E-Reading or Print Books?

Where do you read?

Dave Amato
4 min readOct 18, 2022
Photo by Element5 Digital: https://www.pexels.com/photo/assorted-books-on-book-shelves-1370295/

It’s no secret that books have been around for a long time. With the rise of technology, devices like Amazon’s Kindle or Barnes and Noble’s Nook have become more accessible.

Of course, when anything new appears some people are hesitant to accept it. This is most definitely the case with e-readers.

Although e-readers are simple, they are not the same as flipping a page in your favorite novel. Nevertheless, both options have a place in the everyday reader’s world.

Amazon’s intention with the kindle was to offer a clear and concise format for book reading. Later, they introduced features such as controlling brightness and even audio transcription. Moreso, the Kindle amassed a large number of followers and buyers alike, selling out in under six hours.

The Nook, Barnes and Noble’s e-reader had a similar vision for a simple device just for reading. The device was announced in 2009. Barnes and Noble grossed over 100 million dollars launch year. In 2011, total Nook sales reached 700 million dollars.

Here’s a chart of total Nook sales from 2010 to 2019:

Statista Sales Chart

Nook shipped with a 1500mah battery, a 600x800 pixel screen, and AT&T’s 3G connectivity. Not bad for a device released in 2010. Even so, I want to break down the differences between e-reading and print so that you can make a decision for yourself.

E-Readers vs Print Books

Again, both Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes and Noble’s Nook were used religiously in 2009 and 2010 respectively. So, it’s no surprise both devices are still being used today.

The latest Kindle, (sporting a 6-inch display, 8GB of storage, and week-long battery life), has over forty thousand positive reviews on Amazon. Wondering about the Nook? Barnes and Noble’s reader comes with even more storage at 32GB and a battery that could last you a month.

NOOK GlowLight 4

Rakuten developed an e-reader named ‘Kobo’ in order to challenge Amazon’s Kindle. The company’s goal was to create a device with more features than the Kindle, with a higher price to match.

Today, Rakuten sells multiple variations of Kobo with different elements and even colors. One example is the Kobo Sage, which sells for $259.99. The sage has two notable components, an impressive 8-inch screen, and waterproof capabilities.

Rakuten kobo

The battery is also very good on this model. According to Statista’s consumer opinions findings, the most important criteria for e-reading purchasing decisions is battery life. The latest Kindle, Nook, and Kobo all have great batteries inside.

Moreover, there are pros and cons to using e-readers in 2022. One of their best features is they are generally lightweight. Need to read War and Peace? The Lord of the Rings? Certain books are bigger than others, and it can be troublesome carrying a large book around with you until you finish reading.

Another standout detail in e-readers is their brightness functionality. Say you are lying in bed at night and wish to finish your novel. Unless you have a lamp on, you won’t be able to see the page. A Kindle or similar devices solve this problem completely.

And book narration! Print books don’t ship with onboard sound. The reader would need to download narration to their phone and listen while flipping pages. This works, but it isn’t all that efficient.

There’s no question — physical books have a certain charm that cannot be replicated. Maybe it’s a personal memory or a book your grandmother bought you. Whatever it may be, that book is more than just the book itself.

With the advent of technology, personalization will become a thing of the past. In general, tech will reveal things we never thought possible. However, that does not always mean it is something worth exploring.

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