Ebooks are not new by any stretch of the imagination. When the prospect of the eBook was first introduced, there were many who boldly and stated their dissent with the phrase, “I’ve never been excited about the idea of curling up with a good computer.” At the time this was actually quite true; one could not take their computer monitor to bed with them—at least not easily.
Palm pilots and personal organizers became one of the preferred method of eBook reading, but there were two problems. First of all, they were small and therefore not the same as books. Secondly, converting text to the proper format and sending it to the device was always a bit of a pain due to size constraints and, of course, time. Why would you spend all of that time converting an eBook when you could simply walk to your book shelf and grab a hard copy? The only benefit, quite literally, was the fact that you could actually carry 10, 20 or even 30 books with you at a time if you were a master of file conversion. The downside, on the other hand, was that the reading applications were very slow as they simply were not made for that manner of application, meaning that the reading process was almost gratingly slow. The industry had a need that could only be filled by a new form of portable computer: the tablet. Enter the modern age, with the Nook, reading apps for iPad, and all of their variants.
The Convenience of Tablet Reading
The reading apps available for the iPad have made things a bit simpler now, and more so than they were in the past. Those who were fluent in the use of computers might not have found it difficult to set up an eBook for reading on an electronic device, but there are those who want an easier experience. That being said, with the available reading apps you can typically purchase your book online and expect to have it immediately sent to your preferred reading app. This simple function reduces the number of clicks you will have to make in order to get your book, and overall, makes the book you want to read a bit more accessible, and more akin to reading a physical book.
Ease of Use
CNET has indicated that there are in fact a plethora of reading applications available, each of which have their own features. When it comes right down to it however, people are seeking ease of use, which is perfectly understandable. The majority of reading applications for the iPad will not only allow you to read your books on your terms, but will also allow you to maintain bookmarks, highlight content that you want to remember, and even organize your books into collections so that you can keep series together rather than scattered throughout the device. There was a time when you would have to do all of this manually, making the iPad apps all the more attractive to readers both hardcore and average.
Beyond Books
Though this article mainly focuses on books, it’s important to note that Teachers with Apps has made reference to the fact that most reading applications are at least in part (intentionally or otherwise) geared toward children who suffer from reading disabilities. These applications will open an entirely new world for children with dyslexia, ocular problems and more; with the ability to scale up text, change font and even have the book read aloud, these children can use apps like the Nook to take part in an age old pastime. There are also several other applications on the market specifically geared toward the more advanced and involved readers, for example, App Advice offers a list of applications for book lovers ranging from reading apps, to community applications like Goodreads. Though tablets are designed for email and internet, they have certainly wormed their way into the hearts of the book community who yearned for this type of accessibility for years. In addition to providing high end reading apps for disabilities, you will also find that that even the most basic iPad reading applications feature text to speech, meaning you can enjoy your books without actually reading them.
Finding the Best Apps
Finding the best eBook reading applications is simple with reviews and application stores that allow you to seek out the most functional and easy to use apps for your tablet. Many of these applications are optimized to exercise lower battery consumption, and they will allow you to flip the page by simply swiping with your finger. There is absolutely nothing complicated about today’s reading applications, and before you know it, you’ll find yourself enjoying many good books that are now more accessible than ever before. No longer will you need to visit a bookstore or wait for your book to arrive because it was on backorder. The literary world is literally in your hands.
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