The advantages and disadvantages of e-reading

With everything from the most popular books, your daily newspaper, and your favorite magazines now available at the touch of a button, e-reading is becoming increasingly popular. But would you rather have a book in your hand or carry around your phone or tablet in order to read? Here are the advantages and disadvantages of e-reading for all the book lovers out there.

Advantages

Carrying your phone or tablet can be much easier than carrying a book around, especially if you are reading a big novel such as The Game of Thrones series. You can’t carry hundreds of books in your bag, but you can carry as many eBooks as your memory on your device allows, and you can delete and re-download books as needed. A lot of books in the Kindle store are completely free, usually by new and upcoming authors looking to get their name out there. This is a great way to discover new books without having to purchase them, and you may find a new author you wouldn’t have discovered otherwise. You can change the font size specifically for you and can even set most devices to scroll, meaning you don’t even have to turn the page. You can bookmark wherever you are, meaning no annoyance when you lose your bookmark in your bag and can’t remember what page you were on.

Disadvantages

For many avid readers, spending hours in a bookshop with the smell of new books and having a book in your hand is the best way to read and there will be no changing that. Some people may enjoy relaxing with a book whilst in the bath, something that is not advisable with an electronic device, as even if you don’t drop it in, the condensation from your hot bath can do irreversible damage over time. If you are part of a book club or enjoy swapping books between your friends, this cannot be done with an eBook.

What Should I Choose?

There is no reason that readers cannot have an electronic way of reading for when they are out and about whilst still occasionally purchasing books in paper form. If you enjoy reading magazines, there are many magazines that can be read on your tablet or smartphone, offering more interactive content than a paper magazine. To find your favorite magazine, visit finddigitalmagazines.co.uk. If you wish to read for less, buying a tablet or a Kindle may feel expensive to start with, but e-books cost less than in paper or hardback form, and with so many free books offered daily, there has never been a better time to get into reading. For students who need to have a lot of books to study, it may be cheaper having the electronic form and it’s much easier to carry to and from classes!

Whichever way you chose to read your favorite novels, getting into reading is incredibly good for the mind and is a great way to pass the time when stuck waiting for an appointment or waiting to pick your kids up from school.