Author Topic: The Dying E-Reader? (Read 17999 times)

Ben · « **on:** February 27, 2018, 11:13:05 AM »

I hope this isn't going to be the way of things. I LOVE my Kindle Paperwhite. I can't read comfortably on a color device, to include the Kindle Fire, and I especially hate reading anything lengthy on my phone.

I suppose as long as the software formats remain the same, or convertible, I'll still be using my E-Reader for a good long while (heck, I still have my first gen Kindle with the physical keyboard). However were it to break, and no equivalent (for easy on the eyes reading) were available, I would immediately go back to dead trees -- if they're still even available in 20 years. It seems the article comments are running in my favor, so I'm not alone. :)

The secondary story - people migrating from books to "social news feeds" was rather disconcerting to me as well.

https://www.tomsguide.com/us/is-the-ereader-dead,review-5158.html

Pb · « **Reply #1 on:** February 27, 2018, 12:27:01 PM »

My kindle is probably about five or six years old, and it is one of my favorite possessions- would rather read on e-ink than paper any day. I can enlarge the print, hold it and "turn" pages with one hand, more compact, and I have hundreds of books on it.

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #2 on:** February 27, 2018, 12:28:29 PM »

E-what? I still believe in dead trees.

dogmush · « **Reply #3 on:** February 27, 2018, 12:43:46 PM »

My wife and I each have a Nook, which we both really like, but with Amazon prime unlimited we tend to just read on our tablets. Not as nice on the eyes as the e-paper, but not too bad. I adjust the backlighting down pretty far in the dark.

K Frame · « **Reply #4 on:** February 27, 2018, 01:21:23 PM »

Mtnbkr and his family gave me a Kindle a few years ago for Christmas.

I absolute adore the thing.

Right now I'm reading the memoirs of a soldier of the Union Army.

TechMan · « **Reply #5 on:** February 27, 2018, 01:41:48 PM »

Quote from: fistful on February 27, 2018, 12:28:29 PM

E-what? I still believe in dead trees.

Why do you hate the environment?

2nd_to_one · « **Reply #6 on:** February 27, 2018, 01:51:42 PM »

Quote from: dogmush on February 27, 2018, 12:43:46 PM

My wife and I each have a Nook, which we both really like, but with Amazon prime unlimited we tend to just read on our tablets. Not as nice on the eyes as the e-paper, but not too bad. I adjust the backlighting down pretty far in the dark.

You could always jailbreak the Nook and install the Amazon e-reader app. I did this with mine just for the fun of it.

Steve

Ben · « **Reply #7 on:** February 27, 2018, 02:05:38 PM »

Quote from: fistful on February 27, 2018, 12:28:29 PM

E-what? I still believe in dead trees.

Have you tried any of them?

I'm a book guy too, and still get/keep certain books, but for my general reading, I'm sold on the E-reader and the capabilities. It really does feel like reading a book, and as BTR mentioned, the ability to change text size, etc. is great.

I also have come to really love the dictionary feature. So easy to get a quick word definition, especially if reading somebody pedantic, like Robert Kaplan. Also works great for me as a German dictionary. Plus not just words. It will call out to the web if you want to know the origin of some obscure phrase or whatever.

Also to the OP, E-readers seem like something very long lasting. I've had zero issues with the Kindles. It seems the only failure point (if E-readers die and one is looking to the long haul) is the battery. I've not heard of anyone replacing the non-user replaceable battery in one.

RoadKingLarry · « **Reply #8 on:** February 27, 2018, 02:17:51 PM »

I've got an early Kindle with the keyboard. While I like real books I can't carry many at one time. Several dozens on the Kindle.
I am noticing a slight decrease in battery life on mine though.

MechAg94 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 27, 2018, 02:26:58 PM »

Amazon still sells the normal Kindles. I finally broke down and got one last year. Got my Dad one for Christmas. His has the backlighting option.

I agree with the mentions above. The ability to enlarge the text to easily read in any situation is nice. The ability to buy a book online and have it on my kindle in minutes is cool also. My Dad and I can also loan books to each other (2 weeks max is appears).

dogmush · « **Reply #10 on:** February 27, 2018, 03:26:57 PM »

Quote from: 2nd_to_one on February 27, 2018, 01:51:42 PM

You could always jailbreak the Nook and install the Amazon e-reader app. I did this with mine just for the fun of it.

Steve

They are Nook Simple Touch Readers, not the tablets. Not sure if they run a Jail-breakable OS.

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #11 on:** February 27, 2018, 03:39:16 PM »

Quote from: Ben on February 27, 2018, 02:05:38 PM

Have you tried any of them?

Do any of them smell like old paper, and have a bookmark from the bookshop in the distant city, in which they were orginally purchased in 1963?

