Have you ever given (or received) an ebook? What about an electronic device for reading digital books? Would you want one? What about your bibliophile friends?
If you don't yet own one, you've probably at least heard about some of best ebook readers now available. And, new devices have been hitting the market throughout this year.
The New York Times cites a Forrester Research report that "at least 10.3 million e-readers could be in circulation by the end of the year." That's estimated to more than double the number of electronic devices currently in use (some 9 million).
But, do the number or quality of new devices, or the greater availability of digital books (for download and/or purchase) make a difference to you? If you're a student, you may already be using an ebook device to read your textbooks, or at least downloading/viewing texts via your laptop. Are you expecting others to buy you a ebook device or a digital book? Or, the real question: given the option, would you buy it for yourself? Even if you would like to buy such a gift for one of your bookish friends, does the expense deter you? Would your friend (or you) prefer a "real," over-the-counter, hard-cover (or soft-cover) book?
I've always been something of the geekish sort (I love technology and tend to be fairly comfortable with it). My little Droid phone has several ebook-reader applications, so I can take many of the books from my library with me if I wish. And, yes, I love the potential size advantages of the digital book. I can download and carry a book for FREE. But, I STILL love to sit down (or curl up) with a good book. And, there's something about the experience of reading a "real" book that I just have never found a substitute for (with a digital format)!
Comments
I work in a library, so I can get any book I want. I also love gadgets, so I have ebook reader apps on my Blackberry. I can take lots of books with me wherever I go and not worry about how heavy they are. My favorite thing to do is curl up on the couch and read a real book, though. Whether bound or digital, I can never get enough books to read!
I can see where this device would be a good thing … going on vacation, a hospital stay, school (where they already carry too many books), etc. It’s great, too, that you can carry a multitude of books with you in the device. But! I will never give up my books. I love the feel, the smell, the comfort of reading my books. My bookshelves would look awfully funny if I didn’t have any books in them. I guess my answer is that it’s a good tool for convenience sake, but don’t you dare ask me to live without my full-size books!!