Don't Buy a Kindle (Wifi or 3G) as a Gift for a Book Lover!
78Book Lovers Should Love Ereaders - Right?
I'm a voracious reader. Maybe you know one too? Maybe you think that the best gift you could buy for the book lover in your life is a Kindle? Maybe a Wifi or 3G or even a brand new Kindle Fire? Do think again (at least about the Wifi or 3G - the Kindle Fire might be okay, but you'll need to read on to find out why...)
My husband had the same bright idea of buying me a Kindle Wifi since I am so obviously a book lover, but he couldn't have been more wrong with this gift! Having noted that my head is often engrossed in a book my dear husband logically thought that an e-book reader would create whoops of joy, smiles and happiness all round - yet it has only made me feel guilty, and him disappointed.
The Perfect Gift?
The Story of My Kindle Wifi
This (very) short story begins with a man armed with an idea, his credit card, and a laptop. Off he went to Amazon to buy me a Kindle - the most perfect gift that I could ever have, he thought. Having wrapped it lovingly it was presented it to me on the morning of our anniversary.
Unwrapping the gift was exciting and even seeing what was inside was exciting....for a while. I'd never seen an ereader in real life, never held one in my hands, never touched the cold hard plastic of such a device.
Seeing that I had a smile on my face a look of satisfaction crossed his face. Happy that he had indeed bought the ideal gift for a book lover such as myself, he left me to play with my new toy....and that's when the "fun" began.
Playing, Setting Up & Navigating Was OK
Turning the Kindle around in my hands, my initial reaction was that it felt odd, strange in some way I couldn't put my finger on. However, I continued with an open mind and spent some time getting used to the navigation system (which is pretty much like the same as an old style mobile phone), and it was surprisingly intuitive. Very, very easy - I'm sure even the technologically challenged would soon be zipping their way around the device without any problems.
I set up my Kindle Wifi (which was easy to do BTW, since we have an internet wifi connection at home), and after connecting to my Amazon account I downloaded my first "book". Sitting down to read from my new device I quickly got used to using the buttons that turn the "pages" and even quite liked the fact that there was no licking of fingers involved. All well and good, but I still couldn't shake the oddness of holding this thing in my hands. It just didn't feel right.
Then My Kindle Wifi Became Very Annoying...
Not only was I simply missing the feel of a real book in my hands, it's lack of "real book" functionality started to really irk me. Why oh why do people love these Kindle things so much?
Cross Referencing. No Go.
The first thing that annoyed me about my Kindle Wifi was that flipping back and forth to find specific pages is not quick or easy. The e-book I'd happened to buy was a reference book related to my work. I wanted to go back and re-read something which would be easy peasy with a real paper book. Not so with the Kindle - it took me ages to find the right page and by the time I had found it, I'd forgotten what I wanted it for. No easy cross referencing here!
Where Are My Images?
I don't know if this was simply a formatting error on the part of the author of my Kindle book, but it kept referencing various figures (images) in the text but - they were nowhere to be found! This got me quite irate since the images were integral to what I was trying to learn. Urrgh. Novels don't need images, but reference books often do so I definitely will not be downloading that type of book onto my Kindle again.
No Sharing Allowed On My Kindle (Unless I Pay for it)
One of the great joys for me is sharing books. I share with friends and family the wonderful and not so wonderful books that I've read and there's a real thrill when two of you both absolutely love a book and can spend hours talking about it. It's something those book lovers in my immediate circle all enjoy and it's something we treasure. Sadly, if I want to share books I have to pay for Amazon Prime and even then I'm only allowed to "borrow" one book a month, making for a very lonely book reading experience.
And if You Must Buy a Kindle...Buy a Kindle Fire
 | Amazon Price: $199.00 |
If I can't sway you from buying your beloved book lover the gift of a Kindle then at least buy them the Kindle Fire. For one it has a color screen. Unlike the Kindle I have, images can be displayed which means that when my book says take a look a figure 8, I can actually see figure 8!
Choosing this option means if they don't like using the device for reading ebooks, they can still use it to browse the internet, check email, play games and anything else that a tablet computer can do.
If it Don't Feel Like a Book or Smell Like a Book it's Not a Book!
