Michelle Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 I'm just wondering if there are many people who were against ebooks when they first came out (in the popular form, on kindles etc) but now really enjoy them? Or do you still not see the attraction? I have to admit, I change my opinion all the time. I go through phases where I really enjoy using my kindle, and can see all the benefits - but then I fall in love with my paper books all over again, and they win the battle for a while! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 I must confess that reading A Game of Thrones has led to my looking at Kindles in a half-hearted way. I'd still say I'm in the "real book" camp, but I can see the appeal of an e-reader of some kind when I'm on the move with a weighty tome in my bag! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 I love my "real" books (obviously, on a book forum!) but I also love my Kindle. The thing I particularily like about the Kindle is that enables me to have loads of books without the worry of where to keep them. This, in my house, has always been an issue with actual physical books, to the point where I have to give them away - even when I don't really want to. Not so sure about the new Kindle Fire though. I've not looked in any great detail, so I may have it wrong, but it almost appears to be a glorified I-Pad. I like the fact that my Kindle is for books - and books alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 I was dead set against ebooks, thought I would never convert, thought I would miss my weekly trip to Waterstone's and hours browsing around bookshops whenever I visited somewhere new or on holiday. Then I got my iPad. I was converted immediately, but found I couldn't read on the backlit screen for more than an hour. Thought initially it would just be something I'd use but not exclusively, then got given a Kindle for Christmas, and haven't looked back. I'm now at the stage where the only paperbooks I read are loans, library books and books I buy from independent booksellers when I get chance, but I suspect from now on, this will amount to only about 10% of my reading. I genuinely prefer reading on the Kindle, it's easier to hold and turn pages and I never have a problem with a feint or small typeface any more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talisman Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 I am most definately a Kindle convert - I was never really against them (especially from the authors point of view), but was more sitting on the fence. However, since I got my Kindle a little over a year ago I have not looked back, and neither have I bought a paper book since. The only paper books I would consider now are reference books, such as travel guides and cook books. There are just so many advantages to e-books - the portability, the fact that you can get so many on such a small device (great for travelling), the fact that they are less wasteful (thousands of books are pulped each year because publishers print too many of them), plus the fact that they are so much better for the author in every way. No middle men to pay, no storage and shipping costs, no print costs, higher royalties, not to mention the fact that for the most part they are not lendable, which means that if you want it you have to pay for it - I would so much richer if the same applied to paper books and so-called friends had not borrowed mine rather than paying for it ! For me e-books are better in every conceivable way and I cannot see myself ever going back. Digital is where the future lies, make no mistake about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 I was really against e-books for a long while, why would you not want a 'real' book? the feel, the look and all that stuff. But having got a Kindle for Christmas i am in love with it. I love how i have over 150 books on it and i dont have to worry where to put them. I really use my kindle for cheap or free books and ive really come across some really good ones that i wouldnt have had the chance to read if i didnt have my kindle, having said that i do still love 'real' books and i cant see myself giving up on these just yet. I do still love hunting round second hand book shops and never know what you might find. What i tend to do is read a paper book and then read an e-book. Both sides have merits and both sides do have there flaws too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 I'm a Kindle convert and don't think I'll go back to paper books, unless it's a book that's only available in paper. Before I first got my Kindle I was very worried that I would now have to buy books if I wanted to read them (as opposed to borrowing from the library), but there are so many free and cheap ebooks that it's no longer a concern. I also love the fact that I can store as many books as I want. There's no pesky problem of finding a comfortable position while trying to hold up a mammoth sized hardback, or having your hand get tired from holding the pages open. Changing the font size and spacing is great as well. It's odd though, I was never bothered by the font size in a paperbook, and would happily read a book with tiny print, but with a Kindle I use either the 3rd or 4th sized font which is actually quite large. I just find it easier on the eyes. I wish there was a larger variation of fonts - I quite like changing the fonts for some reason and rarely just stick to the one. I did get a recent update that mentioned something about the fonts being easier to