Rory Sutherland on Kindle vs book

[Astro Pen]

 

[THX1138]

Interesting. I remember about 10 years ago the local chain bookstores where manly devoted to selling Kindle tablets, and the stores had fewer actual books in them. Now, these same bookstores are filled with real books and there is little to none of the Kindles on display/for sale.

Granted, their online stores have many book downloads for the Kindles at a lesser price, for the most part, though I have been seeing an increasing number of downloads that cost the same and more than the real book.

I don't own an electronic reader as my dyslexia is way too severe for me to even spend much time on my computer reading or writing! I tend to have a mild short circuit, but this is minimized if I read a real hard copy, mostly. . (I tend to get dyslexic motion sick after 15mins or so when reading or writing while looking at electronic displays and I have to walk away.)

But I was told a few days ago to expect a Dyslexic Font Kindle this Christmas. Or a Kindle with Dyslexic Font in it? But I will have to say, I have read some real books printed in Dyslexic font and it was much easier and more enjoyable to read. So, I'll give it a try.

 

[HareBrain]

The title is "Why No One Uses Kindle Anymore?" but the video doesn't address this question or even make this claim. It's just him saying he was wrong to think tablets would become the main reading device, and I'm not sure that was even a very common opinion.

Bit depressing though what proportion of books are bought in the run-up to Christmas. Most of those will be written by celebrities and will probably go unread.

 

[Foxbat]

I still use my kindle every single day. I have three of them and I still buy books for them. The reasons are simple.
1) if you're not pretentious enough to worry about not showing off what you read then there's no reason to furnish your rooms with bookcases.
2) I have bookcases all over the place (including in the cupboard under the stairs...which I think shows that I don't care if others see what I read...and no, it's not porn under the stairs) and simply have no more room for more books.
3) My main kindle is a fire HD. It has a backlight and is perfect for reading at night.
4)Adjustable text size. This becomes very important as your eyes get older.
5) I still buy books as presents for others and have never once thought about buying a kindle.
6) he says that sales have plateaued. So what? This happens with all devices, including phones, PCs, Laptops, etc. Phones are the odd one out because manufacturer's simply feed phone user addiction by bringing out a newer model when, often, there's no real need to.
8) He's just talking a load of bollocks.

 

[HareBrain]

@Foxbat, I see you kindly left a number 7 for someone else to fill in, so allow me.

7) this is maybe quite niche, but Kindle is a great device on which to read WIPs, whether your own or others'. That's probably about 50% of my usage right there.

 

[Foxbat]

I see you kindly left a number 7 for someone else to fill in, so allow me.

Even with all my fingers, I struggle to count properly

 

[Jo Zebedee]

The title is "Why No One Uses Kindle Anymore?" but the video doesn't address this question or even make this claim. It's just him saying he was wrong to think tablets would become the main reading device, and I'm not sure that was even a very common opinion.

Bit depressing though what proportion of books are bought in the run-up to Christmas. Most of those will be written by celebrities and will probably go unread.

Only those from the supermarkets….. we’re selling a terrific range of books, thought about and considered choices. A lot of Irish interest (as always), lots of history.

But to warm the cockles of everyone’s hearts here my giant vol 1 and 2 cyberpunk anthologies were put aside by a teenager, telling me their parents would be in to get them. There is hope yet….

 

[Overread]

Kindle device sales likely have levelled out because once you've got a Kindle you don't need another one. In fact Amazon hasn't really got much to push in the way of advances for Kindle ereaders. The Backlight was probably the biggest reason most of the upgrades happened; but since then there isn't really a big new push. Watersealing is pretty neat to have, but many who are diehard readers are already well practiced in keeping paper books away from water.

Interface wise they've gone backwards because the focus went from organising a readers library to pushing the Amazon store (which is the same thing that killed Comixoligy). It's now actually quite a pain to organise esp if you don't use something like Calibre to help you.

Amazon hasn't tried to push the e-reader like tablets or iphones or such; as a machine that you're pressured to upgrade every year to the latest model. The device is possibly sold at a loss or break-even with the view that the real profits are made on selling you ebooks.


That said the Kindle is great to read on but it doesn't replace owning a book. You don't get the same feel or sight of ownership. Plus I think there's one big gap - images. Kindles really don't do them well at all. Heck Amazon only very recently made it so that the image on the front of the book you're reading appears when the screen is set to standby mode; and it still auto-starts you in the first chapter not at the cover when starting a new book unless you to tell it to do otherwise.
Plus its all black and white.

 

[THX1138]

That said the Kindle is great to read on but it doesn't replace owning a book. You don't get the same feel or sight of ownership.

My mum has had a Kindle for many years now and she likes to brag on how she has 2000+ (two thousand) books on it, but has only read maybe 80 (eighty) total... I don't understand the reasoning.

 

[Overread]

My mum has had a Kindle for many years now and she likes to brag on how she has 2000+ (two thousand) books on it, but has only read maybe 80 (eighty) total... I don't understand the reasoning.

Same reason avid book readers will have a large "to read" pile of physical books they own and have yet to read (and even even larger shopping list of more to buy). Or a wargamer has more models than they'll ever paint up and finish; or a boardgamer has way more boxed games etc....

Part of human nature is resource harvesting and guarding and in hobbies this translates to potential piles of stuff to do. At least when we are in a position where our income creates sufficient excess to spend on a hobby that's affordable for us.
Marketing also helps a lot with this as does being in interest groups. When you're in a bookreading group you'll get suggestions and ideas all the time; meanwhile Amazon is showing you "books similar to what you like" as well. So there's a whole layer of pressure encouraging you to get more.


