From Paper Books to Electronic Books – 5 Top eBook Benefits
Everyone knows that eBooks are shaking up the publishing industry, with big companies like Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Sony and others all vying for the hearts, minds and wallets of consumers.
But for those people still undecided about making the switch from paper books to electronic books, what are the top 5 eBook benefits?
5. Be a Closet Harry Potter Fan without Anyone Knowing
Tired of getting looks from people on buses and trains who think you’re a little too old to be reading Harry Potter? Embarrassed about the cover of the latest big science fiction or fantasy epic as you read at your desk lunchtime? With eBooks there’s no need to be. And that’s because whether you’re reading from a Kindle, smartphone or iPad, no one will ever see the cover and you can pretend to be reading anything you like of someone asks.
4. Read the Same Book on Multiple Devices
One of the top eBook benefits compared to paper books is the ability to read the same book on more one than one device. Apple’s iBooks format allows eBooks to be shared across the iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad, while Amazon Kindle and Nook from Barnes & Noble take this even further by also allowing eBooks to be read on PCs, Macs and smartphones.
These three eBook format are particularly good at syncing because not only can you ensure you have your latest books on all your devices at the same time, they’ll also sync the page you’ve currently reached so you can read from your Kindle at home and switch to your smartphone when on the move. Genius!
3. Unclutter Your Life
An obvious benefit, perhaps, but one definitely worth considering. As eBooks are electronic there’s no need for shelves or cupboards to store all your books. Some people may actually prefer to see what they’re buying in a physical form but there’s no denying that eBooks are a great way to unclutter your life by ‘going digital’.
Plus, it’s more environmentally friendly as no trees need to be cut down to print books.
2. Buy eBooks Instantly and Get Reading, Not Waiting
Back in 2007, tens of thousands of people around the world queued outside bookshops to buy Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the last in the series by author J. K. Rowling. Although this is great for PR and enjoyed by fans, such events will probably be very rare in the future as more and more people choose eBooks.
Why queue for a book, wait for it to be delivered in the post, or even pay petrol and parking costs to visit your latest bookstore when you can have almost any book you want in just a few seconds. eBooks give you that advantage over paper books, giving you more time to read and less time waiting.
1. The Biggest Bookshop in the World Wherever You Are
All of the benefits above are great reasons to switch from paper books but the top benefit of eBooks is that you have access to hundreds of thousands of eBooks wherever you are. A device like the Amazon Kindle can store over 3,000 eBooks and if you still run out of things to read the US Kindle Store now has over 900,000 titles available to buy. And with 3G devices like selected Kindles and iPads, or smartphones, you can buy these books wherever you are, be that on a train, at home or even on the beach.
When you switch to eBooks, the bookshop comes to you.
Still undecided? Compare Amazon Kindle and Apple iBooks.
Main image: Amazon Kindle eBook Reader (image copyright: Amazon.com)