20 reasons why eBook readers are the way forward…

Last year the geeks at Google estimated that over 130 million books exist in the world, a figure which continues its unrelenting rise thanks to the continued ‘information explosion’ which began in earnest during the 1960s.

While print publishing continues to go from strength-to-strength it is the escalation in the sale of eBooks which really astounds. Take for example recent figures from Amazon which claim that ebooks now outsell print books in the United States and similar research by Waterstone’s which back up a similar phenomenon in the UK.

Whether it’s on an Amazon Kindle, an Apple iPad, or one of the plethora of devices from Sony, BeBook and Barnes & Noble, one thing is clear; a veritable revolution is taking place in the way we read.

Eager for our readers not to get left behind, Quidblog runs through 20 of the best reasons to invest in an eBook reader.

1. They are incredibly simple to use. Even the most stubborn Luddite can’t help but be amazed by the uncomplicated nature of turning on the device, selecting a book and reading it.
2. Access millions of books at the touch of a button. Never again do you need to make a trip to the bookstore just to be told that the book you wanted is out of stock. With the capability to download new reading material inside 60 seconds there are no excuses not to begin that new novel you’ve been meaning to buy.
3. You can change the size of the font. Perfect for those who are keen to take the strain off their eyes.
4. They prevent injuries. Remember how foolish you looked lugging the Complete Works of Shakespeare to the beach because you wanted to show-off your while topping up your tan? Well now you can at least save yourself a muscle strain while trying to get up close and personal with the Bard.
5. They save space. While many of us would love to house a library at home, it’s obvious that our pokey studio flat isn’t going to be up to the job. Thankfully your eBook can store, depending on its memory size, thousands of books for easy access.
6. They’re cool. You know it, I know it and we like to think the pretty girl sitting opposite us on the tube knows it. We’ve never asked George Clooney or Johnny Depp, but we imagine they probably think the same. If they don’t then they are well within their rights to contact us.
7. Onboard Dictionary. There’s no excuse to breeze over words which you may not fully understand…not when many eBook readers come replete with at least one built-in dictionary.
8. The battery life lasts for ages. Granted, a book may not have a battery life, but given you can go two months without charging some Amazon Kindles you have to gasp in astonishment and doff your cap at its technical capabilities. Other eBooks are playing catch-up, but it won’t be long before they too are offering similar sustainability.
9. Travel Light. We’ve all stressed about which books to pack for a holiday and whether our suitcase adheres to airport weight restrictions. With an eBook all that kafuffle can be avoided. Take all your books with you and leave plenty of space for tacky souvenirs. Simples.
10. They are affordable. While the initial outlay could set you back upwards of around £80-90, the potential savings in the long-term are huge. Thousands of classic books are available as free downloads, the Kobo eBook reader even comes with a hundred classics pre-loaded, while most new releases are of comparable price to their hard copy cousins.
11. Portable and discreet. Well obviously it’s portable, but without any embarrassing book covers to hide you can read whatever you want in public without getting suspicious looks.
12. Environmental. Books, if you hadn’t noticed, are made from paper, which means they’re made from trees, which means that trees have been chopped down to create them. Why not ease the strain on the rainforest by reading that latest bit of chick-lit in an electronic format instead. You’ll feel a lot less guilty once you discard it.
13. Access the internet. With the ability to connect to the worldwide web, via wi-fi or, depending on your eBook’s capabilities, through a 3G connection you’ll never feel out of touch.
14. You don’t just have to read books. Fancy reading a newspaper? You can do it on your eBook. Want to catch up on your favourite blog? Read it on your eBook. Need to check your emails? You get the idea…
15. An engaging and educational tool for children. While books will no doubt remain (for the time being) the go-to option for bedtime stories and classroom learning, the in-built dictionary, ability to display images and audiobook playback capability make eBooks an attractive alternative. They also can’t be ripped to shreds or drawn on!
16. Ergonomically friendly. Easy to hold and even easier to turn a page, eBooks readers eradicate the need to constantly change position while you’re sunbathing on the beach. With Kindles, Nooks (from Barnes & Noble) and the Sony Reader boasting an e-ink display you can also read them in direct sunlight without any hassle.
17. Sync bookmarks and annotations. One of the niftiest things about using certain eBook readers is the way you can highlight and make notes on the text you are reading and then transfer said records across devices with ease.  This function works particularly well if you’re using an eBook reader for study purposes.
18. Discover new authors. With so many books at your fingertips and so many classics available for free, there has never been a better time to try out new authors.
19. You can play games. We’re not saying you should…but it’s an option on some eBooks.
20. Stephen Fry uses one. And if Stephen Fry advocates sucking up information by portable electronic means then that is good enough for us.

If you’re interested in buying an eBook reader in the near future, make sure you visit Quidco first. With brands such as Amazon, Sony, WHSmith, PCWorld and Currys all offering cashback you could save big money on the latest gadgets, including eBooks. 

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