KIndle: Good news or bad?

[Pink_Panther]

The thing is that with the popularity of the electronic word, the written word will decline.
Paperbacks will become redundant but will they become rarer and therefore more desirable / collectible?

At the moment I am clearing all fiction from my bookshop.

I have slashed prices on all my non fiction . But, if sales still fail to materialize I'm afraid I'll be closing that store down!


Sad innitt!

[Tiskets]

On pain of death, I will never, ever buy an electronic book, nor will I download a book. Doesn't matter whether you are rich or poor, there is an affordable book for everyone.

I love the feel and that special smell of a new book, the look of the dustjacket, looking forward to reading the first chapter, turning the first page and turning the last.

I've had a book in my hand since I was a teeny girl and my grandchilden have had a books in their hands since they were just a few months old. My OH reads every evening. The library or the bookshop is always the first place I go to when on holiay; was the first place the children were taken at the start of holidays and this has followed through to the next generation.

How can some hard plastic thing ever compete with the real thing?

Books will never die out whilst I have breath in my body.

[KAYS6912]

On pain of death, I will never, ever buy an electronic book, nor will I download a book. Doesn't matter whether you are rich or poor, there is an affordable book for everyone.

I love the feel and that special smell of a new book, the look of the dustjacket, looking forward to reading the first chapter, turning the first page and turning the last.

I've had a book in my hand since I was a teeny girl and my grandchilden have had a books in their hands since they were just a few months old. My OH reads every evening. The library or the bookshop is always the first place I go to when on holiay; was the first place the children were taken at the start of holidays and this has followed through to the next generation.

How can some hard plastic thing ever compete with the real thing?

Books will never die out whilst I have breath in my body.

Couldn't have put it better myself Gill!

I am - and always have been - an avid reader and although I do like gadgets, I would never DREAM of buying one of those things. Sammy's the same - prefers the feel of the book and the act of turning pages.

I was speaking to a friend the other day who was given one of these ebooks as a birthday present. Jo is a "super-avid" reader. She's one of those folk who can knit and read a book at the same time but she HATES the Kindle with a vengeance! Like us, she loves the feel and smell of a REAL book, regardless of whether it's fiction, non-fiction - whatever!

My nieces love their books too and have been reading since well before they started school. Not one of them has expressed an interest in an e-book although like me, they love their gadgets. Long may it continue!

[astral276]

I don't think books will ever disappear. They are perfection in simple design. They also have a tactile sense that no pad can ever emulate. Far easier to flick back and forth in a book than on any e-media. Easier to sit in the bath or on the bog with a book than a pad. In the latter case, if desperate, you could even use it as bog paper.

Most books of any worth will be transferred to the new media. Rare books will retain their value. Lesser books are worth next to nothing now and will also retain their value - nothing.

I can see some practical use for the pads. All school-kids should have one with their text books on them. That way they will always have the latest editions rather than working from out of date editions due to the school being unable to afford new sets when they are released.

Can't envisage me ever owning a pad though. I don't like reading large amounts of text from a screen. I don't even like watching TV programs on me computer. Just never seems right.

[WiccaBasketUK]

'Fraid I have a Slate which is an ebook reader and i also read books on my iphone when on the bus but to counter that i do have over a 1000 books in my personal library.

[gyronny]

I collect books and have a kindle. The kindle is absolutely wonderful for holidays, saves me packing 10 or so books.
It doesn't go all soggy in the bath either (unless you drop it! )

[bykimbo]

I collect books and have a kindle. The kindle is absolutely wonderful for holidays, saves me packing 10 or so books.
It doesn't go all soggy in the bath either (unless you drop it! )

Neither does a paperback!

[suesjools]

Don't want a Kindle, won't get a Kindle or any other electronic reading device due to relatively high cost and, more importantly, the necessary progression of technology which may well render today's devices obsolete in the near future. Give me good old paper and ink books any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

Just my 2 cents...

Best wishes for many sales to all,

[Juliebabe25]

AS you may know I love history books (when I can afford them)

Saying that we all like books will not hold back progess.

Astral and Gyroony say there are practical uses for them.

It would be great to hear from people who have them and if they prefer using them over real books.

And what happens when your kindle breaks down ?

I also think that ebid is far too top heavy with books - about 30% of our listings are books.

[adruml]

Remember going to the music store, buying albums and 45's. Looking through the Black light posters smelling the incense from the back room...gone

Remember going into a Bookstore ordering a cup of coffee and relaxing with your favorite book...gone

Remember the mom and pop video stores...gone

I miss just about every aspect technology has taken away, couldn't we have both!