eBooks and eReader tablets have become very trendy over the past decade; however, many people have still been hesitant to give digital literature a try due to the many myths floating around out there concerning the matter at hand. Those who are sincerely interested in whether or not eBooks are a good decision over more traditional book formats may find the information below helpful.
eBook Myth #1: eBooks Strain Your Eyes
One of the most common myths concerning eBooks involves a concern about eye health. Those who have poor vision seem to be worried about getting progressively “blinder” due to the way eReaders are structured. Although it is true that many backlit screens may have a large dose of blue light and may cause difficulty sleeping when used late at night, most individuals can use eReaders with little or no eyesight complications as long as they use common sense. Keep the old saying in mind: “too much of a good thing is bad for you.” Even reading print books for long periods of time can be damaging to eyesight. Those who are especially paranoid about blue light can simply use devices that use e-ink technology – no blue light involved. Besides, it looks crisp and feels like viewing a traditionally printed book.
eBook Myth #2: eReaders are Unreliable
Many people are not-so-trusting of technology. A book that can be held seems far more reliable than a file that cannot be “seen” physically. However, research indicates that eReaders are actually more durable than books because books are susceptible to breaking spines, stains, and general wear and tear over time. There is no need to worry about one’s files disappearing into the “void;” simply back up the information with the help of a computer. If an eReader device does get damaged beyond repair, titles can simply be transferred from the cloud to a new device.
eBook Myth #3: eBooks Don’t Have Pages
People like the feeling of turning a book page. It brings a feeling of nostalgia and joy to handle a real book – no one can deny this fact. However, eBooks are not all that bad as an addition to any current physical libraries in a person’s possession. They really do resemble real books, and, yes, they are comprised of individually numbered pages. Some people express worry about scrolling through a neverending stream of text, but this worry is unrealistic. eBooks have chapter titles, page numbers, and even table of contents just like “real” books. As the icing on the cake, eReaders allow people to highlight passages and take notes without causing any permanent damage to the literature itself.
eBook Myth #4: eBooks Die Regularly
eReaders are mechanical devices and therefore they do need some source of power; however, most people are wrong when they assume that devices like the Samsung NOOK need charged on a daily or even weekly basis. Many simple eReaders can last for months before finally running out of battery. e-Ink display is especially energy efficient since the display itself only uses a very minimal amount of energy.
eBook Myth #5: No More Renting and Checking Out Books
Wrong! Most public libraries offer a selection of eBooks that can be checked out with a library card number – just like traditional book formats. When the rental period is up, the eBook rented simply uninstalls from a person’s device. Thank goodness for a rental method that cannot accumulate late fees. Keep in mind that libraries only own one copy of the digital book they are lending; therefore, waiting lists may apply just like a waiting list for a “real” hard copy book.
eBook Myth #7: eReaders Hurt The Planet
Nope! Research actually indicates that eReaders reduce carbon footprint because they do not require deforestation. That’s right, eBooks have a small carbon footprint in comparison to more traditional book formats.
eBook Myth #8: eBooks are Pricey
The initial investment made when purchasing an e-Reading device may seem like a lot at the time; however, eBooks themselves are far cheaper than their counterparts. This means that an eReader practically pays itself off over time. People who read quite often may, in fact, save a great deal of money within the first six months of device ownership.
The benefits far outweigh the negative aspects and most people are more than pleased with the devices used to display eBooks. Hopefully, the information above has convinced the skeptics to at least give eBooks a try.
Adam shields says
dont forget about free ebooks. Virtually all public domain classics and be found for free. And depending on your format there are dozens to hundreds of current books available for free.
I was just doing the math for a post on kindle unlimited. It is a Netflix for books like service. And I have paid $9.99 (with a one months free trial). And in that time I read (or listened to because there are some audiobooks included) nearly $100 worth of books.
Selection is decent but not complete. So I plan on subscribing for a few months then reading other things for a while then going back.
Ebooks certainly aren’t for everyone. But I far prefer them.
Eric Dye says
I knew you would leave an awesome comment. 😀 #becauseebooks
Jim Woods says
I love my kindle–it is so much better having a small device like this instead of a big stack of books. Sometimes you will forget the physical book you want and you are out of luck. With a kindle ebook, you can even read it on your laptop at no additional cost. So handy!
Eric Dye says
EXACTLY! 😀
Robert Hosken says
I use the Kindle and Nook e-readers on my phone and PC. For reading or converting formats I use Calibre, and for creating e-Books I use Sigil.
Here are a few sites for *free* e-Books:
http://play.google.com/store/books
http://www.gutenberg.org
http://www.booksshouldbefree.com
http://www.epubbooks.com
manybooks.net
http://www.digitalbookindex.org
http://openlibrary.org
http://www.delphiclassics.com
Hope this helps!
Eric Dye says
Cool. 🙂
We like Scrivner for ebook creation. 🙂
Toonna says
Hallo sir, can you, or anyone else for the love of God direct me to any useful on how to actual CREATE an ebook; specifically i mean converting Word or pdf document to epub format? Thanks and God bless!
Eric Dye says
Oh, yeah, ePub isn’t easy. Are you using Mac or PC?