by A.J. Focht
Technology is advancing all around us, and it’s not always easy to be for it when it continually changes so many facets of everyday life. I recently purchased a Kindle, after several days of convincing myself that it was ok. You see, I have complained about them for years, never intending to buy one. The concept of getting rid of my paper books was more than appalling, and the English major inside me died a little every time I saw someone with one.
Then things began to happen that made me reevaluate the idea of a handheld reader. Kindle announced its 3G Wireless model with access to Wikipedia from anywhere (little did I know it was actually full internet access). Soon after this announcement, I moved into my current apartment. It didn’t take me long to realize that I have too much stuff. My book collection takes up its own case as well as three other shelves. As I tried to shove all of my books into the tiny living space, I found myself considering the advantages of a handheld reader for the first time.
While I love my paperback novels, it became harder than ever to justify them when I could own them all digitally – and fit them in my backpack. My backpack itself would end up being fifteen pounds lighter a semester as I would not need to haul around class books. Not to mention, my bank account would love to pay 50% or less, on average, per book. Still I didn’t budge. It wasn’t until this semester that I ended up giving in, mainly because the total cost of my books on Kindle and a new Kindle was less than the cost of ordering the actual books.
Upon getting my Kindle, I promptly played around with all the features. I found my way online, and updated my Twitter and Facebook from the Kindle. It didn’t take long for the comments to come in. Kindle haters are everywhere. I didn’t know that my hatred for handheld readers was shared by so many. After spending nearly an hour replying to messages and explaining my blasphemous error, I gave up.
The thought of the paper book becoming extinct scares a whole lot of people (but then lovers of papyrus scrolls were probably turning in their graves when the printed page became state-of-the-art). Kindle haters don’t care about the advantages to be had; it is all a matter of preserving a longstanding tradition and cultural artifact. They would rather move a whole paper library in boxes than have it at their fingertips at all times but composed of bytes and electronic ink. I can’t say I blame them. I felt like that too – once.
The more I play with my Kindle, the more I like the direction this technology is going. The ability to highlight any word and look it up in the Oxford English Dictionary or New Oxford American Dictionary is a convenient luxury. Notating books and documents is also easy as can be, and for those who hate marking in paper books, like me, this is a really nice change. The Kindle’s unique design and electronic ink, instead of LCD screen, makes the reading experience much more enjoyable than I would have imagined. Honestly, the thing I like the least is the internet access. I had expected full access to Wikipedia, and I was ok with that. Open internet access means I have distractions, not that I am going to complain about it.
I don’t know that I need my electronic reader to have internet, but I like all of the other changes. Now that I have the product in my possession, I am finding it very difficult to hold on to any of my past grudges against it. I don’t know that it would be so bad if we abandon paper books; I mean, it would save a whole lot of trees. I don’t ever plan on getting rid of all my paper books. It would be nice, though, to have only one shelf of my favorite titles (something tells me it will consist of the Harry Potter series and a load of graphic novels).
Related reading: My Life Is An Open Kindle by Mur Lafferty.
