Reading Showdown: Used Kindle Vs. Junk Paperback
Reading may be fundamental, but that doesn’t mean we read as often as we should. Everyone has at least one stack of books that they stare at in embarrassment, knowing they haven’t read or opened a single one for months, not even years.
While you can read this old paperback book that you’ve been so passionate about getting from, there are plenty of other distractions to choose from. Also, what if you just don’t like opening this love story after a 10 hour day at work? What if you want to read something funny? You can always take a few books with you or buy a cheap Kindle and save on weight (no accessories, of course). Either way, you’re guaranteed to start reading a little more.
Applicants
Both are decent reading choices on the cheap. Paperback books are almost everywhere, cheap enough and small enough to carry around. However, the Kindle has technology that makes it easier than ever to read more books at once.
Cheap Paperbacks : Paperbacks are a tried and true method of reading anything anywhere. They are small and lightweight, making them easy to take with you on a trip or walk. As a real book, you are more likely to retain what you read, making it a great choice for literature you want to swallow. Paperbacks are also cheaper than their e-books and are definitely a bargain when compared to hard covers. Don’t want to buy books? Simple. Get to the library.
Used Kindle : Amazon’s Kindle is the most common option when you think it’s an e-reader, but any cheap e-reader will do. Available in options from the $ 80 Kindle to the $ 290 Kindle Oasis, you definitely have multiple ways to spend your money.
However, I don’t recommend a new Kindle out of the box, but a refurbished one, as cheap as you can get one. Combine this with your library’s e-book software , as well as e-book sites like Standard Ebooks, and you’ve got a library in your pocket for the price of a few hardback books.
The idea is that if you carry an expensive e-reader with you, you will most likely be wary of retrieving it. I treated new smartphones like newborns, and old models were thrown away like rag dolls (with covers). I had a brand new Kindle and found myself behaving the same way. I only read this at home, never on the street. But my refurbished Kindle? I take it with me everywhere and find myself taking it in unlikely situations thanks to its one-handed use.
Both have books, but only one needs batteries
Your Kindle can hold many books, but it’s useless when not charged. There is one way books always beat electronics: durability.
Your junk paperback doesn’t need batteries, and your books won’t disappear when your renewal expires. An agitated sequel to the romance only to find your Kindle dead like a door nail is less than appealing, especially when you’re sitting next to someone with a book they grabbed from an airport newsstand.
Adapting to electrified reading meant I had to bring a tiny battery and a USB cable with me to make sure I didn’t run out of electricity when I had a few minutes of downtime. It’s a great habit, but annoying when I forget. I would rather just read everything I can at that point in time.
Paperback is just a book, Kindle is a library
Having one book may make you want to finish it, but having one book also means you may not be in the mood to finish reading it. This means that you are stuck with unnecessary reading material wherever you are, text that you will have to read for a long time until you decide you have read enough in a day.
My Kindle is my portable library that encourages me to explore all of my interests if I’ve checked some of them before leaving home. If I don’t like this historical fiction book, I can move on to a high fantasy novel and read about some elves splitting multiple skulls.
This ability to choose will increase your chances of reading anything, whatever, if you’re interested. I used my Kindle to read some classic novels that were too long and too large to carry, and books that were only a few dozen pages long.
Verdict: paper is good, but I’ll keep the Kindle
You may disagree and say that there is nothing better than taking an old paperback and spending the day with it, but I object. Technology provides us with many luxuries, one of which is the ability to carry more than one book at a time. It works wonders for my short attention, allows me to read more without fear of breaking or losing my device, and allows me to borrow literature even when I have only one hand free. Of course, I have to make sure it’s charged or take the battery with me, but at least that means I read more.