# Have any of you tried an e-reader, then given it up? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 7, 2012, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-of-you-tried-an-e-reader-then-given-it-up/633976 "2012-09-07T12:57:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-of-you-tried-an-e-reader-then-given-it-up/633976/21 "2012-09-07T16:38:53Z")
The Kindle’s biggest drawback is losing the ability to quickly flip back to a previous chapter and reread something. I hate losing my place inside a Kindle book. If I go back and reread then its a major pain to find where I stopped reading before. I need to figure out some way to set a temporary bookmark. With a real book you just slip a scrap piece of paper in to hold your place. I still visit my used book store for great prices on old books. Kindle is for newer stuff that just got published. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-of-you-tried-an-e-reader-then-given-it-up/633976/22 "2012-09-07T16:45:37Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The Kindle’s biggest drawback is losing the ability to quickly flip back to a previous chapter and reread something. > > I hate losing my place inside a Kindle book. If I go back and reread then its a major pain to find where I stopped reading before. I need to figure out some way to set a temporary bookmark. With a real book you just slip a scrap piece of paper in to hold your place. > > I still visit my used book store for great prices on old books. Kindle is for newer stuff that just got published. Why not just use the bookmark feature? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-of-you-tried-an-e-reader-then-given-it-up/633976/23 "2012-09-07T16:48:56Z")
I have to learn how first. 😉 setting the bookmark, navigating to it, and deleting it. Quite a few things to learn. I guess its time to reread the kindle users guide again. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-of-you-tried-an-e-reader-then-given-it-up/633976/24 "2012-09-07T16:51:34Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The Kindle’s biggest drawback is losing the ability to quickly flip back to a previous chapter and reread something. Definitely use the bookmark feature. Why does it have to be temporary? But the inability to just flip through the book is definitely annoying. I highlight phrases constantly and use the bookmark feature any time I think I may want to come back to ANYTHING. Also some books don’t have a table of contents, so there’s no way to get an overview of the book. And the disadvantage of paper books is that I can’t get 200 of them into my current purse. Trade-offs. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-of-you-tried-an-e-reader-then-given-it-up/633976/25 "2012-09-07T16:55:41Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I need to figure out some way to set a temporary bookmark. With a real book you just slip a scrap piece of paper in to hold your place. > . With my Kindle, it’s about as easy as: Push the 4-way down so that the cursor is in the text. type ‘go back here’ or anything you want as your bookmark title. Push the enter key. When you need to use the bookmark, you push the menu button and go to ‘view my notes and marks,’ then select ‘go back here’ using the 4-way. I don’t remember how to delete the bookmark after you’re done with it, but it shouldn’t be hard. Probably you can go back to ‘view my notes and marks’, highlight it, push left, and then push the four-way in to confirm deleting. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-of-you-tried-an-e-reader-then-given-it-up/633976/26 "2012-09-07T16:59:32Z")
What I really wish the Kindle had was a auto-sync setting, i.e. I could set it to turn on wireless, sync and then turn off wireless like at 3 AM every day. That way I can always be sure that me phone app is synced with wherever I am in the current book I am reading. Also I agree that going back and forth is not as convenient, but bookmarks are really easy. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Righteous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Dr.Righteous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Righteous)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-of-you-tried-an-e-reader-then-given-it-up/633976/27 "2012-09-07T17:13:06Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > My local library has some ebooks available for loan, but browsing through the collection is a nightmare every time I’ve tried it, and almost every time I’ve searched for a specific book it hasn’t been available in ebook format. This is exactly why I don’t have an e-reader yet. Someday… ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-of-you-tried-an-e-reader-then-given-it-up/633976/28 "2012-09-07T17:34:28Z")
I got a Kindle and didn’t use it very much. I didn’t enjoy the “feel” all that much but what really decided it was cost. I read about a book a week, usually checked out from the library. I couldn’t justify dropping $500 a year on electronic books when the alternative is free. Plus, I’m paying top price for these books which will probably be unreadable in a decade or so. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-of-you-tried-an-e-reader-then-given-it-up/633976/29 "2012-09-07T17:41:53Z")
