I’m a lover of technology. I enjoy the latest and greatest of whatever Best Buy can offer me…. Except when it comes to e-books. I’ve been intentionally dragging my feet in that area. You’ll never convince me that an electronic device can emulate the tactile experience of holding a paperback book.
I refuse to give up my silent protest of electronic books by purchasing a Nook or a Kindle. But my iPad made me reconsider the idea of digital reading. I don’t have to embrace the technology entirely. I can try out the experience once just for perspective.
So I downloaded my first e-book Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris. Immediately there were some pros. I love instant gratification and not having to travel to the bookstore was amazing. I could change the font size and the brightness of the pages. And, if I came across an unfamiliar word, I could look it up just by highlighting it. And the best pro of all: I could read in the dark. This advantage is what actually allowed to me to read when I woke up early in the morning without disturbing my husband.
Now to the inevitable cons. Holding the iPad was awkward at times. But it’s slightly better than reading a hardcover book. I have small hands. I know actual e-readers are the size of paperback books for that reason. It was also difficult to pay upwards of $15 for something that’s not actually there. When I get to the end, I have nothing to show for it on my bookshelf. I can’t lend it to a friend.
Also, the book ended unexpectedly. The waning pages give me lots of warning when I’m nearing the end of a physical book . Even though I could have checked the page numbers at the bottom, I still wouldn’t have been prepared (especially since there were about 15 extra pages of blanks and promo material).
Now I know my list of pros out-weighed my cons, but I’m still not ready to go over to the other side. Will I download another book on my iPad? Yes. Will I run out and by a dedicated e-reader? No. And I’m going to by actual books at the bookstore for as long as I can because I still enjoy that experience best.
– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad