Finally I made the decision regarding which eReader to buy and am beginning with Barnes and Noble's Nook (mainly because it has color, can do email when I am online somewhere, and has a memory card which enables more storage), but with the intention to probably also eventually get a basic Kindle for its being more readable in sunlight.
Through this, I have begun learning a few things. One is that these readers are the best economic deal when it comes to classics, older books, or an author's earlier works.
First day I bought a collection including all of Zane Grey's books for $.99. Because the grandkids were coming, I likewise bought all Aesop's Fables, Beatrix Potter's stories, and Grimm's Fairy Tales also for $1 or $2 each. Also I got a very reasonable price on a large collection of poetry by E.E. Cummings.
Other Western authors that I like for instance Louis L'Amour is not so inexpensive. When looking at current authors and bestsellers, it looks like I can purchase them cheaper at Costco.
BUT, with the Nook, I can also borrow them at libraries as well as share them with other Nook readers. So it's a learning process but there is no way I will pay more for a book on Nook than I would at say Costco-- convenience or not. For one thing, when I buy a book, I can resell it at a used bookstore, no way that is possible with the eBooks.
I also have learned that Nook at least categorizes their books and also lists them with those under $5. Best selling authors are closer to $10. So you aren't really competing with every author-- just those in your category and price range.
When it came to buying books for the grandchildren, who weren't by authors I knew, it got complicated again as when you buy a book in a bookstore, you can judge its type, get the feel of it, know it was vetted by a publishing house. With the eBook, you don't have that security.
They do allow you to sample the first chapter but that's not good enough when it comes to my almost teen-age granddaughter. There is too much negative stuff out there to take the risk. She loved it though especially since it has crosswords and Sudoku.
Klamath Lake is the photo from our recent trip there for family time and canoeing.
12 comments:
I also recently weakened and bought a nook. I considered the kindle since several of my family have that but I do much more business with Barnes & Noble. I rather like it but find that I have to watch my impulses. I have always been a book addict and it would be way too easy to overdose financially.
One wonders when real books will cease to exist. eBooks are already impacting bookshop sales...
I'm going to remain a Luddite for a while. That said, the ex loaded a bunch of ebooks he thought I'd like on my little Acer netbook and that works pretty well. I need to check with him because there's a good program he gave me for organizing one's netbook collection and I want to find out if it's free. Either way, I'll drop you an email.
Already the sales of eBooks outdo those of paper ones because of the convenience, I think.
The big advantage to me is the lightness of weight (especially when reading in bed at night), and ease of taking somewhere. I don't have a netbook, do have a laptop which is gearing up to become my main computer soon. I think what you have serves as one, Kay. iPad is what some use as eReaders. It's just being able to have a book on it, take it instead of maybe 7 or 8 books which is my usual when I go on a trip. This will be much easier and might have me back reading the classics more than I have for years with this ease of downloading collections. I have not yet examined prices for the ebooks through Google which supposedly has a huge collection.
Eventually I will write more here regarding what I am learning about putting them out. It's confusing to say the least for how difficult or expensive it might be. I also will be putting together a website just for my own and what I learn regarding this because I know it's not everyone's interest; but for now my main emphasis is editing what I already have. That has led me though to thinking about a possible new one that would be in the historic category. I REALLY like writing. And bringing the rodeo story to my computer, filling it out, adding the things I enjoy in a book, it has reminded me how much I enjoy the creating part of this process. I like creating characters and seeing where they go, who else they might bring along, playing a kind of god for these people while I also let them carry the story forth but never totally where I don't want it to go. It's an interesting mix which has been further enriched for me through doing the covers.
You made some compelling statements, Rain.
From what I've been hearing, the glow from the screen of an electronic device is such that it affects the brain, sometimes making it difficult to drop off to sleep immediately after using one. Have you observed any difficulty?
Can your Nook communicate with your PC (without going through the web)?
Can you play music on the Nook (does it have sound?)
Can you keep a calendar on your Nook?
I guess what I really wish to know is whether a Nook can do double duty by serving as a PDA.
