A conversation on the joys/benefits of e-reading :)

[cfmatthee]

Originally Posted by droopy

I'd like to ask those who read a lot on their dedicated ereaders: Did you find that you read more after you got an ereader than before? What was your reading frequency/volume like before you got an ereader (when you're reading just paper-based books) and after you got an ereader?

I definitely read a lot more since I switched to eBooks. I think it is due to the convenience. I'm often too lazy to stop at the Library or book store. With eBooks, I don't have to go anywhere special.

[Pulpmeister]

I'm going to set off on a solo drive across Australia soon, 2,500 miles each way, and my Kindle goes with me, stuffed full of books. There is a USB charger port in my car, so no problem with flat batteries, but I also have a wall power socket charger for the motel rooms.

End of a 10 hour driving day, a couple of beers and read in bed.

I did this sort of trip many times in the past, with a handful of paperback books in a bag. Now, just the kindle.

Oh, and I'm right there with "gmw" post above. A while ago in a thunderstorm my power went out about 7 pm; no problems; retire to bunk with e-reader. What's more, the dim glow from the e-reader was sufficient to allow me to move around confidently, using it as a sort of low-performance torch.

At the height of my paper book accumulating craze I had about 1200 books on shelves. After a decade of e-reading, I have over 3000 books on my PC in Calibre, ready to load into my e-reader anytime. And no need of shelves.

It's a whole new world.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Pulpmeister

I'm going to set off on a solo drive across Australia soon, 2,500 miles each way, and my Kindle goes with me, stuffed full of books. There is a USB charger port in my car, so no problem with flat batteries, but I also have a wall power socket charger for the motel rooms.

End of a 10 hour driving day, a couple of beers and read in bed.

I did this sort of trip many times in the past, with a handful of paperback books in a bag. Now, just the kindle.

Oh, and I'm right there with "gmw" post above. A while ago in a thunderstorm my power went out about 7 pm; no problems; retire to bunk with e-reader. What's more, the dim glow from the e-reader was sufficient to allow me to move around confidently, using it as a sort of low-performance torch.

At the height of my paper book accumulating craze I had about 1200 books on shelves. After a decade of e-reading, I have over 3000 books on my PC in Calibre, ready to load into my e-reader anytime. And no need of shelves.

It's a whole new world.

This. I can remember years of carrying extra books on vacations hoping that I didn't run out or that one of the books didn't turn out to be uninteresting. With eBooks, that's not a problem. If there is a power outage, well, I've got plenty of UPS's and batteries for the iDevices, or I can switch an eReader. Heck, I even have a couple of solar power collectors that connects to a battery if it comes down to that.

[Apache]

I used to travel for a living and you should have seen how many books I could cram into my luggage. If there is a power loss, and I am unable to use my ereaders, I still have all of my DT books and will just pull them out. They are in one room and are alphabetized by author.
Apache

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by droopy

I'd like to ask those who read a lot on their dedicated ereaders: Did you find that you read more after you got an ereader than before? What was your reading frequency/volume like before you got an ereader (when you're reading just paper-based books) and after you got an ereader?

I hope that after I get an ereader, I'd waste much less time on my smartphone, on joyless apps, and more time enriching my mind and life by reading on a dedicated ereader.

More than paper books (which is limited by availability), same as when I started reading on mobile electronics. By mobile electronics, I mean .txt attachments on Yahoo Mail WAP site over GPRS with my 2" display feature phone. I also read on the Sony Playstation Portable (Bookr). When there's a will, there's a way. I used to read on my laptop, too, but it wasn't exactly bring-anywhere-with-you level mobile.

Don't have much issue with app/game distractions. Only time I'd get distracted is when I'm not enjoying what I'm reading so I take that as a sign to move on and read something else. I do prefer reading on the Kindle over the iPhone or iPad, though.

[pondscum]

Originally Posted by Pulpmeister

At the height of my paper book accumulating craze I had about 1200 books on shelves. After a decade of e-reading, I have over 3000 books on my PC in Calibre, ready to load into my e-reader anytime. And no need of shelves.

It's a whole new world.

