How did you feel about reading a paper book after The Transition?

JeremyZ · 10-08-2009, 09:39 AM

I'm just curious how everyone felt when they read their first paper book after getting accustomed to their eBook readers?

I haven't gone back yet, so I don't know. But it is just a matter of time.

The thing I like most about my reader is that it is so easy to read laying down. No more thumb cramps!

The only thing I DON'T like about my reader is the comparative lack of variety when compared to paper books. The 350,000+ book selection advertising is deceptive, because they are not all unique books.

AnemicOak · 10-08-2009, 09:49 AM

For fiction I prefer a reader by a wide margin. I have a real hard time going back to paper. For non-fiction, typically some type of History book, I still prefer paper because I do a lot of flipping back and forth sometimes and none of my readers are great for that.

As far as lack of variety I suppose it depends on what you're wanting to read. It will be nice when more older stuff starts showing up and of course pricing could use some work. I will say selection has gotten a lot better than it was in '07 when I got my first eInk reader.

Mike L · 10-08-2009, 09:53 AM

It's a good question, Jeremy.

I still read paper books, mainly because we have nearly a thousand of them in the house, and there's a lot of good stuff in them that I wouldn't want to discard.

There's only thing about paper books I now find strange. When I come to a word I don't know, I automatically reach for the five-way controller to highlight the word for a dictionary search. I've done this a dozen times before realising I have to walk over to the shelf and pick up my Chambers.

ahi · 10-08-2009, 09:55 AM

No different.

The liseuse, at this time, is not a superior experience. Its sole (but, to me, considerable) redeeming quality is the number of books it can hold and the fact that it can display arbitrary content.

Unlike many others here, I'm not getting rid of my paper books, and I do not foresee stopping to buy new ones... particularly given the content poverty of the eBook market.

- Ahi

MelC · 10-08-2009, 10:03 AM

They tend to be books of last resort for me now. I have a couple at the moment sitting on a counter waiting to be read that friends have lent me after I expressed an interest and I know that if they were electronic I would already have read them. I think the issue is that my reader is now my security blanket - it goes with me everywhere and I feel happy in the knowledge that there is always another book on it when I am ready for it. I think subconciously I am worried about getting left in the lurch with a paperback that ended too soon or didn't turn out to be what I wanted to read at that moment...

Mel

HarryT · 10-08-2009, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike L

There's only thing about paper books I now find strange. When I come to a word I don't know, I automatically reach for the five-way controller to highlight the word for a dictionary search. I've done this a dozen times before realising I have to walk over to the shelf and pick up my Chambers.

Another VERY useful feature, if you're reading a long and complex book (something like "The Count of Monte Cristo", for example, since I know you've read that recent) is the ability to search. If a character suddenly "reappears" in the story whom you've not encountered for several hundred pages, it can be useful to be able to quickly search for their name to refresh your memory as to the context in which they last appeared.

tompe · 10-08-2009, 10:12 AM

I was surprised about how much better the experience reading a paper book was compared to reading on my Cybook.

ahi · 10-08-2009, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tompe

I was surprised about how much better the experience reading a paper book was compared to reading on my Cybook.

Speaking of which, the ergonomics of liseuses are horrible.

Never had my hand hurting me from reading a book before, but with some regularity my hands do cramp if I read too long on my PRS-505.

- Ahi

Grauheim · 10-08-2009, 10:16 AM

I find pBooks still have superior contrast and are therefore easier to read. But eBooks win big for convenience.

Juliette · 10-08-2009, 10:26 AM

Euh, no problem. I also own a lot of photocopies of books, and have no problem using them too (that's yet another world, if you- like me- don't bind them). Words are words

Hellmark · 10-08-2009, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahi

Speaking of which, the ergonomics of liseuses are horrible.

Never had my hand hurting me from reading a book before, but with some regularity my hands do cramp if I read too long on my PRS-505.

Seems the opposite for me. I have no issues reading on my 505, but do sometimes with paperbooks.

ahi · 10-08-2009, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellmark

Seems the opposite for me. I have no issues reading on my 505, but do sometimes with paperbooks.

Weird...

I find particularly when I'm sitting in a car or on a bus, it is difficult to find a comfortable reading... "stance".

- Ahi

Juliette · 10-08-2009, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahi

Speaking of which, the ergonomics of liseuses are horrible.

Never had my hand hurting me from reading a book before, but with some regularity my hands do cramp if I read too long on my PRS-505.

- Ahi

Yes, but them won't smother you if they're too heavy

you can finally read in bed everything!

bill_mchale · 10-08-2009, 10:46 AM

Personally, I still enjoy reading paper books quite a bit. That being said, I rarely am able to at the moment. We have a 3 month old in the house, and he wants to be held a lot so its often impractical to read a paper book. The ebook readers on the other hand are a great convenience

.

--
Bill

Falbe Publishing · 10-08-2009, 10:50 AM

I go back and forth between ebooks and paper books. I very much enjoy the ebook reading experience and find it generally superior to paper books. I don't really intend to give up paper books, but here are the things I find slightly less appealing about them now that I've expanded my text consuming options:

1. Big hardcovers are heavy! When reading a novel for prolonged times, the object gets heavy in the hands or on the lap.
2. The text crowding into the crease of the binding actually makes it harder to see and expose to lighting. The flat open screen of an ebook reader is much easier to read.
3. Paper books need a book mark that I always lose.

