Digital Books/Readers

Here I am again making another plug for digital books, media, readers, what have you.  Why?

Sure, I love using mine, but I'm starting to see there's more value to these things than meets the eye.  Namely the fact that they remove a lot of clutter.  I know they're not the same as having a physical book, magazine, or newspaper, which I've got a reverence for when it comes to books, but that's the point.

Physical media creates a lot of clutter and takes up lots of room.  Recently I've been helping loved ones, and one of the biggest challenges is organizing and deciding what to do with years worth of collected media.  Toss, donate, or keep?

It's a time consuming and often emotional process.  I'm not much for objects and material things, but, like it or not, they are part of our lives.  They can bring us much joy, and by the same token they are burdens.  They need homes and need to be taken care of.  They gain mass over the years, and quite frankly can become a ball and chain.

Not so with digital media. All you need with this type of media is a means to access your content.  This is great, and means you won't be carrying such a heavy load.

So, getting back to the Kindle.... in the year or so that I've been using this device, I'm reading more than I have in years, and yet there's no pile of books taking up more in more space in my office.  I've always got something to read with me, and the ability to get more on a whim.  What's not to like about that?

I think digital readers are the future.  The devices we have now will seem very primitive in five years time, and yet I would still recommend getting one sooner rather than later, for the reasons listed above.

Know someone who loves to read and doesn't own one of these?  Get them one.  They'll thank you, and you'll be making their lives easier.