Unexpected Kindle Downside

[Paul]

I only recently acquired a kindle (although this applies to any e reader) and i have noticed a problem that i had not considered. I normally read during lunch at work. So when i was reading paper books, with their interesting cover art and titles my co-workers would quite often ask me about them. Several times i have been able to get people to read sci-fi or fantasy that they would not otherwise have looked at twice. but since i started reading at work on the kindle i have noticed that people don't tend to ask me about what i am reading as much. I put this down to the fact that on the kindle i could be reading anything, there is not that interesting cover or title that people can see to interest them
Anyone else noticed this, or come across any other unexpected downsides of e-readers?

[Alu]

I can see the issue there. Sometimes seeing what book you're reading or what others are reading can strike up great conversations, turn into friendship, relationships etc. I'm less inclined to ask when I see someone on a Kindle because you just initiated a conversation and mostly have not heard of the book or have no interest in the book. Where do you go from there?

I'm a little indifferent at the same time though because when I'm reading usually I HATE when people come over and start talking to me. I wanna be reading damnit. I have a guy at my work that will usually sit somewhere behind my table and start talking to my back while reading. Not cool.

I guess it really all depends situation and what kind of person you are in that respect.

[David(LA,CA)]

I've had some tech issues with specific books. Some of the early books in the X-wing series liked to jump several pages. Like, everything was there, but turning from the page you finished to the next would switch you from the middle of pilot chatter to a meeting between two imperials talking about the outcome of the battle you were in the middle of. I would have to power off my hardware to fix it.

Other than that, the only thing that comes to mind is Talion: Revenant. I read it previously, and wanted to look something up for a question when we saw that he was going to be interviewed. But when I un-archived it, the formatting had gone all to hell. It's now like someone is zoomed in on the page, and I can't seem to get out of it.

Also, I have a purchased book stuck on my wishlist because of some wifi issues when making the purchase. I guess I'll always want that book, even after I've finished reading it.

[Phil]

I feel the same as you Paul. I like my coworkers to see what I'm reading and ask me questions about it. I think I have inspired a few to read books they otherwise wouldn't have picked up. I guess it's a nerdy form of showing off for me.

[Tamahome]

Too bad the cover isn't displayed on the back (or lucky if you're reading something naughty).

[Agrajag]

I don't own a Sony Vita but I believe it has a feature that lets you see what other Vita owners in your vicinity are playing. That same sort of technology could be implemented on e-readers. Obviously, this is something you'd have to be able to turn off. And it would only reach out to fellow tech-lugging geeks. Everyone else would still be in the dark. So, yeah....

[Lorie]

One of the main reasons I got my Kindle is that one of my co-workers will see what you are reading and tell you everything that happens. She ruined several books for me. :( I don't think she even knows she is doing it. She just wants to talk about it really bad and can't wait. "Oh, you'll love it when such and such happens." (shakes head)

I prop my Kindle on a napkin holder in the break room and some people think I am really sad because I am staring at nothing.

[Darren]

I have just got to get me one of those mugs.

I got a kindle early on in the UK and have become the base guru on all things kindle. That thing has certainly started more conversations that it ever stopped.

[V]

On the upside, nobody sees embarrassing cover art.

[terpkristin]

I want that mug. How awesome.

[Nils]

I can see the problem - even though I don't appreciate being chatted up on my books very much, I absolutely love looking at other peoples books. It's really a gateway for finding out who's into Sword&Laser.

Even though we have made quite some steps into the limelight, I still wouldn't feel comfortable in simply bringing up that I'm e.g. a Warhammer gamer and roleplayer. If I saw that the guy next to me on the ferry is reading through the latest Warhammer 40k fiction, it's a lot easier.

I've had the effect of being chatted up for even owning an ebook (iRiver in my case) alot more. But those kind of talks rarely lead to an actual conversation about the topic of the book and are more about ebooks in general, naturally.

[Dharmakirti]

The only "downside" I've had is that I read a lot of books on Buddhist philsophy and I've noticed problem with my Nook being able to render Sanskrit (in Devangari script as well as some diacritical marks in the romanized form) as well as Tibetan uchen script.

Seeing as I don't read these languages, it's not that big of a deal, but it is a little annoying.

[Miss_Tessa_Melissa]

I really enjoy used bookstores. The prices are great for book clubbers because I am not 100% sure I'm going to love the book. If I do love a book, I'll take the extra step and buy myself a nice hardback of it, and lend the used paperback to a friend (I live by the rule of never lending a book without accepting that it may disappear forever). With the Kindle I don't' get cheaper books, and I don't' get the option to send the book around to friends that I think would enjoy the book.

[Brandon]

Biggest Kindle downside, no new print smell drifting from the page. I've often thought they should put it in like a smell-o-vision on e-readers.

[Paul R]

the original writeris dead on, then again- i have unfortunatly noted that fellow people with e-readers are not approachable like we were with paper books- it's like having an e-reader made us "special" somehow

of course we would not lend the book to the person anyway- even for a few paragraphs- spend time to teach someone to use the ereader first? everyone can pick up a paper book- e-reader is different.

sign of the times i guess - sad

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

I have a solution to the main problem in this thread. Just get a print out of the cover for the main book you are reading (sure, plenty of people read more than one thing, but I normally have one book I consider to be the main one) and tape it to the back of your ebook reader. Now you not only display the book you are reading to curious onlookers, but you have your own nicely personalised reader. Plus you can choose the cover you prefer, so if the American one is better than the English, or vice versa, for example, you can choose that instead. A bit faffy, I'll admit, but it's an option. :)

[Warren]

Back to the main thread. I agree. I never had someone ask to take a book while I was reading it.
They think nothing of asking for my e-reader
(while I'm obviously reading).