I tried to like my Kindle, I really did but I missed the smell of a book, the weight of a book, the tactile nature of a book's pages. I wanted my images and I wanted to share. Unfortunately my Kindle just couldn't provide. Give me a real book any day!
 | Amazon Price: $12.00 List Price: $27.00 |
 | Amazon Price: $3.31 List Price: $21.00 |
Real Books
 | Amazon Price: $5.98 List Price: $14.99 |
 | Amazon Price: $15.25 List Price: $35.00 |
What Do You Think About E-readers?
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Even if I don't love a kindle I may get one because it does not preclude reading other books.However, what you mention as advantages to Kindle fire does not interest me as I don't play the games and such.you have made me aware that I will have to get to know more about them before I know what is suitable for my needs.
Hi, Susana,
I'm going to completely agree with you despite the fact I don't have an electronic reading device. Avid readers do NOT want these electronic reading devices.
I LOVE to read. I love my stack of books on the coffee table waiting for me. I love to watch the stack disappear from the coffee table and appear on my bookshelf once completed.
I love my bookmarks, too.
I love to shop at the local used bookstore for bargain books at 50 cents each.
The only part of the electronic reading devices that entice me are all of the free books that are available. However, I know with certainty that curling up with an electronic reader will not feel very satisfying. It would be a waste of money if someone bought this for me as a gift. Even if I received it for free, I have a feeling it would sit and collect dust.
I don't agree that you prefer kindle fire over other kindle for reading purpose. Kindle fire is not for reading a lot as it is built with LED IPS technology which is hard to read for longer as compared to other black and white kindle editions as these are built using eink screen.
if reading is the primary purpose go to kindle other than kindle fire. Kindle fire is good for watching movies, comics, color newspaper etc.
Hi Dee, I'd completely forgotten about that aspect of books. I also love browsing books both in regular stores and at thrift stores, jumble sales, secondhand bookshops. I'm going to add that in the article. Another thing is although I have hundreds if not thousands of books, I really like *having* them as possessions - it's like they represent my journey through life. My couple of kindle books feel more "throw away" for some reason. Thanks for sharing why you like your kindle and real books :)
That's a fair comment dahogland. If you aren't interested in mobile browsing, gaming, music and such like then a Kindle fire would be no use to you. For me, if I'd been given a kindle fire (though it's not released just yet) it wouldn't just be sitting there getting dusty like my wifi is - I could use it for work.
Good post! I am an avid reader and have never tried an electronic book. Like you, I prefer to browse consignment shops and look for books. A cup of coffee, and a book go a long way!
I love my Kindle,and I am one that can never pass a bookstore without popping in because I love,love books; but you are correct that finding a previous page is tedious!Buying a cover is the trick to making the Kindle "feel" more book-like though and the Kindle does have one huge convenience over books... like only packing just one book for vacations!
I have a second generation Kindle that I absolutely love. I mostly purchase books for my Kindle now. Printed books are a waste of natural resources and they take up too much space in my home.
Hey Deni, glad to hear I'm not the only one who doesn't find ereaders appealing. You've reminded me of another thing I like about books and that's having half a dozen new ones to choose from. I have a special place on my bookshelf for new books and they usually end up in a stack under my bed.
Softhard I have to agree with you. I also was told that the LCD screen on the kindle fire can glare and become hard to read. The kindle wifi or 3G don't have this issue.
I enjoy my kindle, saves space and I always have easy access to new books rather than having to go down to the shop. It is worth borrowing a friends kindle and trying it before buying, they aren't for everybody. My dad doesn't like it, he enjoys the feel of the real book.
I agree with you on this one. I read a lot and people think I want one of these gadgets. Again and again I say no. I want to feel the book in my hands. Furthermore, I also like to flip back and forth. I've even been known to fold down the corner of a page (gasp!) if I like that section of the book and want to return to it. No eReader for me!
softhard - I think the kindle fire has different screen options so that reading is easier when compared to reading on a LED screen.
Thanks, you just saved me some cash! I was going to buy one for my daughter, she is an avid (10 year old) reader, but thinking about what you say, the touch and feel of a book is half the pleasure, and I like seeing her enjoying her reading!
John
I don't have a kindle but I love buying ebooks for my ipad :). They download immediately and the free books a real bonus.
