If you don’t own one of the popular e-book readers like the Kindle or the Sony Reader, you may not realize all the benefits that are built into these devices. Even if you do own one, you may not have discovered all the features available to you. Here are some of the lesser known advantages included with the most popular e-book readers.
- Easy on the eyes. The low glare screen is much easier on your eyes than a computer screen. In addition, the font size can be adjusted. No more need for buying large print books.
- Highlighting. Many readers of non-fiction books like to be able to underline or highlight key statements in their books. The creators of the e-book readers took this into account and built in that capability as well. Besides allowing you to mark these statements (or even full paragraphs) the e-book reader will collect all your highlights in one area attached to the book. Scroll through all your highlights at once and with one click you can read it in full context as well.
- Notes. Some people prefer to go beyond highlighting to actually writing notes in the margins of their books. The e-book reader improves this reader preference as well. You can add a note anywhere in your book. No need to fit it in a margin. The notes are saved together with your book, just like your highlights. In addition, they are typed, which should provide better legibility than small handwritten notations.
- Built-in dictionary. This is a really great feature. You can access the dictionary with a single click from any book or magazine you are reading. Click on the word that you are unsure of and the definition pops up for you.
- Saves your page. You will never lose your page or forget where you left off in a book when you use an e-book reader. You can come back to a book weeks or months later and it will automatically take you to the page you were reading the last time you had that book open.
- Online backup. You will never lose an e-book that you have purchased through Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Even if you should lose or change e-readers, every e-book you purchase remains backed up and available for you to access at no additional charge.
- Magazines. In addition to downloading books, you can also have most magazine subscriptions sent to your e-reader as well. This has many benefits. No magazines stacking up in your house. No concerns about magazines being forwarded if you have more than one residence, travel or are moving.
- Read it anywhere. If you’ve ever tried to use a laptop computer in bright sunlight, you know that it is almost impossible to see the screen. Since e-readers don’t have backlit screens, they are as easy to read in bright sunlight as a book. In the dark you do need a book light to read these types of screens, but they are inexpensive and available as accessories. E-book applications are also available for iphones, ipads and computers. As stated before, you have access to your library online and this is true no matter which device you use. You also can also read your books with ‘no hands’. Set it down and read while your hands are busy crocheting or knitting. It just takes a quick finger click to turn the page.
- Book sharing. This option was not always available but both the Nook and the Kindle now have book loaning options. You can now borrow e-books to or from your friends with similar e-book readers for a limited amount of time.
- Audio. Some of the e-book readers have a variety of audio options included as well. You can have the device read to you in the car. You can add music files to your device and play background music while you read. These are options you just can’t get with a paper book.
There are other features as well like web browsing, car chargers, instant downloads, free previews of books and hundreds of free books available for download. Many skeptics have been quickly converted to e-book fans once they discover the benefits of this new technology
Filed under: ebook, General
