“But I love the feeling of holding a book in my hand.” That line is often used when someone mentions e-readers or Kindles. This was also my standard line. My husband finally agreed and bought me one for Christmas. Here are my thoughts on the advantages and disadvantages associated with a Kindle. For free Kindle books, head on over to White Dove Books.
Convenience. Convenience. Five thousand books can be carried in your purse. You can carry five thousand books in your purse.
There are so many books to choose. Amazon has thousands of eBooks. You can purchase them once you have purchased them. Once they are purchased, you can store them in your library so you can access them whenever you need.
Books for free. There are many books that you can download for free via the Kindle Store and other websites like the Gutenberg Project. You can email an attachment to a special e mail address to request Kindle delivery.
You can access the online libraries’ collections. You can check out eBooks at most libraries in the US for free.
Books that are less expensive. The price of recent books in Kindle format is a bit lower than in print, and eBooks generally are less expensive than printed books.
Internet, music, games. You can surf the internet (clumsily but it works), listen or download mp3 files (music or podcasts), as well as play games.
Dictionary. This feature is particularly useful. You can instantly see the definition of any word by placing your cursor near it. This is a great way to expand your vocabulary.
Translations. Translate any word or sentence that you find in another language.
Electronic markers. An eReader is a better alternative to using a pen and ruining your book. You can highlight passages, take notes and bookmark pages with an eReader.
You don’t need a book light. No need to turn on the light. You can read at night without having to switch the light on. You can adjust the brightness of your screen.
Large print. You can also increase the font size and the style of the font.
Battery life is long. The Kindle can last for several weeks without needing to be recharged.
Search function. Search function.
Paperless. It saves a lot of trees.
Advantages of a Kindle
It is not a book. This is not a problem for most people. However, you can’t thumb through a Kindle and it can be difficult to conduct research. The search feature can help in certain ways.
It’s electronic. It can’t be read in the tub. Even if the battery lasts a long time, it will eventually need charging.
Eye strain and retention. Even though Kindles do not use blue light but e-Ink, looking at a screen can strain your eyes. Natural light and paper books are better for your eyes. Some studies have shown that people who read in natural light, reflected light rather than backlit, may retain more information.
No color. Images can only be seen in black and white.
It is harder to share. It is harder to lend books. They’re working on a feature that allows you to “loan” an ecopy to someone for up two weeks. This will allow you temporarily remove the book from your Kindle. Although you can get the book back if it is lent out, it is still not the same. It’s much easier for a family to keep a book on the shelves so that everyone can read it when they want, rather than wondering who has it.
