Digital Book Readers: e-readers guide and review

 James L. Brown, Tampela Book Club.

Technology sure has come a long way. It seems like we keep making leaps in light years of advance especially when it comes to doing away with all of the popular old familiars when it comes to print media. One minute we had books on tape, then in what seemed like the blink of an eye, we had electronic readers. The biggest problem with these neat little gadgets is that they give you only the black and white. We all know that nothing in life is either black or white. With new color e-inc technology, you can have all of your favorite publications in rich, true color.

So, what is all the noise about? Honestly, I didn’t get it at first. Even though I’m in my late thirties, I’m pretty stuck in my ways. I have always enjoyed reading so anything that removed the classic novel from my hands when I simply want to curl up in my favorite easy chair and read all night didn’t really seem appealing. However, my oldest son reminded me that carrying around a backpack full of text books is less than favorable.

Kids these days, they have no idea what it was like for us growing up. Most kids from kindergarten through college age have never lived without the internet, cellular telephones or life without a computer in their home.

My son has a point, text books are incredibly thick and heavy and some schools don’t even have lockers for students. This definitely poses a problem. I see kids crossing the street all of the time with backpacks on wheels. This isn’t a matter of laziness in most cases.

So now you can have all of your text books-this is especially beneficial for college students-in the palm of your hand. They all fit neatly in a hand held device that you can take anywhere. Download your books and keep them backed up so you are never without them. Many services provide online storage in case you ever accidentally remove something that you actually wanted to keep on your device.

The gray scale devices that came out a few years ago were a huge hit. People were amazed and thrilled but honestly, they just don’t bring everything front and center that I want if I’m going to give up my favorite graphic novels and monthly periodicals in hard copy. So, I passed on the entire craze. I said to myself and others who are huge fans of the black and white portables that if and when they ever came out with the same device but provided all of the true colors that paper does, I’d bite.

Guess what? It’s here. The time is now. This technology is amazing and regardless of how much I have always loved getting my subscription magazines in the mail, I am quite thrilled to be able to get them all on a hand held device now. We’re not talking about the cell phone sized screen that distorts images. This is the wave of the future and it’s about to hit our shores.

Get ready, color e-inc technology is finally coming. No more promises of things to come, it’s coming soon. Be prepared to change the way you feel about putting down the old ways of print and black and white technology. You may just love the ability to carry all of your favorites with you, no matter where you go.

James L. Brown (Tampela Book Club) for Digital Book Readers