My wife got me a basic Kindle for Christmas last year, and I think I’ve read one book on it. We don’t have wireless at our home, or any Internet access, and whenever I’ve tried it at a library or some place with free wireless, I get so frustrated trying to negotiate Amazon’s website, I just say “Hell with it” and grab a paperback. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-of-you-tried-an-e-reader-then-given-it-up/633976/30 "2012-09-07T17:41:57Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Why not just use the bookmark feature? Because I’m often going back to verify information that I didn’t know would be particularly relevant at the time. I don’t buy many books, which is a big reason I don’t read my kindle more often. The ability to check out ebooks from the library is getting much better, though. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-of-you-tried-an-e-reader-then-given-it-up/633976/31 "2012-09-07T17:42:26Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > I got a Kindle and didn’t use it very much. I didn’t enjoy the “feel” all that much but what really decided it was cost. I read about a book a week, usually checked out from the library. I couldn’t justify dropping $500 a year on electronic books when the alternative is free. Plus, I’m paying top price for these books which will probably be unreadable in a decade or so. Pro tip: Your library may well have ebooks available for you. It’s a huge thing right now in libraries. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-of-you-tried-an-e-reader-then-given-it-up/633976/32 "2012-09-07T18:02:22Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I have to learn how first. 😉 setting the bookmark, navigating to it, and deleting it. Quite a few things to learn. > . In the Touch, all you do to set a book mark is tap the upper right corner. A small graphic representing a dogear will appear in that corner, and you’re done. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-of-you-tried-an-e-reader-then-given-it-up/633976/33 "2012-09-07T18:09:26Z")
I have the Touch. thanks! ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-of-you-tried-an-e-reader-then-given-it-up/633976/34 "2012-09-07T18:14:34Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > In the Touch, all you do to set a book mark is tap the upper right corner. A small graphic representing a dogear will appear in that corner, and you’re done. I don’t really like that kind of bookmarks, because you can’t say WHY you bookmarked it. It’s very much like dogearing a page in a book - if you have a dozen, then you have to remember which is which. But to each their own. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-of-you-tried-an-e-reader-then-given-it-up/633976/35 "2012-09-07T18:28:12Z")
Navigating to a bookmark is still clunky. Menu, Notes is just too many steps. There should be a one click navigate for bookmarks. like a tab stop. It should jump from one bookmark to the next. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-of-you-tried-an-e-reader-then-given-it-up/633976/36 "2012-09-07T19:16:32Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > I got a Kindle and didn’t use it very much. I didn’t enjoy the “feel” all that much but what really decided it was cost. I read about a book a week, usually checked out from the library. I couldn’t justify dropping $500 a year on electronic books when the alternative is free. An e-reader can be a big money-saver, but that depends on your reading habits. There are tons of e-books available for free (including a lot of older, public-domain stuff), and tons more for cheap; but there are also a lot of e-books that are more expensive than the paper version, or where the print version can be borrowed or bought used. That’s one of the reasons I still do a lot of reading in both formats, e- and print. FWIW, we may start to see lower prices soon on some e-books, thanks to the [recent court decision overturning the Agency pricing model](http://www.ct.gov/ag/cwp/view.asp?Q=510082&A=2341). > [@](#): > > In addition to paying the $69 million consumer compensation, Hachette, HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster have agreed to terminate their existing agency agreements with certain retailers, requiring the publishers to grant retailers – such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble – the freedom to reduce the prices of their eBook titles. > [@](#): > > Plus, I’m paying top price for these books which will probably be unreadable in a decade or so. I’m not sure what you mean by this. Why would they be unreadable? ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-of-you-tried-an-e-reader-then-given-it-up/633976/37 "2012-09-07T20:10:11Z")
The new [Paperwhite](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007OZNUCE/ref=amb_link_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=gateway-center-column&pf_rd_r=00108FWNXAZA2HCPY6HW&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1396078802&pf_rd_i=507846) looks pretty sweet I must say. Here’s a neat feature: > [@](#): > > New Time to Read feature uses your reading speed to let you know when you’ll finish your chapter ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-of-you-tried-an-e-reader-then-given-it-up/633976/38 "2012-09-07T20:35:02Z")
I have [Sony 505](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Reader#PRS-505) I found on Craigslist. It was barely used and I picked it up for $30. It doesn’t have a touch-screen which I’ve found can only degrade the wonderful e-ink technology. Plus, I don’t like fingerprints on the screen. It doesn’t have wireless which I’ve found can be a battery drain. I still love it and usually have it with me. It’s especially nice for traveling as I’m a [one bag](http://www.onebag.com/) sort of traveler and I can have hundreds of books with me at all times. It hasn’t replaced real books for me at home but when I’m out and about, it’s usually with me. ---
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-of-you-tried-an-e-reader-then-given-it-up/633976/39 "2012-09-07T20:44:29Z")
I still use the Kindle for travel, but vastly prefer paper books, vastly prefer browsing in independent bookstores of character to browsing Amazon or other e-book vendor. Way more satisfaction in buying paper books, too, going home with them, browsing through them. No pleasure in buying an e-book at all. Going on a trip now; taking 4 paper books and the Kindle with over a 100 books and even more samples. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-of-you-tried-an-e-reader-then-given-it-up/633976/40 "2012-09-07T20:44:39Z")
I pretty much use mine now only for tech books and not always for them either. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-of-you-tried-an-e-reader-then-given-it-up/633976.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-of-you-tried-an-e-reader-then-given-it-up/633976.md?page=3)