Re:iPod Touch & eBooks

BEEN READING eBOOKS TOO LONG?

Not only are most of my books available as eBooks, I read a lot of eBooks. I
am a publisher and a reader. That places me on both sides of publishing: as
producer and consumer. 

My speaking travels average some 6,000 miles each week. Yes, 6,000; I made
five around-the-world speaking itineraries this year. (I have a home in
Santa Barbara but live on United Airlines.) Traveling as light as possible,
I do not carry printed books. Think about it, even for a short trip, you
would have to carry two books—in case you finished one. For the past several
years, I have read eBooks on my Pocket PC. 

A Pocket PC is a multifunction device. Now I do not have to carry an address
book, calendar, reference materials, paper books, etc. 

Then something happened. In December I was home for a couple of weeks. I had
a couple of mass-market paperback that I wanted to read. They were not
available as eBook editions so I decided to read myself to sleep with one of
them.

How awkward! With the printed book, you have to turn on the (bright) light.
If you wake up in the middle of the night and decide to tire you eyes with
reading, that light is dazzling! The eBook reader is back-lighted and very
gentle. 

As a world traveler, I have become used to reading my eBooks in a taxi at
five in the morning. Light? No thanks, my (back-lighted) book comes with a
light. 

Holding a printed book (pBook) is awkward. It takes two hands. Even a
smaller mass market paperback is difficult. Have I been reading my Pocket PC
with one hand too long?

Bookmark? How Twentieth century! I don’t need a book mark. Nor do I have to
deface the book by dog-earing it. The eBook remembers where I stopped
reading and opens to that page when I turn it back on.

Cost. The only reason I paid more for these pBooks is that they were not
available as eBooks. I love these authors and have purchased everything they
have written. How I wish all of their books were available electronically. 

Type.. Why can’t I adjust the size to the glasses I am wearing? It is easy
with an eBook reader. 

Spelling. When not sure of a word in a pBook, I have to go find a
dictionary. With my eBook, the dictionary is built-in.

Convenience. I can download eBooks from anywhere in the world. I do not have
to visit a bookstore or have Amazon deliver it. 

Disposal. I read a lot of books. What should I do with pBooks when I finish
reading? My shelves are full.

Electronic books are a far superior platform to dead-tree books for numerous
reasons. But let’s be practical. After trying both—extensively, I prefer to
annoy electrons than cut down trees. This is not just an environmental
concern, it is a practical reading decision.

I love eBooks.


When I am traveling, my messages and answers tend be short. 
Thank you for your understanding. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Dan Poynter, Author (120+ books), Publisher (since 1969), Speaker (CSP).
Para Publishing, PO Box 8206, Santa Barbara, CA 93118-8206 USA. 
Bus: +1-805-968-7277, Mob: +1-805-448-9009. 
[email protected], http://ParaPublishing.com
Follow me: htp://www.Twitter.com/DanPoynter
NOW, SIT DOWN AND WRITE SOMETHING.
 




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