Ereaders and the future of literature.

[DragonHeart]

I bought my first ebook the other day and it got me wondering, does anyone here have an ereader? I've been drooling over them since the original Kindle's debut but the high initial price and the use of new technologies made me wary of getting a first generation one. Then other ereaders came into existence and the technology matured. It's not all the way there yet but it's close, very close.

So to get to the point, I've been comparing the various options available and I'd like to hear from anyone with firsthand experience. Kindle is all the rage but after looking at the features, I've decided against getting one. Major turn offs for me included being unable to replace the battery without sending the entire device back to Amazon, the lack of support for ebooks outside of Amazon's own proprietary format, and being forced to rely on one source for said ebooks. Amazon's ability to remotely delete content I paid for doesn't sit well with me either...

That said, I've taken a keen interest in the new Barnes and Noble reader, the nook. You can change the battery yourself, it does support the standard ebook format, and I really love the idea of the lending feature where you can essentially let someone borrow your ebook to read. You don't even need the nook to do it as Barnes and Noble has free reader software for several different devices. It's definitely a step in the right direction. I haven't had a chance to look at one yet (they apparently have display models in the stores) but I'm about 99% sold on the nook, at least from what I've read so far.

I know there aren't a lot of dedicated readers here but if you are, what do you think about ereaders and ebooks? I think they have awesome potential, the technology and the current market just don't support them all the way yet. A major obstacle I've been noticing while browsing (I heavily abuse the sample feature on the ebook versions of things heh) is the high price point of many ebooks. They're discounted from the hardcover price, not the cheaper paperbacks. It makes sense for a new release, but not when you can buy a mass market edition for less than its digital counterpart.

The other major stumbling block seems to be availability. Amazon has hands down the best ebook selection around but again, you're beholden to their device if you want access to it and while you can convert other ebooks to their format, the process is cumbersome and really, ereaders should be all about ease of access.

So fellow readers, anyone else planning on acquiring (or asking Santa for) an ereader and if so, which one? If not, why not?

~DragonHeart~

[Victoria]

I'll gladly say no, because I prefer actual books in my hand to read and not staring at a computer screen. An e-reader is basically a portable PDF/Computer to read books, and if I was going to do that, I'd just download e-reader software/ebooks from a torrent or something if I wanted that.

There's just something about actual books and the cover art that I like. Sure, they take up a lot of space, but I'd rather have them than some clonky formatted/fonted ebook.

...At least from what I read about Kindle's was bad. I don't know about our nook really. I never read about it because I wasn't interested in it, but from what you said about it, it sounds to be pretty good.

If I ever ever have to convert to ebooks, I will get our nook (I say our since I work at B&N), but it's not the highest on my priority list.

What I want to know is, why do you prefer ereaders to the novel counter part? The lack of space? The small size and portability?

...I'm also not going into ereaders because it feels like I'm betraying something. E-books don't feel the same. It's like a letter and an email.

...They feel so impersonal.

[Govinda]

I used to think like you, Sheena - but then I thought of trees. It's nice to hold a book in your hands, but what you're meant to be paying attention to is the words in front of you. For that reason, I support advanced in technology like this one. I think only good can come of it, and if it gets more people reading, then I can't say no. You say it's like an email and a letter - how often do you send letters? I send at least one per week - because it's more romantic. It also takes ****ing AGES and wastes resources. Email doesn't, though you do miss a little of the personality.

I'm all for saving more of the oil used to run paper operations. However, I'm not going to buy a reader because the selection in Europe is ridiculously shit and everyone keeps arguing about copyright. I'm not getting involved until the lawmakers get themselves sorted. And until they make a Kindle that you can actually buy in the UK (currently, you buy it in dollars and then spend the cost of your left kidney getting it shipped from Amazon US). There is nothing at all like the 'nook' here, though when there is, I'll be very interested.

[DragonHeart]

And in Jay I see many of the common misconceptions about ebooks, lol. An ebook reader is not the same as a computer screen. They use eInk technology which makes reading on them very similar to reading an actual book. Unlike reading on a computer, the eInk will not strain your eyes and you can read it in full sunlight without a problem. You can also adjust text size so you're not stuck staring at like size 6 font for 1000+ pages hah.

And as someone who claims to be a writer, why the insistence on piracy? First of all the ereader software for computers is free (even the new Kindle version) and second, you can find tons of ebooks both old and recently released for free or for fairly low prices. Many fantasy ebooks I've come across are actually cheaper than their mass market counterparts. It's the ones that do get released in hardcover that tend to be more expensive.

