How to get used to E-readers?

[Sue]

I was recently given a Kobe (I think very similar to a Kindle) and although there are dozens of books on it that I want to read I just can't seem to get used to it. For anyone who has ever used an e-reader, how long did it take for you to get used to it? How long did it take to love it (as so many people say they do)? And have you reached a point where you prefer the e-reader to a 'real' book?

I'm just beginning to wonder if I should think about re-gifting and giving this to someone who'll really appreciate it!

[Mad Jay]

I had got my wife a Kindle for her birthday. She never even looked at it, because she wants to hold a real book and returned it. I have a Kindle app on my IPad. In theory, it's great and I enjoyed finishing a couple of book on the IPad. Practically, the other things on the IPad are too distracting. I find myself doing other things on the IPad besides read.

[finger stutters]

I only use my nook a lot when I'm traveling. It is really nice to be able to fit a lot of books in a small space. I also occasionally use it for library books when I can't get a physical book. I still prefer books, but it is really nice to have my e-reader sometimes.

[Steve]

I've had 2 e-readers (the second one a tablet), and in both cases I enjoyed reading on them immediately. But I also don't really mind reading lengthy stuff on my computer screen, so maybe I'm just weird. But I wonder if there usually is a period people go through before they get used to a new e-reader.

[UEL]

Sue,

It took to the end of my first book to get used to it. I'm on my second Kobo (my older daughter accidentally sat on Kobo number 1) and my wife and younger daughter have recently each gotten a Kobo Glo. By the end of book 1 both of them are hooked.

I found it better after I bought a case for the reader. It made holding it a bit more natural.

Feel free to contact me to hook you up with some great sites for some decent books (free and inexpensive ones).

[Aimee Evilpixie]

I picked it up. I read a book. There was no "getting used to it" for me.

[chillas]

Same as Aimee here. Just picked it up and read, didn't find there was anything to get used to.

[Morning]

I *heart* my Kindle. It took about half a book to get used to and getting used to the physical sensation of holding the reader was eased by having a nice cover/holder on it.


UEL... post those links and suggestions? Pretty please?


Morning

[Gayle]

Same as Aimee and Chillas. No getting used to at all. I got the free Kindle app long before I ever got my Kindle Fire. I HATE doing nothing. I am almost always alone if I eat or go to a movie. I ride the bus to work whenever I can. I love the idea of being able to pick up my book in the grocery line or on the bus or while I'm on hold. I don't prefer one over the other except when it comes to price.

[Sue]

Ok, so basically some people take to it right away, some people take a little while and some people never do! I hope then I'm of the "take a little while" group as I like the idea of the kobo. I'm going to really push myself to finish the book I've started (and keep putting down) and then see how I feel.

Thanks for the offer of those links UEL !

[Dropbear]

I found using a notebook style case with a cover helpful in adapting to the Kindle. Then I never looked back - except when it died.

Dropbear

[Apollonia]

I've had my Kobo Touch for a year now and I agree with those who said:

1. That it feels more natural to have the ereader in a cover

and 2. the first book I read on it, felt natural within a few chapters.

I'll also admit that a few weeks ago I tapped and swiped to turn the page several times before I realised I was reading a paperback... I think I can safely say I don't really notice the medium at all, only the words I'm reading.

My goto site for anything to do with ereaders/ebooks is mobileread.com
The library is all PD books but the contributors have cleaned up and corrected formatting/typos or improved on the original source by adding a table of contents, artwork etc.

The forum has a board for sharing money off coupon codes or otherwise letting others know of any bargains.

[Dr. Dave]

I like my Kindle. Get used to? I cannot remember, but it was not long, like by the time i finished my first novel on it. You know you can change the font size and might like one size better. Here are some things though that I have not gotten fully used to/ prefer in a book:

Graphics don't always come out as well, and I have heard that books with a lot of tables and charts can be a pain.

Along those lines, books that have something in the front or cover- a map, a family tree- that in a book you could just keep flipping to are harder to do. Maybe someone more savvy with setting bookmarks and navigating would say not true.

Similarly, Often when reading, if I forget or get lost on something or another, I might flip back a few pages or even chapters to remember (I'm the guy who is like "wait, those two are married?") but that deficit is made up for with a visual memory, so I remember physically where the information I need is in the book. A little harder to do when I am just pushing arrows, but you can jump chapters as well as pages.

All in all I like it. And usually when reading, I just happily turn pages at appropriate times without even realizing it. Certainly convenient for transporting. And once with a particularly large novel my arms got tired while reading (pre-Kindle).

[Gayle]

Yes, I always bookmark the locations of photos and charts or graphs. And I bookmark my last location because it doesn't ALWAYS sync up between my kindle, my phone, and my iTouch. So I just "turn down the corner of the page"

[Sue]

Originally Posted by Apollonia

I'll also admit that a few weeks ago I tapped and swiped to turn the page several times before I realised I was reading a paperback... I think I can safely say I don't really notice the medium at all, only the words I'm reading..

Well I am officially used to my e-reader. I did exactly that this morning while reading a paperback .

[Morning]

You have been assimilated. Your biological and technological distinctiveness has been added to ours.


Welcome to the collective!

[Scout]

Originally Posted by Apollonia

I'll also admit that a few weeks ago I tapped and swiped to turn the page several times before I realised I was reading a paperback... I think I can safely say I don't really notice the medium at all, only the words I'm reading.

I have the opposite problem, I got a kindle paperwhite a couple of weeks ago, I was unconvinced about getting an e-reader, but with it in a case I keep trying to manually turn the page, to the great amusement of the SO!! I think I can safely say I'm used to it.

Scout.

[Ducky]

I have the Kindle app (and GoodReads and one other...) on my iPad. I don't have a problem getting used to it- in fact I love it when I can enlarge the font big enough for me to see/read especially when it's not a great day lol. I still haven't found any good books yet or maybe I'm looking in all the wrong places. At least one book I'd like to read costs money and I am extremely tight on that right now sadly.

I may have to get my hands on a smaller device though to carry around or something..

[thorny locust]

Somewhat related question, possibly not worth a new thread:

I've been given an Amazon certificate for a Kindle. The amount of the certificate will cover a basic model, or a significant chunk of the cost for a Paperwhite.

On the one hand, my finances would dictate getting the cheaper model. On the other hand: my eyesight isn't great, and I find that I need a lot more light to read than I used to. If I get the basic version, which as I understand it doesn't have a lighted screen, and don't like reading it, I still won't know whether I don't really want an ereader, or whether I would have liked it if I could have lit the screen.

As it's an Amazon certificate, I can't go to the store and ask to try both versions. I could maybe inflict myself on Staples, which I think might have them on display; but that's only going to tell me what they're like in the store light right by the display; as I won't be buying it there, I'm not going to ask them to let me carry it around to try to find lighting more like what's in my house.

Has anyone here, preferably someone with older eyes or other difficulties reading in poor light, used both models? if so, which did you find easier to use?

Possibly inapplicable data point: reading for long stretches on the computer does make my eyes hurt.

[Scout]

I have the paperwhite, and have tried my Mum's original kindle. I much prefer the paperwhite, it doesn't create any of the eyestrain of reading on a computer (unlike the kindle fire, which I have also tried. I realise that the fire isn't really an e-reader, it's a tablet, but the kindle in the name confuses some people).

You can adjust how bright you want the light on the paperwhite, I usually have it turned very low, but if I'm finding it difficult to read in the conditions I can turn it up.

Scout.