The Fill in the Gaps: 100 project: eBook Reading on the Rise

Thursday, April 30, 2009

eBook Reading on the Rise

I recently came across a very interesting survey about the reading of e-books being on the rise. It's an academic survey, but I can't help feeling like the findings translate (or will soon) to recreational reading.

You can read about it here on my blog. (This will open in a new window.)

I enjoy reading e-books - a lot. In fact, I'm going to be reading Middlemarch electronically, via Gutenberg.org.

There was a time (not too long ago actually) when if you'd asked me if I enjoyed reading electronically, I'd have told you, "no way." I just loved being surrounded by my (thousands of) books.

I still love my books, although I'm willing to part with a few these days...but the convenience of carrying several around with me at a time has been really eye-opening.

How about you?

Kelly

6 comments:

Bee said...: I love Ebooks, I am currently saving up for an Ebook reader, but, its going to take a while! I read them on my laptop, but I can't read them for long! I also have the 100 classic collection for the Nintendo Ds, which is brilliant for bus journey's etc! How do you read your Ebooks?; April 30, 2009 at 11:22 AM
Anonymous said...: I am warming to them, which I never thought I would. I would definitely be happy to read something like Middlemarch as an ebook (especially since I had so much trouble trying to buy a paper copy); April 30, 2009 at 1:24 PM
Anonymous said...: I had a Sony Reader and loved it until my glasses slipped out of my hand while cleaning them, hit the screen, and fractured the LCD display. The repair would have cost as much as a new unit, so I'm probably going to buy a Kindle to replace it. (It is said to be more durable.) The good things about eBooks are that the old classics are free, they take up no shelf space, and the zoom feature is easy on the eyes.; April 30, 2009 at 2:01 PM
Kelly A. Harmon said...: One of the initial things that kept me off the ebook bandwagon was that reading devices cost so much money.

All you need is a screen and a bit of functionality, right? Shouldn't cost more than a pocket calculator, IMHO.

Granted...bells and whistles are nice, but hundreds of dollars?

Meh.

So....I bought a Dell LapTOT which affords me soooo much more functionality...(I can now WRITE anywhere, too. Goodbye napkins and receipts!)

It fits in my purse and I carry it everywhere. I can whip it out whenever I have a few moments to read (or write).

I'm still open to purchasing a dedicated device...but the cost is going to have to come way down.; April 30, 2009 at 8:01 PM
Jenna said...: I have been dropping Jupiter-sized hints to friends / family about Kindle and upcoming birthday. I imagine I will still get underwear, but one can always hope.

I have an e-book reader on my jail-broken iTouch, but darned if I could read a whole book on it, far too small and uncomfortable. The laptop is larger, but it's still not an ideal reading situation.

I think Ebooks are a great addition to the world of publishing. Just as long as they never REPLACE books. Because I always give books as gifts, and I don't know how I would wrap an Ebook...; April 30, 2009 at 9:09 PM
hifidel said...: I just got a Kindle for Christmas from my mom, and I love it! I know I have yet to get it the test over the long haul, but so far, it's just great, and I can see the potential for it to get to be an even better experience for me.

Shelly; December 30, 2009 at 3:13 PM