As someone who likes to hold a book and flip the pages as I read, I was not sure if the Kindle e-reader experience would be enjoyable. I initially struggled to use the buttons correctly–skipping to the next chapter rather than turning to the next page. It was very light so holding it felt weird. Like most users who are new to a certain technology, I felt slightly uncomfortable using the tablet. I wanted the paper book back.
I wanted the paper book back, however, until I was in class today. During the discussion about how Goldstein described Justice Holmes, I was able to type “Holmes” into the Kindle search box. I selected The Copyright Highway and instantly got 15 excerpts. One of the excerpts seemed to fit the discussion at hand, too. Had I only had the paper copy of the book, however, I would have had to go to the index, find the page numbers where Holmes was listed, read the pages, and find the passages. While this search process has value (I think…?), the ability to get instant excerpts was very helpful in class today.
In conclusion, while I enjoy reading from paper books outside of class, having a Kindle during class discussions would be great.
It’s definitely true that both print and digital books have their pros and cons, I wonder if the two will ever coincide so that a form exists that has the advantages of both forms. I’m not sure that it is feasible to own both forms, from an economic standpoint at least. Your comment about the Kindle being more useful for searching through the text also makes me wonder if maybe digital books would be more useful for educational purposes (textbooks, notetaking, etc.), whereas print books would be more useful for leisurely reading purposes.
I started reading on the kindle for our next excerpt. The initial thing I was worried about was the screen: would it be lit up and tire my eyes? Turns out it was a pretty enjoyable read, and I may have been able to read it for longer than a print book without my eyes getting tired. Although, no page numbers presents a big con for me, who likes to take notes on separate paper.
Although the kindle may have been quicker and more efficient to look things up on, in class, isn’t that just another way for students to become lazy at the hands of technology? Or for students to neglect to do class readings, as when questions are asked you can just find things on the spot?
I enjoy being able to highlight parts and make notes on my kindle. Then I open up that saved page of notes and I have everything I want. It is incredibly convenient but I do enjoy holding books. I had my kindle with me at the beach over spring break and it wasn’t the same as turning pages. I think I like my kindle most for class and for leisure reading I prefer having a book in hand.