If you love to read, you are probably aware that recent developments in the electronic gadget field have provided you some enticing options. Most devoted readers that I know are not really gadget freaks, with a few exceptions, but there was a time when most writers wouldn't think of trading in their old Olivetti typewriter for a computer word processor, and we know how that turned out.
What I'm talking about from a reading perspective, if you haven't already guessed, is the relatively recent invention known as the electronic reading device, or electronic reader, or ereader, for short. Amazon gave us the Kindle, the first popular ereader. And popular for a really good reason: people love to read and ereaders make the reading experience much more comfortable and enjoyable.
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The Kindle quickly provoked competition, particularly from the Barnes and Noble Nook, the Sony Reader, and even the Apple iPad. But there are many others worth looking into.
I'm not suggesting you give up your real books for virtual books, the electronic books, or ebooks, that you read on an ereader. But you may find that a good ereader will complement your hardbacks and paperbacks, and take your reading passion to another level. So they are definitely worth considering.
Having said that, don't just run out and buy a Kindle or a B&N Nook, or any other popular ereader on the market just because you keep hearing about these products in the media.
There is a lot to consider before spending your hard-earned money and you owe it to yourself to do a little research to determine which of the ereaders on the market best suits your particular needs or desires. As you do your research, you will discover ereader features that you didn't even know existed, and you will find differences among the top ereaders that you might not expect.
So do your research. We've provided a couple of links below to give you much more detailed information in layman's language, but we'd also like to prepare you by addressing the main factors you should evaluate before making any buying decision. Obviously, what's right for one person may not be right for another.
9 Major Factors to Consider Before Buying An Ereader
Your Budget - what can you afford or are willing to pay for enhanced reading pleasure? The popular Kindle 3 can be had for 9, while certain iPads can run you up to 0. Ease of Use - admittedly, most of us (i.e., passionate readers) are not electronics geniuses. So look for an ereader that won't require a PhD in electronics engineering to get up and going and to negotiate. Comfort and Portability - one of the great things about ereaders is that some, more than others, are easy to carry around and to read from. May not be important to some persons, but if you like fitting thousands of virtual books in your back pocket and reading while lying on your back, this is definitely a factor worth considering. Readability - you want a nice clear display with good contrast and no glare. Not all ereaders can claim this type of readability, so yes, this is a big consideration for those who love to read and not just look at pretty pictures. Access to Titles - you want to be able to download lots of books easily, either free ebooks or ebooks that you wish to purchase. So you will want to have at least built-in Wi-Fi capability to be able to do this. If you travel a lot you may want built-in 3G to download from places where Wi-Fi is not available. Book Selection - Most ereaders will make it easy to download tons of different titles and magazines. But there are different ebook formats. For example, do you prefer the open format, ePub, used by the Barnes and Noble Nook for ebooks, or does the proprietary format used in the Amazon Kindle Store meet your needs? Storage Capacity - how many ebooks are enough for you to carry in you back pocket? One thousand? Three thousand? There are differences in capacity as well as in the ability to expand the storage capacity of the ereader. Some allow expansion. Some don't. Battery Performance - ereaders are portable and therefore have batteries that require periodic charging. The length of time you can use your ereader between charges varies from device to device. Something to think about. Multiple Device Capability - this is one of those features that most book lovers probably wouldn't think of, unless they have engineering degrees. Some ereaders allow you to start reading an ebook on your ereader, and then continue it on another device, like a laptop or iPad. This is one of those "luxury" features that may become a standard soon.
Those are 9 factors you should really think about before you go and buy yourself an ereader. I got one for Christmas from my wife and I absolutely love it. Have downloaded a good many free books in mere minutes.
Don't Buy An Ereader Just Yet BARNES AND NOBLE APPLETON WI
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