I have brought this up before and since it is a slow day for stories and pics, I will re-enforce my position on these popular gadgets. My top 3 reasons for never taking ownership of this new tech-toy.
1- I never want to read 5 books at once or even two books at the same time, and all you Kindle fans that say "BUT I CAN READ X NUMBER OF BOOKS AT THE SAME TIME"...you are not reading, you are skimming the bones of the book. ADMIT IT.
2- A Kindle and all the knock offs are awkward to hold and there is nothing like buying a soft back book and breaking it in by the 100th page. No Skimming!!
3- I love the smell of the pulp, pure and simple. I'm sure they will figure that angle out soon. Press 1 for vintage smell, 2 for old Dell paperback smell, 3 for high end Scribner hard back smell.
Oh...I forgot...There is nothing like shopping at a book shop. It is relaxing and enjoyable searching out that perfect book to buy. Mr. Stump will never own this stupid machine.
That makes two of us. Something about the smell, and the feel of a good book in your hands. Not to mention I stare at a computer monitor a lot - and sometimes you've just got to un-plug as it were.
Posted by: PrixFixeOnline | July 31, 2010 at 07:50 AM
This is the spirit! Modern society seems to spend more time looking at a screen than doing anything else. Think of laying in the grass reading a book versus laying in the grass reading a kindle. I'm hoping a new generation will come along and go back to smelling the roses and experiencing the real things ins life.
Posted by: Terry Currier | July 31, 2010 at 08:10 AM
I have to jump in here and be the third person in agreeance. We need to stick with the... "real things in life" as Terry put it! Some things shouldn't be simplified.
Posted by: Bob Karm | July 31, 2010 at 09:33 AM
Sorry guys, I like both. I have my kindle for traveling. Much easier to pack and I do not have to buy new books while I am at my destination. Perfect for Hawaii and Palm Springs! But I do love the book store and the feel of new books.
Posted by: suzanne | July 31, 2010 at 10:21 AM
Sorry, but I have to totally disagree with (most) of you. I love my Kindle because I don't have the time to go to the bookstore. I couldn't indulge in my favorite hobby, because I didn't have time to buy myself the books I love to read so much. Now I'm a reading machine! After about 15 minutes with the Kindle, you get used to holding it, in fact it's less awkward than holding a book. It doesn't feel like you're reading off a computer screen, it really feels like you're reading from a book. Plus you can download samples of books before you buy, so you can decide whether or not you really want to commit. The only thing I don't like is that you can't share your books with a friend like you can the old fashioned kind. Try it, and I bet you'll like it.
Posted by: Megan | July 31, 2010 at 11:09 AM
Another reason: When flying, you have to turn it off when the plane pushes back and on long final. That's when I most want to bury my head in my book: When the babies are screaming and the drunks are at their most belligerent.
Posted by: Rich Johnson | July 31, 2010 at 11:14 AM
I like to read in the bathtub. If a paperback falls out of my hands and gets soaked, I'm only out a couple of bucks. Not so with a Kindle. Not only do I not own a Kindle, I have never even seen one.
Posted by: Don from Salem | July 31, 2010 at 11:55 AM
You can't beat a real book. Of course I write this sitting in a room with bookshelves on three walls filled floor to ceiling......
Posted by: Bart | July 31, 2010 at 02:09 PM
I don't even read books, but if I did, it would NOT be on an electronic book. Seems like crap to me. But whatever.
Posted by: Brad Jim | July 31, 2010 at 05:20 PM
KINDLE??? IS'NT THAT WHAT YOU START A FIRE WITH???
SORRY, I COULD'NT HELP MYSELF THERE!!!
Posted by: JOE COOK | July 31, 2010 at 10:48 PM
I absolutely love my Kindle. I never used to leave home without a book in my purse but sometimes a 1,000 page book was a little daunting to carry. But now, regardless of the size I can still have my "book" and more handy at all times. Also, if I finish one while out and about, I have the next one ready.
Don't get me wrong, I still love books and have collected many thru the years, but for sheer reading you can't beat this. I also share an Amazon account with a few others and that way we can share books. Little known fact not widely publicized - you can have up to 6 people on an account and if one buys the book, all can read it and at the same time.
Posted by: Emily McKinnon | August 01, 2010 at 10:42 AM
I use the Free Kindle app for my Droid and love it!
The NEW books all cost around $10. I can read on my Droid anytime, it bookmarks and I can pick up where I left off on my Notebook, PC at office or home... Was not a big fan until I got the app...
Sorry will Never buy the hardware for Kindle..Amazon is winning..Last Quarter sales were $6 Billion, $1 Billion of which were downloads to Smart phones (Iphone, Droid, etc..)
Posted by: tom brooks | August 01, 2010 at 03:17 PM
Unfortunately for those of us that want to hang on to those "real" things we grew up with, the same thing happened to Vinyl records. Remember? In your statement Dave, you could substitute vinyl records for the word book in alot of it. As in the "smell" of opening a new LP, browsing for hours in a record store, etc. It's inevitable. As our generation grows older and dies out, the new generations will look back at reading real books like they do listening to LP's on a turntable. Now I have an 160gb IPOD that holds 40 thousand songs. The size of a credit card. Amazing.
Posted by: Marty | August 01, 2010 at 07:05 PM