The point isn't that she hasn't read 1920books its that she has the potential to read 1920 further books effortlessly. They are there for that rainy day etc....


Now of course there are those who have more discipline and only get exactly what they need at the time; there are those who are more frugal with their spending; those who are far more limited in their free spending etc... So this pattern doesn't hold true for everyone.

 

[THX1138]

Very true!

Edit.

I also use my books for reference as well, so I'll have 2,3,4 books opened at once so I can cross reference them at the same time. But that's me.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Can we mention book tok in here as an industry disruptor that has driven a return to paper books

 

[Phyrebrat]

Hi all. I adore my kindle. I do find the speed when coming in and out of multiple books a bit of a drag as it can be very slow on some. I have Dickens’ entire catalogue and when I try to open it it often feels like it’s crashed.

I love the immediacy. As a neuro-div on the spectrum, when I need to read a book I MUST READ IT NOWWWWW. kindle allows me that.

Harebrain also makes a good point about reading WIPS on it. And sending them. I find errors reading my WIPS on my kindle that are invisible in Scrivener.

I find it hard to read on a screen like a phone MacBook or iPad but I can still read paper books. I just prefer Kindle. I read a lot in bed and having the option to make the screen dim or black is perfect.

Lastly, the battery lasts forever!

Can we mention book tok in here as an industry disruptor that has driven a return to paper books

Interesting. In what way? Are people reading their books on TikTok or do you mean they’re repping physical books? I follow some and like the way they kind of fetishise the experience of having an actual book.

 

[THX1138]

So, in regard to reading ones WIP, do you convert your file into a PDF and then upload it to your Kindle?

I'm thinking that might be of help to me by using the Kindles Dyslexic font to help me see my errors better, plus the benefit of going to a different environment/location in the house could be an added benefit too.

 

[Pyan]

I was told a few days ago to expect a Dyslexic Font Kindle this Christmas. Or a Kindle with Dyslexic Font in it? But I will have to say, I have read some real books printed in Dyslexic font and it was much easier and more enjoyable to read. So, I'll give it a try.

My Kindle Paperwhite has had the option of the OpenDyslexic font on it since new, several years ago.

 

[HareBrain]

So, in regard to reading ones WIP, do you convert your file into a PDF and then upload it to your Kindle?

You can use PDF, but I find best results are to email a properly formatted Word doc (e.g. using styles for paragraph indents rather than tabs) to your Kindle's email address (which you can find from your Amazon account). There has to be no message text, and just "convert" as the subject line. Amazon will then convert the file and the Kindle will download it like a purchased book.

 

[THX1138]

My Kindle Paperwhite has had the option of the OpenDyslexic font on it since new, several years ago.

Thanks! My family members are presenting this to me as if it something new. Apparently, it's not. If only I knew...

You can use PDF, but I find best results are to email a properly formatted Word doc (e.g. using styles for paragraph indents rather than tabs) to your Kindle's email address (which you can find from your Amazon account). There has to be no message text, and just "convert" as the subject line. Amazon will then convert the file and the Kindle will download it like a purchased book.

Great, and thanks! I was hoping to avoid having a Google account, but if I must, I must. Here's hoping it helps!

 

[Karapace]

I still use my kindle every single day. I have three of them and I still buy books for them. The reasons are simple.
1) if you're not pretentious enough to worry about not showing off what you read then there's no reason to furnish your rooms with bookcases.
2) I have bookcases all over the place (including in the cupboard under the stairs...which I think shows that I don't care if others see what I read...and no, it's not porn under the stairs) and simply have no more room for more books.
3) My main kindle is a fire HD. It has a backlight and is perfect for reading at night.
4)Adjustable text size. This becomes very important as your eyes get older.
5) I still buy books as presents for others and have never once thought about buying a kindle.
6) he says that sales have plateaued. So what? This happens with all devices, including phones, PCs, Laptops, etc. Phones are the odd one out because manufacturer's simply feed phone user addiction by bringing out a newer model when, often, there's no real need to.
8) He's just talking a load of bollocks.

Book and kindle user. I still use my original Kindle for holiday reads. Forgot it for a year and when I charged it up it still worked
1) is interesting. We have books all over the house and have a library room that is floor to ceiling shelves. However My brother has books for decoration purposes, (fake) leather bound editions of Tom Clancy alongside Dickens whose pages have never seen the light of day.
2) we've had to instigate a one in one out policy so I am really careful over which ones I want to keep (we may have to get an extention)
3) Haven't tried the backlit Kindles but I have a really problem with screens at night as they induce headaches. Even with nightshift on.
4) Absolutely.
5) me too!
6) Recently upgraded from a Nokia to an iPhone and the first thing it does is ask me to upgrade! Its like Mrs Doyle. Go on Go on go on go on.
7) Both books and Kindles have their place.
8) like the idea of putting WIP on Kindle for a read through. Hadn't thought of that

 

[HareBrain]

I was hoping to avoid having a Google account, but if I must, I must. Here's hoping it helps!

You mean an Amazon account? If you don't already have one, how did you register the Kindle?

ETA: sorry, I read back and realise you are expecting to get one.

 

[Elckerlyc]

I generally buy e-books for fiction and paper-books for non-fiction.
My e-reader contains about 800 books, not all of them read yet. I see it more as a personal, portable library, from which I can read what suits my mood or need of the day. It is in my backpack where ever I go, ready when I have time to break, like in waiting-rooms.
Paper- or e-books, they both have their pros and cons. As with most things in life, one needs to be flexible.