Happy Thursday, all. Suze here.
At the beginning of this year, I finally jumped on the e-reader bandwagon and bought a Barnes and Noble Nook.
Since I’m kinda cheap (yeah, yeah, I hear you snickering out there — okay, frugal) and not a person who needs the latest, most trendy models of anything, I purchased a refurbished wireless/3G version through Barnes and Noble’s eBay store for a bargain price (here’s a link if you’re interested.). I didn’t buy the color version since I didn’t plan to read magazines or children’s books. (The money I saved allowed me to buy a lot more e-books.)
While an e-reader will never completely replace physical books for me, I lurve, lurve, lurve my Nook! It’s simple to use — just search for the book you want, press a couple of virtual buttons, and your next read is there momentarily — and it takes up almost no space.
Why did I choose the Nook over the Kindle? Easy. I wanted to be able to use my public library’s downloadable books system, which does not support Amazon/Kindle’s proprietary format.
Are there disadvantages? Sure. The Amazon store is unavailable to me. So, for example, I was unable to purchase a Nook version of brand and marketing maven Jennifer Fusco’s debut book, Market Or Die: Sensible Brand Building Advice for Writers, since that is only available through Amazon. (Sneak preview: Jennifer will be guest blogging here at the Scribes on September 28! The second volume of her Market Or Die series will be available on September 27.) No worries though. I got around this problem by downloading the Kindle for PC app, buying the e-book, and reading it on my computer. I also could have read it on my Android phone.
Another disadvantage: Who knows where Barnes and Noble will be as a company in a few years? Look what’s happened to Borders — Gone, Baby, Gone! Anybody who’s been inside a B&N lately can see that something’s afoot. My local shop has a hugely reduced number of physical books on the shelves, and seems to have morphed into a toy store. But I figure that since technological gadgets such as e-readers become obsolete so quickly, I’m just not going to worry about it. Something new will come along to replace it, and somebody will figure out a way to make the books in my virtual library accessible to me.
Eventually, I’ll probably go to a tablet computer such as the iPad, which can serve as an e-reader but can also, with the addition of an adorable little wireless keyboard, take the place of a laptop. For now, though, I’m happy.
What about you? Do you have an e-reader? What kind? What percentage of your reading time is spent on physical books versus the e-reader?
Writing Secrets of 7 Scribes 
Now that was an interesting read. B&N changing its focus. I got that detail from your blog. I hope they do not leave us too. I, as you say, lurve, lurve, lurve my B&N, don’t laugh, especially their cinnamon scones. No one, and I have checked, no one has scones like B&N. They are to munch on in-between checking out the latest in books. But honestly, I don’t read anything other than excerpts from books on my computer. I get all the freebees, and classics important for my synapses growth. My hubby gets romance novels almost daily on his Kindle. They come to my computer automatically. But give me the hard copy and I am satisfied. I got “Heart of the Continent” written in 1870 for free on my computer. Great, right? Not. I had to have the original for some price I would rather not discuss. In conclusion, I prefer paper in print live.
Gail, I know you prefer a physical book, but have you discovered Project Gutenberg? http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page You can find pretty much any piece of classic literature there (short stories, novels and poetry old enough to be in the public domain), and it’s formatted for the different electronic devices. My Nook is loaded up with my favorite classic authors: Charlotte Bronte, Emily Bronte, Thomas Hardy, Wilkie Collins, Edgar Allan Poe, and of course Jane Austen.
I have a Kindle – bought it about 18 months ago or so. And I LOVE it! I don’t have space in my house for my book addiction and the kindle solves that problem. And I prefer to read on my kindle, but I re-read a lot! So I kept my favorite 200 or so books and dumped the other 800+ at the local library. When new things I want come out, I buy them on kindle. And with twin 3 year old boys, I love that I can now read 1 handed. Can’t do that with a paper book.
You didn’t exactly “dump” those books, right? (recoiling in horror!) I’m sure they ended up at the Friends of the Library sale 🙂 Just clarifying for everyone!
Oh yes…they all went to the library sale!
I prefer a real book…but I own a Kindle and it’s invaluable when I travel. But when I’m home, sitting in my chair with the pup, I have a physical book in my hands. I don’t think I’ll ever prefer to read electronically. That being said, I am thrilled there are so many different ways for people to read!
Kristan, am I remembering correctly that more than half your sales are now from e-books? I don’t think physical books will ever go away, though (at least not in our lifetime)!
I own a Nook and am thinking about buying a Kindle too (since so many authors I like only do Kindle). I still love paper books and read just as many paper as electronically. Like Viv, I have so many books that a few years ago I decided to donate a bunch and pare them down. More than half the books I read come from the library, although that is changing because it is so easy to buy a book with the Nook.
I also donated most of my physical books years ago when I moved into a house within walking distance of the public library. I’m considering buying the Kindle too at some point for the same reason as you. I would say I get about half my books physically from the library, one-eighth through the library’s downloadable catalog (which is nice, but has some limitations), and three-eighths I buy for the Nook.
Yeah, that marketing maven you talked about, she doesn’t own an e-reader at all. HOW EMBARRASSING! It’s true. I hope my husband will by a Kindle for me this year for Xmas. I travel a lot and the airlines make you turn them off during parts of the flight which is why I’ve stayed with paperbacks, or sometimes hardbacks, for so long.
However, long live the e-reader!!
How does it feel to be a maven? I don’t know about the Kindle, but the Nook has a feature called “Airplane Mode” which I believe turns off the stuff that intereferes with those all-important airplane controls, but still allows you to read. I don’t know the technical term for this stuff. I bet Kindle has a similar feature. Anyone know the answer to this?
