I'm torn. The sentimental part of me abhors Kindles. I love to pick up a book, hold it in my hands, smell the pages. If it's old, there is something romantic about the fact that other people have read the same book and therefore taken the same journey through those very pages. Plus, I'm a person that likes to jot the occasional note in a margin - can't do that with a Kindle (right?). Then there is the shear magnitude of what books themselves have done to society as a whole. I mean historically, the written word, the printed word, changed the world. Access to books for common people was a huge thing. Now that is starting to fizzle out of existence.... that's sort of sad, isn't it?
But then, the practical part of me thinks I would really actually like to have a Kindle. One word for you. Space. I can't tell you how much space books take up in my apartment - a small place where space is a high commodity. The idea that I could have hundreds (probably more, right?) of books on one slender little device, that's very attractive, let me tell you.
But, what happens if I loose it? Or break it? Or (a very likely scenario) the technology changes? What happens to my carefully crafted library then?? What if someone else in my family would like to read a book, but I'm keeping it captive in the Kindle while I'm reading something else? What if I'd like to loan a book to someone but start a new book myself? Maybe my precious tales are better off in their traditional form after all...
So I ask you, to Kindle? or not to Kindle?
I had the same dilemma about the Nook. Ultimately, I decided that it wasn't worth it. Simply because the software for the Nook and the Kindle is available for the PC, the iPhone, the evo4G, the iPad, etc. So, I have a Nook account but I use it on my computer and my phone. And I can share with my family because I can just give them the login information. (I don't feel bad about doing this because the account is free and it isn't any different than handing a book to a friend to borrow). So, I've decided that if I want to get something cool like that I will get an iPad instead because it doesn't JUST do books.
ReplyDeleteSo, that is my opinion...hope it helps:)