[Alex]

The only thing I've noticed so far as a downside to Kindle is that I seem to be reading a LOT slower on a Kindle than what I would if I was turning pages of a book.
Maybe that's just me.
Plus I miss the feel and smell of books when reading on my Kindle.

[Neko]

My downside to owning a Kindle is not living in the US so I miss out on many books that are released for the Kindle format. One reason I do love the Kindle is if you're reading a romance novel and you've got one of those super tacky covers (and so many are) that they are hidden from prying eyes.

I have also had people ask questions about the books I am reading just from the cover. I usually don't mind it happening unless I'm really involved in the story line then I'll give very short answers or curt answers..It's not to be rude but it's just to give them the idea to go away.

[Samantha]

Interesting.. some people like to not have what they're reading advertised to others. I mean I'm proud of my covers but they really aren't fit for the lunch room...

[Brad Theado]

Books are my escape from the people that I work with. I love the people I work with, dont get me wrong, but when I pick up my e-reader (Ipad), the last thing I want is someone asking me what i am reading. I need someone to build an e-cave for me to disappear into when I am reading on my ipad.

[Jonathan]

Agrajag wrote: "I don't own a Sony Vita but I believe it has a feature that lets you see what other Vita owners in your vicinity are playing. That same sort of technology could be implemented on e-readers. Obvious..."
The Nook has kind of a similar feature. Only it's not nearby Nook owners, it's just a circle of friends that you can see what they're reading, what they've recommended and what you can borrow from them.

[Jonathan]

As for the original question, haven't owned a Kindle yet but I have had a couple of ereaders (Aluratek Libre and Nook Color), both of which I use regularly. Whenever I use either or both for that matter, people usually at least ask what I'm reading. Either that or why I'm going in for this whole technology thing while they're sitting their playing with their smartphone, tablet or laptop.

[Peter]

biggest downside for me? not being able to flip back and forth between pages easily...particularly if there is a map. Other than that, no complaints at all

[Paul R]

Alex wrote: "The only thing I've noticed so far as a downside to Kindle is that I seem to be reading a LOT slower on a Kindle than what I would if I was turning pages of a book.

Spot on- part of that is the need to page over each time when you used to scan over to the next page with the paper book. but overall- e-reading is markedly slower.

[Loyd]

The Nook lets you use any image you want for the screensaver. You can download the cover for the books you like and drag and drop them into the Nook.

Of course, screensavers don't display while you're reading.

[Rod]

Since I've had my kindle fire, I read a lot more now, which is good. I also like not being bothered by others in public with the question "What are you reading?" Like many others, when I read for pleasure, I read to escape. I don't want to have to stop and explain what I'm reading, etc. Now, this isn't nearly as much of a problem. As far as a downside, I don't have any complaints.

[Warren]

Paul R wrote: "Alex wrote: "The only thing I've noticed so far as a downside to Kindle is that I seem to be reading a LOT slower on a Kindle than what I would if I was turning pages of a book.

Spot on- part of t..."
I read a lot faster. It just took a while to get the hang of the buttons. I can think of one or two enhancements but no real complaints.

[Ayesha]

I seem to be reading a lot more since I got the kindle. I used to pace myself, so that each book lasted about a week. Now I'm going through them in a couple of days.

More people seem to ask me about the kindle itself, than about what I'm reading on it. But then, nobody ever really asked what I was reading before I got the kindle.

[Amber Dawn]

That's one of the upsides about ereaders to me.... if I'm reading something with a particularly skeezy cover.... I'd rather people not ask me about it sometimes ;).

[Lucien21]

This is the reason 50 Shades of Grey is very popular with women on the bus. Nobody knows what they are reading.

[Officer_Friendly]

I Love my kindle but am being driven insane by the troublesome 'that title isn't available in your area yet'. But there it is, on the U.S. site, ready to go. Is copyright management so hard?

[Kirsten]

Officer_Friendly wrote: "I Love my kindle but am being driven insane by the troublesome 'that title isn't available in your area yet'. But there it is, on the U.S. site, ready to go. Is copyright management so hard?"

That annoys the hell out of me too. I ended up changing my address on Amazon to a US address. Since half the books I want are not available in Australia, my choices seem to be either download a pirated copy, or lie about my address. I figure the address thing is the lesser of two evils.

[library_jim]

I actually read more and faster on my Kindle than I do with paper books. Yes, it's slightly harder to flip around but I think that keeps me focused so I just keep on reading.

As for not being able to see the covers I'm in the camp of those who would rather not be bothered anyway, but do sometimes wish I could see what others around me are reading. Go figure.

[Warren]

Kirsten wrote: "Officer_Friendly wrote: "I Love my kindle but am being driven insane by the troublesome 'that title isn't available in your area yet'. But there it is, on the U.S. site, ready to go. Is copyright m..."
True.I think the copy write laws are written on parchment.
I've done something similar and gone to the UK store to order a book not available Generally speaking I prefer the to kindle to paper.