Btw, some ereaders can display in color so you'd still get the covers and everything. I also forgot to mention that some of them (I believe the nook is one) can also play mp3s so you can listen to music while reading without the need for a second device. I've also heard that there really aren't many problems with the actual ebook format. Every now and then you may run into some wonky formatting, but you get the same thing with physical books. I own several misprinted books, myself.

Anyways, two major reasons I'm seriously considering an ebook reader: size and portability. I buy a bookcase and it fills up almost immediately, then I end up with piles of overflow sitting everywhere cause I have nowhere to put them. I just don't have enough physical space to support my reading habits. It actually limits how much reading I can do.

Portability is also key. I bring books with me everywhere I go. Carrying around a bag of books is both cumbersome and inefficient. It may be the German blood in me but I am always looking for more efficient ways to do things. Carrying a couple thousand books with me on a book-sized device is a lot easier and far more sensible, especially if I'm going somewhere long distance. (Or just downstairs to the gym. XD)

And yes, I do factor in how 'green' ereaders are. I figure most people won't do shit to help out so as a more environmentally-minded person I should be doing as much as possible. I'm not going overboard with it but when I see a sensible way to cut back on my use of resources, I do my best to use it.

Nothing will ever replace the look and feel of a real book of course but there's no reason the two forms of literature can't share a mutual existence. Not every book is available as an ebook and sometimes the ebook is more expensive. I'll still be buying real paper books for quite some time, they'll just be coexisting with their virtual counterparts more often. It's not an either or type of thing, here.

Govinda, I have to say I'm honestly surprised there aren't any options for you at all over there. That's really too bad. I think it's a great option, especially for people who read a lot. Hopefully within the next couple of years they'll get it all sorted.

~DragonHeart~

[Victoria]

I suppose you have a point, but let me ask you this.

Is manga e-book compatible yet? I own more manga than I do novels, and I do already own a lot of novels and I don't really feel like buying them all over again for the e-reader.

Although I do have that problem of overflowing stacks of books everywhere. XD

But really? ...80% of it is manga.

[DragonHeart]

I can't honestly say whether manga is compatible or not yet as I don't read manga so I'm not really up on that market. I'm sure if it isn't now it will be in the future. I don't see why it wouldn't be since it's the same general format as a book, just with illustrations in addition to words. Though it's already made strides in technological terms, ebooks and the supporting technology is still very much an emerging market so it may be awhile before we can see the full range of features it can offer. I'm sure if you check around a bit you can find something about manga compatibility.

Either way, paper or digital, you should read more books anyways. XD I need to read more myself.

~DragonHeart~

[Psiko]

I have a Nook shipping to me December 7th.

This was my personal "splurge gift" this Christmas season. Last year it was an Xbox360. I have to say that I am VERY excited about it and I have a lot of friends who are curious to find out how it is.

I'd go over the reasons why I chose to go with the Nook over the others, but sis really hit upon those quite well in her weighing of the options above. I figured if there was a technology I should keep current on, it should be book-related. Of course I won't be getting rid of ALL my books, but to go from being on the brink of a 6th bookshelf to going down to one or two, that would do wonders for both space in my room and for when moving time comes.

My real sister gets first dibs on any of my books that I get eBooks for. Anything she doesn't want, I might offer to some of you for shipping and some small cost perhaps. Always negotiable there.

Anyway, once this is mine I'll post a full review here within a week so look for that!

[Victoria]

Keep in mind that e-books are mostly newer stuff. I don't think old classics are going to be e-books unless they're recently re-published and such, like B&N classics and whatnot.

I have a series of books that I really doubt will be made into e-book format, haha.
Don't be surprised that with the e-book selection currently, you may have to have at least 3-4 book shelves. XD

[DragonHeart]

Great minds think alike, eh bro? It's too bad I didn't think of it earlier, nook's probably going to be sold out until next year, unless they happen to get some in at the semi-local store or something. Ah well, I am nothing if not patient.