That pretty much describes me, too. I used to treasure my collection of paper books, but I've been happy to exchange my physical possessions for electronic ones. The words and ideas are still there, it's just more compact to store them. On my next move I'm going to be able to downsize since I won't have to worry about where to put a 20-foot wall of bookcases.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by pondscum

That pretty much describes me, too. I used to treasure my collection of paper books, but I've been happy to exchange my physical possessions for electronic ones. The words and ideas are still there, it's just more compact to store them. On my next move I'm going to be able to downsize since I won't have to worry about where to put a 20-foot wall of bookcases.

Same here. I've already given away a large number of hardback books that I have as ebooks. I've got 6 big containers of paperback books that I have as ebooks. I suspect if I go through the book shelves again, I have another couple of containers worth where I've gotten the ebooks since the last purge.

[4691mls]

Interesting how many people say ereading is better if there's a power outage. If the power is off for an extended period my ereader battery could run out, but I could always read a paper book or magazine by candlelight.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

Interesting how many people say ereading is better if there's a power outage. If the power is off for an extended period my ereader battery could run out, but I could always read a paper book or magazine by candlelight.

Shadows and uneven lighting. Glare, too.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

Interesting how many people say ereading is better if there's a power outage. If the power is off for an extended period my ereader battery could run out, but I could always read a paper book or magazine by candlelight.

I took my five year old Kobo Aura on three week trip to Japan, which included a sixteen hour flight there and back. I didn't charge it one time while I was there. My reading in-country was mostly limited to reading a bit in the evening or longish subway/train trips, but even so, the battery lasted the entire trip.

If the power at home is off that long, I have bigger issues than worrying about finishing a novel.

[barryem]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

Interesting how many people say ereading is better if there's a power outage. If the power is off for an extended period my ereader battery could run out, but I could always read a paper book or magazine by candlelight.

I have 4 portable chargers, 2 pocket size ones and 2 large ones. I'm guessing that the pocket size ones would each charge my Kindle 4 or 5 times and the larger ones a lot more. The power would have to be out for a long time to be a problem.

Barry

[ottdmk]

When I got my first Kobo (a Touch, back in 2012) I finally started using the Ottawa Public Library. Took a little tweaking to get ADE working on FreeBSD under Wine, but I did, and I've never looked back. I've lost count of the number of library books I've read thanks to my Kobos. I estimated one time though that if I'd bought all the books I've borrowed it would have run me far more than what I've paid for the e-readers...

I also love that I'm not eating up space in my on-the-small side house. And that I never lose my page in a book anymore. Plus the battery lasts for ages, although the cold has been hard on my H2O lately.

As others have mentioned, there is no comparison between vacation reading with an e-reader and vacation reading without one. By far the better way to travel.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

Interesting how many people say ereading is better if there's a power outage. If the power is off for an extended period my ereader battery could run out, but I could always read a paper book or magazine by candlelight.

Hmm... my ereader lasts for at least a week with the amount I read. A power outage might have me reading more but that's what our collection of battery packs is for (well, that and my daughter's Pokemon Go habit ). Not to mention the solar cell battery charger -- not just for camping trips anymore!

If the power hasn't been restored by the time I run out of ways to power my ereader, it's likely not coming back.

[Hemmi]

I was the kid that always had a book or two with them wherever I went. Vacation was about exactly how many books I needed to bring along so as to not run out.

My ereaders just make it easier to carry hundreds of books with me everywhere. Much easier than lugging around paper books.

Do I read more? Probably not, I've always had my nose stuck in a book.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Hmm... my ereader lasts for at least a week with the amount I read. A power outage might have me reading more but that's what our collection of battery packs is for (well, that and my daughter's Pokemon Go habit ). Not to mention the solar cell battery charger -- not just for camping trips anymore!

If the power hasn't been restored by the time I run out of ways to power my ereader, it's likely not coming back.

Yep, we are talking Zombie Apocalypse time, which means that I have bigger problems. I have an extended power outage maybe once every four or five years and that is usually no longer than a day or so. The trick is actually to keep my various extra batteries charged.

I suspect if I lived out in the boonies, or was particularly worried about lengthy power outages, I would get a generator. I have several friends who have them.