Do You Own/Regularly Use an E-Reader?

[Benjamin Sobieck]

I don't, but that doesn't mean I'm not interested.

Wait, let me re-write that. Too many negatives.

I don't, but I'm interested in them. (That's better)

So I want to know if you use an e-reader to digest your crime fiction. My main means of doing so is still paper and the local Half Price Books. If you're not like me, which e-reader keeps your room glowing at night?

Please note, this is an anti-iPad thread. Meaning, don't argue the merits of the iPad. That deserves its own thread. Besides, I've already decided it's a clunker. And it's my thread. So there.

[MC - Tina]

No, for several reasons. First, I love new book smell and the feel of clean pages against my finger tips. Second, when electronics overload hits, a break to ink printed pages is a great change for my head and eyes. I fear if we don't support the printed word, it will go away along with so many other good things. I hope printed books never end up on the telephone, cassette tape or the Edsel heap.

[Camille LaGuire]

Even though Amazon was touting that they're selling more ebooks than hardbacks, other data shows that hardbacks are actually on the rise. I suspect that they will be here for a long time. They're too useful, and they're too attractive. (At the very least, they'll be like vinyl LPs, which are on the rise again, because people like to have a nice object to go along with their favorite music, and some also like the mellower sound - most of those people also have mp3s, though.)

It's the paperbacks that are likely to be impacted in the long run.

[Jim Thomsen]

Tina, I hear what you're saying, but you can't liken most e-readers to other electronics that cause the "electronics overload" that fatigue your head and eyes. My Kindle is very easy on the eyes, and is nothing like reading a computer screen. It does an excellent job of replicating the ink-on-page experience, and doesn't make your head or eyes work any harder than a printed book does.

[Dana King]

I'm more or less in Ben's boat, back at the original question. I don't, and I wasn't interested at all, bu7t I find myself wavering.

[Karyn J. Powers]

Ready to try one of these, but want to pick my own titles and not get hooked into a "book of the minute" club.

[EDWARD C MORGAN]

Hi Ben.

Let me start by saying I'm a Mac guy. Love 'em.

However, I won't be buying an iPad. I recently had the opportunity to read part of a book on an iPad for an hour or so, and found it hard on the eyes.

Similarly, I've tried out friends' Kindles and Nooks and find them easy to read.

Probably in September, I'll be buying one or the other - I just have to decide which one.

[Benjamin Sobieck]

I'm a big Mac fan, too, but not for e-readers. There's a reason that happened to you, Clay. iPads use an LCD screen. People read all the time on LCD screens on their computers, but they skim. It's not the same as hardcore reading. Kindles and Nooks use eInk, which is designed for long stretches of reading.

I've tried both and I actually liked the Nook better. The interface was smoother. But that's just me - and I don't have money to buy either. So take what you will from that.

[EDWARD C MORGAN]

I think I agree on your choice Ben. I'm leaning heavily toward the Nook. My mom is pushing for the Nook too, as then we can loan each other our books.

[Miriam Pia]

I don't, but that's partly a budgetary and partly a mentality or generational thing.

What I do do, is sell the 2nd novel that I wrote to people who do use e-readers: the Kindle.

So, there is some kind of gap and some kind of very accurate understanding of what is going on. I'm not the technophilic gadget buyer who owns one...That's probably my ex-husband...He's an Aquarius, what do you expect? I mean: he's an aquarius, of course he likes high tech new fangled gadgets.

[Alan Hutcheson]

I was skeptical about the sort of reading experience ereaders could provide but since the lion's share of my own book's sales were starting to come from that quarter I requested, and received, a nook for my latest birthday (almost wrote "last", which on quick reflection did not convey what I had in mind at all). I wanted to see not only how my own stuff was coming out, but there was also the allure of carrying the complete Sherlock Holmes and a bunch of other favorites with me wherever I went, not to mention some ready reference works like the complete Shakespeare I use to help me with my WIP. Since then I have been completely sold on the thing. It's not at all like reading off a computer screen. Very easy on these often tired eyes. And it helped me tweak my book to make it look better, so that's a plus right there.

I have a lot of stuff on my nook that has its paper twin on my bookshelves. When at home I reach for the real thing. But I'm not at home all the time. It's kind of like transferring music from cherished LP's to my iPod. There's nothing quite like gently lowering the needle into the vinyl grooves, but it's also nice to be able to take those tunes with me.

[Barbara C. Johnson]

When moving to Costa Rica from Massachusetts and fearful of losing my best friends, I loaded 39 boxes of books into a container scheduled for an ocean voyage. I am overjoyed at having shipped them.

Because Amazon does NOT ship books to Costa Rica at their usual shipping and handling rates, e-books are mandatory for me . . . and my own book has a Kindle version. Ironically, I have not yet purchased a Kindle, but, using KindlePC software, I have downloaded books directly to my computer. The problem: I cannot take my computer to bed with me.

Fortunately, there is a "Gringo" restaurant that has set up a library of 1000s of English-language books, which expats have graciously donated. No limits or deadlines for borrowers. (The bookshelves form the walls of the restaurant and the generous overhang of the real roof seems to be sufficient to protect the valued volumes.)

[Kwei Quartey]

LOL. I have a Kindle. Quite honestly only use it while traveling. Saves space.