should I buy a reading device. i.e kinldle?

[Micaela]

I got a Kindle keybord and I love it because it is able to fit in almostany puse so you can bring it with you wherever but I have had to get three kindles and now a fourth because my screen likes to freez up and its nice cuz they were all with in the warenty so the two replacements were free but this fourth one wont be so thats the only thing to worry about. I feel that it doesn't save you too much money when it comes to books but I think its worth it.

[Jenna]

ive done the research they say nook tablet is better then the kindle fire it has better features, more pixcels in the screen u can add memory to it BUT ive heard that kindle (amazon) has better deals on books

[Jenna]

i still read actual copies of books, but i love my nook, in my book club we pass books around so i get alot of free books and lets face it in this day and age alot of us are broke, so its nice since reading is my main hobby. and there are several websites where u can download free books my bf got me my nook for my birthday last year i didnt start using it til i joined my book club and now i take that nook EVERYWHERE its like my cell phone i check before i leave the house to make sure i have it haha and u dont have to have wifi to buy books but it makes it alot easier i have a basic nook, its the nook 1st edition so its the first nook they ever made and i love it

[Audrey]

I purchased a kindle fire about a month ago and I LOVE IT. I also love that it has a free GoodReads app that makes swapping book shelves/updating/etc on here a total breeze. We have a VERY tight budget around my house, and I have to say it took me a while to be able to afford to purchase the kindle fire, but I am SO glad that I did. With money being so tight, every single penny has to be well thought before spending, and again, definitely worth it.

Also, if you're on a tight budget, there are literally thousands of free books to download straight from amazon plus you can share with friends, borrow from the library an so on.

I would definitely recommend an eReader... well, at least the Kindle Fire. As i havent had any other, I can't make a comparison but I can say (yet again lol) that i LOVEEEEEE mine =D

[Ayah]

hi i have a pico life and it plays movie and music and there is a special website i know were u can get free ebooks from so i use my pico life everyday but i still get boooks alll the time frommy libray and mostly use the pico life for reading FOR EMERGENCYIES when i have run out of books anf have to wait to go back to the library it is definetlyyyyy worth it

[Jeni]

I have an iPad and adore it immensely for reading my favorite books. My daughter has a wi-fi Kindle and LOVES it. She's 15, so it's perfect for taking to school, library, etc.

[Tim]

I got a Nook for Christmas last year. At first, I thought, "But, I love my books." Now, I can't do without it. No more flashlights under the covers...I love to read in the dark.

[Jeni]

Just a bit of advice when shopping: Some of these are backlit and some are not. If you don't like the light coming from the screen in a dark room (think of sitting at your computer in the dark), then get a Kindle. If you don't mind the backlighting, then Nook, Kindle Fire, iPad are all good options.

My friend cannot read with the light coming from the screen, but I have more trouble reading with light coming from behind or above. It's just a thought.

[[deleted user]]

NO!!!UGH there is nothing better than the feel of a book in your hand, not some device. Sorry but ugh kindles etc. bug me. REAL BOOKS FOREVER!!!

[Keri]

I wavered back and forth for a long time about getting a Kindle because as some have said here, there is just something about the feel of a book in your hand and I really didn't think I'd use it that much. But my husband finally talked me into it and I adore my Kindle now that I have it I would never give it up. It is just very convenient and useful. I read a lot of classics and can get them all free on the Kindle. Most kindle books are cheaper than buying a brand new book. If there is a archaic word I am not sure of I can just scroll to it and the dictionary will pop up giving the definition. I can arrange my books in groups. I can send work documents and pdf files to my kindle with a computer app. I can change the font, play games, go online etc. and much more convenient to take on trips. I won't stop buying real books and adding to my library but I don't regret owning a Kindle.

[David]

I couldn't have discovered this discussion at a better time. I have been debating asking Santa for an e-reader for Christmas. There are some older books I want to read that I cannot find in stores or on-line at a reasonable price ($21.95 for a paperback! Really?), and imagine I can get them for a Kindle or Nook for a lot less. If I'm wrong, let me know!
While I agree with Baylor that nothing beats the feel of a real book, sometimes you have to adopt and adapt to new things to get the books you want.

[Plethora]

If you want it for reading only, not angry birds, then you don't need the Kindle Fire. In addition, personally, I can't read for long on the Fire, as its like reading on a computer screen. I love my Kindle e-ink versions. I own a Kindle Keyboard, Touch and have the new Paperwhite version on pre-order. We do own the Fire's and have the new HD versions on order as well. But they are primarily used for other entertainment. My teen doesn't mind reading on her Fire, but she prefers a real book if given a choice between the two.

