While it seems dubious that the old paperback will ever go out of fashion, it's clear that technological alternatives are gaining popularity.
Ebook and audiobooks are viable and frequently used alternatives to paper. Do you use either of these technologies? If so, tell us a little about your experience. _________________ Violet "Violanthe" Kane
[email protected] ARWZ.com: A Magazine of Alternative Reality Fiction
I don't think I've ever read an E-book. But I have tried listening to audiobooks. For the most part I can't get used to it. I find that audiobooks can't hold my attention very long. I end up thinking of other things and then I lose my place in the story.
At least with real books you have the physical as well as the mental attachment so I tend to actually follow the story.
However I think e-books are a great alternative, especially for those who travel a lot because they don't have to lug around books. With the electronic readers you still get to hold something and "flip pages". But I have yet to feel the urge to blow a few hundred dollars on a Kindle or iPad (when it becomes available to us Canucks). _________________ Harker: ...I sometimes write stories.
Coroner: I sometimes read them.
Harker: Thank you.
Coroner: Stories in general--not yours.
-from "The Damned Thing" by Ambrose Bierce
Ultimately, I feel that ebooks are just a more technologically advanced version of the codex. The simple advantage of ebook readers are organization and storage.
That said, I don't have really any time to read regular books, and so I'm not going to have any more time to read ebooks.
What I love about audiobooks is the time-saver quality. I can read audiobooks while I'm doing an activity that would otherwise prohibit reading a book, like driving. _________________ Violet "Violanthe" Kane
[email protected] ARWZ.com: A Magazine of Alternative Reality Fiction
Joined: 28 Mar 2006 Posts: 291 Location: Waco, Texas
Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 7:22 pm
I'm like Samuel T. Cogley (hopefully someone will understand that reference) in that I think I will always prefer traditional books. Not to say I will never own an E-reader, but the ones I've seen are either too expensive or too limiting. I also don't think I would ever get used to books on tape/CD, because I'm like Queen in thinking it wouldn't hold my attention, especially if I was trying to do something like drive or work. What I do for a living could get pretty dangerous if I'm not concentrating on it.
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