I keep
seeing questions on Twitter and elsewhere with a variation on the query,
“should I buy a Kindle?” This isn’t a question that can be answered in 140
characters, nor is it a question with one answer that is right for everyone.
Even among regular readers of this blog, there are some who don’t have an
eReader, yet.
My intent
with this post is not to give the definitive answer, since it doesn’t exist,
but to lay out the questions to ask yourself in making the decision and present you with some of
the pros and cons. Making the proper decision about almost anything is a matter
of weighing positives and negatives for the possible decisions
Over the
next few weeks, I plan to follow this with additional posts delving deeper into
some of the follow-up questions that might be raised, including the big question: which eReader should I buy?
The Big Questions
There are eight
sets of questions to ask yourself. The answers will largely guide your
decision. Many of these questions, for most people, won’t have a definitive
answer. For example, many people read a mix of fiction and non-fiction. The
percentage of each will help guide you to the answer that is right for you.
1) How much do I read? Would I like to
read more?
2) What do I read? Is it primarily
fiction or non-fiction?
3) If I primarily read fiction, are the
books I choose predominately those at the top of the bestseller lists? Do I
like to read non- bestsellers, either current books written by “mid-list
authors” that don’t make the bestseller lists, or backlist books (those that may
or may not have been bestsellers in the past, but are no longer “new releases”)?
Do I read a lot of “classic literature,” especially books published in the
early 1900s or prior such as Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, or the Bronte
sisters?
4) If I read non-fiction, are those
books mostly straight text or do they have a lot of pictures, tables, and
footnotes? If footnoted, do I refer often to the footnotes while reading?
5) Where do I normally get my reading
material: library, new bookstore, used bookstore, or some other retailer with a
book section? When I buy a book, is it usually as a paperback or hardcover?
6) Do I borrow books from friends? Do I
loan books to friends? Do members of my immediate family borrow books or lend
me books? If either of these is true: how much does this happen? Is this done
with a few friends or many friends? Do any of these friends have an eReader or
other means of reading eBooks?
7) Are there physical factors to
consider? Examples would be eyesight issues such as difficulty reading smaller
type or a tendency for your eyes to get tired after a long reading session, or
physical weaknesses or disabilities that make reading a book difficult.
8) Is it possible that moving from
paper books to eBooks, but using an alternative to an eReader would be right
for me?
Weighing the Factors
This
section will discuss each of the questions above and how your answers might
impact your decision.
1) The more you read, the easier it
might be to justify an eReader. However, eBooks don’t always cost the same as
their paper counterparts. The financial tradeoffs depend, in part, on your
answers to questions 3, 5 and 6 as well as some of the items in the “other
things to consider” section below. Other factors may be sufficient to sway you in one direction or another even if financial considerations would indicate a
different decision.
Many
people find an eReader much easier to carry with them than a book, while others
use a combination of eReader at home and an app on their Smartphone. This can
make times that were previously dead, spent waiting at the hair salon, doctor, in
long lines, or while commuting on public transportation productive reading time. Many
people find they read more after getting an eReader, either because of these or
other reasons, including the ability to buy a book directly from their eReader
and have it immediately available.
2) If you primarily read fiction, an
eReader is more likely to be a good fit than if you read mostly non-fiction.
3) Most books copyrighted prior to the
1920s are now in the public domain, with eBook editions of the most popular
readily available for free from Project Gutenberg. These were created
by volunteers who scanned and proofed them to create eBooks. If your reading
diet is heavy on the classics, and you are currently spending a significant
amount on paper editions, this would tend to push you towards an eReader for
financial reasons alone.
If
you tend to read bestsellers, especially when first released (in either
hardback or paperback), then you’ll find the paper editions are often available
from Amazon or your local store cheaper. This is because the pricing scheme
used by the largest publishers doesn’t allow retailers to put the eBook edition
on sale. Even though the eBook is normally priced less than the paper,
retailers often discount the paper edition to less.
If
you read lots of mid-list or backlist books, especially if you find you often
have to special order these from the bookstore or order them from Amazon or
BarnesAndNoble.com, this would argue for an eReader, because these books could
be available to you instantly and normally cheaper than the paper edition.
However, you should be cautioned that not every backlist book available in
paper is available yet in an eBook edition. Also, some books that are
out-of-print can still be obtained, either new or used, from online retailers.
The
flip side is that many authors of previously out-of-print books are making them
available as eBooks. If this is a significant portion of your reading and you
search out specific books, it might make sense to check the availability of a
sample with the online retailers to get a feel for what is and isn’t available.
Also, many authors, both those previously traditionally published, especially
mid-list authors, and those previously unpublished are “Indie” or
self-publishing eBooks. These are generally priced somewhat cheaper than those
from the bigger publishers are.
4) Non-fiction books with tables and
diagrams don’t often translate as well to understanding on an eReader. Some
publishers do better than others in formatting these for an eBook version.
Also, the size of the majority of eReader models makes these difficult to see.
While it is possible to format an eBook with readily accessible footnotes,
publishers are hit and miss in how well they do this.
