Friday 15 June 2012

Kindle Regrets


I'm just going to say it. Spending £80+ on a Kindle has been the biggest waste of money. Not because it's particularly bad, or that it is even expensive for what you get, I just don't like it.

I originally bought the Kindle because I thought it would be good for university - I could keep my set books all in one place, and there are features where you can highlight quotations etc, which is extremely useful for an English student, however, it didn't quite work out that way. 

It's quite simple really, I prefer books. For me, there is nothing quite like cracking the spine of a new book, making notes (in pencil of course) in the margin. I love turning the pages, which obviously you can't do with Kindles. I don't find them easier to read on, in fact I find them more difficult because the task seems much more clinical. There is nothing quite like the feel of a book in your hands.

Don't get me wrong, the Kindle is really good for certain things; I can download PDFs onto it, which is excellent and saves me printing off a 20 page critical essay, but it is hard to make notes on, I prefer to highlight and scribbled notes all over essays so I can easily go back to certain things. There are also no page numbers on Kindles, which is difficult when referencing books for essays.

I'd say the Kindle is good for the avid reader, as kindle editions of novels are generally slightly cheaper than paper copies, it can store thousands of books in one place, and is very lightweight, which makes it good for travelling.

I just like having books and reading from books. It's that simple really.

Do you have a Kindle? What are your thoughts - are e-readers over-taking books?

Thanks for reading x

12 comments:

  1. I don't think I would have liked my school books on the Kindle, but for things like novels it suits me fine and since I take the subway all the time, it works better than a book because you can turn pages with one hand.

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    1. Yeah, they are great for travelling and I can see the merit of them, I just wish I hadn't bought one. xx

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  2. I don't have one but I think I'd feel the same. I was very tempted to get one for my birthday in April but in the end I resisted since I figured I love scribbling notes in all my course books too much to justify buying one just yet. I may invest after graduation though since I think it may be better for just general reading. But if Kindles take over the world, my dream of the perfect colour coded bookshelf will be ruined...x

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    1. I only really bought mine because my sister got one for Christmas and loved it, they're just not for me! Omg me too, I want a house full of books. xx

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  3. I got a kindle as a present and for me it suits me fine - I asked for it as a gift as I wasn't sure how much I would use it and didn't want to shell out for one myself and I think for me, it actually got me back into reading. I don't like the fact that I can't see the page numbers I must admit but I do like the fact that I can chuck it into my bag wherever I'm going and know that I have something to read. I still read paper books and would only ever buy on kindle if it was cheaper but I'm starting to accept the fact that I don't have a massive amount of space to store books, especially as me and my housemate have already filled the bookcase we bought a few months ago! I've never read for study since GCSE so don't make notes or anything so for me, as a strictly reader for pleasure, it suits me fine. I think overall though, I do still buy more hard copies than kindle.

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    1. That's it really, it's only been a waste of money for me because I still buy hard copies, because I love hard copies more. It was a silly purchase xx

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  4. I've not got a Kindle but I did go through a bit of a stage of wanting one. It was mostly for the cheapness of e-books, thinking it would lead me to reading a lot more often that I do - what has so far prevented me from giving in is your exact argument! I love the feel of a book in my hand and the smell of a new book. I also like the memories of picking a book up again. One or two of my Harry Potter books have chocolate marks on some of the pages. To a booky person that might be blasphemous but to me, it makes that book mine. Most of my books have thus far stayed chocolate free, but if they did get markings on, I'd not mind!

    I also commit the worst book crime - I dog ear pages. But I like re-reading a book and seeing the process of how much I got through at a time first time reading!

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    1. Oh god nooooo dog earring! D: cardinal sin hahaah! Most e-books don't even turn out to be much cheaper than hard copies. Real books all the way! xx

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  5. I have the keyboard kindle and it actually does all of the things you are having problems with (except for feeling like a real book.) Mine displays page numbers that link up with the real books page numbers when you press the menu button, and its obviously a whole lot easier to make notes when there is an actual keyboard there rather than the on-screen one, I guess the fact the new smaller one is slightly cheaper is what is putting people off getting the keyboard one but its way better IMO!

    I fell in love with mine the second I bought it and I'm a very avid reader, I own hundreds of paper books and since buying it it hasn't stopped me from reading paper versions, I probably do about 50/50 to be honest because I don't want to miss out on my favourite pass-time of picking up books in charity shops! But the accessibility of the Kindle for someone who has dodgy eyesight is brilliant, the fact I can change the text-size, line spacing and font is just perfect for me because I really struggle with some paper books.

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    1. I know what you mean! My sister has the keyboard one, and it is more efficient. They just aren't for me I don't think. Though I may take it with me on holiday, if I get one this year. xx

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  6. I refuse to have a kindle. As convienient as they may be for travelling and holidays etc...
    i love reading actual physical books, i love the smell of them and i love being able to see how far along i am and i enjoy just holding a book.
    I just can't sacrifice that for the kindle.

    Natalie xx
    youralmostalice.blogspot.com

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