Despite the convenience of ebooks and iPad magazines, many readers still prefer the printed word. Whether it's displaying a collection of classic novels in your home, keeping magazines out on the coffee table as a conversation starter, or just the feel of a paperback book in your hands — for a lot of us, the ergonomics and aesthetics of a paper book are still preferable.
That said, the growing popularity and ubiquity of ebooks and digital magazines is hard to deny. Still on the fence about it? Here are a few of the more compelling arguments for picking up an ereader or tablet and making the switch to digital books and magazines.
Packing light when you travel
When on the go, whether on the subway on the way to work or sitting on a plane en route to your summer vacation, digital books and magazine let you travel light. A stack of magazines or even just a few novels can take up a fair amount of space in your precious carryon luggage. Traveling light with an iPad, or even the new Google Nexus 7 tablet, lets you carry along dozens (if not hundreds) of magazines or books in a small, easy to carry package.
If you have a tablet or ereader and plan on traveling with it, consider picking up a few digital magazines or books before you leave the house, so even without wifi you have great content to pass the time on long layovers or flights.
Spend less
Often digital copies of books and magazines offer a small discount on their print counterparts, letting you save a bit of money by going digital. Even if the pricing is comparable, the convenience of having a book or magazine delivered almost instantly to you hands, without shipping cost, or even a drive to the bookstore, is a definite savings in both time and money.
Many iPad versions of popular magazines will also offer special incentive for subscriptions, and even free issues to first time readers of their digital content. Additionally, many publishers offer additional online content to their magazine subscribers. Subscribe to the Economist via the iPad or Android app, and get special access to fresh content throughout the week, in addition to their weekly news magazine.
Free classic literature
In addition to the many paid options for books availible on the iPad, several app based and online resources provide access to libraries of free public domain literature. Been meaning to read the Origin of Species, or The Odyssey? Find them for free instead of picking up a dusty old copy from a used bookstore, on Google Books, Kobo (over 1 million free books), or Project Gutenberg. Get used to picking up those classics for free, and you'll start to wonder why anyone would buy a print copy at all.
A smaller storage footprint in your home
Those of us who live in space limited apartments can appreciate the need to keep our lifestyle and consumer habits as minimalist as possible. Less to store means less storage needed, and less storage means more space to spread out and live. Keeping your literary collection limited to the space occupied by a tablet reduces your shelving needs, leaving more room for other interesting artifacts and more practical storage applications.
Of course, like most of you, I like to keep a few paper books, ones that I have kept with me over the years. But as the years go by, I find myself pairing down my collection more and more. Meanwhile, my ebook collection keeps growing, and I've actually started buying more magazines thanks to the amazing selection of magazines available to me on the iPad (especially with the recent addition of the Google Currents app to the iPhone and Android app stores).
Digital media is quickly replacing more traditional forms of content delivery. It's happening in the music industry, movies and television, and like it or not, it's happening to print. While holding on to specific books for their romantic (dare I say nostalgic) appeal, more and more readers are moving to digital formats for the compelling reasons I've listed above. The advantages of digital media, in distribution and ease of access, will in many ways be to the printed word what the advent of the Gutenberg press was to handwritten manuscripts. Keep in mind, the move to digital doesn't mean the death of reading. In many ways, taking advantage of digital media means expanding your literary horizons and reading more, all the while saving money, and enjoying a more minimalistic lifestyle.
(Images: Sean Rioux)
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I read more with an e-reader than I ever did with traditional books.
Of these arguments, only the home footprint seems truly compelling. I appreciate that a Kindle or an iPad can hold hundreds or thousands of books at once. But is this really necessary for travel? How many books can one person read in 2-3 weeks time? As to the second argument, you might spend less on e-books, but it's far from guaranteed. Just spend a few minutes on Amazon and compare. In many cases, the Kindle edition is more expensive than even the hardback version. Why? No binding. No shipping. That's pure profit. And, ask the Department of Justice if it thinks Apple's e-book prices are too high. Even so, I do like my Kindle. It makes reading very convenient. But i still struggle. "Is this a Kindle book, or a real book?"
I can't imagine commuting or travelling without a tablet or ebook reader. It's light and thin so it fits in a decent sized handbag and its literally your entire collection of books. Only bad thing is if the technology becomes obsolete in 10-20 years, so does your collection. I remember, as a teenager, reading my mom's copies of Ernest Hemingway and DH Lawrence that she got when she was in college. I guess that won't really be possible in another 20 years.
TIP: Many magazines give you free access to the digital version of the magazine if you subscribe to the paper copy. Weirdly, that is usually cheaper than buying digital as a standalone, especially if you order through Amazon or other magazine selling sites. Economist, Wired, Time and Elle are some examples. $16 for TWO years of Elle in print with iPad App versions for free or $20 for ONE year of Elle on the iPad only. I mostly read when commuting so I usually just read the iPad versions and pass on the print version to someone who doesn't subscribe.