Things I still like about paper books are:

1. I really still prefer my big old dictionary. I can flip through it quickly and learn new words as I look for the word that made me open the dictionary.
2. I really still prefer paper for cook books. Not all recipes are going to fit on a small screen and the book needs to be in an environment where it can handle spills, splashes, and flouring.
3. Large reference books with pictures and diagrams do well on a big page although a big ebook reader could likely do a good job with this, but I don't have one of those.

10-08-2009, 09:39 AM	#1
JeremyZ Addict Posts: 303 Karma: 1000702 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Chicago Device: Nook ST, Kindle 2, Samsung Galaxy Stellar phone	How did you feel about reading a paper book after The Transition? I'm just curious how everyone felt when they read their first paper book after getting accustomed to their eBook readers? I haven't gone back yet, so I don't know. But it is just a matter of time. The thing I like most about my reader is that it is so easy to read laying down. No more thumb cramps! The only thing I DON'T like about my reader is the comparative lack of variety when compared to paper books. The 350,000+ book selection advertising is deceptive, because they are not all unique books.

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10-08-2009, 09:49 AM	#2
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	For fiction I prefer a reader by a wide margin. I have a real hard time going back to paper. For non-fiction, typically some type of History book, I still prefer paper because I do a lot of flipping back and forth sometimes and none of my readers are great for that. As far as lack of variety I suppose it depends on what you're wanting to read. It will be nice when more older stuff starts showing up and of course pricing could use some work. I will say selection has gotten a lot better than it was in '07 when I got my first eInk reader.

10-08-2009, 09:53 AM	#3
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,479 Karma: 3846231 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3, Samsung Galaxy	It's a good question, Jeremy. I still read paper books, mainly because we have nearly a thousand of them in the house, and there's a lot of good stuff in them that I wouldn't want to discard. There's only thing about paper books I now find strange. When I come to a word I don't know, I automatically reach for the five-way controller to highlight the word for a dictionary search. I've done this a dozen times before realising I have to walk over to the shelf and pick up my Chambers.

10-08-2009, 09:55 AM	#4
ahi Wizard Posts: 1,790 Karma: 507333 Join Date: May 2009 Device: none	No different. The liseuse, at this time, is not a superior experience. Its sole (but, to me, considerable) redeeming quality is the number of books it can hold and the fact that it can display arbitrary content. Unlike many others here, I'm not getting rid of my paper books, and I do not foresee stopping to buy new ones... particularly given the content poverty of the eBook market. - Ahi

10-08-2009, 10:03 AM	#5
MelC Evangelist Posts: 410 Karma: 2081 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada Device: Cybook Gen3, PRS600	They tend to be books of last resort for me now. I have a couple at the moment sitting on a counter waiting to be read that friends have lent me after I expressed an interest and I know that if they were electronic I would already have read them. I think the issue is that my reader is now my security blanket - it goes with me everywhere and I feel happy in the knowledge that there is always another book on it when I am ready for it. I think subconciously I am worried about getting left in the lurch with a paperback that ended too soon or didn't turn out to be what I wanted to read at that moment... Mel

10-08-2009, 10:12 AM	#7
tompe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,452 Karma: 7185064 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Linköpng, Sweden Device: Kindle Voyage, Nexus 5, Kindle PW	I was surprised about how much better the experience reading a paper book was compared to reading on my Cybook.

10-08-2009, 10:16 AM	#9
Grauheim Enthusiast Posts: 41 Karma: 200 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: Cybook Opus; HTC TyTN II	I find pBooks still have superior contrast and are therefore easier to read. But eBooks win big for convenience.

10-08-2009, 10:26 AM	#10
Juliette I eat books Posts: 601 Karma: 5124 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Milan, Italy Device: Gen3 PRS-505 PRS-600 PB360 PB302 K2 Opus BebookMini OnyxBoox K3 KDXG	Euh, no problem. I also own a lot of photocopies of books, and have no problem using them too (that's yet another world, if you- like me- don't bind them). Words are words

10-08-2009, 10:46 AM	#14
bill_mchale Wizard Posts: 1,451 Karma: 1550000 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Maryland, USA Device: Nook Simple Touch, HPC Evo 4G LTE	Personally, I still enjoy reading paper books quite a bit. That being said, I rarely am able to at the moment. We have a 3 month old in the house, and he wants to be held a lot so its often impractical to read a paper book. The ebook readers on the other hand are a great convenience . -- Bill

10-08-2009, 10:50 AM	#15
Falbe Publishing Gadget Slave Posts: 264 Karma: 600001 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Battle Creek, Michigan Device: Sony PRS505SC	I go back and forth between ebooks and paper books. I very much enjoy the ebook reading experience and find it generally superior to paper books. I don't really intend to give up paper books, but here are the things I find slightly less appealing about them now that I've expanded my text consuming options: 1. Big hardcovers are heavy! When reading a novel for prolonged times, the object gets heavy in the hands or on the lap. 2. The text crowding into the crease of the binding actually makes it harder to see and expose to lighting. The flat open screen of an ebook reader is much easier to read. 3. Paper books need a book mark that I always lose. Things I still like about paper books are: 1. I really still prefer my big old dictionary. I can flip through it quickly and learn new words as I look for the word that made me open the dictionary. 2. I really still prefer paper for cook books. Not all recipes are going to fit on a small screen and the book needs to be in an environment where it can handle spills, splashes, and flouring. 3. Large reference books with pictures and diagrams do well on a big page although a big ebook reader could likely do a good job with this, but I don't have one of those.