I was initially hesitant to delve into the e-book life because of course I still the smell of the pages of new (and old) books. Looking through the shelves at the library, trying to find a certain title excites me. Seeing Borders and certain Barnes & Nobles shut down saddens me.
But lately I’ve been exploring the e-book world more and more. Besides the obvious better-for-environment, I like the idea that I can bring my Nook or Kindle everywhere I go (thank you SCU tuition for not allowing to afford an iPad). My backpack is already loaded down with textbooks (although I’m seriously considering buying or renting these on my soon-to-be e-reader), so the prospect of one or two fewer books really is tempting.
I’ve narrowed it down to the Nook Color HD and the Kindle Fire HD. They are both $200, and I’m not that interested in paying seventy bucks more for the larger versions of the same tablets. Both are in color, have extensive digital book libraries, and run off of wireless. Both allow users to download apps ranging from Netflix to Sudoku. Both are backlit and advertise no-glare technology. Both have lending features. The Kindle has a camera. The Nook has more pixels.
They seem identical in price, but upon further inspection, the Nook comes with a charger. The Kindle has a separate $10 charger, and it costs $15 extra for an ad-free experience (the Nook doesn’t do this). Because they are so similar in pretty much all aspects, it looks like I’m going with the Nook. It seems to be a pretty good investment for a big reader like me, and I’ll let you know how it goes.
This doesn’t mean you won’t still see me in University, trailing my fingers along the pretty spines of paper books.