Any answers that you might provide to the above questions would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Cop Car
Screen is why I want a Kindle also (the $139 one). Go into a store like Staples who carries them all (except currently not the iPad) and you'll see the difference in the screens. The Nook doesn't seem like a computer screen to me for how it feels but it's not as soothing as the Kindle. It can get my magazines, the ones I subscribe to and offer it as a freebie.
The Nook does have sound. It takes a wireless hotspot, like McDonalds or with a certain kind of wireless phone (don't ask me to explain more about that as I am anything but a techie). My Nook was the $249 one for getting color and Staples promised a $25 coupon for buying it during one of their sales which I intend to use to buy the Kindle (unless there is a warning against that when the coupon arrives).
Yes, it has a USB adapter to go to the computer but cannot go to the phone as it stands. I suggest you go online and do a search about Nook or to a Barnes and Noble but I liked seeing them all side by side. The screen on the Kindle is easier on the eyes.
I hope I didn't get any of this wrong as I am a newbie to it all. My granddaughter and Farm Boss have used it more than me. He's reading a Zane Grey he used to like on it at night but he's a person who falls asleep 5 seconds after he turns out a light (if not before) so is not much of a test.
And we bought this after deciding Farm Boss will be buying an Android or iPhone as the Nook really doesn't do what say an iPad would've. But it's also half the price. It's taken us months to decide all of this. I kept thinking I had to decide between Nook and Kindle until I realized I didn't. Nook being able to loan books to other Nook users is also an advantage to it but I hear Kindle is working on offering that. What Kindle offers that nobody else does is without color, it is readable in sunlight.
I recently purchase a basic Kindle and while I like the easy on the eyes screen, I had to purchase a clip-on light in order to read it in bed at night. What I've discovered is that, for me, it's best use is for traveling so I don't have the extra weight of books. Like you, I won't pay more for an ebook than I would a hard copy. And I still love going to the library.
The other great feature on the ebook is being able to increase the font size so I can read without my reading glasses. I thought I would miss the page-turning, feel the heft of the paper in my hands, but I don't. I do wish they'd make one where the screen lit up, though.
My husband just bought a Kindle for when he travels as it saves space. He also discovered, like you did, that you can get classics uploaded for free or almost nothing. He got all of the Sherlock Homes novels and short stories for $2.99. Like Kay I prefer paper but would consider buying an e-Reader for traveling.
I've used the Sony eReaders for a few years and overall like them. They, like the Kindle, have screens that are the iPaper ones. There is no back lighting so you do have to use an external light source to read in the dark but they are clear and easy to see even in sunlight. iPaper screens do not tire out the eye like those that are back lit tend to do (like computer screens.)
My brother is the one who led me to the Sony about three years ago. At that time the Kindle could only download books from Amazon.com via it's cell phone connection and the newer ones had no extra memory that would allow you to connect to a computer. They now have both as well as WiFi.
But Loyd recently bought a Nook and he likes it a lot. He especially likes the color screen and the fact that he can move all of his Sony books to it. It will not read the Kindle format books. I think the native format for Nook is epub.
You do have to be careful how many devices you log onto your Adobe account. I think the limit is 7 but you can add a new one every year beyond that. Almost everyone has at least two- their ebook and a computer. And if you lose the key, the book is unreadable even though it shows up and looks fine in the contents list of the ebook. Write it down.
I've bought a few first edition books from well known authors but like you and others have said, would rather buy a hard copy from Costco or Amazon.com rather than paying $10 - 14 for an ebook version.
Thanks to everyone for the info. I agree that I'll need to look at the real thing and hold it in my hand before buying anything. Thanks, particularly, for letting me know about the liquid crystal display vs the light emitting diode display (my interpretation of what was written - don't fret if I got it wrong because one glance at the real thing will correct me.) I would not be reading in sunny conditions (I avoid sun like the plague), so that isn't a huge deal to me.
We have a wireless router, so that should let me link an ereader to my computer.
Interesting.
Cop Car
You are absolutely right about the convenience of eBooks Rain. However, I love to feel a book in my hands. Maybe that sounds trite. Call me an old fogie...:-)
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