Why we started reading with electronic book readers - Page 5

Giggleton · 09-24-2012, 07:54 PM

Because printed books are highly illogical.

mbovenka · 09-25-2012, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fluribus

Carry? Hell! I'd never leave that room. I have about 7,000 books and no place to put them. I WANT that room!

Amen!

kennyc · 09-25-2012, 11:34 AM

I was into computers way before ebook readers or even most of my more serious reading life. I have been tracking, following, looking for ebook since before they existed, first on computers, then on pdas, laptops, and finally dedicated ebook readers! I still prefer some books in paper form, but fewer and fewer...

Anabana · 09-25-2012, 12:17 PM

Because of injuries and nerve damage to his back, feet & legs, my dh has to spend more and more hours sitting or lying down. He's as avid a reader as I am, so keeping him in books when he couldn't hold a paperback larger than 200 pages became increasingly difficult. I bought an ereader for him 2 years ago, and he was totally sold on it within 15 mins.
A day or two later he commented on a book I had downloaded for him, so I 'borrowed' his reader for that one book. The next day I bought one for myself. I still have several thousand books, but I'm starting to get the paperbacks scanned and converted to my reader. What a joy. I now have all my hardbacks in bookcases! Only a couple of boxes of paperbacks on the floor and one large stack of books beside my bed. As previously mentioned, I have been able to donate a huge number of 'classics' and public domain books and replace them with the free ebooks.

taosaur · 09-25-2012, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

I was into computers way before ebook readers or even most of my more serious reading life. I have been tracking, following, looking for ebook since before they existed, first on computers, then on pdas, laptops, and finally dedicated ebook readers! I still prefer some books in paper form, but fewer and fewer...

I wasn't dedicated enough to read anything longer than a short story from a stationary computer monitor and didn't really start in on ebooks until I got a netbook in 2008, but I did check on ebook progress occasionally from the late '90s onward, always baffled that we still hadn't sorted it very well. I would say it wasn't even e-Ink and the Kindle's success that shaped things up, so much as the smartphone and tablet era convincing retailers like Amazon that they had to make their offerings multi-platform and spurring some competition in e-reading software. Mobile reading apps also provided (and continue to provide) a gateway experience to ereading on devices that people have with them anyway, opening up the market beyond the early adopters and 'special needs' consumers (you might remember that Kindles early on were associated with a similar demographic to Rascal scooters).

tompe · 09-25-2012, 01:49 PM

I started reading on an eInk reader just because I wanted to buy a gadget and managed to convince myself that I needed an eInk reader. Then I stopped reading on it when it broke because I did not like the Gen 3 and how it worked.

I have started reading on eInk again now when I bought a Kindle Wifi a while ago. I got the convenience with buying books and I really like how lightweight it is and how the current location is synced between all my devices.

tubemonkey · 09-25-2012, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbcohen

What got you started in the first place?

Free public domain.

Anabran · 09-25-2012, 04:08 PM

For me an E reader is what got me reading novels again and even collecting comic books again.

The economic "downturn" of 2008 resulted in me
having to live with "what I could carry for a good while" until I settled in another state

since then I try not to collect anything that wont fit on my person for travel.
No big desktop PC ,only a laptop and now a small tablet
(kindle fire)
and two small High capacity external Fire wire drives
I dont collect DVD movies and the thought of storing paper books or comic books in my tiny apartment is just silly and impractical for Me
I HATE clutter

Paper is flammable( although I dont smoke)
Used books are nasty and smell bad from all the Dry Spit caked up in the upper right corner of the pages by fingerlickers who needed traction to turn pages.

I hope the E-readers will eventually become free item for most citizens to encourage Literacy

LovesMacs · 09-25-2012, 05:05 PM

Much as traffic seems to fill up all available space, so too do books, no matter how big a house you own. An e-reader helps with space issues.

Bilbo1967 · 09-25-2012, 05:17 PM

Same as many, the ability to carry a lot of books while travelling was the main driver (plus, lets be honest, a love of 'gadgets').

I felt particularly vindicated when I was stranded in Germany whilst travelling alone for business and yet still had plenty to read

kyteflyer · 09-25-2012, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fjtorres

I got a PDA.
Nice and compact and I could take it everywhere.
It let me read anywhere anytime.
And there was this website called BLACK MASK loaded with nicely formatted classics...

I had a Casseiopia EM500 PDA, Windows CE operating system, and Microsoft Reader, bought in 2000. I was obsessed, and have stayed that way. I diverted somewhat for a couple of years, but iphone in 2007 sorted me out quick smart. I got most of my books off M$ itself (they had weekly freebies) or usenet.

Besides. My bookshelves are full to overflowing, there just isnt room for any more.

rkomar · 09-25-2012, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anabran

Paper is flammable( although I dont smoke)
Used books are nasty and smell bad from all the Dry Spit caked up in the upper right corner of the pages by fingerlickers who needed traction to turn pages.

Have you ever tried burning a book? I have a feeling that a plastic ereader would actually burn harder than a paper book (especially if the book is kept closed). Also, I really don't think the smell comes from dried spit. I don't lick my fingers when turning pages, and my old books start to smell after a while. It's probably mostly the smell of the acid in the paper eating at it, along with mold. See, now you can go back to liking paper books.

