Community weekly poll: Would you buy an e-book reader?
- 11/28/07 3:30 PM
e book reader - yes!
by veddwhouse - 11/29/07 2:50 AM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Because I'm fed up of the house filling up with books and never being able then to find the one I want, because being able to search the text is super, because I can take loads of books when travelling, because it will be eaier to carry, because I won't have to find a place to buy a newspaper and will be able to read whatever newspaper I want wherever I am.
We still have film, tv, radio, cds, even LPs - what on earth makes people think it's the end of books???
AW
Would I buy an e-book reader?
by ronp4570 - 11/29/07 3:05 AM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
No, reason , I like the feel of a real book. Ilike to kick back in my lounge chair with a cup of coffee and relax. Don't want to hold something that has to be kept just so to see a screen, move a curser over a screen to change pages or what ever. I can relax in any position and read a book.
If it ain't broke don't fix it
by twhip - 11/29/07 3:15 AM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
You can read books for free from the library.
Books don't need batteries.
Books are durable.
You can still read a broken book.
The technology has withstood the test of time.
Bought preceding version of Sony Reader
by Klepper - 11/29/07 3:23 AM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I read books in English, French and German and I no longer have space left for new books in a home full of compactly filled bookshelves.
On the Net one has free access to almost all the classics in these languages plus translated works from other languages. Reading them on a PC screen sucks; with an e-reader you can do it easily just anywhere, even in bed.
About my Sony Reader: fine except for PDFs which I change into rtf copies.
Klepper
Would I ever buy an E-book reader
by Food doc - 11/29/07 3:29 AM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I previously owned a Rocket E-book and, although the technology is intriguing, would probably not buy another. The experience of reading on a screen, even a good one similar to the Kindle, does not recreate the experience of flipping pages in a bound book. E-books do not allow for the easy scanning of pages to find a spot to reread and the way magazines and newspapers are laid out you are unlikely to have the experience of reading on article and then having another one, whos title didn't appeal on first glance, catch you eye.
The price point is also far too high, although Amazon must leverage the cost of the network connection somehow the $400 price point is out of the range to make this an snap purchase.
No need to buy a separate e-book reader...
by emshepherd - 11/29/07 3:37 AM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
when I have my trusty Palm Zire 71 - an oldie but goodie. Carries lots of books on an SD card BUT the down-side is it needs recharging every so often. Paper based books are completely portable, require no technology and don't go wrong (unless you drop 'em in a puddle or something) and also have that "book" quality, i.e. paper, printing ink, smell/feel. On the other hand, the Zire is a games machine, e-mail and web surfer (when paired with my phone) and a mini-computer on which I can write/edit reports as well as being a book reader. I can't see any real reason for a separate e-book reader when you can get all this for a similar cost.
Would I buy an e-book reader
by bjones122 - 11/29/07 3:38 AM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
No. I've not yet seen a replacement for the paper book. I can't scribble in the page margins; thumb the pages; slip notes or boarding passes between the pages; I can’t put it on my bookshelf where I might spot it a year or two from now and be inspired again; I can't jot a note on the inside cover and give it to a friend. Although I don't have one, I'm sure the power cord is a new style, therefore, one more dangly thing in my briefcase. No, I don't see the e-book reader as the wave of the future.
Would you buy an e-book reader?
by JamesB5008 - 11/29/07 4:03 AM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
No, I would not buy an e-book reader. The idea of reading e-text anywhere else than on my computer screen is unthinkable. Call me old-fashioned if you must but reading on the "loo", reading on the train or reading in the outdoors require a certain flexibility that an electronic device will not deliver.
Regards
James Black
Maybe someday
by OBH - 11/29/07 4:04 AM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The price would have to come down a lot. I live a block from the library and there are plenty of free ebooks on line that I can read on my computer. I'm an old guy on a fixed income, I can find plenty of better uses for the money.
Would you buy an e-book reader
by BroJohn - 11/29/07 4:05 AM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The real question is would you buy one of these readers. NO WAY! One, I don't usually carry a book around with me unless it is one of my Bibles, (I'm a pastor). I already have 4 versions of the Bible in my PDA. If I want to read an e-book, I can purchase it and download it to my computer, then if I want to carry it with me, I can put it on my laptop, or my PDA. Most of the books I buy are for study purposes anyway, so I buy them for inclusion in my free Bible Study software. What do I want with a special reader, which will allow me to read only those books put out by the seller of the reader. No, I think I will stick with good old paperback books that I can stick in my pocket, mark up with my pen or a sharpie and put back in my pocket. Or download into my computer for use with my software.
Have a great day y'all.
Pros and cons
by bambootoy - 11/29/07 4:11 AM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Pros: (2) Many books for one light weight (especially valuable while traveling!) (2) Ability to search for words and phrases electronically -- invaluable. (3) With free content (e.g. Project Gutenberg) the cost of the unit can be spread over an almost infinite universe of content -- the fixed cost divided by the content makes the initial purchase cost trivial.
Cons: (1) Existing units have all format restrictions precluding the downloading of available free content (e.g. Project Gutenberg). (2) The issue of electricity (batteries, rechargers, etc) makes it impractical for long periods of isolation, e.g. hiking, camping, etc. (3) Vulnerability to water and shock damage. No one seems to plan for immersion or dropping, though these are virtually inevitable at some point. (4) The 'early adopter' conundrum -- what happens when one picks the Betamax of electronic books, and how is one to know one is picking a loser?
Why ?
by rnes1961 - 11/29/07 4:37 AM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have had a palm since 1996 (The first palm they had). Why would I buy a reader when I can download books to my PDA. Why would anyone buy a dedicated e-book reader when you can buy a PDA for approx the same price?
Battery life maybe
by CathWren - 12/4/07 5:15 PM In reply to: Screen size by csmith75Although I use a TX now which has a larger screen size, I've used other pdas to read on before and the smaller size didn't really slow me down.
Battery life *can* be a problem. With my Tungsten E, I had a supplemental battery for longer reads when I was away from an outlet but haven't needed one yet for my TX.
CathWren
I would buy in the future if these conditions are meet.
by TJGodel - 11/29/07 4:37 AM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Here is what I consider important in my decision, and the reason I would not buy now is I rarely buy first generation technologies.
1. Price has to come down to a iPOD nano price level. Yes I have to compare the price to another consumer electronic.
2. It has to have the ability to create notes or comments.
3. I would like to have the option of connecting those notes or comments to other readers of the book notes/comments, also the author of the book. In otherwise create a Web 2.0 ecosystem to connect information and people.
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