read, but I don't notice anything different. So yeah, I love my Kindle. Price-wise it's not too bad, especially for an avid reader. No regrets here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booklovers Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 I'm definatly a kindle convert, I downloaded the kindle app onto my IPad in June, I've read at least 40 books since then & not picked up one single paper book. Kindle is the greatest thing invented IMHO in a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 I love my kindle too for all the advantages others have mentioned. I still like poking about in charity shops for fun though and have returned to this habit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 I couldn't envisage ever getting into e-books as I find it difficult to read large amounts of text on-screen. However, the fact that the Kindle isn't back-lit has meant it's a lot easier than I thought it would be, and the "pages" are a manageable size so I don't feel like it's swathes in one go. I love my Kindle, but it usually only gets used when I'm going to be away from home for a day or two, as I know I can just charge it up and go with a whole library to choose from. The fact that there are loads of Kindle freebies has also meant I've tried a lot of new authors whom I would never have read if I were only given the choice of paperback or hardback. I'm often reluctant to spend my hard earned cash on an untested author, but if I enjoy their freebie, I'll be more likely to look out for their work in physical books. I still love my books best, but Kindle has opened up a lot more avenues for me and has made taking along loads of reading material when I'm travelling very easy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 I have never been against ebooks, as such. I was reading ebooks on my computer well before the Kindle came along, but I really only did that occasionally at work. I have read a little on my iPad, but I don't enjoy it as much as a tree book (and that's nothing to do with the lack of a backlit screen). I've played around with my mum's Kindle but it has completely unimpressed me. I don't like the little delay and flicker of the screen when it turns the page. I don't find it very user-friendly at all. That said, I would consider buying one if they made certain improvements to it (actually, no, I'll probably just stick with my iPad). I have a feeling that I will one day be looked upon as a luddite (if I'm not already!) Even if I end up with a dedicated e-reader one day, I will never, ever, ever get rid of my real books. I have been purposely building up my library because I love being surrounded by lots of books. I love picking each one off the shelf and looking at the (usually) pretty cover and having a browse through. Well, I could go on and on, but I'll stop there. I'll never stop buying tree books, even though I can easily find most of the books I want online. I'm glad that everyone loves their Kindles and ebooks, but it makes me more than a little worried and sad about what this means for the future of the tree book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueK Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 (edited) Definitely a Kindle convert. The problem is that I have still hundreds of "real" books to get through so I try to read one e-book followed by one real book, otherwise I will be neglecting them. I still love the feel of a real book and you can't beat the coloured glossy pics in coffee table type books. I'm thinking of upgrading to the Kindle FIre HD around Christmas time too. Another plus for Kindle is, for example, today Amazon are running an Autumn Book Harvest and you can pick up some great stuff from 99p. Edited October 26, 2012 by SueK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted October 26, 2012 Author Share Posted October 26, 2012 Another plus for Kindle is, for example, today Amazon are running an Autumn Book Harvest and you can pick up some great stuff from 99p. I really wish I hadn't read that, just spent a few £s! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 I will never, ever, ever get rid of my real books. I have been purposely building up my library because I love being surrounded by lots of books. I love picking each one off the shelf and looking at the (usually) pretty cover and having a browse through. Well, I could go on and on, but I'll stop there. I'll never stop buying tree books, even though I can easily find most of the books I want online. My daughter has been given notice that the day she moves out, I will be converting her room into a library. However, as she's 7 I have a while to wait, plus I believe my wife might have something to say on the matter! Oh well, I can dream! