I can’t honestly write about e-books, readers or the new technology without feeling both hesitant and excited. We are living in an age where anything is very likely to become possible. What was once science fiction is quickly becoming science fact (ok, the jury is still out on the little green men—but you get the idea). Sometimes its seems as we are producing things just because we can—with very little thought to whether we should or we need them.
Take the Kindle for example. My mom proudly told me that she will be getting one as a birthday present. I was more than a little floored as my mom is a die-hard bookstore gal. She loves to go to Borders, check out the shelves, grab a coffee in the café and just relax. It’s her routine and it makes her happy. She’s not an Amazon gal. She rarely buys anything online—instead she prefers the experience of buying something in a shop. So, why the sudden urge for a Kindle?
Two words: peer pressure. My brother, uncle and aunt all convinced her that she needed this device. That this will make her life easier, more complete, fulfilled in a way that going to a bookstore just can’t. Frankly, this is just rubbish. Kindles and Amazon are wonderful—for a certain audience/person. I have to say, the idea of never owning a physical book terrifies me. As a writer—one of the goals of writing is to one day see your work bound up in book format. The thought that one day all that might be left is a digital file on a hand held device seems awful. But, that argument is purely nostalgic—and I am going to refrain from nostalgia. Instead, let’s go back to the case study of my mom.
So, my mom is going to be getting a Kindle. When we had a more honest discussion she’s admitted she doesn’t really want a Kindle. That she doesn’t need one, but felt pressured to get one. She said that she’ll still be going to Borders to check out what’s new, but might use the Kindle just to read her book club books (as usually she doesn’t keep them).
My prediction is that my mom will never figure out how to work her Kindle. Instead, she’ll have it for a year or two before she actually understands how it works and then she’ll be ready for an iPad.
With so much new technology now on the market why would anyone tie themselves down to a Kindle or early adopter iPad. People, wait….see what’s out there first before we jump onto the e-reader bandwagon? Everything is still being refined. If e-readers are the way forward (shudder) then at least make sure you do your research and maybe wait a little while before you spend your hard earned cash on a technology that is still evolving. How many of you bought Creative MP3 players? I did. I now own an iPod. Whatever happened to Creative?
But most importantly, don’t let anyone convince you that you ‘need’ something. If you are happy with your routine of popping to the bookstore and picking up your new titles—then do it. For some people, that joy of leaving their worries outside while they step into a bookstore for a half hour (or more) is a palpable and necessary break from the real world. I know that bookstores are my happy place—whenever I feel low I visit one and just browsing the shelves makes me feel better (something I picked up from my mom). I’m not sure I could get the same joy or sense of leaving my worries behind just downloading a file from Amazon.
