Wednesday, November 23, 2011

What Are You Reading....

....On?

It’s become the question of the new century. No longer are we reading only hard cover or paperback….now we can read also on our smartphones, computers, laptops, MP3 players, tablets and dedicated readers. Each has its benefits and drawbacks.

Some people still prefer the feel of a book in their hands. A friend was telling me the other day she loves the bindings, the smell of the paper and ink and it’s part of the comfortable feeling of reading for her. Others find holding a traditional book can become uncomfortable or even painful after a while. But they don’t want to give up the joy of reading.

The various electronic ways of reading have their benefits and drawbacks as well. A desktop keeps you sitting in your office chair. A laptop is more portable, but still heavy compared to an ereader. A tablet like an iPad or Playbook is very light and easy to hold, but more the size of a hardcover book. An MP3 player, iPod Touch or smartphone is super-portable, but some find the screen small for reading. All these devices have a lot of glare on their screens if you want to sit outside on a nice day to read.

The new eInk readers like the Kindle, Nook, Kobo and Sony Reader are light, portable, easy to tuck in a purse or commuter bag. They have dedicated bookstores and it’s quick and straightforward to download a new book. However, they’re not backlit, so low light presents a problem. However, there are lots of clip-on lights to get around that. Some people don’t want to have to buy another device to cart with them, so they’re not for everyone either.

Bottom line – find the device that works best for you and whether it’s traditional or the newest thing, keep on reading!!

Libby McKinmer
Romance with an edge
www.libbymckinmer.com
libby@libbymckinmer.com
On Twitter, Facebook & GoodReads too

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I fall into print on paper,glnt but electronic readers put distance between me and the words. The books I've downloaded to my laptop are still unread. However, I'll eventually buy an e-reader and manage to change with the times. I guess.

Jean Henry Mead said...

My husband has a new backlit Nook and I had a traditional Kindle, but have asked for an iPad for Christmas. I still read print books and literally have thousands of them in my home library, but the e-readers are so portable and can hold hundreds of books in the palm of your hand. They're great for traveling or the doctor's waiting room.

Libby McKinmer said...

I love the portability of the ereaders, too. I'll always have print books, but when I'm going somewhere, it's so nice to bring my Kindle with as many books as I want on it. And be able to download in just a few seconds, if I run out of things to read! LOL

Libby

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Kevin R. Tipple said...

my lap at the hospital with the laptop.