Love the concept of digital media, but my big beef is that I don't have the rights to sell or give away the book once I'm done with it. Because of that, I only buy digital books if the price is <$5, or I check them out of the library. I am not going to pay $10+ for a book I will only read once. Audiobooks are just as bad, which hurts my heart because I love listening to them. When my usage rights for the digital media match the hard copy counterpart, then I'll be more willing to pony up.
I read both. Though, sometimes when asked what book I am reading on my kindle, I don't always remember. There isn't a cover of the book which I see every time I pick up a real book. One more step to the old-timers home. :O/
I read both: ebooks for interesting things i want to learn about or don't want to have lying around the house everywhere (college textbooks, foreign language books, library books, financial etc.) and real books for my absolute favorites. This way i keep clutter and shelf space to a minimum without sacrificing any books that i can't stand to part with.
I am an avid reader. But, no longer do I just read books, magazines, and newspapers - I also follow many blogs and sites. I recently bought an ipad and now I can spend more time (and in a more comfortable setting) reading these things also. And, I can more easily switch between the various content that I like. I don't have to walk across the room and turn on the computer or pick a new book out at the bookshelf. Also, I no longer have a huge stack of books and magazines setting on my nightstand - I just have the ipad now. Much less clutter. I mainly bought the ipad because I could check out books from the library on it - but it has become so much more. I recently bought an ebook from amazon (it was the cheapest version) and that's big because I had to build up the courage to do it for several days (yeah, strange I know) and because I don't purchase things (usually - as a minimalist) or books (I use the library) but it takes up no space in my home and does not add any clutter. Although, I am attached to a few of my real books - I image a paradigm shift is not that far off. In one short month, I have grow very attached to this new way of reading. I don't even have to hold the book anymore in bed. I just prop it on it side in the case and comfortably read away. When I fall asleep it, it shuts off all by itself.
Give me paper books. I share them with others over and over. I only buy hardbound books and a major source for those is my local Goodwill. I can pick up 1st editions for $4.99 in mint condition. My bookcase adds warmth and interest to my home. When I tire of a book I give it away (back to Goodwill) or sell it at Powell's. I still frequent book sellers and Powell's is a tourist attraction here in Portland. An e-reader would be fine for magazines and news papers which get tossed out every month but a good hard bound novel can be a friend for life.
No. Cozy up on the sofa out on the back porch with a glass of wine, snuggled under my Navajo rug, with a sunset painting the sky, a fire blazing in la chiminea, coyotes howling in the mountains, a breeze tickling my nose with the perfume of piñons, dogs at my feet... and an "e-reader" or "tablet" on my lap? Yuck! Give me a beat up paper back that I can doze off with it on my chest, wake up, and pick up where I left off. A paper back that can fall to the floor when I fall asleep and it won't cost me an arm & a leg to replace if the dogs chew it a little. An actual book is a tactile experience to go with the other senses that enhance my reading pleasure. Can't get romantic, intrigued, suspenseful, joyful... with a machine. One of those "e-readers" would be okay, like my computer, for studying, research, or plodding through work related material. But comfy reading pleasure for escape? Uh, no. Everyone who is depleting their physical book libraries & putting everything onto their "tablets" will regret it later. Sorry, but snuggling up with my grandson and sharing a "Pop Up" book of furry baby animals is an experience that could never be improved upon with any technology.
Both. It isn't either/or it is when to choose.
I read kindle or ebooks often, but at night I often pick up a paper book. I'm turning off my daily tech for some quiet, some subdued lighting and frankly have the iPad on charger.
I also read in my weekly hot soak. Not happening with electronic devices.
I like that I can put kindle books back in the cloud and off the device, so I have three-four books downloaded at a time. If they offered a 99c rental for books, I'd be on board.
Since I don't have a kindle proper, I don't get to borrow for free like my mom does.
Yes, I love all the physicalities of books, the smell of used bookstores, the weird sandalwood scent of half my cooks because incense as bookmarks, as well as thin sandalwood, was really popular for years...at least with the types of books I buy. I like the heft of a long novel.
I have books that are not available on electronic formats.
But I love packing into one bag and in airports, I often can't settle into a book. So having a selection without excess space is wonderful. I like piicking something on a whim at the gate without having to give up the comfy charging station chair.
My paper books have to earn their real estate on my shelves. Ebooks, not so much.
I *love* my Kindle. Since owning it I've read more books than I ever have in paper form, mostly because of the novelty -- I got wicked cramps trying to hold "Song of Ice and Fire" books with my thumb. And if I get the text big enough, I can actually pull off reading in the car when I've gotten carsick before. Can't wait to see how much easier train or plane travel gets.
Lately I've been buying a few reference manuals for the software in my new job. It pains me a little that I can't donate them to the library when they get outdated, but it's worth not having to carry all the books with me when I'm "e-mobile" at work.
My local library started a partnership with MyMediaMall recently, and so I've been able to get most of my 'mainstream' leisure reading that way.