And as far as selection, tons of old classics are available. Gutenberg has tons and tons of them, most of which you can download in ebook format. Hence why I'm more interested in the nook, because I wouldn't have to convert the files to read them, just upload them to the device. Also as I mentioned before, you can find a lot of newer books for free or fairly low prices. I have ebook versions of titles like Temeraire and Perdido Street Station that were offered for free. You just have to know where to look. Barnes and Noble offers a selection of free ebooks that changes fairly regularly and there are places like the Suvudu library that offer free ebooks of recently published titles (with the publisher's permission, of course). Because the nook doesn't use its own proprietary format and relies instead on the standard format of ebooks, there are a lot of options when it comes to actually acquiring the ebooks themselves.

There's also a chance that you'll start seeing offers like the rereleased Disney movies where you could get a free digital copy of a book when you buy the actual paper version. I see it as being a great promotional move to help raise awareness about the ease and quality of ebooks, especially with the advent of the readers.

And don't sell older books short, I can see ebooks becoming a popular way to get older out of print books back out, maybe not by a publisher but by the authors themselves. Out of print books also tend to be out of contract so the authors would be well within their rights to digitize and offer the books online either for free or for sale. Imagine a world where books never go out of print and you never have to hunt for old, obscure titles or get stuck with tattered, stained, ripped old paperbacks. That's what ebooks could be in the future, provided there's enough support for it.

~DragonHeart~

[Sinister]

I'm an avid reader. And I'm willing to give them a try, simply because the idea is fascinating. (replacing a book with something as fragile as an electronic device is fascinating) But they're too expensive now...and I'll be honest. I am a closet bibliophile and I love the smell and feel of paper.

-Sin

[Psiko]

My initial impression, having had it long enough to open and plug in and go through the "tutorial" and start my first download (Ivanhoe!)

Holy freaking crap this is awesome in the extreme.

We shall have to see how much in love I am with this Nook as time passes by. I'll give a FULL review around Christmas. Figure that should be long enough to give a good enough opinion on the matter!

[SOLDIER #819]

I am cheap and do not read much, so I wouldn't invest my money into a dedicated e-book reader, but... I have an iPhone. They seem to have apps for the majority of e-book sellers on there. One has most of Lovecraft's works. For free. Since I've never read any of his stuff, I've been doing so while commuting. It works out well enough! The app I use even has a built-in dictionary so that I don't have to refer to an external source, which is nice since my vocabulary is terrible and can't keep up with stuff from 70+ years ago.

Maybe I'll actually purchase something for it one of these days!

[DragonHeart]

It's been awhile since I visited this thread. I now have my Nook and I've been using it for just about a month now. While it is a wonderfully useful device, it's not without its issues. Luckily, none of these issues are on the magnitude of say, the 360's RRoD, but they can be a nuisance.

The first and more minor issue is that for some reason, it glitched while updating my library and I now have two copies of several ebooks listed on the Nook. It'll randomly fix this issue but only temporarily, then it crops up again as soon as I update my library. While it's not really a problem, it is an irritation.

The other and far more annoying issue started happening after a recent software update. The Nook will freeze up completely and will not respond to any commands, not even the power button. The only way to fix it involves removing the battery and plugging the Nook into an outlet to unfreeze the screen. Sometimes it takes multiple tries. I've had this happen twice, both times while I was acquiring new ebooks directly on the Nook instead of browsing on my PC, getting them from the website and then syncing the Nook to pick them up.

The most irritating part of the process is that when the Nook freezes like that, the battery somehow loses its charge. It takes 3.5 hours to get a full charge, so you can see why this would be more than a mere nuisance. If it happens when I'm out and about I'll be pretty much screwed, especially since you need a screwdriver just to remove the battery and the only way to unfreeze the screen is to plug it in an outlet or USB port.

Other than these two issues, the Nook has performed very well indeed. I've read more books in the past two months than I did in the entire first half of last year. It makes it so easy. I don't have to worry about losing my place, I don't have to get up to find a dictionary (rare but it happens), and I don't have to go to the store to get my books or wait a week for them to ship from an online vendor.

~DragonHeart~

[Furore]

I think I'd prefer to just use my iPhone as I've been doing. Much classic literature is free and though the selection probably fails in comparison to what's offered to dedicated ebook readers there's still a good amount more than I could ever hope to read in a lifetime.

I did notice Apples tough stance on anything sexual doesn't seem to apply to the content of books and that is something I am very thankful for.

[DragonHeart]

And with the iPad's release there's a mad scramble for everyone else to compete lol...I just downloaded a new Nook software update. It now has games, a read for free in-store option (for an hour per book, but still) and get this, a beta web browser.

