The popularity of eBooks has exploded over the last decade. Not only can you purchase the book from the privacy of your own home, but the eBook is much cheaper than a new release in hardcover format. But what exactly are the benefits of digital reading? Is there any significant difference between digital and traditional print reading?
Let’s look at why going with the eBook makes the most sense.
An eBook has a clickable Table of Contents (TOC)
If you’re trying to read an academic tome or a textbook, it can really save time to be able to go straight to the exact page you’re looking for, without a lot of fanfare.
An eBook can sync with the Cloud
Cloud syncing makes things so much easier when you have a household that supports a smartphone, a tablet and an e-reader that all want to read the same book. Vendors like Amazon can even mark the last page read, so you can pick up precisely where you left off when reading before sleeping or reading on the subway.
An eBook lets you write your own notes or make highlights
Just sync your changes with the cloud, and your alterations follow you, no matter which device you use. This is especially helpful with digital rental textbooks. After your loan period is up, the book will be gone from your library list but any notes you made are yours to keep and are stored in the cloud.
An eBook may leave you needing a dictionary or thesaurus, whether it is fiction or non-fiction
Most e-readers have pre-loaded dictionaries at your disposal, with an option to download additional ones if you need them. Some even include translation software.
An eBook can adjust its font to match your eyesight needs without costing you extra like a large print book would do
Or if you simply don’t like the default font, you can change it.
An eBook will always come back when you loan it out
Amazon and Barnes & Noble led the way in eBook lending, developing programs that let you lend out your book to a friend, one time only. The friend can keep it for up to two weeks. Of course, your friend has to have the same e-reader that you do for this to work.
An eBook doesn’t care what you’re wearing when you purchase it
It doesn’t care what time it is when you buy it. eBooks also allow for pre-ordering, which is a very handy feature when reading books in a series.
An eBook gives you access to millions of stories and fan fiction, often available for free
Some websites, like WattPad, had a social media component that allows fans and authors to interact in real time.
An eBook through Amazon gives you access to their X-Ray feature, which gives you a full listing of the major and minor characters in a book
So if you start reading one and are forced to put it aside for whatever reason, you can easily refresh your memory through the X-Ray department.
An eBook is a friend of the environment because it has a smaller “carbon footprint”
E-readers purchase far less of the printed counterparts. While there is an environmental cost attached to making an e-reader, the device can hold any number of eBooks, newspapers, and magazines. In the end, less printed copy is produced and more material is being read.
An eBook lets you read what you want when you want, and no one is the wiser
No longer do you have to hide your 50 Shade of Grey behind the jacket of War and Peace. Social stigma traditionally associated with the readers of romance, fantasy or erotica has been shot down completely by the portable e-reader.
An eBook won’t break your budget
Simply put, an eBook is cheaper than a traditional print book. A study done in Britain suggests that 26% of consumers who buy eBooks admit to reading more than they normally do because eBooks cost less. Even new books by renowned authors hit the market at a much more affordable price in eBook format. Bottom line: with eBooks, you can read far more books for far less cash.