Few things in life tickle my fancy like technogadgets. I used to lust after the newest and coolest cellphones until I found everlasting love with my iPhone. I only have eyes for it’s awesomeness and I’m officially off the cellphone dating market. eHarmony couldn’t have made a better match.
Of course, with all the technology out there, I can’t be monogamous to one device. Well, I suppose I could, but I am a Gemini. That’s my official excuse, anyway and for many months I have been ogling electronic reading devices.
Like an episode of The Bachelorette, The Kindle, Barnes and Noble’s Nook and The Sony Reader were all competing for my affections. I could sense they all longed to be held and loved by me, but juggling the three of them would have just been too much. How would I have time to read?
When my bloggy buddy Shelly announced she was all aflame for The Kindle, I decided to let her have him it. While it did have some traits that I admire (like wi-fi! yummmm!), I’m really not a blind date kinda gal. I’d be bringing this thing to bed with me, after all. I’d at least like to see it and have it take me out to dinner before that happened.
Still caught in a love triangle with The Nook and The Reader, it was time to make a decision. Menage-a-trios is for the more adventurous than I. I saw The Nook at Barnes and Noble. I held it, caressed it and admired it’s handsomeness. It was sleek and flashy and I knew it would be the envy of all who gazed upon it. There was only one problem. The Nook wasn’t “available”. It had already promised itself to a long list of other admirers. Sorry, buddy. I’m not a Tiger Woods hoochie, a VIP Club Hostess, that kinda girl.
That left The Sony Reader to be the eReader for me. I chose the Touch (a, touch-a, touch me) version and it’s a match made in heaven. I love the weight of it in my hands and I love the little flick I can give it to turn pages. I can make the font size as big as I’d like and the selection of books through the ebookstore at Sony was more than acceptable to me. I read mostly for pleasure and they certainly had the books that would satisfy my desires.
I started with Janet Evanovich’s Finger Lickin’ Fifteen because let’s face it, while I love Stephanie Plum, Lula and Grandma Mazur, the books aren’t something you need to concentrate on and I thought it would be the perfect choice to get accustomed to any unforeseen distractions that I may come across reading an electronic device.
These readers use E Ink technology which is surprisingly similar to looking at paper. It’s not backlit like other technogadgets, so you do need the same lighting sources as if you were reading a paper book. I had read that the downfall to The Sony Reader Touch was some glare due to the extra layer of the touch screen. Yes, it can be there, but I’ve found that a microscopic change in angle eliminates it. I also purchased the black case with the built in book light to better protect the device and so that I can read in the dark or in low lit conditions. It did seem a bit odd to read this way for the first few pages, but quickly I found myself lost in the laugh out loud, super silly world of Stephanie Plum and how I was getting there made no difference at all.
So far, I am thrilled with it. Yes, it was a bit pricey at $269.00, but I’m already seeing how quickly the Sony Reader Touch will pay me back. The ebooks are considerably less than the newly released hardcovers of the same title. I generally dislike reading hardcover books because of their bulk, but there are a few authors, like Evanovich, Jonathan Kellerman and Dan Brown that I will purchase in hardcover. The ebook titles are $9.99 or less as opposed to the $20+ I would have spent on the book at Barnes and Noble. The way I read, saving $10 a book will add up quickly, repaying for the device in no time and I will no longer have to wait a year for my preferred paperback choice to be released.
(Yes, I know there are libraries. Since I found a used kleenex being used as a bookmark many moons ago in a library book, I haven’t stepped foot in a library since. I’m not a germaphobe, but that nasty enough to scar me for life. Besides, do you know how hard it is to write a book? The authors deserve the royalties. Book are one of the best entertainment values out there, in my opinion.)
I’m also thinking about all the trees I’ll be saving. Green is good, people!
Will this device stop me from reading regular books altogether? Not yet, anyway. Just last night I got a book suggestion from a friend that I’d love to read, but it’s not available as an ebook. I’ll add it to my “to read” list, but it’s going to have to wait it’s turn because next up on The Sony Reader Touch is Evidence by Jonathan Kellerman. Another adventure with Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis! I can’t wait!
If you’re thinking of an electronic reading device, don’t be afraid to let The Sony Reader Touch you. You might just like it 
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I’d have allowed you to borrow my Kindle if you wanted a test drive (husband now has it & I might never get it back!). Glad you got you a reader, though. As much as you read, this will be perfect for you!
This Eclectic Life´s last blog ..Lover’s Embrace
Shelly over at This Eclectic Life sent me your way. Great stuff here – it is hard to decide between the 3! I like to own books myself – I haven’t had the used kleenex trauma, but there is something about falling in love with a story, and then not having it right there on your book shelf (or in your reader!) to pick up on a whim, that makes me sad.
Julie @ Portable ebook reader´s last blog ..About