Although I love gadgets, I have been putting off getting an e-reader for ages, as I much preferred reading real books.
I love the smell and feel of turning the pages in a good book!
I actually did buy an e-reader about five or six years ago, but it quickly ended up in the drawer, never to see the light of day again.
But I have been wanting to get back into reading, and found that the iPad wasn’t good for this purpose.
So I recently decided to give an e-reader another go and for this week’s My Friday Five, I give some reasons as to why I have succumbed to the lure of an e-ink screen…
Reading at Night
My husband goes to sleep much earlier then I do and I like to read for a little while longer.
Although he doesn’t complain, I feel bad leaving my light on while he is sleeping.
Many e-readers have a nightlight which allows you to read in the dark without disturbing others…and you can adjust the brightness to suit.
Now I can read for as long as I like, without feeling guilty!
Reading Outside
As well as being perfect to read in the dark, e-readers are much easier to read outside in bright sunshine.
I find it near impossible to use my iPad when outside…the glare is too much.
E-readers have low glare, e-ink screens which are as close to paper as is possible…and is so much easier on the eyes then trying to read on a tablet.
Another benefit is the e-reader doesn’t get hot like an ipad does…my husband almost cooked his the other day while reading out in the sunshine!
We had to bring it inside and let it cool down before it would work again.
And as an added bonus, the e-reader I have is also waterproof and dust proof…which means I could read in the shower or bath if I want too!
Carry a whole library in your bag
This was one big reason for me to try an e-reader again…we are heading north on a holiday and I intend to do a bit of reading while relaxing on a lounge somewhere tropical.
I don’t want to haul a pile of heavy books with me…especially if one or more turns out to be not a good read!
An e-reader such as the one I have can be connected to WiFi and you can instantly purchase and download books as you please.
Another benefit is you don’t have to find a bookshelf to store all your books…a nightmare if you have limited space.
Instead, you can fit thousands of books onto an e-reader…. even more if it has the option to expand memory by inserting a microSD card.
Light to carry and easy to hold
As I mentioned earlier, I like to read in bed and books can get so heavy to hold up.
The e-reader is light and easy to hold…no struggling trying to hold a book in a comfortable position.
And it is light and slim enough to slip into my handbag just in case I have some time to fill in.
Relatively Cheap
Compared to tablets, the e-readers are relatively cheap, depending on which model you get.
I have to admit the e-reader I have now is much better then the first one I had all those years ago…and yet it probably cost less to buy!
And purchasing e-books is much cheaper then buying actual paper books….you can pick up good reads for less then the cost of cup of coffee.
Conclusion
E-readers are not for every0ne…some like using their tablet and don’t have issues with glare and so on.
Others don’t want to give up the feel and smell of a real book…an e-reader removes that tactile experience.
But as I have listed above, there are some situations where an e-reader would be very useful.
Fill it up with books and you will never be stuck for something to read again…anywhere…anytime!
Do you use an e-reader? Or do you prefer to read actual books?
Can you recommend any books to read on my holiday…I love fictional crime!