My E-Reader Experience

"Who uses books anymore?" This question was posed to me by a friend back in 2012 as we discussed George R. R. Martin's "A Dance With Dragons" book from his "A Song of Fire and Ice" series. Having always been an avid reader, at the time, I thought my friend was talking nonsense because there could be no replacement for books. That is until I received an original Kindle as a gift in 2013. 

Before receiving my Kindle I was very skeptical about using an e-reader in place of traditional books. I just couldn't understand how someone would prefer to use a digital device instead of a paper book. At the time, I thought all e-readers were similar to computer screens, placing much stress on the eyes after prolonged use. I just couldn't imagine why anyone would want to damage their eyes this way.

On my birthday in 2013, my then girlfriend surprised me with the original Kindle. I was ecstatic because I knew this device would allow me to store thousands of books, something I greatly admired. But, at the same time, I was a little bit disappointed because I absolutely loved my traditional books. After setting up the Kindle, I began to realize the screen greatly resembled that of a traditional book. I had heard rumors that e-readers were terrible because they created an unbearable glare when used in sunlight. I decided to test this by placing the e-reader in different sunlit angles around my home. Much to my surprise, I discovered that there was virtually no glare. The only downside I encountered was the Kindle required me to be in a fair amount of light given it doesn't contain its own lighting source. I quickly remedied this with the purchase of a leather case with a built in flashlight. The case itself cost me $20 and is powered by the Kindle (please see the image below).

The biggest perk that convinced me e-readers are better than traditional books is the weight of the original Kindle. According to Amazon, the Kindle weighs less than 6 ounces, whereas a typical paperback book weighs around 10 ounces or more, depending on length. While the weight difference may not seem significant between the original Kindle and a book, the weight difference becomes a major factor when one begins to consider how a Kindle can hold thousands of books, never increasing in weight. All my fellow college students can testify to just how much a bunch of books can weigh when grouped together. With the transition of many textbooks to digital formats, a Kindle seems like a relatively cheap (the original Kindle is selling for $79 with WiFi capabilities) replacement for a horde of books.

After nearly two years of owning an original Kindle, I can safely say I would not trade it in for all the books in the world. The sheer conveniences that the Kindle provides me are enough to overcome and negatives associated with the e-reader. The ability to have thousands of books, including textbooks, in one's pocket for less than half a pound is remarkable. The Kindle provides an interface that is almost completely identical with that of traditional books. The only thing I miss anymore about traditional books is the feeling of physically turning pages. Overall, I would recommend a Kindle to any reader, regardless of age or book preference, as it is a comprehensive device that surpasses expectations in nearly every category imaginable.

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References:

 http://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Lighted-Leather-Paperwhite-Keyboard/dp/B004SD213O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426522274&sr=8-1&keywords=kindle+case+with+light

http://avgpostageweights.blogspot.com/2010/10/average-weight-of-paperback-book.html

https://ihugmybooks.wordpress.com/2011/03/14/discussion-e-readers-vs-books/