Right now you’re reading this article online. You might be at work using your PC, or you could be riding the bus and reading it on your smartphone. Most of us are willing to trawl the internet to read the latest articles or watch our favourite TV shows. So why are so many of us unwilling to give up paper books for good? With so many ways to catch up on your favourite read, why not give one of them a try?
- Kindle. This was one of the first popular alternatives to paperbacks to hit the market. Brought to the world by Amazon, you can understand why it is so popular. Not only can read the latest chart hits, but you can also easily access lots of amateur authors who are self-publishing. The paperwhite version of this small device claims to look a lot like real book pages. You can find Kindle Paperwhite covers online to keep your handy e-reader protected.
- iBooks. This app from Apple is one of many that allow you to read any document in PDF format offline. It sits on your virtual bookshelf until you’re ready to ready. You can also read digital books and other text-based documents. It looks good, runs well, and is included in your iPhone or iPad for free. It’s a nice and easy way to read almost anything almost anywhere.
- Google Docs. This operates online as a web page. It will read almost any word processor format, including many of Microsoft’s. The best bit about creating and editing your documents here is that anyone in the world can see it and edit if you send them a link. There is a watered down version available for iPhone. The current limitations of word processing on a phone device render it little more use than a reader. There have also been similar problems with the iPad here too.
- Kobo. The Kobo, found in WHSmith stores, was touted as being an excellent Kindle competitor when it was first launched. It was also suggested it would be cheaper and more like a book page in appearance. Prices today are on par with the Kindle, but some die-hard Kobo fans continue to rave about the functionality and ease of use.
Image courtesy of Flickr
- NOOK. The Nook is Barnes and Noble’s offering to the ebook market. It too is enjoying great reviews about the readability of publications on offer. This includes newspapers and magazines. It comes in a smaller and simpler package than some of the others. Those that are straining to become tablets are deemed too complicated for the lovers of this little reader.
When you’re looking for a good way to read a paperless publication, you can’t beat an e-reader. Most are paperback size. But those that provide access to enormous libraries of publications are best for most people. Whether you want to read a novel or check out the latest edits in your workplace document, most mobile devices can do what an e-reader can. For those that prefer the look of a paper-based text, the e-reader is a pretty close second.