I Love My eBooks

Some people give me the strangest looks when I tell them one of the main reasons why I prefer eBooks.  It's not a reason you'll find at the top of most people's lists.

There are numerous advantages: no bulk, no weight, no folded corners or lost bookmarks, and definitely no additional space required on the bookshelf.  They're usually cheaper than printed books and many can be found free.

My Kindle App's "Bookshelf"

The Kindle app I use on my Android tablet enables on-the-spot definitions, highlighting, embedding of notes and a host of other little perks. I can browse the Kindle store right from my tablet and download a chosen title instantly.  No driving downtown, fighting crowds and traffic. I just point and click and read.

And while I enjoy all those things, the reason I've come to prefer reading eBooks over traditionally printed books is that I can do so more easily.  And that's what causes those strange looks from people.

By "easily" I mean that my middle-aged eyes, even aided by bifocals, can focus on the back-lit beige screen with far less strain than on printed paper.  Perhaps it's because I spend the bulk of my day using or programming computers.  I don't really know the reason why, I just know what my eyes prefer.

My tablet is not a dedicated eReader. I use it to keep tabs on email, manage my schedule, browse the web, and even as a GPS when necessary. (Oddly enough, I've had it for over a year and have yet to play a game on it though.)  But it is first and foremost, my preferred means for reading.

I've always loved the feel of paper in my hand when I read. And I always will. But I've now come to the point when I must choose functionality over feel.

What about you? Which do you prefer?