Oh no! The phone's winning...

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Depends on the book prices where Katsunami lives. And on availability. Used books and the library cannot be beat cost wise, but then you have to invest time to hunt the book down.

For the US I did a quick search, and it is usually possible to print 40000 pages for well under US$1000 (for printer & toner).

Did you forget a period somewhere? Spending a thousand dollars to print 40,000 pages doesn't seem like such a deal. A 400 page book would cost $10 to print.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Did you forget a period somewhere? Spending a thousand dollars to print 40,000 pages doesn't seem like such a deal. A 400 page book would cost $10 to print.

Based on the prices of print on demand books, that sounds about right.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Did you forget a period somewhere? Spending a thousand dollars to print 40,000 pages doesn't seem like such a deal. A 400 page book would cost $10 to print.

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Based on the prices of print on demand books, that sounds about right.

I did say that it includes the printer. If you want print prices that low, you need a half way decent office printer in the $400-$500 range. And also a printer page is much bigger than a book page. A print on demand kind of printer that binds and makes a cover? No way to do that cost effective at home for personal use.

[Nausicaa]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

I did say that it includes the printer. If you want print prices that low, you need a half way decent office printer in the $400-$500 range. And also a printer page is much bigger than a book page. A print on demand kind of printer that binds and makes a cover? No way to do that cost effective at home for personal use.

says whom? i bought a $100 brother brand b+w laser printer with wifi in 2009 and still use the toner from the 1st purchase (i print maybe 30x a year or so sometimes a lot more). you don't need a $400-$500 printer, your prices are circa 1998.

I also agree with OP. Phones are the best! Fast refresh, better contrast and resolution, I also don't read i. the sun, I think it's a waste of sunlight.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by Nausicaa

says whom? i bought a $100 brother brand b+w laser printer with wifi in 2009 and still use the toner from the 1st purchase (i print maybe 30x a year or so sometimes a lot more). you don't need a $400-$500 printer, your prices are circa 1998.

Since you have not needed to yet, check out prices for toner cartridges for your model. The cheaper the initial price for a printer, the higher your total cost of ownership.

[ilovejedd]

Yep. Cost per page tends to be lower on the more expensive workgroup/business printers.

That said, still think it's impractical particularly considering how easy it is to just order books online.

[MGlitch]

The cost of printing a book is also something a lot of authors are foregoing with the ebook market.

I find it a little odd that a forum so invested in digital reading would overlook this cost saving technique for indie writers.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by Nausicaa

I also agree with OP. Phones are the best!

The OP did not write that phones are the best.

Only that phones are better when it is too much bother to carry the reader around or when quick access to other apps is important.

[barryem]

I'm one who mostly reads on a phone and I don't think it's better than my Kindle. It's as good for my purposes and it's more convenient. I do have to let my eyes rest a minute or two every half hour with a phone and I don't have to do that with a Kindle, but that's not a problem for me since I often stop and think about what I'm reading. I just have to make sure I do that.

I don't think anyone can say what's best for reading. That's a pretty personal decision we're all able to make for ourselves.

Barry