Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Books and Gadgets

One of my favorite authors, Jennifer Weiner, is releasing a new book, Best Friends Forever, today and I can't wait to pick it up. I think it is perfect timing as I have been looking for some good "beach books" to take to Hawaii.

Last week I stumbled across a $1 book sale atop Queen Anne hill a picked up copies of When the Wind Blows and True Believer. I also had a few that have been stacking up including Twilight, Angle of Repose, 3rd Degree and 4th of July. I think that is plenty don't you?

While on the subject of reading, I've been intrigued by the Kindle since it was introduced. Initially I thought it was silly to purchase a device that holds books in a digital form, you know, much the way I thought of iPods and digital music no so long ago. Then I sat next to a Kindle owner on a cross country flight in May and was incredibly impressed. The screen quality is better than I thought it would be and it doesn't have the usual glare of electronic devices. Then I learned that you can change the font size. Oh boy, no more headaches even when I've forgotten my reading glasses.

My current thinking is that I could make room in my purse for a Kindle and just know I would read more if the 9 or so books that remain in permanent residence on my bedside table were with me all the time, or so I believe. The thing that really has been preventing me from taking the leap is the price. Initially the Kindle 2 was offered at $359, yesterday I read that they have lowered it to $299, which is an improvement but I still can't justify spending $300 on a gadget that I may not use. Of course then I get to this part of the argument in my head I remind myself that I had the exact same apprehensions about my first Palm Pilot, iPod, cell phone and digital camera, all of which I love and can't imagine living without. Still the price tag is just a little too high. After all you can get an iPhone for less money and it can help you hang a picture straight, read the Bible, pour a beer and tell you whether or not you are a idiot and a Kindle can't do that. Then again there is no monthly bill with a Kindle.

Decisions, decisions, the debate wages on. Either way I will not be buying a Kindle until the stack next to my bed is read!

2 comments:

Erin said...

I really, really like my Kindle. I love books, and don't imagine giving up paper books anytime soon, but the Kindle is great for when you're on-the-go!

(It is pricey, though...Rand and I justified our Kindle purchases with a nice tax refund.)

Julie Anne said...

Thanks for the comment Maria. I'm glad you've enjoyed reading and hope that you come back often. :-)