Why do you read ebooks? - Page 4

frostyafc · 02-11-2010, 11:23 AM

I have a disability and have no choice.
(It's a little complicated, but very simplistically I had a dislocated coccyx bone in my back, and now damaged nerves. Despite much perseverance I cannot position myself to read "real" books). I'd be very happy to provide a longer version off-line.

However now I have a "Cool-er" I love it, and even if full abled would never revert back to books. Other advantages are 1) saves on storage 2) old books are free 3) can take many books on holiday and chose the book to read dependent upon my mood. 4) can change font style and size.

S/V Willow · 02-11-2010, 02:24 PM

We live on a yacht and are heading offshore soon so weight is a HUGE issue. We cannot take up lots of room or add weight without compromising elsewhere so this is the absolutely perfect solution. I can have hundreds of books with me with no weight at all. This means we have more room for slightly more important things like food and water. I am surprised that the advertising gurus haven't clicked onto this incredible selling opportunity - thousands of yachties and boaties out there and this is the best possible thing for us. Hmmmmm maybe I am onto a business opportunity here?

Ben Thornton · 02-11-2010, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S/V Willow

We live on a yacht and are heading offshore soon

Are there any geo restrictions in international waters?

Watch out for pirates!

DDHarriman · 02-11-2010, 02:43 PM

Hi

Because of the main outstanding 3 points digital empowered our lives:
1 - independent of place - I can get them form anywhere on the world;
2 - independent of time - I can get them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year;
3 - potentially… all the worlds population (all those billions) can be a user - this one is (mainly in this case) to who sells, makes them available.

Let me tell another example: one reads when one does have a book with him!
If I have my (e)book with me all the time - per example in my smartphone - I can read whenever I want/need… in a file on the bank, waiting for something, at lunch time, I can read 5 minutes or 5 hours… because… the book is always with me… in a device I need to have with me all the time (in this example).

Another answer to your “Why do you read ebooks?”, could be the simple “Why Not?”

Best regards,

dmikov · 02-11-2010, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

Ugh!

I choose my books/music/video .
Gifting me one of those, just because I read in the Genere, is usually a miss on my tastes.

Just my 2 cents

I am in the same boat, while cloud library with micropayments to authors on each use sounds wonderful, the subscription idea is too generic for me.
I can watch majority of the movies - I don't expect much from chow entertainment, my literary standards are way higher. Chances of the selection being in line with my tastes are slim.

sakura-panda · 02-11-2010, 05:14 PM

I kept running out of space for my books and they were ending up stacked all over. I'm the only reader in my house, so it seemed like the best way to manage one piece of the clutter was to stop bringing in more and to maybe release some of the physical books I have and make space for other things.

Like the children's books that are starting to take over.

hidari · 02-13-2010, 10:42 AM

Why do you read ebooks?

Because they're there........

Tattncat · 02-14-2010, 06:47 PM

1). I ran out of rooms for books, even with quarterly purging (donations to the library) there wasn't enough room to efficiently store my books so that re-reads could be located when I wanted/needed them.

2). Also whenever I went on a trip, in a motor home, it was really difficult to locate convenient space for 5-6 books.

3). I read a wide variety of books and this way I have them, always at hand.

desertgrandma · 02-14-2010, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hidari

Why do you read ebooks?

Because they're there........

Literally.

all on one tiny device........

kdf9511 · 02-14-2010, 06:57 PM

It's been interesting reading the answers to this question. Thanks for all the responses.

rocketgranny · 02-14-2010, 09:54 PM

Like many others on this thread, I'm switching over because of necessity: I've run out of book-shelf space.

I don't think I'll ever go 100% digital though, becauase every once in a great while, I find a pearl in the mud -- a book that opens the mind in a new direction, new thoughts and insights, a book that gently nudges the paradigm -- that kind of a book is a keeper, and to me that means Hardcover on the shelf !

desertgrandma · 02-14-2010, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocketgranny

Like many others on this thread, I'm switching over because of necessity: I've run out of book-shelf space.

I don't think I'll ever go 100% digital though, becauase every once in a great while, I find a pearl in the mud -- a book that opens the mind in a new direction, new thoughts and insights, a book that gently nudges the paradigm -- that kind of a book is a keeper, and to me that means Hardcover on the shelf !

