Why you shouldn't buy an e reader

chuck · Post by **chuck** » Tue September 7th, 2010, 4:29 am

Today...when I walk in a B&N or a Boarder's...I smell Starbucks coffee....

laktor · Post by **laktor** » Fri October 22nd, 2010, 3:59 am

Out of all the new tech products out there, I was actually considering getting an e-reader. Strange for me because I don't own a smartphone, GPS device, any game system, iPods, iPads, HDtv, Blu-ray players, etc, etc. etc. The only new tech device I have is a cellphone, and it's a simple one, not a smartphone...and I only got it (my first) earlier this year. I simply don't need any of these type of gadgets. However, an e-reader fascinated me. Still, I decided against purchasing one. The only advantage I can see is the lower cost of new books. I kind of laugh when I see these e-readers advertised as being able to hold hundreds of books. I mean, who needs to have hundreds of books at their fingertips? Five or six would be good enough for me if I'm on a month long trip. Also, I'm also afraid of taking it somewhere and losing it.
I only buy brand new books from my favourite authors, such as Ken Follett's new book, Fall of Giants. Others, I just check out free from the library and I can renew them as many times as I need to....at no cost, of course.

I only read maybe 7 books a year, depending on whether they are 1000 pages or only 350. I love to read, but I also love quite a few tv shows, I go to lots of local music gigs, and I spend a good deal of time on the computer. I also am not a speed reader, plus reading for more than 2 hrs. at a time tires my eyes.

N. Gemini Sasson · Post by **N. Gemini Sasson** » Tue October 26th, 2010, 5:54 pm

I'm eager to purchase an e-reader, too, but with one kid in college, another going next year and me taking classes soon, too . . . it's really on the backburner of expenses right now! I've also been expecting the price to come way down and it already is.

In the meanwhile, I have Kindle for PC on both my desktop and laptop. It's FREE! I download Kindle books and take them on vacation on my laptop, since I take the laptop anyway for the internet. That way I don't have to lug books along, in addition to everything else.

MLE (Emily Cotton) · Post by **MLE (Emily Cotton)** » Tue October 26th, 2010, 8:15 pm

I love my kindle! I just read a book for my book group that was purest crud -- but since I bought the thing cheap in kindle format, I can toss it painlessly. Usually I have to pay full price for book-club books, many of which I don't like.

DebB · Post by **DebB** » Tue October 26th, 2010, 8:21 pm

I would LOVE an e-reader because I love gadgets -- however, I am too cheap. Like Misfit, I get most of my books from the library (which is so conveniently located that I'm there 2-3 times a week), used book stores (also conveniently located), and on-line book swaps. I thought it might be especially handy to have an e-reader for travel so I wouldn't have to lug my books around -- but then I heard a horror story from my neighbor. Apparently, when her plane was stuck on the tarmac for a couple hours, the flight attendants wouldn't let passengers turn on their electronics, including e-readers. Can you imagine being stuck on a plane for that long and not being able to read??!! Oh, the horror....

Madeleine · Post by **Madeleine** » Wed October 27th, 2010, 11:45 am

[quote=""DebB""]I would LOVE an e-reader because I love gadgets -- however, I am too cheap. Like Misfit, I get most of my books from the library (which is so conveniently located that I'm there 2-3 times a week), used book stores (also conveniently located), and on-line book swaps. I thought it might be especially handy to have an e-reader for travel so I wouldn't have to lug my books around -- but then I heard a horror story from my neighbor. Apparently, when her plane was stuck on the tarmac for a couple hours, the flight attendants wouldn't let passengers turn on their electronics, including e-readers. Can you imagine being stuck on a plane for that long and not being able to read??!! Oh, the horror....[/quote]

Wouldn't have happened if you'd had a real book.....!

I love it when people crack up cos their technology has failed them.

laktor · Post by **laktor** » Sat October 30th, 2010, 7:16 pm

Ok, I finally looked at and held an actual e-reader today at my local Chapters store. It was the Kobo e-reader. If it wasn't for the fact that I could really save money on my reading material by downloading instead of purchasing a physical copy of a book, I would never, ever consider this type of device. I spent two hours browsing in the store and I found that you just can't replace that wonderful feeling of turning fresh new pages of a paperback or hardback book. If I found the time to be an absolute voracious reader with very little money, I still may consider an e-reader, but it won't be any time soon.

michellemoran · Post by **michellemoran** » Sat October 30th, 2010, 7:20 pm

I just read a book for my book group that was purest crud

!!! This is exactly what I'd like a Kindle for, although I haven't bought one yet. I'm too afraid it'll be a waste of money and I'll prefer paperbacks. Still, the cheap books are so, so tempting...

Michy · Post by **Michy** » Sun October 31st, 2010, 3:16 am

[quote=""laktor""]If it wasn't for the fact that I could really save money on my reading material by downloading instead of purchasing a physical copy of a book, I would never, ever consider this type of device. [/quote]

The accountant in me

just HAS to point out that to truly know how much an e-reader will save you, you have to figure in the cost of the e-reader itself. How many books will you have to download to save enough to recoup the cost of the e-reader? When people calculate how much something will save them -- whether it be an e-reader or anything else -- too often they forget to figure in the cost of the money-saving device itself.

Ludmilla · Post by **Ludmilla** » Sun October 31st, 2010, 3:26 pm

[quote=""MLE""]I love my kindle! I just read a book for my book group that was purest crud -- but since I bought the thing cheap in kindle format, I can toss it painlessly. Usually I have to pay full price for book-club books, many of which I don't like.[/quote]

I've tried a few junk food reads that were cheap, and the eReader is great for those that are free or cheap and you don't have to worry about what to do with the darn thing when you're done. I find that for some of these low cost books I don't mind taking chances on whether I'll like them or not because enough of them have satisfied me for what they were intended for. On the other hand, I know I've resented buying a book for a book club read that I felt rather meh about and nobody bothered to discuss.