Tablets and e-readers versus printed books

It'll take a while but that's where things are headed. My only concern is , tablets don't just offer book reading apps, they have a million other things u could use the for, where as Books have 1 use,more focused. Tablets could lead to a whole bunch of distracted ppl. (Specially the young generation)
 
I think I'll hazard a guess and say the printed book will be around for a long long time still.
 
I posted a article a few weeks back about digital music, and the same would apply for books.

In short, you don't actually own a electronic book. When you buy a printed book, you can sell it after you done, you can donate it to a library or to the poor or simply lend it somebody. You cant do any of the above with ebooks. The prices of ebooks are not low enough to compensate for the lack of that type of ownership.

Plus, a full bookshelf, is something really cool to have. Digital stuff just isn't the same.

I will stick to printed books for as long as i can get them.
 
I think both mediums have their place but unfortunately its going to be less and less viable to print books. The less you print the more it costs.

Its almost a no brainier to have textbooks and technical books in electronic format, that's and entire section of the market that has just died. The same with magazines and things like recipe books, an online or electronic version of the book is so much more compact and accessible.

It basically leaves story books and coffee table books... and the book clubs have already discovered the Kindle.
 
I prefer my Tablet for reading.

Some subscriptions is a hell of a lot cheaper than local agents (PC Format UK edition in Zinio), without the lead time and is available for me to read on the same day as the printed media. Also dont forget it comes without the forest of trees I have to dispose of after reading it.

Also prefer to be able to carry an entire library with me when I go on vacation/travels.

PS: on the lending out e-Books that's why there is a ePub format that all tablets can support, as well as Kindle's ability to share a book to a friend.
 
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One point to make is that those trees "killed" for printed books are trees which are farmed for that purpose. So no printed books would mean those trees might not be planted/replanted in the first place. It's not as if millions of forests will be miraculously saved. I'm sceptical about use "green benefits" as justification.
 
Crusader said:
One point to make is that those trees "killed" for printed books are trees which are farmed for that purpose. So no printed books would mean those trees might not be planted/replanted in the first place. It's not as if millions of forests will be miraculously saved. I'm sceptical about use "green benefits" as justification.
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Not always a good argument, as the trees planted for the books are fast growing and specific, killing millions if indigenous plants and animals so dont think for one second its so "green" as you make it out to be.
 
I perfer using my ipad 2 to read magazines and books.

I love the idea of taking a larger selection of reading material when I go on holiday and it takes up no space, just the phyiscal space of the ipad in my luggage.

also you dont have the problem of back issues taking up place in your house after you are finished with them.

I think it will be a while before the printed media disappears all together.
 
I'm not making it out to be "green" at all. Both have their major downsides. Not killing trees is held up as a badge of honor while it's not really the big environmental save it's made out to be.

The current state of DRM is far too restrictive and gives pubs too much power - price fixing, no resale, no discounts (unless specifically allowed), can't give an ebook away and infuriating geographic restrictions. Ebooks have a very long way to go before standing a chance of making printed books go away.

At the same price point I'll opt for a printed book any day. That way I actually own something.
 
i bought an ebook reader and its the best thing i could have done. way better than having physical books laying around
 
If you are serious about reading then the e-readers with e-ink displays are definitely the better option. Casual readers can stick to real books (for your eyes) or tablets.

As for the future of printed media, I hope that sales do tank. I love a real book, but think of the trees. We have to pay carbon tax, what about tree murdering tax ?
 
encrypted said:
As for the future of printed media, I hope that sales do tank. I love a real book, but think of the trees. We have to pay carbon tax, what about tree murdering tax ?
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Rather stop eating meat. The carbon output saved that way will be far greater.
 
I love my Kindle and the fact that I don't have to store hundreds of books which I may never read again. I did keep some of the classics (Asimov, Clarke, Simmons, etc.) out of sentimentality.
 
Printed books are not going anywhere. They'll be around forever. I prefer reading on my ipad though
 
Crusader said:
Rather stop eating meat. The carbon output saved that way will be far greater.
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I do agree with killing off the earth (eg: from malnutrition) till the population is at a manageable level. But would voluntary suicide not be better then eating grass ? I can think of thousands of better ways to dish out some population control.

1) The electric IQ chair.
2) The mathematics firing range.
3) Toyota's
4) Sink or Swim
5) The iBomb
6) Homeopathic Cyanide flu cure.
7) The bible

Currently only 2 of those are in place.
 
I love the fact that I can take my books and mags everywhere using my e-readers
 
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