Bought the bride a Kindle a couple of years ago. She loves it. While it is never the same as holding and reading a book it has many other advantages. The main one being the screen shows as a page, not back light and she doesn't get any of the eye strain or head aches that sometimes happen.
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://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051QVF7A/?tag=gocous-20&hvadid=8782576877&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3364586871173744347&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_1jz3836cn0_e
This could get a bit confusing for anyone reading, but as the name says, "alnjan", it covers us both...I'm the "Jan" bit! hello!
as Al said, I've been using my kindle touch for a couple of years...wow, two and a half when I add it up, geez that went quick! I'm happy with it.
I wanted an e-reader for a couple of reasons, but mainly so I could take my bookcase with me when we go away, camping/travelling. A lot of my friends take one book and that does them for two or three weeks. I read one book in a day! Big books. the little ones are an easy afternoon read! Getting the picture here? One bag for clothes, one bag for books...now with the kindle I have room for shoes as well! lol
I have the kindle touch. I have arthritis in my hands, so wanted something without buttons. The only drawback with the 'touch' is that sometimes I touch the screen without meaning to, a page will turn. Or I go to wipe off a speck of fluff etc the page will turn. No biggy really, but I do have to find where I was, the 'back button' helps. I mainly use my kindle when camping, the battery life is incredible, even for the amount that I read, I still get a month between charges; not that I've needed it yet, but I bought a 12volt charger for it that plugs straight into the cigarette lighter in the landcruiser, so I'm covered if I need to charge it while out in the bush. (that is if I can get time amongst camera batteries and phones charging) (why do I read so much when camping? Instead of being out there climbing mountains? Well, it's not because I don't want to, but after having my femur replaced, that sort of thing is beyond me, so I now enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the surrounds, with a cup of tea and a good 'book')
I didn't want a backlit screen. I have dodgy eyes and they get really tired looking at computer screens and tvs, and I didn't want another backlit screen. I think that would chew up your battery life too. Yes, there are now kindles, and other e-readers, with built in light, but again it's using the same power source as your reader. I bought a small clip-on craft light, runs LEDs, quite bright, has several power settings, so I can use a soft light or brighter ones, it's on a flexible neck and takes two AAA batteries. It's lightweight and I just carry a spare set of batteries for the time i need to change them, not that I've had to yet; the LEDs don't draw much power. When I bought my kindle, I also got a hard cover for it, opens like a book cover. I fold it back when reading and that's what I clip my light too. works a treat.
There is now a kindle white or something like that available. Looks like white paper. I don't think I personally will go that way when I upgrade. Take a white paper paged book into the sun and a 'normal' colour paged book and read out there.....there's quite a bit extra glare coming off the white white page as opposed to what we normally call white.
I can't comment on any of the other brands of e-readers, as I haven't had an opportunity to use any of them. I haven't tried to borrow books for my kindle from a public library yet - there are so many free download books available from Amazon, that I now carry a large collection of books with me anyway, and they're usually on the kindle in under a minute. The books that I want to read over and over again I've bought; they're 'copies' of what is in my book case - you know the ones I mean, the ones you just can't live without. Electronic versions are much cheaper than the printed editions.
About the only thing I'd suggest you keep in mind when buying whatever e-reader you settle on is to make sure you get the screen size you're comfortable with. If you get a screen that's too small, then the font size will have to be small. So stick with a screen that's "book-sized" and then you can set the font to the size you're familiar with reading. That way, you'll hardly notice the difference once you're used to holding an e-reader instead of a book.
Oh! one added benefit to an e-reader.....the pages don't fall out, no matter HOW many times you read a book!! lol
As useful (note that word) as my kindle is, it will never replace my books. My PASSION is BOOKS; the feel of them, even the smell of the paper, it all adds to my reading pleasure. The kindle is a useful tool, and one I'll continue to use when I need to.
ps. Just been reading the other responses and they talk about networks etc. I'm not locked into any network - the kindle operates wirelessly, which I turn off in-between downloading anything to conserve battery life. I have downloaded straight onto my computer from Amazon, hooked up the supplied cable and transferred onto the kindle that way.
I find it easier to browse Amazons free books on the computer and have the wireless setting selected to 'ON' on the kindle. When I find a book that sounds interesting, the next step is a 'click' of a button on the computer screen and the 'book' is downloaded straight to my kindle in under a minute - easy peasy!
