The Kindle changed reading forever when it was first introduced in 2007. While it has many advantages, it also causes some people to question whether it’s the right choice.
Ultimately, it comes down to what works best for you. We’ve put together a list of pros and cons of Books and Kindle for you to consider.
1. Ease of Use
Ease of use is one of the most fundamental aspects of user experience design. Designed by a team of designers, ease of use aims to optimize how quickly users can accomplish tasks or reach goals.
Many services have made tasks easier and streamlined processes that users previously had to perform manually. For example, a fitness app or restaurant review site that makes it easy for people to find and book reservations is a prime example of ease of use.
Amazon’s Kindle is one of the most popular e-book readers on the market today. It offers an extensive selection of e-books and audiobooks for a low monthly subscription fee. In addition, it integrates seamlessly with the company’s online store, allowing you to download new books right away.
2. Portability
Ebooks are far more portable than printed books and can be easily carried around on a device that weighs less than half a pound. They also come in a variety of formats and sizes, including digital audiobooks and paperbacks.
While the Kindle and its ilk are not the first to market, they have certainly changed the game when it comes to dedicated reading devices. From the very earliest incarnations, e-readers have boasted a range of features that make them a worthy contender in the long running laptop replacement category.
A slew of studies have been conducted on the subject of e-readers and their ilk, which have revealed some interesting statistics about the various devices in question. The results are revealing and should be considered in light of the fact that there is no one answer to the question, “What are the best e-readers for my library?” There is a lot to choose from, and librarians must decide which device has the features they most want in their patrons’ hands.
3. Easier to Share
Amazon’s Kindle family library is a great way to share a book with family members without having to send them a physical copy. However, there are some limitations.
Kindles use a proprietary file type called AZW3 for e-books, which makes it difficult to transfer books from other devices. That’s why it’s important to convert your e-books to EPUB, which is an open format used by most e-readers.
You can also borrow Kindle books from friends and family using a feature called “lending”. This works much like a physical library.
To use this feature, you’ll need to set up a family account on Amazon and link it to your Kindle device. This will allow you to share Kindle books, Prime Video and other Amazon benefits with other household members.
4. More Affordable
Ebooks used to be cheaper than their physical counterparts, which helped the e-reader industry grow. The cost was largely driven by Amazon, which pioneered the concept of paying $9.99 for a new ebook from a major publisher the day it was released.
Despite the cost, books and Kindles are still a popular option for people who enjoy reading. They are easy to find, and can be very affordable, especially when they are on sale.
Many libraries now offer Kindles for free, or at a low cost, and there are also daily deals available for Kindle ebooks. These deals can be a great way to save money and read more books, without sacrificing the quality of your reading experience.
5. Easy to Store
Kindles are easy to carry around, and they’re perfect for on-the-go reading. They’re ideal for a light read in the checkout line, an engrossing work on the train, or something to do when you’re waiting in a cafe.
Unfortunately, Kindles don’t make it easy to organize books like other devices. Luckily, Amazon offers Collections, a way to sort books into logical groupings on the device screen.
You can create collections based on the book’s author, genre, or any other criteria you want. They’re perfect for keeping titles you’ve already read together, as well as books you’re planning to read soon.
6. Better at Passing on Information
One of the best things about Books and Kindle is that they both can be enjoyed by a diverse group of readers. In fact, a recent survey of our readership revealed that the aforementioned Kindles are a popular pastime amongst aficionados of all ages. And, unlike their paperback counterparts, they’re easy to transport and stash when the mood strikes. So, for all of the naysayers on the table, here’s to a happy and well-read 2015!
8. Battery Life
The Kindle battery has a long lifespan compared to most e-book readers. However, you should replace your Kindle battery when it is no longer performing as it used to.
Batteries usually start to lose their performance after crossing the number of charge cycles they are designed for. This is one of the most obvious signs that you need to replace your Kindle battery.
Moreover, your Kindle battery can also drain faster if you connect it to Wi-Fi frequently. This is because the device is constantly searching for a network and using battery power to find it.
On the other hand, the battery life of a Kindle can be prolonged by reducing screen brightness and backlights. It may not be noticeable, but adjusting these settings can significantly reduce your Kindle’s battery usage.
9. Lack of Tactile Feel
People rely on their sense of touch to feel the texture, thickness and weight of things. It is a part of the body that can be affected by illness, injury or chronic conditions like diabetes and cancer. Impaired sensation can also cause problems with balance and movement.
This lack of tactile feel, which may be exacerbated by the small size of Kindles, has been shown to affect cognitive aspects of narrative reading. For example, Mangen and Kuiken (2014) found that Kindle readers had difficulty locating events within the space of the text, which can lead to a poor spatial representation of the story. Similarly, researchers at Cornell University found that Kindle users struggled to locate events in their time line, which can affect their ability to remember the narrative. This can be a problem for people who want to learn about complex stories, which often involve multiple perspectives on the same topic.
