3 ms·

Besides portability, what other benefits are there to using e-books? I vastly prefer having a physical copy of a book, mainly because I’d rather not look at a s

by nickvec 6mo ago

Besides portability, what other benefits are there to using e-books? I vastly prefer having a physical copy of a book, mainly because I’d rather not look at a screen while reading (unless necessary.) Plus, I love lending out books to friends, and I feel like it’s a much bigger pain to do so virtually (unless they’re tech savvy!)

ike2792 6mo ago
When you own a lot of books physical storage becomes an issue. I had to stop buying physical books because I have nowhere to put them.
- nickvec 6mo ago
  Ah, that’s a very valid use case. I sadly don’t read as much as I’d like to (I only have a couple dozen books to my name, though I’m in my mid 20s.) I can see storage becoming an issue though if one owns hundreds, if not thousands, of books. Not a bad problem to have I suppose!
random_human_ 6mo ago
For me: - Easier access to books in other languages or out of print - Quick access to a dictionary - Backlight for reading in bed or in the evening - Pocketability - Way cheaper if you read a lot of public domain books (or have a parrot sitting on your shoulder) That said, I have a jailbroken Kindle, but I am not giving a cent to Amazon. Should it break I'd just get a Kobo.
beezlebroxxxxxx 6mo ago
They are very practical for travelling. I love reading physical books, but also read fast and love reading 3-4 books at a time. An e-reader is basically half the weight of 1 book compared to lugging 3 or 4 books in a carry-on.
ReliantGuyZ 6mo ago
I mostly use my Kindle to read books from my local library's digital catalog. The Libby app hooks into many (all?) US library systems, so I use my phone to check out a book and it's available immediately to download. This is hugely convenient and feels magical since it doesn't cost anything.
seesthruya 6mo ago
Well, I find Whispersync for Kindle to be absolutely irreplaceable. I have a 40 minute drive to work each way, and I find audiobooks the best way to pass the time. At night if I want to read the same book from my drive, Kindle picks up exactly where I stopped listening. And does the reverse the next morning when I get in the car. If any else is doing this, I am unaware. But it's AWESOME. My main complaint is Amazon has discontinued Kindle devices with physical page turn buttons. Whoever made that decision should be fired.
Mezzie 6mo ago
Text size control is great for anyone with less than perfect vision. I tend to like reading dense non-fiction and the world seems to think that requires itty bitty text.
BoppreH 6mo ago
Other commenters gave good reasons, and here are a few more: - If you like long books, an e-reader is much lighter than a tome. Not only more portable, but also easier to hold when reading. - When lying down you don't have to fight the cover 50% of the time. Easy to read one-handed too. - The new ones are water-resistant. - You can have multiple books available, in case you switch it up or just finish them quickly. - Search feature. - Built-in bookmark. - Time estimates until end-of-chapter and end-of-book. - The e-ink screen doesn't feel like a screen. Not really a plus on top of paper books, but just because you mentioned. I still read physical books when they're gifted or the medium requires it (House of Leaves being the latest example), but otherwise I'm 100% on e-readers. Previously Kindle Paperwhite 6th Gen, and since a few weeks, Kobo Clara BW.
squeaky-clean 6mo ago
Ctrl+F. Highlighting, notes, and bookmarks with the ability to hide them. Reading in a dark room. Adjustable font size. Slim size (that's related to portability but I can also read an 800 page book in my bed without getting my arms tired).
AnonymousPlanet 6mo ago
Looking up words on the fly by just holding your finger on them. If the book is not written in your native language or you like to read books with unusual vocabulary (e.g. historical books), it's an absolute delight. So far, a concise dictionary like Oxford has worked the best for me, while Wiktionary or similar always came short. The other is heft and handiness. If you read anything that is larger than a small notebook, an e-book is much more practical. You also don't have to hold it open all the time.
azuanrb 6mo ago
One of the last physical books I owned was The Three-Body Problem trilogy in a single volume. It was massive, heavy and honestly beautiful. I loved it. Then I switched to the Kobo Libra Colour. The weight and portability make a huge difference. Having my entire library with me means I am no longer stuck with whatever I decided to bring before leaving home. The color display is not amazing, but it is good enough for comics. I have been reading things like Attack on Titan and Spider-Man on it. Reading tech books has been great too, especially those with graphs and images. If I had to sum it up in one word, versatile.
MengerSponge 6mo ago
Modern e-readers are waterproof enough for pool or bath reading. It's nice!
zaptheimpaler 6mo ago
If you use something like an iPad, you can also do all your reading on one device - substack, blogs, books, newsletters, audiobooks etc. You can also just continue reading on your phone at any time if you end up in line, in transit etc. which helps me read more.
tiagod 6mo ago
For me the: - Built-in dictionary - Being able to read anywhere, even when light is not available (on a taxi, for example) - Can fit it in my pocket - Less annoying to read while lying down in bed, and the page is automatically marked when I fall asleep - Adjustable typeface and font size
LgWoodenBadger 6mo ago
Nearly instantaneous access to the definition of a word, usually.
footy 6mo ago
I share a bed with my wife and I like to read past when she goes to sleep. It's really nice to be able to read in bed with a frontlit device without having to bother with whether I'll accidentally flash my nightlight on her face if I move. Also, here in Canada Kobos are extremely well integrated with library systems. It's a minor advantage generally, but during covid when libraries were physically closed it was a lifesaver. I'm sure I'd feel differently if I read less, but I read between 60 and 100 books most years so this is a big deal for me.

