The Sword and Laser discussion
Different reading style ebook vs. dead tree
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Dazerla
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Jun 03, 2012 06:24PM
It's been awhile since I read a dead tree version for pleasure, and noticed something while reading Tigania. I'm taking longer to read simply since I'm not reading during down time like a do with an ebook, or I'll read an article or something else and forget I have a book to read. This is really strange because before I switched over to ebooks I didn't do this, I brought my book with me, and actually rememberd to read it. Anyone else notice this? Or is this just me?
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If I'm reading ebooks I'm far more likely to carry it around with me. My Kindle fits in my pocket whereas few books do.
I find since switching to Kindle that I'm actually doing more reading. A lot of it has to do with the portability - but a lot of it also has to do with the fact that as soon as I hear about the book I can jump online and grab it and if its not the first book in a series I can quickly find those as well. While previously, I hear about a book and think I gotta get that out of the library or from the book store and then just forget or never get around to it.
I, too, have a tendency to forget the paper book unless it's a topic I'm burning to learn. I'm more likely to drop the paper book if it's not grabbing me.
I haven't really noticed a change. It's harder to take some paper books out with me due to size, weight, etc., so sometimes I might take the kindle instead, but most often if I'm in the middle of a paper book, I'll just take that with me instead/as well.
I've run out of shelf space for books, so a Kindle's a must have for me. Whilst nothing beats the feel and experience of rustling through an old paperback, with the hard to explain feeling of getting to know a book's past, the kindle has sheer portability and accessibility on it's side. I like to 'power' read once on a kindle, and buy the books I love, second hand, weather beaten but more alive with personality in dead tree.But then I'm just a bit weird.
I actually still prefer dead-tree editions for certain things, like series I like... for instance, I am kicking myself for not having bought Tigana as a paper book as I really enjoyed it...On the other hand, I can very easily carry 100's of books and get to them at some point with e-books and as long as I have my iPad with me and enough time on my hands, I can continue or start a new book.
For portability I read more now that I have my ereader. But if I find a book I really like in an e-format I will usually try to acquire a hard copy. At any given time I am usually reading something on my kindle, nook and then a paperback of some sort. I always have a problem sticking with one book at a time even if I'm enjoying the book. I guess I have a touch of ADD in that regard. It's nice to jump around.
I hate reading on my iPad. I don't know how you guys do it. It's way to big.
I tend not to read paper books in public because I feel like it makes me stand out, while everyone and thier mother is constantly looking at some sort of screen so its only natural to be reading something. nobody knows if your reading tweets off your facewall and talking about sandwichs with that weird person you met at the bar once or actually reading a superb book.
@Felina, My job constantly upgrade me on my tech, so I have an iPad 3 now... The extra weight bother's me, but the iPad 2 was nice... My sister just got a Kindle, and to be honest, I find the screen too small...
I have the Nook Touch. I had the Kindle Touch but I traded it to my SIL for her 3rd gen Kindle cause I kept touching the screen when I didn't mean to. As far as size and ease of physical use I prefer my Nook Touch. I think Kindle/amazon are ultimately easier to use. I have both apps on my iPad but I hate using it. To big. To bright. To awkward.
I always had trouble dragging books around because I always forget them. I did better when I was in school, but I was so used to dragging things around with me that it was easier.Anymore, if its not attached to me or shoved into a pocket, I will very likely forget it. Since my phone (which is also my e-reader) is always in my pocket when not in use, I don't leave it behind like I do a DTE.
I find I'm the opposite, when I'm reading a dead tree version I'm less likely to get distracted and I find it easier to flick back and check things. On my iPad I get distracted while reading. Often coming here to check discussions..... >_>But I love the convenience of being able to do other things on my iPad so I wouldn't given it up and it's awesome to be able to have the books I want when I want. I agree with Nimrod though, I'm liking Tigana so much I wish I'd bought the DT edition.
Mel wrote: "I agree with Nimrod though, I'm liking Tigana so much I wish I'd bought the DT edition. "I had to fight the urge to start re-reading Tigana 2 minutes after I finished it... To be honest, I have no idea why I haven't bought the DTE already so that next time around I can re-read on the real deal!
Mel wrote: "I find I'm the opposite, when I'm reading a dead tree version I'm less likely to get distracted and I find it easier to flick back and check things. On my iPad I get distracted while reading. Oft..."Very true.
Nimrod wrote: "I actually still prefer dead-tree editions for certain things, like series I like... for instance, I am kicking myself for not having bought Tigana as a paper book as I really enjoyed it...On the..."