I have found myself reading much more since purchasing my Kindle. I still read traditional books as well.

You asked about needing wi-fi. The Kindle's have 3G and wi-fi only models. If you have a wi-fi only model, then yes, you will need to have access to wi-fi, either setting up on your home network or hopping on a free spot. Many places have free wi-fi avialable. If you get the 3G model it works like cell phone coverage, so you will be able to download a book anywhere cell phone coverage exist. There is no monthly cost for the 3G models. They cost a bit more upfront is all.

I enjoy the ease of carrying it around in my purse and having access to a wide array of my reading material. I will change what I am reading based upon the mood or amount of time I have to read. I wouldn't want to carry around 5 traditional books, for example, on a daily basis. But can carry 100's if I want on my Kindle. I don't load all my e-books onto to my Kindle, I let most of them reside in the Amazon cloud. I know alot of people will keep all hundreds on their Kindle. But it is easy to swap out books and I don't see a reason to bog down my device with so many to sort through.

In short, I highly recommend Kindle to everyone I know.

[Angela]

I have a Kobo Wifi and I love it! I don't like backlit screens so the e-ink on the Kobo is ideal. However, I still read a lot of paper books (I work in a library, so that's a given!) but I do love my Kobo too.

[Amy]

I have mixed feelings for my Nook simple touch (eInk screen). I love it for the portability, especially for huge books. But, the pricing of Nook books (not sure about other kinds - Amazon, etc.) has become outrageous, in my mind. The price for the eBook is usually only within a dollar or so of the printed copy, and sometimes I've found that the printed version is on sale for less than the eBook. If there is only a dollar (sometimes less) difference, I'd rather get the physical book I can lend to as many people as I want (versus the very limited number of "lend me" books that can only be lent once for 2 weeks). Also, I'm a heavy library user, but it seems like a lot of titles I want to read are not at the library in eBook. Want to know why? The publishers won't sell library eBook rights for their most popular authors because it cuts down on the number of people who would buy the book. I'm sort of heading back to tradition, I guess :)

[Claudia the Night Owl]

Absolutely I'd get an iPad if I could so I make do with my smart phone but yea reading tablets are great you can carry around hundreds of books at your fingertips.

[Plethora]

E-book pricing for the big publishing houses was set by the publishers. So BN/Amazon all had to charge the same price, as they were merely middlemen. Three of the big five publishers have settled with the DOJ, the other two and apple are wanting to take it to trial.

Prices for some books have been coming down since the settlement. There is still lots of inexpensive books to be had. Amazon always has daily deals with at least one book (sometimes more) in the $1-3 range. They also have 100 priced at 3.99 of less in a monthly special they run. Lots of indie writers offer books for much cheaper. I can't speak to if BN runs these types of sales as I don't have a Nook.

Many local libraries use the Overdrive service so you can borrow books. If you are a prime member at Amazon you can borrow one book a month from the kindle owners library. There is also a library that will offer membership to anyone for $35 year that is suppose to have a good selection of ebooks, I can't recall name.

And of course the classics that are outside of copyright are free in the public domain now.

ereaderiq.com is one service to use for tracking prices. You can enter the URL for the ebook you'd like and set parameters to how much you want the price to change and they will notify you if parameters are meet. So if random unannounced specials spring up you can be aware of them.

[Jenna]

Baylor wrote: "NO!!!UGH there is nothing better than the feel of a book in your hand, not some device. Sorry but ugh kindles etc. bug me. REAL BOOKS FOREVER!!!"

i felt the same way til i started using my nook

[Jenna]

Amy wrote: "I have mixed feelings for my Nook simple touch (eInk screen). I love it for the portability, especially for huge books. But, the pricing of Nook books (not sure about other kinds - Amazon, etc.) ha..."

Amy try these websites out for ur nook www.epubbud.com and 4shared.com free books :)

[Nichola]

Baylor wrote: "NO!!!UGH there is nothing better than the feel of a book in your hand, not some device. Sorry but ugh kindles etc. bug me. REAL BOOKS FOREVER!!!"

I felt this way but in the end resorted to buying a Sony ereader due to lack of space in my house. I never go anywhere without my electronic book and much as I will never do away with my library, I doubt I will buy a physical book again. There are just so many advantages to an electronic book AND I really don't miss the real books in the way I thought I would.

I have a lot of friends who are avid book readers who felt this same way about books, but once they tried an ereader they changed their minds.

