tired of a publisher telling me I cannot loan a book I paid for. They cant tell me anything when I buy the paperback and theyve lived with that, then as soon as e-books come around, they dictate which books can be loaned out or not, forcing readers to buy their own copy. If you purchase a book in ANY format, it is yours and you should be able to loan it out to whomever you want. I own a kindle but have put it away and have gone back to paperback and I loan MY book out whenever I like.

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    1. Jill Paterson2 December 2013 at 18:28

      Hi Renee,
      Thank you for your comment.

      It's my understanding that you can lend a Kindle book to another reader once, for up to 14 days. The following link gives details on how to do this http://goo.gl/IDYphZ

      I do agree with you that there are restrictions on eReaders. I imagine it's because they are electronic rather than paper based.
      Best Wishes, Jill

      Delete
  12. Anonymous16 June 2014 at 03:43

    thanks for the info it is really useful for my assesment

    ReplyDelete

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