OP clarification:
As stated, I don’t hate the Kindle. I think I prefer real books a tad more, though.
I understand that it does not have to be one or the other.
My uneasiness comes into play when it’s time to plunk down the cash. I struggle with which format to go with (and this is a relatively recent dilemma).
mmm
experiment & it will become clear what you prefer. I like kindle for most fiction but actual books for fiction I will want to re-read (forever!) or nonfiction I want to write in/highlight or otherwise “study”
there is no wrong answer.
I bought a Kobo, that was affiliated with Borders, and they were dirt cheep when the Borders bookstores were closed. With a memory card add-on, I was able to transfer a few thousand PDF’s I have to it. I’m very glad for that … but its a very no-frills reader, and not every book is easy to read. I spent all last summer reading the free books included – public domain versions of Sherlock Holmes and the like. But I haven’t browsed it much lately. If I were stuck on a commuter train, I’d probably be using it more.
Good thread, this reminds me to re-connect it to my computer for a recharge.
While there will certainly be a lot of pressure to make e-readers of the future backward compatible with Kindle, Nook, and Apple files, there’s no guarantee they will be or that we’ll be able to convert them without the cumbersome hacks of today. Or that I’ll have access to my Kindle/Nook library if Amazon or B&N goes belly-up.
It’s something I don’t want to bother worrying about, backing up my many thousand dollar book collection. I know I’ll be able to open the physical books on my shelf at any time in the future.
That’s pretty much what I do as well. Or I read a book on the Kindle then read a ‘proper’ book. I do like the Kindle but I still have far too many unread books to switch over completely.
I am with you, MMM.
I use my Kindle mostly to read the public domain stuff, but when I get gift cards I will happily “buy” popular books with it. I prefer the feel and operation of old fashioned paper books, too. I like to lend people books I like, and that isn’t going to happen with the kindle. Recently, my husband and I tried sharing the Kindle to read the same book series and I ended up giving up because I kept having to find my place as opposed to his, and then in the middle of a passage, the battery died.
It is kind of like when cassettes came out and I lovingly clutched my vinyl records with their beautiful album covers and liner notes I didn’t need a magnifier to read. I guess for me it’s basically aesthetic reasons. I appreciate the Kindle, and it has it’s advantages but I just prefer lovely paper books, especially from the library.