The daily commute - books vs ebook readers vs papers

[ficbot]

I have seen one or two other Sonys. No other Kindles but mine. Our city has a free commuter tabloid and most people read that. I used to goof off on the iPod Touch because I was listening to music during my walk to the subway and could not be bothered to turn it off and get out the reader (I have a very short commute this year). No, I use the Kindle on text to speech mode and am MUCH happier.

[JSWolf]

The last time I saw a reader in the wild was a K2 and it was being read by a woman walking while reading. This was last summer sometime. I'm wanting to know where are all the rest of the readers out in the wild around here are.

I do see a lot of people reading big heavy hardcover books on public transport. Some look right awkward too.

[Lady Blue]

I commute by car so I don't know what people do or read on mass transit.

When my commute to work used to be an hour or more each way, I used to listen to audiobooks in the car.

I've NEVER seen an electronic reader in the wild besides my own, not once.

In waiting rooms, I sometimes see someone reading a paper book, or more often a magazine that's been lying there since the Nixon administration. But many waiting rooms have TVs now, so people just stare blankly at that.

Sorry, that has nothing at all to do with commuting, but if we didn't derail a thread several times before the second page, it just wouldn't feel right.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Lady Blue

I commute by car so I don't know what people do or read on mass transit.

When my commute to work used to be an hour or more each way, I used to listen to audiobooks in the car.

I've NEVER seen an electronic reader in the wild besides my own, not once.

In waiting rooms, I sometimes see someone reading a paper book, or more often a magazine that's been lying there since the Nixon administration. But many waiting rooms have TVs now, so people just stare blankly at that.

Sorry, that has nothing at all to do with commuting, but if we didn't derail a thread several times before the second page, it just wouldn't feel right.

Hmm, never seen a tv in a waiting room before! But most have a magazine subscription or two. Or a subscription to the "reading map" (a system where you have a subscription to several magazines, which come all together, and you don't have ownership over. After the week, it'll be collected and send to another address. The further away in the line you are, the cheaper the subscription. It's perfect for waiting rooms!)

[MickeyC]

Every time I go on a flight, I wander around the plane looking for eBook readers. And, on average, I see two or three and they are either Sonys or Kindles. If I see anymore, I figure I'm on a flight with you lot!

I commute by car so obviously don't see any there. I do see Sonys and Kindles at the gym although it is very much the exception.

[Gaurnim]

No ereaders while commuting for me either. I have yet to see one in the wild that wouldn't be my wife's or at an MR apéro.
A lot of people are reading the free papers or staring into blank space or around them.

[Lady Blue]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Hmm, never seen a tv in a waiting room before! But most have a magazine subscription or two. Or a subscription to the "reading map" (a system where you have a subscription to several magazines, which come all together, and you don't have ownership over. After the week, it'll be collected and send to another address. The further away in the line you are, the cheaper the subscription. It's perfect for waiting rooms!)

Televisions in waiting rooms are becoming more and more common around here. They're usually tuned to CNN or playing some kind of family friendly movie from a DVD.

Every Doc-in-the-Box facility has them. Usually two of them in the outer waiting room and some places have one in each exam room. My ophthalmologist's office has 2: one in the outer waiting room and one in the interior waiting room (where they put you after they put the drops in your eyes to dilate them.)

Guess it's all supposed to make the wait more bearable. I'd rather they just supplied cots so we could all just take a nap while waiting.

[vivaldirules]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Hmm, never seen a tv in a waiting room before!

Oh, my! They are everywhere here. Usually of two varieties: one playing some Disney movie in an infinite loop for the little ones, and another one playing something like infomercials for various drugs for the ones who can "ask your doctor if the little blue/green/yellow/red/whatever pill is right for you."

[Javed]

At the dentist I go to, there is an lcd screen on the ceiling so patients can watch dvds whilst laying in the chair getting dental work done. There isn't sound though, only picture. The dvds are usually nature or travel type videos with nice scenery and visuals.

[Wetdogeared]

Originally Posted by Javed

At the dentist I go to, there is an lcd screen on the ceiling so patients can watch dvds whilst laying in the chair getting dental work done. There isn't sound though, only picture. The dvds are usually nature or travel type videos with nice scenery and visuals.

You beat me to it! Except we can have headphones.

[Javed]

Wow, headphones would be good. I will mention this to the dentist the next time I go there.

I pay this dentist enough money.....I want headphones too!!

[Wetdogeared]

Originally Posted by Javed

Wow, headphones would be good. I will mention this to the dentist the next time I go there.

I pay this dentist enough money.....I want headphones too!!

I forgot to mention the remote control too!

[nikkie]

I commute behind the wheel, so no reading for me.

The few times I've taken long trips on the bus I usually start out reading, and then remember I get carsick, and commence staring out the window.

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

Our local A&E has a TV playing some cable channel, with the volume just down low enough so you can catch the occasional bit, but mostly nothing. The GPs surgery has a TV playing health info videos mostly. Both are intensely annoying

[kennyc]

Interesting. I don't think I've ever run into anyone actually reading (but I don't commute by bus/train etc) but do know two people at work that have readers - one Sony, one Kindle.