Who here has experience with an E-reader? I'm quite interested in buying one, as it means I would never be without a book again. I understand you download books from various websites. How much am I looking to pay for the reader itself, and then the books which I buy? Also are there websites for free book downloads?
Here is my experience with e-readers, Rufus, and maybe it will help you decide which one is appropriate for you. I first read on my iPad, and that worked fine, using the Kindle app to find free books on amazon at the Kindle Store. Then, I got a keyboard case for the iPad, which makes it much better for typing; but not for reading, since it is now a little heavier and the keyboard was cumbersome. I looked on ebay for a small kindle e-reader, and was able to get one for about $20 (used, but in great condition), and they are very lightweight , and absolutely perfect if what you are reading is books that do not have pictures in them,similar to what would be in a paperback novel. Then, I was reading a book about primitive humans, and it had pictures showing the differences in the skull of Cro-magnun man and Neanderthal man. Well, I could barely make out the pictures of the skulls, let alone see the differences. I liked the Kindle, so I next shopped on ebay for a Kindle Fire, which is just a tiny bit larger and heavier, but has color, and is much easier to look at pictures if you are reading something that is illustrated. I got the Kindle Fire for about $50. It is one of the older models, but works perfectly for what i need. Plus, I can also use it to go online if I needed to do that. I also download my knitting and crochet patterns to the Kindle, and it is just the right size for that, too. My thought is that if you are just reading novels, and do not need to surf the internet; you will be fine with the Kindle e-reader. If you also want to be able to check email and surf the web, then it is going to be worth paying the extra money to have the Kindle Fire. You can use it (wiith or without headphones) to listen to music and watch movies, too; so it is as versatile as one of the larger tablets, but still a handy small size to carry around for reading. I think it holds something like 3,000 books; but I keep mine stored in the cloud and just download ones that I plan on reading into the Kindle itself. Since I got both of mine used on ebay, I saved quite a bit of money from buying a new one. If you are planning on getting a brand new one, then price would be more of a consideration, most likely. Also, if you have Amazon Prime, you can borrow books from the Kindle lending Library. I get most of my books when they are free at the Kindle Store; but sometimes, they are expensive and you can't get them free; so borrowing those books from the library , or checking them out through your online library is an excellent way to get a lot of books to read.
I often think about getting something for reading books, but I am a snuggle up with a pillow and and old fashioned book. If I fall asleep while I am reading, then the book can do little harm, but if I had a electronic gizmo it may just land on my nose and that would not make me very happy!
Thanks for the responses! I think I'm going to stick with the kindle, thanks Yvonne. It seems to suit my needs as all I'm going to be using it for is reading. I was checking them on Amazon, it seems I can get one for a decent price. Also I had no idea about all the free books! Very nice! I can't wait to get it and start checking out all the free e-books! I'll never be without reading material when I've finished a book.
It seems like the price of e-readers is definitely coming down, because so many people have either a large smartphone, or a tablet, and they read on that. Even the iPad Mini is becoming obsolete since the iPhone has gotten just a little bit larger When I got my Kindle Fire, I gave the kindle e-reader to my friend , Evelyn. She fell and broke her shoulder a few years ago, and has not been able to read a regular book since then, and even the little paperback novels were getting hard for her to hold. One of the really wonderful things about the e-reader is that it weighs almost nothing. So, War and Peace weighs the same thing as reading Goldilocks and the Three bears on the e-reader. Since it is litle and flat, it takes up a lot less room to carry along than a book does. And if you are traveleing, you can load it up with several books to read along the trip, and still only have a little flat e-reader to carry along. Another thing that you will really like , is that you can make the print just the right size for your eyes. If you go someplace and forgot your reading glasses, you just make the print larger and read anyway. If you are reading and fall asleep (are you listening,@Richard Paradon ) then the e-reader just shuts itself off.