The temptations of an e-reader
I finally succumbed to the temptation of buying an e-reader. I didn’t buy a Kindle or a Nook as neither is sold in a big way in Mumbai. I have seen just one Kindle model in retail stores and not a single Nook tablet anywhere. Amazon has now formally entered India and it remains to be seen what the world’s largest online retailer has to offer to probably the world’s most e-gadget obsessed nation.
At first, I thought I’d buy an inexpensive tablet without a “phone” or “calling” option because all I wanted was to read ebooks. I went through the lineup of tablets like iball, Dell, Sony, and Acer with 10-inch screens, selling for anywhere between Rs.5,000 and Rs.10,000 ($83 to $166). The dollar recently bummed Rs.11 ($.50) off the rupee.
Unsure of just how good these tablets were, my son convinced me into buying the popular Samsung Galaxy Tab2 with 7.1-inch screen, 16-GB built-in memory, and a calling option. He said it cost more (Rs.16,000 or $320) but it was more reliable than any other tablet on the Indian market with excellent after-sales service. I’m glad I heeded his advice.
At first, I thought I’d buy an inexpensive tablet without a “phone” or “calling” option because all I wanted was to read ebooks. I went through the lineup of tablets like iball, Dell, Sony, and Acer with 10-inch screens, selling for anywhere between Rs.5,000 and Rs.10,000 ($83 to $166). The dollar recently bummed Rs.11 ($.50) off the rupee.
Unsure of just how good these tablets were, my son convinced me into buying the popular Samsung Galaxy Tab2 with 7.1-inch screen, 16-GB built-in memory, and a calling option. He said it cost more (Rs.16,000 or $320) but it was more reliable than any other tablet on the Indian market with excellent after-sales service. I’m glad I heeded his advice.
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| An illustrative picture of an Aldiko book shelf |
The tablet, backed by lots of free and exciting stuff from Android, has plenty of features that I haven’t explored yet. The first thing I asked my son to do was to download a simple but efficient ebook reader from Android and he showed no hesitation in choosing Aldiko for my proposed ebook library. It’s a terrific application and I couldn’t have asked for a more uncomplicated reader. I have now stacked up the “book shelf” with lots of copyright-free ebooks across categories I like reading, including non-fiction.
I also downloaded a couple of apps for my trivial pursuits like chess and scrabble. I haven’t played either of the two yet and I still have to get around to films and music.
An e-reader has lots of advantages and almost no disadvantages that I can think of. If there is one, then it is choosing between a real book and an ebook to read. I often find myself putting away a torn and tattered book midway for the pleasure of reading an ebook on a sophisticated device. My books in the real world are crying out to be read.
I also downloaded a couple of apps for my trivial pursuits like chess and scrabble. I haven’t played either of the two yet and I still have to get around to films and music.
An e-reader has lots of advantages and almost no disadvantages that I can think of. If there is one, then it is choosing between a real book and an ebook to read. I often find myself putting away a torn and tattered book midway for the pleasure of reading an ebook on a sophisticated device. My books in the real world are crying out to be read.
the main advantages to an ereader are 1) a lot of good stuff these days is only being published in ebook, and 2) you can carry a whole lot of books in a very little space. Otherwise I still prefer a print book just to sit down and read.
ReplyDeleteCharles, I have downloaded some early books that I have been meaning to read. Besides, Kindle works well on this tablet and I have included some of my purchases from Amazon. I agree, there is no substitute for reading a print book.
DeleteI have the aldiko app, as well as Kindle & Google's own play books on my nexus. Between the 3 of them I can carry an stupidly large quantity of books with me.Yet like Charles I also still prefer physical books, although I wouldn't be without my nexus because I can use it to edit posts, store information & ideas about what I'm reading which I couldn't do with a hard copy.
ReplyDeleteParrish Lantern, I know what you mean by a "stupidly large quantity of books" because I didn't know which copyright-free books to import on the tablet. I wanted them all. I have never been methodical about my reading. Physical books have their own charm and I continue to read at least two at a time. I'm also looking for a good word processor app for the tablet. Any suggestions?
DeleteWell done, I don't own one myself, but use an e-reader from my laptop. I don't think you can beat the feel, look and smell of a paperback, whether it's brand new or aged. But availability and price has a lot to do with how my library grows.
ReplyDeleteCol, thank you. I feel normal now! Before the purchase of the tablet, I read ebooks on the laptop and desktop which has certain limitations. Most of my ebooks are stored on the two computers. Now I can download those same books directly onto my tablet which supports pdf, epub, txt, and doc formats; though, epub works best. True, you certainly can't beat the feel of a good book in your hands.
DeleteI am in agreement on reading paper is better, more comfortable and I love the covers (mostly). But... we also bought a Samsung Tablet to be our first e-reader. Later we bought a Kindle paperwhite, and it works well for us to have both because my husband enjoys using the tablet for reading email and etc. too. But I usually prefer the tablet as a e-reader because I like the size of the screen although not the weight. I am reading an e-book right now, only about my 5th one in nine months. But I have many more books on there I want to read.
ReplyDeleteTracy, apart from Aldiko I read some ebooks on a Kindle app on my tablet, which I also use to check emails and surf the internet. It's quite a handy device and the point and type face of the printed matter is easy on the eyes. The weight doesn't bother me; it's about as heavy as a 300-page book. I continue to read physical books already in my possession. I usually read two books each in both formats. However, certain books like the classics I'll always read in print form. Reading has become innovative.
DeleteI hope you enjoy your reader, Prashant. I use mine rarely but it is still useful for travelling.
ReplyDeleteSarah, I'm enjoying the experience of reading on an e-reader, especially while commuting by train to and from work. I read physical books at home.
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