Paperback or ebooks?

[Vertigo]

What's the screen like on the Kobo?

It's excellent but I think pretty much all ereader screens are e-ink and come from just one or two manufacturers. So you're unlikely to see much difference between them. As with all e-ink screens it works in exactly the same way as paper being reflected light not transmitted light as with most (all?) tablets. The only real difference is with the development of the technology so, generally speaking, whoever has the most recently released model probably has the best screen!

You can just load epubs directly into it?

You can 'just' load epubs onto it but they have exactly the same DRM restrictions as Amazons format. So if not DRM'd then they can just be uploaded if they are DRM'd then can only be loaded onto a registered kobo or they must have the DRM stripped.

 

[chongjasmine]

I prefer paperbacks for reading purpose, although I tend to purchase more ebooks due to space constraints.

 

[BlueDragonSapphire]

So I was curious to know your thoughts on what you'd all prefer - paperback books or ebooks?

I find that paperback is a lot more satisfying. The turning of pages, the smell of paper and the feel of paper. Even the satisfaction of opening a book to where you left off is amazing.
I don't seem too interested in just sliding to the next page or placing a book mark and opening it to the page where I left off.

What are your thoughts?

Paperback definitely, I love the smell of the pages and there's something satisfying about slamming the book closed when you're finished reading rather than simply logging out(I don't have ebooks). It also helps me to keep track of my books by organizing them on a shelf and lets me know how many and which ones I have so I don't forget about some.
I've read books online before that were great but I just like the feel of books in person.

 

[paranoid marvin]

Paperback definitely, I love the smell of the pages and there's something satisfying about slamming the book closed when you're finished reading rather than simply logging out(I don't have ebooks). It also helps me to keep track of my books by organizing them on a shelf and lets me know how many and which ones I have so I don't forget about some.
I've read books online before that were great but I just like the feel of books in person.

Definitely this for me. Part of the joy of reading a book is the book itself. We seem to spend far too long looking at electric screens, whether it's PC, laptop, mobile, tv these days.

 

[Rodders]

My main reason for moving to ebook is that it uses a lot less resources than a physical book. (an issue which has become important to me of late. It's the main reason I try not to use Amazon.)

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Paper all the way. Can’t remember a time I’ve purchased and ebook by choice.

 

[CupofJoe]

Same as @Jo Zebedee
And hardback if I can afford it or find one...

 

[Ogma]

Ebooks on phone mostly because they're always with me.

 

[nixie]

Not as anti ereader as I used to be but my preference is paper. Nothing like the feel and smell of a book, specially hardback.

 

[Elckerlyc]

The past 10 years or so I have bought e-books exclusively, for practical reasons. Regardless where or for how long I am away from home, I only need to bring my e-reader with me and have a whole library of books to choose from. E-books in general are cheaper as well and easily attainable online; pick a title - pay - download - read, in under 2 minutes.
But I agree that for a good readers experience paper beats e-book. More full-filling for my bookshelves as well.
Anyway, lately I tend to be more in favour of paper.

 

[Vertigo]

Ebook all the way for me. I can increase the font when my old eyes get tired, I can carry my library with me on the road (and I'm away from home a lot), I can modify the brightness/contrast and I typically don't have to actually hold it at all though if I do it's way lighter than a paper book. And, quite frankly, if I'm noticing all those things like smell of paper whilst I'm reading then it can't be a very engaging book! The content is absolutely all that matters to me in a novel (as opposed to a coffee table book with loads of pictures) so I want that content in the most convenient form possible. And I'm very serious about the smell comment; if anything about the nature of the media impacts on me whilst reading then it's clearly not a good enough story to hold my attention adequately!