This is exactly how I am, I'm an instant gratification kind of girl, if I want a book I can just get it, no driving to the store involved. But if it's a series I've been collecting, I'll get the actual paper book to put on my shelf with the others.
Zach wrote: "I tend not to read paper books in public because I feel like it makes me stand out, while everyone and thier mother is constantly looking at some sort of screen so its only natural to be reading so..."That's what I hate about reading on a device with internet access.
I find I'm more likely to stop mid-chapter with an ebook, whereas with DTE's I tend to mostly read to chapter ends or natural breaks in the text. I'm not sure why that is, but it means I tend to read more with an ebook because I'm not particularly worried about reading to the end of the chapter/section.
I've noticed I read both faster and more on my Kobo. I got it for Christmas last year and wanted to read 100 books in 2012. I've read 55 already (a few of them were comics though, so they don't count)!Still, that is a lot for me.
I think it's the fact that you can adjust the font type and size to your personal needs. Of course I read faster if it's easy on the eyes. Then, the e-reader is always with me. Five minutes on the train - sure I'm reading. With a brick of a paperback I maybe wouldn't bother.
@Other Paul: Yeah, I've noticed that about myself too. Usually, in paper books, I will at least finish the chapter or find a nice line break to stop reading. On the e-reader it doesn't really matter. Strange... makes me want to do an e-reader psychology study. :)
I carry a backpack with me everywhere. In it are my ipad, ipod, Nook and usually a few dead tree books. I tend to be reading one paper book and one or two e-books and typically I read my paper book on the bus ride to and from work and read my Nook over lunch.
Mel wrote: "I find I'm the opposite, when I'm reading a dead tree version I'm less likely to get distracted and I find it easier to flick back and check things. On my iPad I get distracted while reading. Oft..."Me, too.
I have a kobo, a Sony T1 and a smart phone. I have lots of ebooks. But I notice that I have a greater chance of putting down an ebook and wandering away. Physical books have a much better chance at completion with me...whereas ebooks have to really WOW me.
MrsJoseph wrote: "I have a kobo, a Sony T1 and a smart phone. I have lots of ebooks. But I notice that I have a greater chance of putting down an ebook and wandering away. Physical books have a much better chance at completion with me...whereas ebooks have to really WOW me..."It's funny, I'm the complete opposite. I just have a simple ereader.. A Kindle, not touch screen or anything, all I can do on it is read books. I find I'm less likely to be distracted when reading with it, and that I can read for longer (less eye fatigue). I also find myself walking around the house reading it. Gotta use the bathroom? Read while I walk. I've face planted into several walls because of that habit...
Dawn wrote: "I find I'm less likely to be distracted when reading with it, and that I can read for longer (less eye fatigue). I also find myself walking around the house reading it. Gotta use the bathroom? Read while I walk. I've face planted into several walls because of that habit... "I do that with regular books, lol.
What I find funny is those who say "the touch screen makes me flip pages when I don't mean to."Not sure how that happens, but I've seen the comment enough where I have to suspect it happens a bit... I can't see how that happens though... I'm on an iPad and I don't have that trouble... Is it while you read in a bus/train/car/plane?
Darren wrote: "Same. I deliberately bought the most basic model I could find, after seeing my buddy watching Mad Men on his Kindle Fire... if I'm going to watch tv or movies, what's the point? Also, the battery lasts forever..."Yep, me too. Love the battery life and the price... And as for watching videos and such, I got a tablet for that reason. Bigger than a Kindle Fire and not much more expensive, overall I'm pleased with my choices.
Nimrod wrote: "What I find funny is those who say "the touch screen makes me flip pages when I don't mean to."Not sure how that happens, but I've seen the comment enough where I have to suspect it happens a bit..."
I've had that happen when I unconsciously dust something off the screen or hit the screen wrong when checking the percentage. It is however usually only one page and I just flip back.
@Julia, I can understand that, but some comments I've read are to the extent of "I can barely hold it without the page turning" which makes no sense to me...I can only imagine that some people rest their thumbs inside the bezel of the Kindle Touch or on the iPad screen itself... Then again, like with everything Apple, "you're holding it wrong"...
Nimrod wrote: "@Julia, I can understand that, but some comments I've read are to the extent of "I can barely hold it without the page turning" which makes no sense to me...I can only imagine that some people re..."
Some e-readers can be set, and sometimes default, to turn page on a tap instead of a swipe. It is possible this might be the issue for some people.
