Reading Books on the iPad

I just finished reading my first ebook on my iPad and figured that it would be good to post about the experience, especially since in the e-reader department, I am a blushing neophyte.

That said, I did prepare myself for the occasion by purchasing a particularly lovely embroidered organic hemp boho cover for my iPad, one that looks like a worn journal so I had some semblance of familiarity in terms of feel. Of course, as most of you already know, once you open the cover, book similarities end there, even with the digital pages etched along one side of the iPad. You’re basically looking at a computer screen. But I’m getting too far ahead of myself.

First, the pros. I loved the ease of use for turning the digital pages with just a flick of my thumb. And bonus, no paper-cuts! I also loved putting the iPad down and not having to fold a page down to mark my page. It always remembered where I’d left it when I clicked on my iBooks app. Convenience is also a huge plus – you can pick up a book anywhere at anytime, and not have to wait for it to be delivered or go to a bookstore. The cost was great especially for a book that would cost $9.99 for a paperback versus $2.99 as an app. You can even gets books for free but I wouldn’t guarantee the content of many free books. I downloaded a “free” book that was pretty much free paranormal soft porn (and no, I did not enjoy it). Lastly, if you’re reading a children’s book with illustrations or graphics, they are pretty sweet.

Second, the cons. Reading on an e-reader is just not the same as traditional print which I have to say I am a sucker for. Call me old-school but I love the smell of books and the feel of pages between my fingers. And I actually enjoy going to bookstores, it’s cathartic. Plus I like actually turning pages even if it’s at the risk of a couple of paper-cuts. I’m a sensory girl, what can I say. Lastly, after I finished the 300+ page ebook, I had a niggling computer-screen-induced headache…the same ones I used to get staring at a computer screen for ten hours and the ones that I had to get special eyeglasses to prevent even with my 20/15 vision. So that’s a major con for me – wearing glasses to read a book off my iPad when I never have to do so for a print book. Go figure.

Third, the verdict. To be fair, I’d need to read at least a couple dozen more books to give an honest and unbiased comparison. After all, traditional print media in my world has hundreds of books, if not thousands, over the single e-book that I just read. Plus, maybe I can adjust the brightness off the screen to counteract the headache next time. I guess as time goes on and we become more and more digitally evolved, reading off of an e-reader will be a no-brainer. For now, jury’s still out. I’ve only read just the one book digitally after all. And I do love my iPad so of course it will get a second chance!

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