You might remember that I got a Kindle Paperwhite for Christmas. Since then, I've read a couple of books, maybe 2/3 on the Kindle and 1/3 as actual books, with paper and stuff.
Lately I've been thinking about what I prefer and I came to the conclusion that I actually really can't decide!
PRO Kindle
- It's light. It's thin. I can put it in any bag and it's so easy to take it out and read it, even at the bus stop. Also when I travel I notice a difference because it really weighs much less than any book.
- When I travel, I don't have to worry anymore if I have enough to read or if I will finish my book while I'm away. If I do, I just connect to WIFI and buy a new one! I used to take two or three books with me, and again, weight!
- I like the "xx minutes left in chapter". It's really quite accurate and it's useful to know, for example if I should better stop reading and go to sleep because the chapter is still 15 minutes long or if it's just two minutes left anyway. Of course you can also flip forward in a book and see how much is left, but somehow it is never that accurate and I always underestimate the time I will need and end up reading way longer than I planned. Plus, there is always the danger that you accidentally read what will happen.
- Probably my favorite feature: the dictionary. It is just SO FUCKING USEFUL. Many books I can read without looking anything up, but for some books it's just absolutely necessary (note that I don't read translations and that I read many books in English. Obviously I don't need the dictionary in German, although it can also be nice). For example: A Game of Thrones, or now A Clash of Kings. I started reading the paper books and I almost threw it at the wall because it was so frustrating. I'm glad that I decided to buy it on the Kindle and try it again because those are really good books, but the language is a bitch and I do need to look up a lot. I don't know many of those 'Old English' words and I'm also not that well versed with war&weaponry.
- The background light is neat.
CONTRA Kindle
- It's an electronic device and that means that you have to turn it off during take off and landing in the plane. In my opinion it should be enough to turn on flight mode, but recently the stewardess got angry at me because I was reading and told me to turn it off. That's a bit annoying, especially when they turn on the fasten seat belt sign in the middle of an exciting scene.
- It doesn't have the book feel and more important, the book smell. The smell of a new book is one of my favorite smells ever and I do miss that when I read electronic books.
- Books in a bookshelf are pretty and I am missing having some of those books to 'display'. Series and books that are important to me I would buy as a paper copy anyway (or additionally), just to have it in my shelf.
- Buying books is a great feeling. I don't buy in book shops very often anymore, but even getting a package with shiny new books inside is just so great! I'm a book hoarder and I have many books that I haven't even touched yet. With the Kindle, you don't get that feeling, probably because it's just a couple of clicks and you don't get to unpack anything.
The hardest decision for me is what to buy for Kindle and what to buy as a physical copy. If I know I will travel, I rather buy it for Kindle, but when I'm at home it doesn't really matter on what medium I read (unless I need the dictionary).
In the last couple of month I bought a whole stack of new books again, so you really can't say that E-books kill the normal books or however people say that :)
Those of you who read E-books, do you still buy normal books too? How do you decide?
