Sony just announced that it’s launching a new e-book priced at what is deemed entry level for e-books; $200US. I know e-book’s have been around for a few years now, but this is the first time that someone I know has actually mentioned one to me as a viable option for reading. I was floored. How could someone want to replace a real book with an e-book? I mean, when I first got my iPhone in late ‘07 I had this app that was a virtual book. I tried to read the only free book available to me which was a Sherlock Holmes novel but just couldn’t do it. Not because it was a Sherlock Holmes book, I actually don’t mind a little mystery, I just couldn’t stay connected to the screen.
The e-book’s hold no lure for me. I love real books. I love the smell of new books. Shoot, I even love that musty smell of old books too! I love to hold them with my thumb placed securely in-between the crease of my two pages spreading them l reading pleasure and pulling back pages. As I move through a novel I love hearing the faint crackly of the glue and binding that hold the pages together when I bend them back and I love the way the corners fringe as I continue to lick the tip of my finger and flip through the pages. It may seem silly but it’s the truth. Anyone who is an avid reader or possibly even a light reader knows what I’m talking about.
Plus, has anyone taken into account that when you become completely engrossed in a book you take it with you to the coffee shop and place it on sticky tables, or spill alcohol on it (yeah, I’m not proud of drinking and reading but you’ve done it too), or eat greasy pizza while reading it or have it bang against everything in your backpack. You can’t do that with an e-book. It would break. Pfft…..e-book.
I’m sure that e-books may hold some value. I mean, growing up in such a tech savvy age maybe e-books could help wrangle in younger readers that are used to playing video games or using their cell phones……or maybe we just make them read a freakin book.
This is just lazy.