Should You Buy an eReader Such as a Kindle or a Nook?

Should You Buy an eReader Such as a Kindle or a Nook?
Written by Alyssia Walmsley

If you are wondering whether or not you should buy an eReader such as a Kindle or a Nook, you need to ask yourself a few simple questions. There are a lot of ways to read a book these days and there are some high tech substitutes to the old-fashioned pulp paperback book. Ebooks have become all the rage and many companies are jumping on the bandwagon. You can read ebooks on your computer or your laptop by downloading free eReader software. If you sit in front of a computer all day, this can be a good option.

You can also read ebooks on personal devices such as smartphones for reading on the go. Mobile versions of eReader software are available for free on many cellphone platforms. Apple also allows you to read ebooks on their iPad. A new tech toy that is quickly becoming popular is the eReader device such as the Kindle and the Nook. You can get a Kindle from Amazon, you can get a Nook from Barnes amp; Noble and Sony offer it’s own eReader device as well.

The great debate about eReader gadgets has been multi-functionality devices versus dedicated eReader devices. Many people say that a multifunction device makes the most sense. Check your email, send a text, read a book, call a friend, a multifunction device keeps things compact. Others say that technology such as electronic paper and no screen glare make the dedicated eReader the way to go.

So, should you spend your hard earned money on an eReader? Before you answer that question, ask yourself these questions:

Are you a reader?

Be honest with yourself, when was the last time you actually read a book? Do you really read for enjoyment, or are you just excited at the idea of a new tech toy? It’s easy to fall for the soft glow of a shiny new piece of technology, but will you actually use it or will the novelty wear off when you realize that it’s ultimately still just a book. If you didn’t like to read before, it’s unlikely that a pretty new Nook or Kindle is going to change that fact.

How many books have you bought in the last twelve months?

If you are a reader with the habit of reading whatever paperback is laying around or borrowing books from friends and libraries, you may find that you need a much larger book budget to download ebooks to read. There won’t be a used ebook store on the corner. There are plenty of free ebooks in the public domain that is available to download if you are only into the classics, but if you want to read James Patterson and Stephen King, you are going to have to pay.

Voracious readers who honestly love to read and are accustomed to buying books on a regular basis will most likely get the most return out of their Kindle or Nook investment. If you are only an occasional reader you may want to weigh the costs of an eReader device and ebooks against the amount of money you currently spend on books. It may take you a while to break even.

About the author

Alyssia Walmsley

Alyssia is a Cornell University graduate of 2003 and a former lead technology development manager for Microsoft and Cisco Networking Systems. Between writing on her blog, SkyGone Inc, loves adventures and chocolate sprinkles!

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