It depends on my mood really. As others have mentioned...I find it easier to flip back to previously read sections in dead tree books. But as a mother of three small children, my iPad is awesome for reading. The toddlers don't crinkle and rip the pages, and while I'm feeding the baby I can still read with ease one-handed as I don't have to hold the book open or flip pages awkwardly. Rereadng favorites I prefer paperback...and so all my favorite books I have actual paper copies of. :)
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Not sure how that happens, but I've seen the comment enough where I have to suspect it happens a bit... I can't see how that happens though... I'm on an iPad and I don't have that trouble... Is it while you read in a bus/train/car/plane?"
I do it all the time on my iPad. I keep my thumb almost touching the screen, as I go through pages fairly quickly (20 - 30 secs) sometimes my thumb lightly touches the screen and flips before I'm ready. No big deal. I just flip straight back.
I could adjust the settings to a swipe instead but that just slows me down too much.
Julia wrote: "I've had that happen when I unconsciously dust something off the screen or hit the screen wrong when checking the percentage. It is however usually only one page and I just flip back. "That's what happens when I use my Nook Color. I much prefer my Kindle as I don't have that problem. Especially annoying on the Nook is when you acidentally hit the timeline down the bottom and it skips to half way through the book with no easy way of getting back unless I happened to remember the page.
I'm seeing many people comment on the portability. Honestly, that hasn't changed for me since I switched to the Kobo. What has changed is that I now carry a much smaller purse, since I was always in the habbit of carrying around whatever book I am currently into. The big change (other than the purse) is that since I usually have at least two books on the go, I now have the luxury of switching between them throughout the day, rather than only having one of them at my disposal. On an unrelated note, I do miss the smell of the dead tree prits. Most of the books I read before the Kobo were older copies from Mom's massive collection, so they always had that "library" smell to them.
I read on my iPad. As much as I like the DTE (mostly the smell), it's just not convenient: portability (on iPhone as well), reading at night, the ability to search text, instant definition of unknown words (I'm Italian), ability to annotate and instantly refer back to them, ease of purchase...There are just too many advantages to ebooks.
First I was a sceptic when it came to ebooks. But the moment came where rationality conquered scepsis. My shelves where already to full and I didn’t know where to store all my books, so I decided to get me an eReader from Sony two years ago. Right now I barely have books at home. Only books that are not available as ebook or special hardcovers that also look nice in the shelf. Cause I am reading a lot in English instead of German I like the advantaged that it is easier to get an ebook instead of a printed version. As well as availability as well as in price. Because we Germans have the habit to split things. For example the Dragonlance Novels by Hickman/Weiß or the first Forgotten Realms Novels by R.A. Salvatore were always split into two books instead of one. While the publishers might have their reason for this kind of thing beneath profit. I actually don’t like to pay double for one.
This thread is really showing the impact of ebooks. I'm still into paperbacks but do have a few ebooks on iPad. As long as authors are getting paid I don't really mind how they read it. I'm even happier to hear that many people are reading more since the move to ebooks.
I love my kobo, but I do miss having DTE for my bookshelf when I have read a series that I liked, but I have run out of space. Plus like everyone else its just so easy to access I dont have to go into town I dont even have to plug the e reader in now because of wireless.
I read both hard copies and ebooks on my Nook Color. Sometimes I'm not able to find an e-copy of a book I need for class, research purposes or just the old reason of plain old for fun. I do tend to read quicker in ebooks though, even while taking detailed notes on good resources to refer to in research and writing. Don't know why that is though.
Like many here, I buy the DT version if I really like the e-book. One thing I haven't seen mentioned is how easy it is to pickup where you're reading on different devices. I usually read on my GTab 10.1 but can pick up reading the ebook on by GNexus.
I read a whole lot more on my Kindle than I used to read before in DT books. A matter of cost, space and availability. I read on my Kindle or I read on the Kindle app for my BlackBerry but I rarely read DT books anymore. Though, like many others, I will get the DT version when I really love a book.
Since I bought my kindle, I hadn't bought a real book. I lapsed last week and bought two dead tree editions (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and Fevre Dream) But since I've bought my kindle I've read pretty much exclusively on it. I have the kindle apps on my iPad and my phone but I don't use them at all, I find the screens too bright and glary. Plus the Kindle's easier than lugging around a 700 page paperback or a 1000+ page hardback. Technology FTW.
Another time that I end up getting print copies is if I go to a conference or festival that covers writing. Mostly because as a writer currently trying to make his first sale of fiction, I can network with writers who have. So I get the books, talk to the writer a bit and usually end up with a signed copy of the book that gives encouragement as well as some form of contact information.
Just for grins I put up a poll asking people for their preferred format.