AKA........"Shelf-Worthy"

jamesbeat · 02-15-2010, 12:01 AM

For me, it was necessity.
I used to have a pretty large collection of paper books, but I recently emigrated to America (from England) and thus had to move house by 'plane...

Nearly 700 CD's worth of albums on my ipod, over 500 movies on a hard drive, and several thousand books on my reader.
A few years ago, I would have had to pay thousands to transport my stuff overseas (or more likely leave most of it behind) but thankfully, technology allowed me to pop it all into my carry on luggage

I managed to find e-versions of all but five of my many many books. I sold all of my paper books, used the money to buy my PRS 505 and haven't looked back since.

I have now come to enjoy reading on my reader more than reading paper books, and I have no clutter.

With the e-ink display and battery life measured in weeks, my ebook reader is just as comfortable to read and convenient as reading a paperback, yet it stores a whole library.

Ea · 02-15-2010, 07:02 AM

I first switched because I read a lot of fiction off the 'Net and even if I was okay with reading on a monitor, it was nice that I wasn't tied to it (printing it wasn't a good option and expensive - especially if you don't know if you like it).

Since then I've found that that it's really nice to sit with 250-300 gram in my hands, rather than a hefty 1-1.5 kg tome. And it's easier to turn pages and easier to hold the book open and you don't drop it and lose you place. And if I forget something about a character you can do a search. And I can look up words much more easily than in a paper dictionary. And I can change the font size - I really hate the small print in p-books now.

All in all it's very convenient and comfortable. I'm only waiting for more titles in my own language.

m-reader · 02-15-2010, 07:35 AM

It's easier on the knees

Being an incurable expat (moved house 12 times in last 10 years!), it's a major logistical nightmare to haul books from place to place.
In addition, you also have to consider the ecological benefits of saving some poor trees in the jungle of Borneo.
But mainly it's the convenience of not having to haul kg's of books around with me.

02-11-2010, 02:43 PM	#49
DDHarriman Guru Posts: 860 Karma: 4380 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Almada, Portugal Device: Cybook Gen3, Sony PRS 505, Kindle DXG and Samsung Galaxy Note	Hi Because of the main outstanding 3 points digital empowered our lives: 1 - independent of place - I can get them form anywhere on the world; 2 - independent of time - I can get them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year; 3 - potentially… all the worlds population (all those billions) can be a user - this one is (mainly in this case) to who sells, makes them available. Let me tell another example: one reads when one does have a book with him! If I have my (e)book with me all the time - per example in my smartphone - I can read whenever I want/need… in a file on the bank, waiting for something, at lunch time, I can read 5 minutes or 5 hours… because… the book is always with me… in a device I need to have with me all the time (in this example). Another answer to your “Why do you read ebooks?”, could be the simple “Why Not?” Best regards, Last edited by DDHarriman; 02-11-2010 at 03:02 PM.

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02-11-2010, 11:23 AM	#46
frostyafc Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Ipswich (UK) Device: cool-er	I have a disability and have no choice. (It's a little complicated, but very simplistically I had a dislocated coccyx bone in my back, and now damaged nerves. Despite much perseverance I cannot position myself to read "real" books). I'd be very happy to provide a longer version off-line. However now I have a "Cool-er" I love it, and even if full abled would never revert back to books. Other advantages are 1) saves on storage 2) old books are free 3) can take many books on holiday and chose the book to read dependent upon my mood. 4) can change font style and size.

02-11-2010, 02:24 PM	#47
S/V Willow Member Posts: 16 Karma: 114 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: On a yacht Device: Hanlin V5 on order!	We live on a yacht and are heading offshore soon so weight is a HUGE issue. We cannot take up lots of room or add weight without compromising elsewhere so this is the absolutely perfect solution. I can have hundreds of books with me with no weight at all. This means we have more room for slightly more important things like food and water. I am surprised that the advertising gurus haven't clicked onto this incredible selling opportunity - thousands of yachties and boaties out there and this is the best possible thing for us. Hmmmmm maybe I am onto a business opportunity here?