I'm really starting to wish the Nook came with an attached stylus like a Nintendo DS, it would make typing a hell of a lot easier. The touch-keypad is ok but it's slow and the buttons are small. I've resorted to actually using my spare DS stylus whenever I need to use said keypad. Just haven't figured out a good way to attach it to the side of the Nook for transporting. XD It's not a major issue since I rarely use it anyways but if they ever add a word processor-type program I'd love to be able to use it.

I've still been having the freezing issue I mentioned before but I'm hopeful that this update may have patched whatever was causing the problem. I won't be downloading any new books for awhile (I have plenty ) but I'll check around to see if anyone reports the issue being fixed.

~DragonHeart~

[Zargabaath]

I'm a bit apprehensive about this new technology. First off, I don't think I'll like reading from a screen and I would probably still prefer an actual book. A question I have is what books are being put on (via purchase) to the e-reader? Will it be only new books and classics or will they be trying to put all books availabe to be read on an e-reader. I have books that I want that are old and not well known and if the e-readers don't have those books then the they lose some points from me. There is great potential for this technology but I think it may need some more time.

[Kaiden]

So I have really started looking at E-readers, since I have just run out of space for books. They are now stacking up on my floor and it has become a problem. I have put all book purchases on hold till I either buy another shelf or an e-reader. Does anyone have an I-pad how is reading books on that. I dont know how much I would use the other features but maybe I can split it with my brother, he is the tech geek. Also DragonHeart are you still having issues with the Nook freezing at all? Has it held up in the 5-6 months you have owned it?

[ExQuentin]

I do not like ereaders too well. I like using books because you can (i can) take them to school. Plus, ereaders with many books on them could get broken, then you would have no books at all. That is my opinion on ereaders, lol.

[DragonHeart]

@Zargabaath - The answer is both. New books, classics, books that were out of print, even magazines and newspapers. I've noticed a lot of hard-to-find books being released in digital format lately. The iPad is probably helping a lot. As far as reading off a screen, a dedicated ereader does not have a backlit screen and uses eInk technology, which is nothing like reading off a computer screen. It's easier on the eyes and isn't that different from a book. I think it's actually pretty close to a newspaper and best of all, no glare from sunlight so you can read outside.

@Kaiden - The iPad is more of a multimedia platform and won't be as comfortable to read from due to having a computer screen and not eInk. The Nook makes both economical and spacial sense for me because I do read so much and I do occasionally take week-long trips out of the area. It's a hell of a lot easier to bring my Nook than to lug around a bag full of books.

As far as the freezing problem, I have not had it at all since the software update, and it was only a certain batch of an early production run. As far as I've seen, it's been completely fixed. It's held up quite well, aside from a slight discoloration of the page buttons on the sides and the touch screen is never clean, but it's no different from any other handheld electronic device in that regard. I haven't dropped it or anything but it survives trips to work and back no problem.

@ExQuentin - I don't see why you couldn't bring an ereader to school. There's no higher chance of it being stolen than say, a cell phone or a gaming system. If anything I'd say there's less of a chance, given how few people are avid readers these days. As far as breakage, there is a warranty on them and really, if you're that rough with electronics you should probably be taking precautions or something.

~DragonHeart~

[Kaiden]

classics, books that were out of print, even magazines and newspapers. I've noticed a lot of hard-to-find books being released in digital format lately


~DragonHeart~

I think I am sold, thank you for the update!

[DragonHeart]

Glad to help. Before you make your final decision though, I highly recommend checking out a few different ereaders in stores if you can. I chose the Nook based solely on the features it had that I wanted but the bottom line is, if it isn't comfortable for you to hold/use then the features mean nothing. The Nook ended up being larger than I thought it would be, about the size of your average trade paperback. Thinner of course, but its large dimensions make it a bit unwieldy to carry unless you're stashing it in a bag or have one of those huge purses. I actually carry mine to work in my lunch bag.

~DragonHeart~

[DragonHeart]

And an update on my Nook...the freezing problem is indeed long fixed, but now I have a different issue. =( One of my page-turning buttons has developed a crack clean through the case. Alas, it seems this is also a known problem, a manufacturing defect. I will have to get my unit replaced with a new one. Hopefully customer service won't fight me too much on this as it was a gift and I only have the basic warranty.

I've actually never had to use a service warranty on any of my electronics before. I am very careful with all of my devices. This happened through normal wear and tear, not some crazy abuse or dropping it or anything like that.

~DragonHeart~