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 I really wish I hadn't read that, just spent a few £s! Snap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Another plus for Kindle is, for example, today Amazon are running an Autumn Book Harvest and you can pick up some great stuff from 99p. In a couple of months they'll be doing the 12 Days of Kindle, and they usually have loads of brilliant books available for a low price. I must have bought about 20 books last year, but whether I've read them all is another story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Ive found I tend to use my kindle primarily for books that are initially only available as hardbacks that I don't want to pay huge amounts for. I have found that the free availability of books that are out of copyright is also something I have been making use for. The kindle is also a bit of a godsend if I have to go work away or do a course where taking a few books is impractical. I have nothing against ebooks but I still prefer the real thing and I am blessed with some very cheap charity bookshops locally. I must admit that I also like the idea of being able to lend books out to as many people as I can which is something that is very difficult with ebooks. I also have an issue with the fact that you don't own the digital book as such an are just given a license to access it but that's another matter all together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 today Amazon are running an Autumn Book Harvest and you can pick up some great stuff from 99p. Ooh, thanks Sue Of course, that means my TBR list has just grown again. And I was finally reducing it a bit . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poolmonkey Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 I live in Cyprus, where new books in English are very expensive and second hand ones are not ones that I would pick myself so being able to download any book onto my Kindle is great. Having said that, call me a Luddite, but if I lived in the UK and had access to the bookshops and the libraries - I wouldn`t have a Kindle. I recently downloaded `Eleanor of Aquitaine` by Alison Weir, who must be one of my favourite authors, and I had to give it up half way through - I just couldn`t get into the book. I will buy a `proper` copy when I visit the UK for Christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dex Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 kindles? I fancy something like one, but it would have to be smaller and have more reasons to use it than just reading, (Blasphemy) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wordsgood Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 I'm almost ashamed to admit this...no, that's not right. Somehow I actually am ashamed! Silly, I know, but until very, very recently, I was a staunch support of paper books. "Them new fangled electronic contraptions would never last," I thought with much contempt. "You'll never, ever, catch me wanting one!" But........ But now I'm hearing more and more that they are not as hard on your eyes as a computer screen, are almost like real paper, yada yada yada. So while I have serious doubts I will ever give up my beloved paper books, I am thinking having a light little portable one I read when I'm too tired or sore to deal with my big paperbacks and hardcovers, or to have to lug them around when I go out....well, let's just say I'm getting more and more tempted to cave in and just buy one when I have the funds. Though I would appreciated clarification from people I trust who have the same problems I do when trying to read large blocks of text on a screen. Those people would, of course, be all of you! So, if you tend to suffer frequent headaches triggered by, well, everything and anything, and/or back and neck pain, and have an e-reader, is it really all true? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Though I would appreciated clarification from people I trust who have the same problems I do when trying to read large blocks of text on a screen. Those people would, of course, be all of you! So, if you tend to suffer frequent headaches triggered by, well, everything and anything, and/or back and neck pain, and have an e-reader, is it really all true? I'll be interested to hear any answers to this, I too have chronic headaches/migraines, and find reading on my iPad/computer very difficult for more than a few minutes at a time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 I struggle with headaches if the typeface in a book is very small or very feint or very tightly spaced, and I will get a headache if I read on my iPad for more than an hour, but I can read a Kindle for hours on end and have yet to suffer a headache (and I've had it for two years now). I have the e-ink Kindle Keyboard and I can adjust the size of the typeface in lower light conditions but it does require a light source to read, just like a normal paperback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 I appear to be in the minority! I had a Kindle for Christmas - it was a complete surprise. It's useful, but I'm not in love with it. It's convenient for travelling/holidays (and I will be taking it away with me this weekend - I've got the Kindle version of the paper book I'm currently reading - November's RC book) - and it is handy to be able to change the font size - but I still prefer paper books. I think this is partly because I have so many on my 'to read' pile so I tend to only download the free classics - so maybe it will change when my pile is gone. I still don't see it ever taking over from real books for me though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wordsgood Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 I did some more online checking today and find this just keeps getting more confusing. Still haven't been able to personally see one in action, but will eventually make to a store for a look. One thing I did come across in a lot of the articles I found was the ebook formats being an issue. Does anyone know if there is a particular format used by the majority of ebook publishers so one doesn't have to financially "locked" into purchasing books from just one company? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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