02-11-2010, 05:14 PM	#51
sakura-panda Guru Posts: 934 Karma: 9558874 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Southeast Michigan, USA Device: Kindle Oasis; 11" iPad Pro (Books, Kindle, Kobo, MapleRead SE)	I kept running out of space for my books and they were ending up stacked all over. I'm the only reader in my house, so it seemed like the best way to manage one piece of the clutter was to stop bringing in more and to maybe release some of the physical books I have and make space for other things. Like the children's books that are starting to take over.

02-13-2010, 10:42 AM	#52
hidari MR Drone Posts: 1,613 Karma: 15612282 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: DRONEZONE Device: PB360+, Huawei MP5, Libra H20	Why do you read ebooks? Because they're there........

02-14-2010, 06:47 PM	#53
Tattncat Bookworm Posts: 673 Karma: 1029391 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Device: Nook Tablet, Samsung Galaxy Tab3, Sony PRS700, Sony PRS505	1). I ran out of rooms for books, even with quarterly purging (donations to the library) there wasn't enough room to efficiently store my books so that re-reads could be located when I wanted/needed them. 2). Also whenever I went on a trip, in a motor home, it was really difficult to locate convenient space for 5-6 books. 3). I read a wide variety of books and this way I have them, always at hand.

02-14-2010, 06:57 PM	#55
kdf9511 Madman With A Box Posts: 115 Karma: 324 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Western Oklahoma Device: Kobo Clara HD, Nook Glowlight, Nook Color, Kindle 4, Astak Pocket Pro	It's been interesting reading the answers to this question. Thanks for all the responses.

02-14-2010, 09:54 PM	#56
rocketgranny Member Posts: 19 Karma: 54 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: San Francisco, CA Device: Nook	Like many others on this thread, I'm switching over because of necessity: I've run out of book-shelf space. I don't think I'll ever go 100% digital though, becauase every once in a great while, I find a pearl in the mud -- a book that opens the mind in a new direction, new thoughts and insights, a book that gently nudges the paradigm -- that kind of a book is a keeper, and to me that means Hardcover on the shelf !

02-15-2010, 12:01 AM	#58
jamesbeat Connoisseur Posts: 70 Karma: 1796 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Sony PRS 505	For me, it was necessity. I used to have a pretty large collection of paper books, but I recently emigrated to America (from England) and thus had to move house by 'plane... Nearly 700 CD's worth of albums on my ipod, over 500 movies on a hard drive, and several thousand books on my reader. A few years ago, I would have had to pay thousands to transport my stuff overseas (or more likely leave most of it behind) but thankfully, technology allowed me to pop it all into my carry on luggage I managed to find e-versions of all but five of my many many books. I sold all of my paper books, used the money to buy my PRS 505 and haven't looked back since. I have now come to enjoy reading on my reader more than reading paper books, and I have no clutter. With the e-ink display and battery life measured in weeks, my ebook reader is just as comfortable to read and convenient as reading a paperback, yet it stores a whole library.

02-15-2010, 07:02 AM	#59
Ea Wizard Posts: 3,490 Karma: 5239563 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kindle 3\|iPad air\|iPhone 4S	I first switched because I read a lot of fiction off the 'Net and even if I was okay with reading on a monitor, it was nice that I wasn't tied to it (printing it wasn't a good option and expensive - especially if you don't know if you like it). Since then I've found that that it's really nice to sit with 250-300 gram in my hands, rather than a hefty 1-1.5 kg tome. And it's easier to turn pages and easier to hold the book open and you don't drop it and lose you place. And if I forget something about a character you can do a search. And I can look up words much more easily than in a paper dictionary. And I can change the font size - I really hate the small print in p-books now. All in all it's very convenient and comfortable. I'm only waiting for more titles in my own language.

02-15-2010, 07:35 AM	#60
m-reader Guru Posts: 785 Karma: 100000 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Sony PRS-300. PRS-650, PRS-900, iPad2, Iconia A500, Irex Iliad (sold)	It's easier on the knees Being an incurable expat (moved house 12 times in last 10 years!), it's a major logistical nightmare to haul books from place to place. In addition, you also have to consider the ecological benefits of saving some poor trees in the jungle of Borneo. But mainly it's the convenience of not having to haul kg's of books around with me.

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