My husband bought me a Kindle when they were originally released several years ago now. As an avid reader and book lover it wasn’t a product I would have thought that I would want, use or like–but I was wrong. I’ve found the Kindle to have a multitude of benefits, most notably as a tool when traveling. My Kindle (and now my Android which has a Kindle app) cuts down significantly on luggage weight! I also like being able to get access to information immediately. When I hear of a book I’m interested in, I can simply buy and download it. No need to find, travel to or spend time at a bookstore.
On the other hand, I’ve also found over time that there are times when I still like to read hard copy books:
- When I’m on a plane at the beginning and end of a flight and not able to use electronic devices!
- When I really like a book and want to “own” it in a physical form. This happened when I read the Girl With A Dragon Tattoo books on the Kindle. I liked them so much I wanted hard copies so I bought them! And recently I ordered a number of my old favorite books from childhood just so I could “have” them.
- When I want to share something I enjoy with someone else. Even though Amazon offers the opportunity to do this it’s not quite the same as physically lending a book to someone – and not everyone is yet ebook-equipped
My decision to purchase “real books” versus read them on the Kindle is somewhat similar to how I’ve traditionally differentiated between buying hard cover and paperback books. I buy books on the Kindle when I intend to use them primarily as research/reference, when I’m just curious about whether I’ll like the book or when I consider it to be a “throwaway.” When it’s a book by an author I love or on a topic that is important to me, I still prefer a hard copy – or both!
Personally, I think there’s a place for both and always will be. I could, of course, be wrong.
Recommended Reading:
The Everything Guide to Customer Engagement
Tags: books, Journalism, publishing, reading, Technology