TeresaBenedicta Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 Does anyone have a Kindle or a Barned and Noble "Nook"? Or an iPad with Kindle application? This is something my parents are thinking about getting me for my birthday. There are a lot free downloads (Aristotle, Plato, St. Thomas, etc). So it's tempting... It could give me a lot of access to books I can't afford right now but would like to be reading. But... I'm nervous about it. Feels kind of like treason... I mean... I [i]love[/i] books. Kind of makes me uncomfortable thinking about switching to something digital... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissScripture Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 One thing one of my profs. who had one pointed out is that it's a little harder if you read something you really like to go back to find it, because you can't just stick a bookmark or sticky-note or what have you like in a physical book. But other than that, she really likes her's (not sure which she has). A friend who had a Kindle wishes she would've gotten a Nook, but I'm not sure why. She loves it, though, anyway. She just thinks she'd like a Nook more. I personally don't think I would like it. I am not a huge fan of reading lots of text on a screen like that. I prefer to read off of paper. Not really sure why, I just feel like it's easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaime Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 I looked at both the Kindle and the Nook and ended up with the Kindle. I LOVE it!! I took 10 books with me to Croatia and they were all on the slick little Kindle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeresaBenedicta Posted October 2, 2010 Author Share Posted October 2, 2010 [quote name='MissScripture' timestamp='1285991628' post='2177453'] One thing one of my profs. who had one pointed out is that it's a little harder if you read something you really like to go back to find it, because you can't just stick a bookmark or sticky-note or what have you like in a physical book. But other than that, she really likes her's (not sure which she has). A friend who had a Kindle wishes she would've gotten a Nook, but I'm not sure why. She loves it, though, anyway. She just thinks she'd like a Nook more. I personally don't think I would like it. I am not a huge fan of reading lots of text on a screen like that. I prefer to read off of paper. Not really sure why, I just feel like it's easier. [/quote] Yeah, those are my concerns too-- I [i]really[/i] like paper books. Marking them up, sticky-notes, etc. The big positive that I'm seeing is that they have a LOT of older books available-- philosophy and theology books. I can get the Summa at the palm of my hand, along with biblical commentaries and other spiritual classics. That's a LOT of free resources that I wouldn't be able to afford. Of course, I wouldn't let this replace physical books. Love them too much. On the other hand... Well, to be frank, my parents are pushing this a bit because they like to get me nice gifts for birthday/Christmas. The appeal to me is the vast resources that would be available at my fingertips. On the other hand, I'd much rather just have a gift of money and pay off my student loans. I know how much my parents love to get me nice gifts-- it's how they show their love. And I want to grant them that while they still have the opportunity. God-willing, in a few years (less?), they won't have that opportunity any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luigi Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 Kindle? Nook? - BOOK! A hand-held device is fine for pleasure reading. It's also fine for business reading - keeping track of a lot of documents. But it wouldn't be good for the kind of reading you want to do - reading for research, learning, reference, etc. Your parents can give you a nice gift [i]card [/i]to a bookstore that carries the kinds of titles you like - that way, they're still giving you a nice gift, and you still get books. For the cost of a Kindle/Nook, you could get a bunch of books. If you've been lusting after a [i]set[/i] of books, such as a nicely printed complete works of Aquinas or something, you could also suggest that to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micah Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 I got a Kobo this summer, which is the pretty much the same as a kindle, but not as fancy and definitely not as nice as a nook. I thought the same thing, since my bedroom is like covered in books that I'd read all the classics and carry it with me everywhere, and I haven't touched it since.. In hindsight, I'd rather carry a nice big book around with me all over town and campus than use an ereader. But you might be one of those people who really enjoys them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercy me Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 This is very interesting. I sometimes find that reading off a screen is hard on my eyes. I can't seem to do it for the length of time that I like to spend curled up with a book. Do the people that have Kindles or Nooks have this problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luigi Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 I have the same problem on my regular computer screen. A friend explained it to me - I haven't read any medical proof, but it sounds intuitively possible: You're not looking at ink on paper when you read a screen, you're looking at electronically generated dots. The ink on paper is visually stabe, but the electronic dots actually "dance" a little bit - fluctuations due to something having to do with the electricity - so your eyes are making whole lots of tiny adjustments when you read from a screen, and the tiny adjustments tire the eye muscles. But I don't know if that's really it. I've often thought that the light emanating from the screen has something to do with it - books may enlighten but they never emanate light! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micah Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 Yep, Luigi's got it. Reading on a computer screen is the same as staring at a lightbulb. Websites like phatmass where it's all white are especially bad. :b ereaders don't actually emit light. They use "electric ink". Once the print is generated on the screen it essentially shuts off, which makes it really easy on the eyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercy me Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 So, none of these readers are hard on they eyes? Are any better in this regard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommas_boy Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 The nice thing about the Nook over the Kindle is that the Nook has free 3G service that allows you to download books anywhere that there's cell phone signal, rather than having to rely on WiFi. Also, the Nook can display color, while the Kindle is grayscale only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micah Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 [quote name='Mercy me' timestamp='1285996716' post='2177471'] So, none of these readers are hard on they eyes? Are any better in this regard? [/quote] I think they all use the same technology. I know the Kindle and the kobo are exactly the same soft grey. [color=#595959][font=arial, verdana, sans-serif][size=4][quote]The nice thing about the Nook over the Kindle is that the Nook has free 3G service that allows you to download books anywhere that there's cell phone signal, rather than having to rely on WiFi. Also, the Nook can display color, while the Kindle is grayscale only.[/quote][/size][/font][/color] [color=#595959][font=arial, verdana, sans-serif][size=4] [/size][/font][/color] [color=#595959][font=arial, verdana, sans-serif][size=4]true that. The nook is in a whole nother ball park as far as quality. [/size][/font][/color] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommas_boy Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 Correction. It looks as though the Kindle does have EVDO/CDMA (cellular) internet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommas_boy Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 (edited) Ok. I'm taking this from the Best Buy Learning Lounge, which is for teaching employees about products. Here's the rundown: Nook: "2GB of internal memory and a 6" color touch screen LCD display. Has 3G, WiFi, and USB connectivity and plays MP3s." Sony Pocket: "5" display, 512MB of internal memory, supports a variety of formats. USB connectivity only." Sony Touch: "6" touch screen, 512MB of internal memory with dual memory card expansion slot and supports a variety of formats." Sony Daily: "7" touch screen, 1.6 GB of internal memory with dual memory card expansion slot, supports a variety of formats." Kindle: "6" screen size, text-to-speech feature, 4GB internal memory, supports a variety of formats." Both the Nook and the Kindle appear to have eInk displays that don't use a backlight to light up the screen (according to Wikipedia), so they are easier on the eyes. I have yet to find anywhere that says that the Kindle supports MP3 playback, but I haven't seen anything that says that it doesn't either. The Nook is expandable to 16GB, while it doesn't look like the Kindle is expandable at all. The Kindle also isn't compatible with the EPUB format, which cuts out borrowing books from online local libraries. Edited October 2, 2010 by mommas_boy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fragments Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 if anyone is having particular difficulty when reading screens. (Headaches etc) Try raising the refresh rate of your screen.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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