My biggest complaint is the weight of some e-readers although hardcover books can be heavy too. (I still use the library). As for findings something, most e-readers have bookmarks and word search features; don't know about Kindle. Good to see you again Susana!
I too like the feel of a real book in my hands. Thank you so much for sharing this information. I've been on the fence about purchasing one of these. I will now do some more thinking,I feel I would truly miss handling an actual book. Thank you for sharing, voted up, marked useful, and interesting.
Hey you are back! I keep being tempted by the idea of a Kindle, but I think that I would just miss my books too much. Also, I get most of mine from the library, and you can't yet borrow downloads!
I'm a book lover who doesn't own a Kindle but will probably get one at some point. But I'll probably continue reading the real thing, too.
I like the price of Kindle ebooks, and I like the fact that you can have a large quantity of books on one device which makes it great for traveling. I'm also a crocheter and I can see having my patterns (most of which are pdf documents) on my Kindle without having to constantly print them out. And the screen is small enough that it should be fairly easy to keep my place in the pattern as I'm crocheting. If any of these devices will allow me to take notes on a simple text editor like Notepad, that would be even better.
So I think the Kindle is good for a lot of things, but I'm sure I'll continue buying real books because I too like the feel of them, and I like having a "library" in my home. And like dahoglund, I'll need to do some investigating before making a purchase.
Thanks for sharing this info about the Kindle. Rated up and useful!
I love my 2nd generation Kindle. If I want colour I'll read on my iPad. I can bookmark pages, make notes, highlight passages I want to remember. But...I still buy "real" books too and have 3 bookshelves-full of them.
I am more interested in what is in a book than how it feels.
The main thing I like about my Kindle is that I don't need to wear my reading glasses in bed.
I have always been an avid reader and have started reading even more since I got my Kindle. I have also discovered some authors and books (mostly for free) that I would not have found otherwise.
I have not had the money to even consider such a purchase, but I can think of one great advantage:
In college, I was forced to haul around these massive tomes: physics, math and many other heavy books. It virtually killed my back and I have back pain today!
I voted you up. Thanks for an informative hub. I think people’s opinions are valuable, especially when it comes to consumer goods. I am an avid reader, but after filling several bookcases, I decided to go the public library route. Now I buy a book only if it isn’t available through the library. I bought a Zune for audio books, but discovered that I would rather read than listen. I don't own an ebook reader of any kind but am considering buying one mainly for downloads when the library is closed or for traveling. I just haven't decided on which reader to buy. I have friends who have Kindles, Nooks, or Sonys, and each swears that hers is the best. I will just have to go to the big box store and try them out, I guess. My colleagues and I, as professional editors and researchers, use dual monitors to be able to research and edit without switching documents on a single screen, so I think that a Kindle would not work well as a research tool unless it is only supplementary.
One of the common criticisms I see in book reviews is that many of the electronic versions are poorly edited or not edited at all for scanning errors. I’ve seen several reviews on Amazon that said the Kindle version was difficult or impossible to read.
I have loved reading ever since I learned how. My home is loaded with bookshelves, not to mention the books I have stacked in a closet. I am not a huge fan of all the gadgetry out there. Never will I own a Kindle. I love how my books with their jackets add interest to a room in terms of color. I love the look of books in a home, to me it gives it a homey, cosy feel. I love the feel of the book and turning the pages. I've been asked many times why I don't give away the ones I've read, but I can't. Not to say I haven't, but not many. My books are a part of who I am, and even when not reading, it gives me great pleasure to just see the wide variety of mental escapes I have at my fingertips.
My dream room would be a library, complete with the floor to ceiling sliding ladder :)
You really hit the nail on the head with some issues with ereaders. Finding pages and ESPECIALLY the borrowing problem is very annoying. I do like my ereader though because it doesn't take up as much space as real books, turning pages is a bit easier, and it is easier to find and obtain the books that you want. Great hub though, made me smile.
Kindle wins over iPad
Definitely a good advice and a great warning.
I understand your feelings, and those of all the commenters here. Just thought I'd throw one more Kindle-friendly thought out there- ebooks don't suffer from storage malfunctions and ruin 5000+ real books with damp and mildew. I lost almost my entire collection because my storage place at the time wasn't was weather-sealed as I thought.