by nickvec 6mo ago

ike2792 6mo ago

When you own a lot of books physical storage becomes an issue. I had to stop buying physical books because I have nowhere to put them.

nickvec 6mo ago
Ah, that’s a very valid use case. I sadly don’t read as much as I’d like to (I only have a couple dozen books to my name, though I’m in my mid 20s.) I can see storage becoming an issue though if one owns hundreds, if not thousands, of books. Not a bad problem to have I suppose!

random_human_ 6mo ago

For me: - Easier access to books in other languages or out of print - Quick access to a dictionary - Backlight for reading in bed or in the evening - Pocketability - Way cheaper if you read a lot of public domain books (or have a parrot sitting on your shoulder) That said, I have a jailbroken Kindle, but I am not giving a cent to Amazon. Should it break I'd just get a Kobo.

beezlebroxxxxxx 6mo ago

They are very practical for travelling. I love reading physical books, but also read fast and love reading 3-4 books at a time. An e-reader is basically half the weight of 1 book compared to lugging 3 or 4 books in a carry-on.

ReliantGuyZ 6mo ago

I mostly use my Kindle to read books from my local library's digital catalog. The Libby app hooks into many (all?) US library systems, so I use my phone to check out a book and it's available immediately to download. This is hugely convenient and feels magical since it doesn't cost anything.

seesthruya 6mo ago

Well, I find Whispersync for Kindle to be absolutely irreplaceable. I have a 40 minute drive to work each way, and I find audiobooks the best way to pass the time. At night if I want to read the same book from my drive, Kindle picks up exactly where I stopped listening. And does the reverse the next morning when I get in the car. If any else is doing this, I am unaware. But it's AWESOME. My main complaint is Amazon has discontinued Kindle devices with physical page turn buttons. Whoever made that decision should be fired.

Mezzie 6mo ago

Text size control is great for anyone with less than perfect vision. I tend to like reading dense non-fiction and the world seems to think that requires itty bitty text.

BoppreH 6mo ago

Other commenters gave good reasons, and here are a few more: - If you like long books, an e-reader is much lighter than a tome. Not only more portable, but also easier to hold when reading. - When lying down you don't have to fight the cover 50% of the time. Easy to read one-handed too. - The new ones are water-resistant. - You can have multiple books available, in case you switch it up or just finish them quickly. - Search feature. - Built-in bookmark. - Time estimates until end-of-chapter and end-of-book. - The e-ink screen doesn't feel like a screen. Not really a plus on top of paper books, but just because you mentioned. I still read physical books when they're gifted or the medium requires it (House of Leaves being the latest example), but otherwise I'm 100% on e-readers. Previously Kindle Paperwhite 6th Gen, and since a few weeks, Kobo Clara BW.

squeaky-clean 6mo ago

Ctrl+F. Highlighting, notes, and bookmarks with the ability to hide them. Reading in a dark room. Adjustable font size. Slim size (that's related to portability but I can also read an 800 page book in my bed without getting my arms tired).

AnonymousPlanet 6mo ago

Looking up words on the fly by just holding your finger on them. If the book is not written in your native language or you like to read books with unusual vocabulary (e.g. historical books), it's an absolute delight. So far, a concise dictionary like Oxford has worked the best for me, while Wiktionary or similar always came short. The other is heft and handiness. If you read anything that is larger than a small notebook, an e-book is much more practical. You also don't have to hold it open all the time.

azuanrb 6mo ago

One of the last physical books I owned was The Three-Body Problem trilogy in a single volume. It was massive, heavy and honestly beautiful. I loved it. Then I switched to the Kobo Libra Colour. The weight and portability make a huge difference. Having my entire library with me means I am no longer stuck with whatever I decided to bring before leaving home. The color display is not amazing, but it is good enough for comics. I have been reading things like Attack on Titan and Spider-Man on it. Reading tech books has been great too, especially those with graphs and images. If I had to sum it up in one word, versatile.

MengerSponge 6mo ago

Modern e-readers are waterproof enough for pool or bath reading. It's nice!

zaptheimpaler 6mo ago

If you use something like an iPad, you can also do all your reading on one device - substack, blogs, books, newsletters, audiobooks etc. You can also just continue reading on your phone at any time if you end up in line, in transit etc. which helps me read more.

tiagod 6mo ago

For me the: - Built-in dictionary - Being able to read anywhere, even when light is not available (on a taxi, for example) - Can fit it in my pocket - Less annoying to read while lying down in bed, and the page is automatically marked when I fall asleep - Adjustable typeface and font size

LgWoodenBadger 6mo ago

Nearly instantaneous access to the definition of a word, usually.

footy 6mo ago

I share a bed with my wife and I like to read past when she goes to sleep. It's really nice to be able to read in bed with a frontlit device without having to bother with whether I'll accidentally flash my nightlight on her face if I move. Also, here in Canada Kobos are extremely well integrated with library systems. It's a minor advantage generally, but during covid when libraries were physically closed it was a lifesaver. I'm sure I'd feel differently if I read less, but I read between 60 and 100 books most years so this is a big deal for me.