5) If you currently buy books new,
either in hardback or paperback, the relative pricing discussed in #3 above
should be considered. eBook prices generally come down the longer a book has
been out. You shouldn’t expect to buy an eBook version at a paperback price
until the paperback is released.
If
your purchases are largely used books, it is possible to maintain your budget
buying backlist or Indie books; however, you might do well to compare recent
purchases to get a better idea of the financial impact for your specific
situation. If you sell books back to your used books store to offset some of
the cost of buying more, you’ll no longer be able to do this with eBooks.
Some
libraries now loan eBooks to their patrons. This has the advantage of not
having to go to the library to check out a book, instead doing it through the
library’s website. However, many of the larger publishers are limiting or not
allowing libraries to lend eBook versions of their books. If not being able to
borrow eBooks from the library is a deal breaker for you, a wait and see stance
is probably the way to go at the moment.
6) eBooks can be a positive or a
negative as far as lending books among family and friends goes, depending on your
specific situation. While this discussion is specific to Amazon and Kindle
eReaders, much of it is the same or similar with Barnes & Noble and their
Nook devices.
Sharing
of books among Kindles (both apps and devices) registered to the same account
on Amazon is unlimited and in most situations several devices can have the same
book on them at a time. (Multiple readers reading the same book isn’t something
you can easily do with a paper book.) Setting up an account for all family
members or even a group of friends (assuming they are financially trustworthy)
can facilitate this. Many books also can be lent one time for a limited period
to another Kindle owner or someone with a Kindle app on their Smartphone,
computer, or tablet computer.
7) eInk based eReaders are very close
to reading a book, at least in how your eyes will react to reading on them.
They have the added advantage of allowing the reader to change the size of the
font. For those who need large print books or who find their eyes tiring after
a long reading session, an eReader is the answer. Also, eBook versions of books
are going to be easier to find and possibly cheaper than large print paper editions.
The
physical act of reading on an eReader is easier in some ways than reading a
paper book. The weight is much the same, but there is no need to hold the book
open. One handed and a certain amount of no handed (by laying the eReader on a
flat surface) reading is possible. Even those without physical limitations may
find an eReader beneficial for these reasons. For example, I’ve been known to
empty the dishwasher while reading, which is much easier with an eReader.
8) Some people may prefer just dipping
their toe into the eBook world as a start. One way to do this is an app on a Smartphone,
PC, or tablet computer. Any of these provide a way to experiment with the
eBook world without investing in an eReader. The primary difference is that each of
these has a backlit screen, which isn’t as easy on the eyes, isn’t optimized
for the reading experience, and other than the phone, isn’t as portable.
For
those who don’t read as much and already own or need a tablet computer, the
tablet combined with an app might be a reasonable compromise. Apps are
available for both Kindle and Nook books. Although they are branded as
eReaders, the Kindle Fire and Nooks with color capability
fall in this category or possibly a category all their own. While they are good
for books in color, they don’t have the advantages of the eInk screen.
Other things to consider
DRM or
digital rights management: If you don’t know what DRM is, read this post for an
explanation. Many books have DRM and are not currently available
from legitimate sources without. This will tend to tie you into a single vendor
to protect your book investment. How important this is to you will be dependent
on how often you refer to or re-read books you’ve already read. Although
removing DRM is possible with minimal technical knowledge and some research,
this is also illegal in many places, including the US.
Not having
a physical book has implications, both positive and negative. People don’t know
what you’re reading from looking at the cover, which can be good or bad. This
is good from a privacy standpoint, but don’t expect someone to initiate a
conversation about the book you’re reading if they don’t know what it is. That could
be a pro or con, depending on your preferences, or maybe depending on the person
initiating the conversation. Some people also enjoy showing off their book
collection while others would prefer visitors not know what they’ve read or are
reading. eBooks use less space, don’t attract the bugs and dust that paper
books do, are much easier to deal with when you move, and traveling for an avid
reader is much easier with an eReader rather than a stack of paper books.
There are
those who claim the smell of paper, glue, and (sometimes) dust from a book and
the feel of the paper are a critical part of the reading experience for them.
I’ll admit, I don’t get this. For me, it is about the story. Maybe you’re
different.
My concern before
experiencing an eReader was that it would be just like a computer, not only the
screen, but with a device getting in the way of the story. I discovered that
wasn’t the case and within a short time reading on the eReader felt more
natural than reading a paper book. This has been the experience for most people
I’ve talked to, but a small minority disagree.
Most
experts agree that in the long run more and more books, especially fiction, are
going to be sold as eBooks. This will affect availability of paper formats and
prices, with paper books, when available, becoming a “specialty” item, not
unlike vinyl records. There is a case to be made that you’re going to make the
move eventually anyway, so why not now?
Just like
cell phones, technology has and will continue to advance and eReader capability
will grow. Upgrades (if you’ve got to have the latest) and device replacement (just
like any other gadget, they don’t last forever) need to be considered.
And then
As long as
this post is, I’m sure there are things I haven’t thought about. Those of you
who have made the jump, tell me and other readers what they are in the
comments.
Update: For a discussion on making the decision of which eReader to buy, see this post.
