I am considering an e-reader, so naturally, I decided to blog my research on whether I should get one or not. Easy blog topic and it'll benefit anyone debating the same thing. Let's get into it.
Courtesy of bestereaderreview.org
For reference, I don't think you can get a Kobo e-reader and a Kindle e-reader in the same e-reader device. They are brands competing, thus it makes sense they'd make Kindle tablets so they won't play your Kobo books. Not fun. Not helpful. Can't Kobo and Kindle just be friends? The short answer is only on your laptop and phone. Not on anything else, as far as I know.
The reason I am looking for an e-reader is eye strain. I want to enjoy my Maggie Sullivan mysteries without getting tired of staring at a laptop screen or phone screen. All the same, I know that if I wanted to get an e-reader the Kobo and Kindle books aren't friends. It means I might have to get two if I wanted both. The real decision might be deciding on a Kobo or a Kindle branded e-reader. We're going to discuss the pros and cons of going the e-reader route, then talk about the difference between Kobo and Kindle e-readers.
Why E-read?
The pros of e-readers include adjusting the lighting on your device. Wherever you are, you can still avoid the glare (though a physical book may or may not be better for the beach sun). The main benefit is taking a book with you during your travels without filling your backpack with books. You can have so many series on your device that you've lost track of your library numbers, yet still, you have plenty of space for all the flight snacks in your bag.
Annotate much? Well, you can quickly find your underlined passages and bookmarks in a flash. No flipping pages while daylight burns. You just go to bookmarks and begin there. You go to your notes and can quickly show your friend your favorite part. You can annotate on an e-reader.
New authors are often self-published. Just look at me. I self-published on Kindle and Kobo. The point of this paragraph itself is to say you have access to the self-published in droves on your e-reader. You can also find out-of-print books from Project Gutenberg (which brings older books back into the mainstream) and download them, even if collectors won't give them up nowadays.
Ebooks are cheap. That's right, cheap. If you want a book for free you can also find that, too, especially classic books that are not brand new. Classics are often free. Pick them up and read them. You'll like a lot of them. In most cases, ebooks are so much cheaper than the physical printed book. If you have no shelf room for them it is not a problem. One e-reader takes up only inches on your desk or bedside. Instant delivery of a book means no waiting for the Amazon package. You have it now. You can read it now.
Do you have a visual impairment and need text that's huge? Simply adjust your e-reader so you can have the large print edition of every book. If you read at night a backlighted one is your best bet. No lamp needed!
The Cons of E-Reading
The cons? Eye strain in backlit devices. Requiring battery to read a book. Sometimes glare in the sun. It can be a bad decision for your eyes. Also, those who like the feel of pages lose that joy of turning pages and smelling the pages of their book. That book will also not give your home the same feel as a cozy library.
If you tend to lend books to others don't go this route. It discourages sharing books because it requires lending your e-reader to someone. Those cost money. If broken it will cost you a bit. Ebooks can't be autographed or easily given as gifts. It may also threaten the bookstore business.
Courtesy of ivanbrave.com
Not all books are available digitally. Also, not all books work in this format. I recommend having all forms of books, really. If you have no battery life to a device it is good to have a backup. When the power goes out a traditional paper book will never fail you.
Kobo or Kindle?
Someone before me compared different models of e-readers, including their prices, their purposes, and their downsides. Click here for details on multiple models. Be aware Kindles don't play Kobo books. You can't get both your Kobo and Kindle libraries on the same e-reader. If they were not competitive it wouldn't be so, but it is.
Kobo and Kindle e-readers are both good. According to many, though, Kobo tends to be better. I'm going to give you the pros and cons of both as best I can. Keeping in mind that different models do slightly different functions and budget is a factor, do your own research. Their model functions are pretty similar. The space you buy is what you have, for reference on storage.
Kobo can support library lending. While Kindle can do this too, it is only in the US. Kobo doesn't have that limitation. Every Kobo e-reader has Overdrive built in. Kobo also supports many formats that Kindle does not. It lets you use and sideload EPUB, MOBI, CBZ, and CBR. The only thing here is that Kobo is less known than Kindle, so more people might Kindle publish (meaning less of a storehouse to search). Kobo has a subscription service. Canadians can find these in stores. Kobo e-readers have grippy backs and are not smooth. I had one once. It feels good on your hands. This one is more generous on storage than Kindle, 8 G on most models. Kobos give you a great personalized experience, but not the extras of Kindle. Kobo requires WiFi or a USB cable to transfer books.
Courtesy of elpais.com
Kindle e-readers are mostly for Kindle stuff. If you don't have any Kobo books go Kindle. In the US you will be able to get books from libraries. Kindle has a subscription service, too. It will have slightly more books to choose from than Kobo. Most people will have to go through Amazon to get one. If you don't care what your e-reader looks like and don't want fancy, Kindle works. Most Kindles are 4 to 8 G with one exception of the 32 G e-reader. Kindle readers can enjoy many extras, such as dictionary and Wikipedia use, as well as character information. Whispersync gives the Kindle the edge because a book can be transferred anywhere.
Do your own research on this. Canadians and anyone outside the US may want to lean toward Kobo. Anyone in the US can flip a coin. It all depends on what you want from an e-reader and whether you want extras or not. I'll let you browse the Kobo and Amazon websites for what you want. Meanwhile, I might do the same.
I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have four five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page.
Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him?
Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.
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