Hi,
I'm just wondering how many of you good people have more or less converted from reading books/news papers etc. the old fashion way(paper) to using your Symbian phone or standalone PDA?
For me it took some time getting used to reading a book the electronical way, but now, when I've gotten used to it...-I just love it! 😃
It's just so convenient having the ability to store lots of books/documents/news/dictionaries/encyclopaedias etc. all in your phone! 😮
I've bought a full encyclopaedia for my Mobipocket Reader(9MB in size 😮 ) which has in most cases completely replaced my huge �1000 home encyclopaedia, as well as a travel dictionary, many full novels/poem collections/short stories and a standalone advanced english dictionary(6MB) which is actually a hell of a lot better than my fat old Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary.. And it's just so much faster/easier looking up something by making a few presses to a small screen than having to plow through a heavy old book..
But when it comes to reading a good old horror story, I thought I would never enjoy it the same way reading on a small lit screen, and I'm still not quite there, but I have to say I'm even getting used to that..
I also get most of my news this way. Using the Mobipocket Web Companion I simply place my phone in it's cradle each morning where I will get updated news from Geek.com, FOXNews, The Register and even a local Norwegian paper.
There really is quite a few pros here I think, like one-handed usage - turning the pages with just a scroll of the jog dial or joystick, no extra light source needed - when reading in bed and you don't want to disturb your significant other, the all-in-one factor - no extra weight/bulk..
The only cons I can think of is the smell and feel of a fresh book or a paper..
What du YOU think? I'm very interested in your opinion/experience on the matter.. 😊
Cheers!
For me I think it's a case of the (non) availability of e-books which I want to read.
Granted I haven't searched hard for them, but I don't see contempory books being offered (for sale) in e-book format anywhere, or at least not the fiction variety I'm into (wilbur smith ... etc).
I enjoy the classics which are available for free, but I've already read many of them so they don't hold as much interest as they would have the first time I read them.
As for news - I still read the paper which arrives at work and I don't have to pay for. The high cost of gprs data inhibits me using the phone to get news/online info unless I need it urgently or I'm terminally bored and not near a pc...
[quote="evobit"]For me I think it's a case of the (non) availability of e-books which I want to read.[/quote]
You're right about that. There's alot of books I'm missing too, even classics(especially some of the great immortal Norwegian authors like Knut Hamsun etc.), but for me I don't think I'll run out of interesting material anytime soon, and there's constantly more content being made available.
[quote="evobit"]As for news - I still read the paper which arrives at work and I don't have to pay for. The high cost of gprs data inhibits me using the phone to get news/online info unless I need it urgently or I'm terminally bored and not near a pc...[/quote]
Yes, going online for news is too expensive I agree, but I'm talking about reading the news offline, using such apps as the Mobipocket Web Companion and other Avantgo type apps..
Ebooks are awesome!On my PC i've been reading e-books for a very long time,mainly computer related stuff.But since eBook from SymbianWare i've read couple of books on my 7650 like the Hitchikers Guide series from Douglas Adams,awesome read!
When it comes to news i'm still stuck to newspapers 😞
I much prefer eBook readers... I used to have a long commute on the tube, and reading from my Palm was so much easier in a cramped space than trying to hold a book, which is also much heavier to carry. Now I have abook reader on my 7650, and since I had my daughter last year, it's the only way I can read. When I'm settling her to sleep at night, and when she was younger, during night feeds, it was invaluable to have a single-hand operated device with a backlight - I'm no good at turning pages one-handed with a baby in the other arm!
The main plusses for me are the backlight, that it's small and light to carry and hold, that you don't need a bookmark because it keeps the place for you, and that I only need to use one hand. I read mainly on buses these days, and I need my other hand to hold on to the buggy to stop it flying across the bus as the maniacal driver goes round bends at 45mph on the wrong side of the road... 😉
In principle I'm all for it too. I have the Mobipocket reader but so far the only items I have in it are english dictionary and thesaurus. Those are important for me to always have at hand and the traditional versions weight a ton. I haven't gotten into reading fiction novels on my 9210 yet, I still prefer the traditional paper variety. But I can see Jadeviper's point and there probably are several instances where the e-books can prove useful.
I buy e-books whenever possible now. The best source I have found is Fictionwise - I have about 40 titles now. The choice is somewhat limited, but generally improving. Main benefits are as posted above, plus less to carry when travelling.
I converted to e-books when I reviewed Mobi-pocket reader and publisher ages ago for this site. I was instantly making e-books out of all sorts of documents I read frequently. Mostly anime based fanfictions, the bastard operator from hell, and all my Discworld paperbacks are being gradually replaced by scanned versions. Problem is that books aren't sold as e-books until they are quite old, which can be an utter pain. I regularly have about 6or7 e-books on my 9210 at a time and that makes life far easier than carting paper (or in some of the discworld cases hard) backs around with me. Also things like YourSymbian find themselves on the 9210 for instant reading.
[quote="SwitchBlade"]Also things like YourSymbian find themselves on the 9210 for instant reading.[/quote]
That sounds like a good idea to have YourSymbian as an eBook. Maybe the editors could send out an eBook version in the e-mail.
I usually copy and paste from the e-mail into a text file, and hey presto! E-book.
I like the old fashioned way... I prefer paperbacks since if I stare too long at my computer, I get a headache! I can't stay too long on my PC! But I admit, E-books are more convenient...
[quote="Gadget17"]
That sounds like a good idea to have YourSymbian as an eBook. Maybe the editors could send out an eBook version in the e-mail.[/quote]
That is a good idea... I'll get Ewan to mention it to Sophie. They've just been working on a nicer format, it shouldn't be too hard to send it as a text attachment too, or even a .prc or whatever.
[quote="Jadeviper"][quote="Gadget17"]
That sounds like a good idea to have YourSymbian as an eBook. Maybe the editors could send out an eBook version in the e-mail.[/quote]
That is a good idea... I'll get Ewan to mention it to Sophie. They've just been working on a nicer format, it shouldn't be too hard to send it as a text attachment too, or even a .prc or whatever.[/quote]
If there is a way I could help with conversion, please feel free to contact me. Maybe I could even help with converting the archives.
[quote="ST@RR"]I like the old fashioned way... I prefer paperbacks since if I stare too long at my computer, I get a headache! I can't stay too long on my PC! But I admit, E-books are more convenient...[/quote]
Even with LCD screens? Since using a laptop mostly for the past few years, I've converted to using LCDs on my desktops, and the 9210 does have a lovely display.
yes... I strain my eyes easily. Even if I wear my glasses to protect my eyes from the computer, it still doesn't help. So, I'm stuck to these paperbacks 😊
The only time i've ever read a whole ebook (a proper book like lord of the rings) is when i've been on a plane to japan recently and had an 18 hr flight. However i don't mind reading smaller books from time to time. Maybe on a 9210 screen it would be o.k but the cramped screen of a 3650 is nothing compared to a proper book.