Definitely worth the investment. Sony isn't the market leader but they were the first to design and produce an electronic book. All of the products available are really good, you just have to find the one that suits you. I wouldn't change from Sony because it reads pretty much any format, others prefer kindle because you can download directly onto the book whereas the ereader needs a pc connection.

Its a bit like PS3 Vs Xbox 360. Both great machines you just have to decide which suits you best.

[Amber]

I've had my Nook Color for almost two years now, and I have to say its the best gift that I have ever gotten. I worried that I would miss the feel of a book in my hands, but that isn't the case. My husband used to hate it when I read in bed with the light on, so I was forced to stumble to bed into the dark hours after he went to bed because I had to read downstairs. Not anymore! I read in bed every night. It even has a night time setting that is less hard on your eyes.

Yes, the books can be just as expensive if you purchase them hot off the presses. But on B&N I have a wish list, and if you wait long enough, most of the time your books go on sale. Recently I purchased a book for half the price it was originally listed for. Also, there are TONS of good, low-cost books by more obscure authors who are looking to get their names out there.

I think the Nook was a great investment and encourage anyone who is on the fence to go for it... It's worth it.

[Nichola]

Waterstones do the same thing. If I want a book I put it on a wish list and wait for it to drop in price (it always does.) I personally don't like the back lit ones, it's too much like reading from a computer screen and I think the others are much more like reading a real book but as I said, it's really down to individual preference on the various details but on the whole each ereader has it's merits and all seem to be pretty good devices.

[Wanda]

I LOVE my Kindle Fire. It lives in my purse (when I'm not using it or charging the battery), so I'm NEVER caught having to wait somewhere without a book. It's less bulky/heavy than a lot of physical books & I have a variety of books to choose from depending on my mood at the time (and how distracted, or not, I am at the moment). I mostly get the free books & occasionally the really cheap ones, but am buying a favorite series--one book each payday. I still love the library and "real" books, but having the e-reader just gives me more options...and it's nice to be able to download free books when I can't get to the library.

[[deleted user]]

If you want to buy one, get a Kindle! I love my Kindle! It is the best! I've tried using a Nook and I found the Kindle a lot better.

[Emma]

I have the newest kindle (that's not a fire) and I love it! It's great to have the convenience of having a book on you all the time. Especially in High School were you want to save your back from carrying around so much stuff. I enjoy the feeling of turning each page of a real book, however the convenience of a kindle is very useful.

[Gabby]

You might as well, you can get heaps of free books

[Tess]

NO. you dont need to. i tryed my moms kindle and ide much rather have a real, paper copie.

[Tina]

I have the 2nd or 3rd edition of the kindle and an iPad. I loved reading on my kindle, before it I got the ipad. Now I read most of my books on the free kindle app in my iPad. It is back lit, but you can adjust the color of the page, size of font and brightness of light. I like the app because it shows the front cover of your books, instead of just the titles. I also enjoy reading reall books and audiobooks.

[Jenna]

Sadaf wrote: "YES YES YES!! i love my kindle you can take it anywhere
and doesnt take up much room.
i still read normal books sometimes"

yea i still read physical copies and i still buy the books in the series that ive always collected but an ereader is just nice because u can get tons of free books. So why not test free books and if u like them buy the physical copy then

[Elizabeth]

I love both real books and my Kindle. So go ahead! It's nice to not have to make a trip to a library or bookstore every time you need a new book. Plus, Kindle books are cheaper than real books.
If you're going to get one, I recomment Kindle. I love it! The kind I have is not the Kindle Fire, but the Kindle... um, I don't know what it's called, but it has a tiny keyboard on it, which can make it useful for searching dictionaries, which you get for free with the Kindle. (At least that's the case with the kind I have.)

[Nusaiba]

I love my kindle, it's portable, and its battery lasts forever (i have the touch). I do prefer reading from 'real' books but I travel alot and books are heavy so its harder to lug them around. If I didnt travel I dont think I would appreciate my Kindle as much, but currently it is my constant lifesaver.

[Arlene]

If you're more of a techie and not a hardcore bibliophile, then having a nook, kindle or any similar e-reading device it's ok. One of the benefits is having your entire collection in the palm of your hands leaving more room in your home for other stuff. It's also ideal for frequent travelers.

I on the other hand still prefer reading and collecting books. There's just something about the feel and smell of books that I love. I've had to relocate to different countries several times and I've found that something that helped me deal with starting over in a place with an unfamiliar language and culture, and not knowing anyone, was books. It's my emotional and intellectual "comfort food" (like mac and cheese!)