The Kindle

Like many other Americans who love to read, I have been intrigued by Amazon’s electronic book reader, the Kindle. To be fair, I must admit I have never used one, only seen them in passing. However, the Kindle’s price ($359) makes me hesitant to run out and buy one just for the sake of trying it out. I’ve been browsing the internet to try and find a good review, and after reading several, I would like to share my thoughts.

First - I love books. For me, reading a book is both a visual, as well as a tactile experience. I love how the pages look and smell, the heft of the book in your hand, the noise of a page as you turn it. I also love to see them on our bookshelves - arranged neatly. I love the design of book covers, and the general graphic design of the book itself. So, to be fair, the idea of the Kindle is anathema to me.

Apparently, the Kindle works pretty well most of the time. It has trouble with the voice-reading option, and text occasionally does not parse properly. It’s fairly easy to read in the daytime, but has no backlight for nighttime reading. These are all things than can be solved by reading an actual, physical book.

But, for example, when Jen and I went overseas earlier this year it sure would have been nice to take our books (especially mine) over in a Kindle - much lighter and easier to carry. However, I am not clear if you can use it on an airplane or not.

As for me, I’ll pass on the Kindle. I do not think that books are going anywhere anytime soon.

- Jason Dean