I'm certainly not suggesting the non-touch and touch Kindles aren't good values. On the contrary, they are excellent values, and I plunked down $99 for the Kindle Touch. And compared to the original $399 Kindle that weighed much more, had a poorer screen and could hold something like, I think, 200 books, these new Kindles are fantastic.
(If I hadn't already invested in the Amazon ecosystem, I might seriously consider the Nook Simple Touch because I prefer its non-slippery front bezel and, what seems to me, better contrast E Ink.)
I also love that eBooks are often -- but, alas, certainly not always -- less expensive than non-discounted paperbacks, that I can get loads of free classics (that I am indeed reading) and that I can get tons of other books (including the entire collected works of some authors) for $.99 - $3.99.
And there are many other reasons I love eBooks.
However, even though E Ink is an "advanced" technology, I consider it rather primitive because of its poor contrast and slow performance. E Ink is like the WAP phone technology of e-readers. I will be glad when something better replaces it.
I generally prefer to read eBooks on seven-inch tablets because of the backlit LCD, although I know many people hate it. I prefer the Kindle Touch for portability and in situations with bright sun or bright lights. I also don't mind reading on phones, especially with 4.3-inch and 4.5-inch screens.
I haven't decided whether I prefer a 4.5-inch phone to the Kindle Touch for reading.
If you haven't bought an e-reader, check out the Kindles and Nooks!
Hi Alan thanks for another candid review. In my minds eye, I think this is an exceptional value when I consder it in contrast to my shelf $150+ text books from only a few short years ago. I understand there are a few shortcomings, but value wise, it still seems nothing short of reasonable.
The quality of E Ink displays has increased over the years. The page turns are faster and the contrast is better. And, many peope prefer reading on E Ink than on a backlit display.
Personally, I usually prefer reading on a backlit display on a tablet, although tablets are difficult to impossible to read in sunlight, are heavier and more expensive. However, tablets can offer faster page-turns, bright colors, etc.
I actually prefer the Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch -- an e-reader like the $79 Kindle and $99 Kindle Touch -- because it has a less slippery bezel and the E Ink contrast seems a bit better.
I'm a huge fan of e-books for many, many reasons, and have grown to prefer them to paper books.
You might have left yourself open to "attack" with your statement!
The experience of listening to a CD on good stereo equipment is so much better than listening to music via streaming or an mp3 player. (Granted, ripping a CD at 320kbps and using superior headphones does provide a good experience.)
As for the merits of e-readers over books, there are so many, as I've elaborated, ranging from being able to change the size and type of the font and the margins to quickly looking up a word or phrase to carrying scores of books on a device that could weigh less than a single paperback. In other words, e-readers offer a superior experience to paper.
One reaon I prefer the Touch, that I didn't have time to mention, is I can position my hands along the sides without "worrying" where the physical buttons are located.
Also, I prefer the touch screen for other functions -- highlighting words, entering URLs, going to the Amazon store, etc.
It's not just about Wikipedia (which I find useful despite the naysayers), but about easily tapping a word to bring up the integrated dictionary. I use the dictionary with amazing (and depressing) frequency, despite having what I thought was a pretty good vocabulary. For that feature alone, touch is worth it to me.
The Kindle Touch and the Nook Simple Touch e-readers are good for reading. As I've said/written, many people prefer the E Ink screen to a backlit screen.
But for anything else besides just reading, a tablet is the way to go. Of course, tablets can't be read in bright sunlight, are heavier, more expensive, etc.
It's fair for you to call me out on this, Paul, though I could argue all day that the experience of reading a physical book does not equal the experience of reading an e-book... whereas the experience of listening to music whether on CD or through a streaming service or on an iPod/iPhone etc. is the same... if not better. Nothing is really lost.
"A question for you, from someone who only reads print books"
Just a while ago you were calling on musicians to move with the times and here you are still holding to dear old print books when almost everyone can see the future lies with ebooks. You gotta love change and start moving with the times.
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