I still love, buy, and read physical books- but I really enjoy and appreciate my Kindle Fire, too. (The Fire is my 3rd ebook reader, and best one yet!)
I love reading and have been doing so on a ereader for over 5 years. I started out on a palm PDA and now have a kindle and an iPad. The iPad is great; but it gets heavy after a while. I never could get used to reading on the kindle (although its great in sunlight). The things I love best are the transportability of several books at once and no worries about storage! I love dour hub and think your point of view is probably relate able to many folks! Voted up!
How right you are! Cold, hard electronics will never replace the companionship of a genuine book, and the friendliness you find between pages. The look and feel of my books are unique, and part of the reading experience. Thanks for a wonderful hub!
I agree with trish1048. A big library with floor to ceiling bookshelves is my dream, too, but with limited space it isn't likely to happen. So I probably will buy an ereader. Now if I could convert my husband's workshop in the garage to a library.... One can only dream, though.
Well,I don't like digital gadgets to read a book.I better like physical books
You like Glenn Beck? I think I have to un-follow you now. J/K - Seriously though, he's a tool.
Nice article! I mostly read for work, and I read a lot ebooks. I'm constantly referencing though, so I guess an ereader is out of the question.
Great hub, I dont enjoy reading with ereaders either.
I love my e-reader, the NOOK by barnes and noble. I dont use it for anything but Novels or recipe books, it is not for reference books too much i would expect but i love my nook. I can load as many books as i want and take only one little nook with me when i travel. And viola, no worries, plenty of reading material for my trip.
I am actually thinking for getting a Nook Tablet since I was so happy with the Nook, then I will have one for reading in high light, even sunlight. And i will have one for reading in low light. Perfect. lol Forget about kindle altogether.
I am still old school, even though more and more I am starting to look at the ebook alternative. I doubt I will end up getting a Kindle and will wait until the e-readers become more "user friendly."
Your Kindle review is excellent. I never thought Ebook reader's could be as effective compared to books. Well, for the amazing convenience it can you, that might be a reason. But when such a reader like the Kindle puts on a hefty load of restrictions like no sharing, image loss, and less ease of access. Nice and useful review which is great.
I have been an avid book reader since I was 8 and I love my kindle wifi... I like that you can read it outside in the sunlight without the glare. I also love that I can take a huge library of books with me when I go on vacation or on the train. I thought I would miss the feel of books but I spend enough time in books that I have not noticed. The kindle fits right in my hand and in my life.
A real book is no doubt better than an ereader but you can't beat the convenience of it. I live in a condo and have very limited space. I ended up putting my books in storage. If you're anything like me then you most likely love to reread books. It's too much trouble to dig up that specific book you want so an ereader is a better choice.
I've been considering buying a kindle, mostly because I'm frequently on the road and am tired lugging around a ton of books. I will never go 100% electronic though. Not until they figure out how to make the kindle smell like a real book. There is nothing I like more than the smell of a book.
I know now that I will soon buy an ereader of some kind, either Kindle or Nook. Last week I was reading a trilogy all-in-one book, and it was so heavy that when I got to the last book within the book, I took it back to the library and checked out the single book. Now I can't make up my mind whether to go the economy or color route. It's going to have to have wifi, though, so it won't be too economy.
I am an avid reader and lover of books, and I love my Kindle. Thousands of books available at my fingertips in a single easy to carry, easy to read device. Granted it is not the best type of device to read a manual or technical book, but for just reading for the enjoyment of reading it can't be beat.
If you miss the feel/look of a real book, I would suggest getting one of the kind ereader covers - mine is a dark brown leather - it helps protect the screen and gives the kindle that feeling of holding a real book and it also makes the kindle easier to hold on to.
Dee aka Nonna Level 6 Commenter 6 months ago
Like you I love the feel of a real book in my hand. I love going into a bookstore and browsing. I wrote a couple of hubs about my bookstore experiences, etc. I love my kindle because (1) books tend to overtake my home and (2) when I travel it is easier to take one item with many book choices then to take 5 or 6 books. But I still love reading a "real" book and I still do.
This was a great hub. Voted up, interesting and funny because I had to giggle when the realization hit me that I feel the same way about "feeling" a book in my hands.