Friday, October 14, 2011

Tech Trends: eBooks

I have found that eBooks have pros and cons.  I like them better for fun rather than education.  With the Nook and the Kindle it is a great way to have your library everywhere you go.  I can see that it is very beneficial for someone who is an avid reader, like my brother-in-law.  I have a couple of Dr. Seuss books on my iPhone for my son - he LOVES them because they read to him and have sound effects (by the way, he is only 4 months old!).
On the other hand, as far as eBooks at textbooks, I am not a huge fan.  I purchased an eBook out of a "help I need my book now" situation and it was the biggest waste.  First of all, the book expired so the money that I spent on it is now gone...and so is the book.  Second, I could only view it on one computer.  Thankfully I had downloaded the book to my laptop otherwise I could have only read it at my desk.  Even then I could only read it on the computer; I couldn't just pull it out on a car ride.  Third, I really do like being able to flip through the pages rather than scroll or click.
Some people really like eBooks.  They are environmentally friendly and they do cost less.  I cannot say that I am a huge fan.  Even though my little one loves his iPhone versions of Dr. Seuss, nothing beats sitting down with the actual book for a bedtime story (plus if he chews on the pages it is cheaper to replace than the iPhone).

1 comment:

  1. Alisha,
    Thanks for your post. I also like ebooks for pleasure reading. I have found them easy to take places and enjoyable. I do also like ebooks for text. I can see your point about needing a means of reading the text. I have always downloaded onto my laptop, but it could be a potential problem to have it on a desktop. I have purchased a few books through course ware. The really neat thing about the website is that no matter where I go, I can use any computer to access the book. I have a digital bookshelf so all I have to do is log on to access the book. I will agree that I can't imagine reading a little one an ebook of Dr. Seuss. That would feel wrong.
    Many Blessings!

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