Anabran · 09-25-2012, 08:33 PM

Quote:

now you can go back to liking paper books.

Never!!!

save the trees!!

ppowell002 · 09-25-2012, 08:44 PM

Too many books taking up too much space and arthritis in my thumbs making it painful to hold open a book...not good for a voracious reader.
I pre-ordered the very first kobo but returned it after one week. Pressing that button was painful. Replaced it with Sony PRS 600 and never looked back.
I have donated or recycled all my paper books. LIBERATING!

ppowell002 · 09-25-2012, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moriarty's

I honestly hate the smell and feel of paper.

Now that's an interesting aversion!

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Electronic book readership grows but will that translate into sales of readers	jbcohen	News	0	07-25-2012 07:21 AM
Understanding what type of people use electronic book readers	jbcohen	General Discussions	47	05-11-2011 10:52 PM
Future electronic readers	jbcohen	General Discussions	23	04-14-2011 01:59 PM
Electronic Readers in Prison?	Madam Broshkina	Lounge	2	05-07-2008 06:21 AM
Very new for electronic eBook readers	jasem200	iRex	14	01-24-2008 11:14 AM

09-24-2012, 07:54 PM	#61
Giggleton Banned Posts: 1,687 Karma: 4368191 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Oregon Device: Kindle3	Because printed books are highly illogical.

09-25-2012, 11:34 AM	#63
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	I was into computers way before ebook readers or even most of my more serious reading life. I have been tracking, following, looking for ebook since before they existed, first on computers, then on pdas, laptops, and finally dedicated ebook readers! I still prefer some books in paper form, but fewer and fewer...

09-25-2012, 12:17 PM	#64
Anabana Zealot Posts: 109 Karma: 2735606 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: San Diego, CA Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Fire 7" & 10"; 11"(?)-12" Lenovo laptop	Because of injuries and nerve damage to his back, feet & legs, my dh has to spend more and more hours sitting or lying down. He's as avid a reader as I am, so keeping him in books when he couldn't hold a paperback larger than 200 pages became increasingly difficult. I bought an ereader for him 2 years ago, and he was totally sold on it within 15 mins. A day or two later he commented on a book I had downloaded for him, so I 'borrowed' his reader for that one book. The next day I bought one for myself. I still have several thousand books, but I'm starting to get the paperbacks scanned and converted to my reader. What a joy. I now have all my hardbacks in bookcases! Only a couple of boxes of paperbacks on the floor and one large stack of books beside my bed. As previously mentioned, I have been able to donate a huge number of 'classics' and public domain books and replace them with the free ebooks.

09-25-2012, 01:49 PM	#66
tompe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,452 Karma: 7185064 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Linköpng, Sweden Device: Kindle Voyage, Nexus 5, Kindle PW	I started reading on an eInk reader just because I wanted to buy a gadget and managed to convince myself that I needed an eInk reader. Then I stopped reading on it when it broke because I did not like the Gen 3 and how it worked. I have started reading on eInk again now when I bought a Kindle Wifi a while ago. I got the convenience with buying books and I really like how lightweight it is and how the current location is synced between all my devices.

09-25-2012, 04:08 PM	#68
Anabran GUNDAM PILOT Posts: 227 Karma: 1110244 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: NEW York, NEW York Device: Kindle Fire	For me an E reader is what got me reading novels again and even collecting comic books again. The economic "downturn" of 2008 resulted in me having to live with "what I could carry for a good while" until I settled in another state since then I try not to collect anything that wont fit on my person for travel. No big desktop PC ,only a laptop and now a small tablet (kindle fire) and two small High capacity external Fire wire drives I dont collect DVD movies and the thought of storing paper books or comic books in my tiny apartment is just silly and impractical for Me I HATE clutter Paper is flammable( although I dont smoke) Used books are nasty and smell bad from all the Dry Spit caked up in the upper right corner of the pages by fingerlickers who needed traction to turn pages. I hope the E-readers will eventually become free item for most citizens to encourage Literacy

09-25-2012, 05:05 PM	#69
LovesMacs Fanatic Posts: 513 Karma: 2644386 Join Date: Apr 2012 Device: iPhone, Kindle Touch	Much as traffic seems to fill up all available space, so too do books, no matter how big a house you own. An e-reader helps with space issues.

09-25-2012, 05:17 PM	#70
Bilbo1967 Not scared! Posts: 13,424 Karma: 81011643 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Midlands, UK Device: Kindle Paperwhite 10, Huawei M5 10	Same as many, the ability to carry a lot of books while travelling was the main driver (plus, lets be honest, a love of 'gadgets'). I felt particularly vindicated when I was stranded in Germany whilst travelling alone for business and yet still had plenty to read

09-25-2012, 08:44 PM	#74
ppowell002 Connoisseur Posts: 92 Karma: 1422 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Toronto Device: kobo glo hd	Too many books taking up too much space and arthritis in my thumbs making it painful to hold open a book...not good for a voracious reader. I pre-ordered the very first kobo but returned it after one week. Pressing that button was painful. Replaced it with Sony PRS 600 and never looked back. I have donated or recycled all my paper books. LIBERATING!