<p>Although I love a physical book, I can definitely see the usefulness of e-books, and I’m not saying I’d never use them for utilitarian reading. The technology will improve over time, making them more and more user-friendly. But for pleasure reading, having the book in my hand is part of the experience. And I’m sure I’m not the only one here who loves loves loves to spend an hour browsing a brick-and-mortar bookstore. Those trips are about finding something to read, but they’re also about the sight and feel (and yes, even the smell! – you book nuts know what I’m talking about) of thousands of books. E-books will never give me that.</p>
<p>Luckily the advent of e-books isn’t an either / or choice – I love browsing bookstores, AND I love hearing about a new book, going click-click-click and having it on my iPhone within a matter of minutes. We all watch some TV programs live and others on iTunes or through a TiVo. We all listen to music on iPods but then also listen to the radio. There is no reason books won’t be the same.</p>
<p>Pizzagirl, I agree. While I read a lot of things on my computer, I still prefer a traditional book/textbook when I’m reading for a class or a long book for pleasure. I am a college student and it is easy to find a used copy of a printed book just as cheap or cheaper than an e-textbook. There is just something about being able to visually see how much you have left to read and so you can flip pages and to get back to something you need to study for. As much as I read, I don’t like to buy books, and having e-books at libraries just seems odd.</p>
<p>Pumpkin65, I’ve been waiting to have a research project where I need to use microfiche, I’ve used microfilm before and liked it. Internet databases are vastly superior, but I still like to go lower-tech sometimes.</p>
<p>Ironically I bought a Kindle 2 today. Didn’t see that one coming!</p>
<p>I know this thread hasn’t been posted in for a couple of days, but I just thought it was funny. </p>
<p>Most of my “textbooks” are actually regular non-fiction books, so if I can find a good deal on ebook versions I’ll probably try it out and test my theories this winter. I debated with myself for a few days over whether to get the kindle or the nook and ended up going with kindle just because I could get it for $30 cheaper. Pizzagirl, I am curious, why did you go with the Nook? I couldn’t really decide between the two feature-wise.</p>
<p>Apple is supposedly coming out with a tablet this Spring and apparently is working pretty hard on scooping up deals with textbook publishers that don’t like the Amazon split. Amazon wants 50/50 on electronic books while Apple is willing to go 30/70 (30 for Apple, 70 for publishers). Apple also doesn’t require exclusivity and they have the benefit of a full-color screen and a general-purpose computer. I don’t know whether the platform will be x86 (running Mac OS X) or if it will be like a giant iPod Touch but it sounds like a much more interesting device than a standalone bookreader.</p>
<p>I’m hoping Apple’s tablet will use digitized ink the way the Kindle does; one’s eyes can get awfully tired staring at a computer screen trying to read passage after passage.</p>
<p>I think that Digital Ink is unlikely. The articles that I read did channel checks on components. I personally prefer an LCD screen as I prefer to work in a very dark environment. This is why I prefer my calculator from the 1970s - it has an LED display which can be seen in the dark.</p>
<p>My neighbors are originally from Canada. Their kids never had to bring home heavy textbooks in their backpacks. Everyone just had flashdrives loaded with textbook excerpts. They really miss having that option.</p>
<p>I find it much easier to read on a kindle than on line. I have less than perfect vision and it’s much less of a strain for me. I also love the option of increasing the print size. Of course, you can do that on a computer, but not with a book. I wear contacts for distance. Without them, I do not need reading glasses. With them, I do…unless I am reading on the kindle, in which case I change font size. </p>
<p>I also love being able to search for a term within a book. If there’s a quote I like I can just put in the key word and all the times it appears in the book pop up. Easier than paging through the book. Google books does this for older out of copyright books, but with Kindle I can do it with every book. </p>
<p>With the nook, you can pass on the book ONCE, as I understand it. With the kindle, anyone in the same household can share…but only with the same household. Still, if my kid comes back to the states, I can see doing that, as we enjoy a lot of the same sorts of books.</p>