Well, here are some observations:
1. Nooks are cool. Like, really cool. I felt like I went up 10 whole cool points with a Nook in my hand.
2. Nooks can do cool things. Like read a kids' picture book (in color!) to you. And look up words for you. And download books for you super quick whenever you want.
3. Like all technology, Nooks can get frustrating. Especially the touch screen. Are my fingers that obese that I can't click on exactly what I want? Apparently.
4. I kept comparing Nooks to books. Books don't run out of battery. I don't have to charge my books overnight. My books don't go into "sleep mode" when I put them down for a minute.
In fact, this made me realize how often I get distracted and stare into space thinking about something I read. Books are more forgiving than Nooks. Nooks are like, Fine, you're going to ignore me? See ya, loser.
5. The tapping got repetitive. Initially, when I wanted to turn a page, I slid my finger across the screen because it felt really cool. Then, I got sick of doing that. So I just tapped the corner of the screen. Then, I got sick of that. It must just be because it's an unusual movement for me. But I really missed turning the pages. Turning pages, that I'm used to doing. Also, I kept tapping in slightly the wrong place and bringing up a menu. So that was annoying.
6. I felt like I didn't ever have the whole book in front of me. It was like I was reading one single page apart from any others. Like I didn't have any context. Sure, I could go to any page I wanted at a couple touches of the screen, but I felt like I coudn't sense the book as a whole.
7. I realized that the only reasons I would ever buy a Nook (or other e-reader) would be if:
a. I wanted to maintain those 10 cool points (which means I would have to take my Nook places where people would see me...)
b. I became a world traveler and needed to carry hundreds of books with me in a simple, space-efficient way.
c. Pigs ever flew.
Hey, like I've said before: If people are reading, who cares what they read or how they do it? Not me. If a Nook or Kindle floats your boat, go ahead. I won't judge. But after having one for a weekend, I've pretty much decided that they're not for me.
To me, books are individual. I love the covers, the pages, the smells. I love the hardcovers and the paperbacks. The books I can throw in my purse, the books I can stack by my bed. The books I flip through, the books I read all the way to the end and then read again.
Nooks just can't compete. At least in MY book.
5 comments:
That's kind of how I feel. I enjoy actually having the book in my hands. I've not done a whole lot with e-readers, so maybe I will change. But I don't read a whole lot anyway, and the books I do read they probably wouldn't have for e-readers anyway. "The Trellis and the Vine," "Upright Downtime." Non-fiction books.
Interesting post though, good read.
It's hard to age, isn't it? Having picked on you for one sentence...it was so nice to hear of someone else who likes the smell of a book. I love the smell of the library. Maybe it's the glue :-)
Happy day.
I'm sure they're fantastic for traveling, like you said. Also, moving wouldn't be nearly traumatic without 20 boxes of books, but reading is my connection to being unplugged from technology. Between the computer, phone, and television, sometimes I don't want to stare at a screen. Besides, it's not nearly as romantic and sentimental feeling without the weight of the actual book in your hands. I'm sure WAR AND PEACE wouldn't be as intimidating on screen, though. Hmmm...I'm a little divided. Definitely cool.
I like. Books are like people; so much better in person:)
Hannah - that's another really good point! Books are an escape...nice to be "unplugged."
Abigail - I like that!
Post a Comment