I bought the Nook CLassic then the ipad (when they announced the ipad 2 and then immediately, same day, the ipad 3was coming in 6 months. hate being outdated before i ahve the item a day). With the Nook Color, I also bought the N2A card which converts your Nook Color to a full android tablet. So I can use it as the Nook color or the android tablet (with the kindle, kobo, overdrive and aldiko apps for reading other sources). I never thought I would love an ereader. I had a kindle 2 years ago and did not like the user interface at all. but I love both nooks and love having all of my books available to me (even if I did just get told that my nook ran out of space!) I love the library book feature and having one whole in on the ebook/ereader market. Although I hate the prices. It used to be ebooks were less than physical books. now they are the same price and don’t ever really go down, een when you could buy the physical book for much less.
I was just looking into the Nook Color yesterday with a view toward fixing it up to use as a tablet! How is that working out? Any disadvantages? And do you know if you can use a wireless keyboard with it in tablet mode? B&N doesn’t sell such an animal that I can see, but other keyboards might work.
It works great! I bought the N2A card, although you could “root” it yourself (but this voids the warranty). for me, it was worth buying the card – simply plug it in and boot up! Its awesome!!!
I don’t know anything about “rooting,” though I’ve seen that word. I would probably just by the card and be done with it too! Thanks for the tips.
I’m interested to hear that you like the usability of the NOOK better than the Kindle. I’ve had a Kindle for a while and I’m so used to the controls that I just can’t work my mom’s Nook. Funny how that happens. 🙂
I like a real book as well and I do not own an e-reader … yet. I know it’s only a matter of time before I do get one and I’m struggling with the choice. I recently sat with someone at a CTRWA meeting who had a Nook Color and it was exactly like a mimi iPad! Gotta love that. Then I worry about B&N’s demise and wonder if I should simply just get a Kindle. Oh decisions … decisions!
I know what you mean, Gerry. It’s so hard to make these choices — if I’m going to spend money on something, I want it to be functional for a decent amount of time. If you do decide to go with the Nook Color, definitely check out B&N’s eBay store (see my link in the main body of this post) — I saw a refurb on there yesterday for $179.00! I dont’ know what the card costs to upgrade it to full tablet use. Let us know what you decide.
My ex-sister-in-law cannot pass a clothing store (ANY clothing store) without buying at least one something. We all have our weaknesses I suppose. Me? I have a Sony ereader, a Kindle, an iPad2, and 2 laptops. I can read my books from all of them (and I do). I don’t even consider a physical book anymore.
Kathye
I used to be a technophobe, but not anymore. I’m no expert, but I’ve learned so much in the past year I no longer feel like a blithering idiot when it comes to this stuff. Sounds like you’re way ahead of me, though 🙂 Is there a big difference between the iPad1 and 2?
I can’t get behind this whole e reader thing, simply because I hate reading off of screens. It makes my eyes go blurry. Plus I just love books. I love the way they smell. I love that I can toss them on the nightstand and fall asleep without worrying that I will destroy them. The only problem is with physical books is that they take up so much space. I have books in tons of wierd places in my house all because my bookshelf is bursting.
I actually find the non-color Nook pretty restful on the eyes, and something really cool is that you can change the font size. But I hear you. For me there’s no substitute for the tactile and olfactory pleasures of cracking open a fresh new book!
I’ve got to tell you, Jamie, that I love the fact that I don’t lose my page on my kindle when I fall asleep reading. That happens a lot. It is a bit heavier than a book when it hits me in the nose when I fall asleep, but….
I have a Nook, and now an iPad 2 and love them both for very different reasons. I still love a physical book, but there’s always something interesting (and easier, IF the device has a charge) to read on the gadget.
Do you use your iPad 2 for writing? My laptop is on its last legs and I’m debating whether to buy a new laptop or go for a tablet and a wireless keyboard.
I’m a 2 year Nook veteran and I love it for all the reasons you mentioned, Jane. I read about 75% on my Nook and 25% paper books. I miss out on a lot of books that are only available on Amazon Kindle. I know there are apps but I’d rather not be glued to my phone or computer any more than I already am. I may break down and get a Kindle, but my Nook will always be dear to my heart. Oh, and the biggest advantage of having an actual book is that they don’t run out of battery.
Also, it’s not advisable to read your Nook in the bathtub! For that, you need a real book!
My friend puts her NOOK in a ziploc bag and takes it into the bath with her.
As for me, I have the android app for both Kindle and Nook. So I go back and forth between real books and ebooks. i never thought I would say it, but I love the instant gratification of buying a book and having at me fingertips right then. It can get out of hand. I also love the amount of free ebooks out there.
I have always wanted a Nook but I will still be a die-hard fan of an old fashioned, hold-it-in-your-hand book. I love being able to peruse the pages before I buy the book and one is not able to do this on Amazon (they pick the pages you look at) and I am not at all into buying and returning books. I may have to wait to see them in a used book store as that may not “go out of fashion.” I do however have Nook for PC as well as Kindle for PC so I don’t miss out on anything except being able to carry it around but that issue could be of no consequence if good ole books stay around. I do however make sure that the book is highly recommended before I even think of buying it on either of those platforms. Also there are not any major repairs needed on books per se and an author will not be able to autograph a copy on a Kindle or Nook that is special to you or it will be much harder to do as this was always a nice touch and added benefit for me. Thanks
Deb