Can a Book E-Reader Solve Your Book Clutter?
In my last post Five Strategies to Reduce Book Clutter, I promised to do a comparison of four popular Book E-Readers.
I must admit that I do not yet own an E-Reader, but I will eventually. I’m waiting for the prices to come down before I take the plunge.
If your goal is to clear the clutter and simplify your life, book e-Readers are a practical tool that will help you keep physical book clutter at bay.
AMAZON KINDLE WIRELESS E-READER
Best for: The Voracious Reader
Capacity: About 1,500 books
Size/Weight: 8 x 5.3 x .36 in, 10.2 oz.
Pros: Downloads books in less than a minute. Font looks like real print; works over a wireless connection; plays audio files
Cons: Some users complain that the screen can scratch easily; for the Kindle you can buy books only from Amazon.
Library: Amazon.com has more than 350,000 titles. Best sellers cost $10, older books range in price. Newspapers and magazines also available.
Cost: $259 LEARN MORE
Best for: The reader who likes a good deal
Capacity: About 350 books
Size/Weight: 6.25 x 4.25 x .41 in, 7.8 oz
Pros: Least expensive of others; screen has a paper-like look; longer-lasting battery than most; fits in a jeans pocket or a small purse; available in 3 colors
Cons: No WiFi; doesn’t play audio files
Library: ebookstore.sony.com, which has 200,000 titles. Best sellers cost $10 to $15; others are usually less. You have access to free books from Google. No newspapers or magazines
Cost: $189.99 LEARN MORE
Best for: The reader who doesn’t want to be weighed down
Capacity: About 800 books
Size/weight: 7.2 x 4.6 x .43 in, 5.6 oz.
Pros: Doubles as an MP3 player; lightweight (looks more like an iPod); comes in eight colors
Cons: Reading font is distinctly digital; no wireless connectivity; scroll wheel is tricky for left-handers (like me) to manipulate.
Library: COOL-ER bookstore, with more than 1 million titles. No newspapers or magazines. Best sellers cost $8 to $23; prices vary widely for other books.
Cost: $249.50 LEARN MORE
Capacity: Up to 1,000 books with the included memory card
Size/Weight: 7.4″ x 4.7″ x 4”, 6.4 oz.
Pros: Doubles as an MP3 player; lightweight; compact; and very portable; zooms in on documents to 800%; text is clear
Cons: Limited availability
Hopefully this information about e-Reader technology will help you decide if it will help you to curb your accumulation of book clutter.
