Going back through the old...

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by Kasey Cox
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Okay, so I see that I was rather lax in making certain that my Gazette columns were re-posted here at the blog. This one was "Part Two" of the article series I wrote on ereaders back in July, so I'm especially naughty for not following through and posting it then. (In my defense, I DID put it on our website, and on the now-sadly-defunct Viewshound). ANY-way, here's "FAQs about e-readers".... some of this information, however, is now a little dated, since things are changing so rapidly in this area of publishing and technology. Nevertheless, I'll post this article as I wrote it this summer, and ask you to refer to the bookstore website for updates on how to use your newest ereader gadget. (www.wellsborobookstore.com)

What is an e-reader?

An e-reader is an “electronic reader”, an electronic device designed to be easily portable and light-weight, allowing the user to download books as electronic files and to be read on the device. An e-reader for books is comparable to the MP3 player for music: the same way that many people carry their music on the Apple ipod or Android or Zune, the electronics and publishing industries have sought a way for customers to use computer technology to carry many books in a small electronic device.

What’s the difference between an e-reader, like a ‘Nook’ or a ‘Kindle’, and a laptop computer, notebook, Apple iPad, or Android phone?

There are several e-readers on the market now – with many more to come – that are dedicated solely to the purpose of downloading and reading electronic books. These e-readers include the Nook, the Kindle, the Sony e-reader, the Kobo, and a number of generic devices. These devices differ from iPads, notebooks, “regular” computers, or Android devices because they are dedicated e-readers.

When the consumer wants to add more multimedia choices – music, games, Flash support for videos, web browsing, email, messaging, and more – then the best choice is clearly not an e-reader. The confusion comes from the fact that these multi-media devices have e-reader functions, which are heavily advertised by the companies that make them. Apple would much rather you buy an iPad than a Kindle, especially since the iPad costs considerably more (although, to be fair, it offers exponentially more applications and uses), and also encourages the buyer to use more services offered through Apple.

Okay, so what’s the difference between the e-readers? Isn’t a Kindle the best one?

If you’ve never heard the term “e-reader”, or if you’d heard it but didn’t really know what it means, you can thank Amazon.com. All the money that Amazon has avoided paying in state sales taxes in all the states where it operates fulfillment warehouses to ship stuff you order from them (but that’s a separate article) – all that money is going to hard-core advertising to convince the public that “Kindle” is synonymous with “electronic book reader.” Amazon would have the public say “Kindle” for “e-reader” the same way we often say “Kleenex” for “tissue” or “Oreo” for “chocolate and cream sandwich cookies.” Caveat emptor – just because a company has the most money to put into advertising does not necessarily mean they have the best product on the market.

The Kindle is one of several dedicated e-readers available now. To be honest, as far as dedicated e-readers go, the Nook and the Kindle are the best choices on the market right now, and both offer you several choices in price, memory size, and a few other whistles and bells. It is important for consumers to be completely aware of their options, however, and Amazon would rather that the public not do any real comparing or questioning.

One reason many people decide to invest in an e-reader is the ease on aging and/or fatigued eyes. E-readers allow the reader to adjust font-size, making it unnecessary to carry reading glasses, magnifiers, or heavy large-print books. What Amazon doesn’t want you to know is this: the “Pearl” screen with “e-ink” which is so heavily touted for its readability, is now standard on all major e-readers. So, whether you're getting the 2011 Nook or the Kobo or the 2010 Sony Reader or the Kindle, you're basically getting the same exact screen.

In your last article, you said that owning a Kindle meant I could only download e-books from Amazon. But my friend owns an Android, and my sister owns an Apple iPad, and they can both buy e-books from Amazon. So, is Kindle exclusive to Amazon, or isn’t it?

If you buy a Kindle as your dedicated e-reader, the only e-books that can be downloaded on your Kindle are Kindle-formatted e-books, exclusively from Amazon. However, if you buy one of the many available e-readers or devices that allow you to read e-books, you can buy or download a “Kindle app” (application) that allows you to download books from Amazon, as well as a myriad of other places. This application is an idea which is akin to Coke allowing you to buy a can of Pepsi from a Coke machine, giving buyers a great deal of flexibility. The Androids, the Apple iPad, even your own generic laptop – all of these allow you to download the Kindle app so you can read ebooks from Amazon as well as ebooks from your library, Barnes & Noble, and your favorite independent bookstores. The Kindle does not allow you those choices.

Paper or plastic? Tell Hobo your opinions on electronic readers versus paper books, at from_my_shelf@yahoo.com. Want to scroll through Hobo’s electronic archives? Follow his blog at frommyshelf.blogspot.com, or follow him on facebook at www.facebook.com/kcbookstore. Hobo tried to take his Nook in his little hobo sack, because it was lighter than taking a bunch of books, but it got wet when he fell in the pond. Read all about it in Hobo’s book, “Hobo Finds a Home” – proudly not available on the Kindle.