Mannlicher · « **Reply #12 on:** February 27, 2018, 03:51:37 PM »

I read a lot of books on my iPad Mini. Prefer regular books, but with the iPad, I can take a library with me

Ben · « **Reply #13 on:** February 27, 2018, 03:57:03 PM »

Quote from: fistful on February 27, 2018, 03:39:16 PM

Do any of them smell like old paper, and have a bookmark from the bookshop in the distant city, in which they were orginally purchased in 1963?

No, but after the nuclear holocaust, while you're reading the labels on the can of pinto beans in your bunker, I'll be in my bunker (get it?) reading hundreds of books on my Kindle.

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #14 on:** February 27, 2018, 04:03:06 PM »

Quote from: Ben on February 27, 2018, 03:57:03 PM

No, but after the nuclear holocaust, while you're reading the labels on the can of pinto beans in your bunker, I'll be in my bunker (get it?) reading hundreds of books on my Kindle.

Ben · « **Reply #15 on:** February 27, 2018, 04:05:14 PM »

Quote from: fistful on February 27, 2018, 04:03:06 PM

Well done. :)

grampster · « **Reply #16 on:** February 27, 2018, 04:21:22 PM »

We both have NOOKs. When we got them Kindle could not be read in sunlight and NOOKs could. We have hundreds of books in there.

gunsmith · « **Reply #17 on:** February 27, 2018, 04:30:25 PM »

I've been wanting to get one.
I've been reading books a lot less since acquiring a facebook addiction.

JN01 · « **Reply #18 on:** February 27, 2018, 05:42:37 PM »

Quote from: fistful on February 27, 2018, 03:39:16 PM

Do any of them smell like old paper, and have a bookmark from the bookshop in the distant city, in which they were orginally purchased in 1963?

No, but neither do they have silverfish or weird unidentifiable stains.

zxcvbob · « **Reply #19 on:** February 27, 2018, 06:16:09 PM »

Quote from: Ben on February 27, 2018, 02:05:38 PM

Have you tried any of them?

I'm a book guy too, and still get/keep certain books, but for my general reading, I'm sold on the E-reader and the capabilities. It really does feel like reading a book, and as BTR mentioned, the ability to change text size, etc. is great.

I also have come to really love the dictionary feature. So easy to get a quick word definition, especially if reading somebody pedantic, like Robert Kaplan. Also works great for me as a German dictionary. Plus not just words. It will call out to the web if you want to know the origin of some obscure phrase or whatever.

Also to the OP, E-readers seem like something very long lasting. I've had zero issues with the Kindles. It seems the only failure point (if E-readers die and one is looking to the long haul) is the battery. I've not heard of anyone replacing the non-user replaceable battery in one.

I have a Paperwhite with a bad battery. I bought a Kindle Fire cheaper than a new battery, but I don't like the Fire as much as the PW so I will probably try to replace the battery soon. AFAIK, Amazon does not sell replacement batteries so I have to go third-party.

Ben · « **Reply #20 on:** February 27, 2018, 06:25:14 PM »

Quote from: zxcvbob on February 27, 2018, 06:16:09 PM

I have a Paperwhite with a bad battery. I bought a Kindle Fire cheaper than a new battery, but I don't like the Fire as much as the PW so I will probably try to replace the battery soon. AFAIK, Amazon does not sell replacement batteries so I have to go third-party.

Please update when you do it. I'm curious as to what is involved. I just now looked on my Paperwhite, and the only seam I see that might allow access is along the screen face. Since they refurbish them, there must be a simple way to pop them open.

TechMan · « **Reply #21 on:** February 27, 2018, 08:38:21 PM »

Quote from: zxcvbob on February 27, 2018, 06:16:09 PM

I have a Paperwhite with a bad battery. I bought a Kindle Fire cheaper than a new battery, but I don't like the Fire as much as the PW so I will probably try to replace the battery soon. AFAIK, Amazon does not sell replacement batteries so I have to go third-party.

https://www.ifixit.com/Device/Kindle_Tablet

Ben · « **Reply #22 on:** February 27, 2018, 09:17:08 PM »

Quote from: adively on February 27, 2018, 08:38:21 PM

https://www.ifixit.com/Device/Kindle_Tablet

Hey, that's cool. Thanks Andy.

just Warren · « **Reply #23 on:** February 28, 2018, 12:11:19 AM »

I tried to order a Nook but due to some crazy mix-up I was sent a Nork.

Awkward!

zxcvbob · « **Reply #24 on:** February 28, 2018, 12:32:31 AM »

I just ordered a battery and toolkit from batterymart.com It should get here right after I leave town for 2 weeks

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Author Topic: The Dying E-Reader? (Read 17999 times)