 

[Rodders]

Ebook is just so convenient so i'm converted. If a book is good enough, i'll buy the hardback for the shelves.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Ebook all the way for me. I can increase the font when my old eyes get tired, I can carry my library with me on the road (and I'm away from home a lot), I can modify the brightness/contrast and I typically don't have to actually hold it at all though if I do it's way lighter than a paper book. And, quite frankly, if I'm noticing all those things like smell of paper whilst I'm reading then it can't be a very engaging book! The content is absolutely all that matters to me in a novel (as opposed to a coffee table book with loads of pictures) so I want that content in the most convenient form possible. And I'm very serious about the smell comment; if anything about the nature of the media impacts on me whilst reading then it's clearly not a good enough story to hold my attention adequately!

But this is undermined by the VAK theories - kinaesthetic people (I am strongly that way) need their wider senses to be engaged in order to concentrate fully

 

[Vertigo]

But this is undermined by the VAK theories - kinaesthetic people (I am strongly that way) need their wider senses to be engaged in order to concentrate fully

I really don't know all that much about kinaesthetic learning but my impression was that the sensations needed to be associated with what is being learnt, that the wider senses needed to be experiencing something relevant to the activity. So I can't see how the smell of a book would aid the understanding, absorption or whatever of the story. They seem completely unrelated to me.

However, as I say, it's not something I know a great deal about.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

But turning the page and the sense of the page are related to reading

 

[paranoid marvin]

Ebooks have the added benefit of your cat not wandering in and sitting on the page as you read it.

 

[HareBrain]

That exchange between @Vertigo and @Jo Zebedee has made me realise that I prefer different types of physical book for different functions. For adult novels, what feels most "natural" to me is paperback with that rough-feeling, "pulpy" paper. For children's novels, it's hardback with that same paper. For non-fiction, it's probably hardback, but with better quality, smoother paper. If a book has the "wrong" physical characteristics for its type (e.g. an adult novel in hardback with bright, shiny paper), I won't feel quite so comfortable with it. Doesn't mean I won't read it, but it will slightly affect my enjoyment. An ebook feels "wrong", in that sense, for everything. I don't know if that's only because of what I got used to early on in life.

 

[Vertigo]

That exchange between @Vertigo and @Jo Zebedee has made me realise that I prefer different types of physical book for different functions. For adult novels, what feels most "natural" to me is paperback with that rough-feeling, "pulpy" paper. For children's novels, it's hardback with that same paper. For non-fiction, it's probably hardback, but with better quality, smoother paper. If a book has the "wrong" physical characteristics for its type (e.g. an adult novel in hardback with bright, shiny paper), I won't feel quite so comfortable with it. Doesn't mean I won't read it, but it will slightly affect my enjoyment. An ebook feels "wrong", in that sense, for everything. I don't know if that's only because of what I got used to early on in life.

I can see and understand the various preferences but I adopted ebooks extremely early, before ePub and AZW came along and it was mostly .lit or pdf, and for very much pragmatic reasons. This would be about 15 years ago and I have now grown so completely used to the format that I'm actually quite uncomfortable reading a paper book now. It's worth noting that I very rapidly progressed onto the early eInk readers. I think of eInk displays and passive and computer/laptop/tablet/phone displays as active. With the former you are only looking at reflected light exactly the same as with a paper book, with the latter you are looking at projected light (with more or less refresh flicker) and they are far far more tiring on the eyes. I could not read on such displays for any length of time.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I can see and understand the various preferences but I adopted ebooks extremely early, before ePub and AZW came along and it was mostly .lit or pdf, and for very much pragmatic reasons. This would be about 15 years ago and I have now grown so completely used to the format that I'm actually quite uncomfortable reading a paper book now. It's worth noting that I very rapidly progressed onto the early eInk readers. I think of eInk displays and passive and computer/laptop/tablet/phone displays as active. With the former you are only looking at reflected light exactly the same as with a paper book, with the latter you are looking at projected light (with more or less refresh flicker) and they are far far more tiring on the eyes. I could not read on such displays for any length of time.

This backs up what @HareBrain is saying though. You are comfortable with the ebook experience but you have been careful to get it right for you. For me, there is no right (I’ve tried several readers now) - paper is the only right. And, yes, there are certain types of paper books I wouldn’t enjoy reading either

 

[JunkMonkey]

Paperback all the way. I've tried ebooks but they just don't smell right.