Physical Books are superior to E-books

Sensory Experience Though the smell of a book may trigger long-term memory, it also has some drawbacks. Books are made of paper, so they are porous. Porous materials can collect allergens or mold spores, aggravating allergies. E-books are non-porous, so they can be easily cleaned. Features It is not necessarily negative that a stimuli is less engaging. The act of pushing a button can become almost automatic, leaving the reader to pay more attention to the book itself. Turning pages can become difficult, such as when you are reading a book in bed. The blanket can get trapped between the pages, which is impossible with an e-book. E-book readers do not always cause eyestrain, as they can be designed to use E-ink technology. E-ink is designed to closely mimic the appearance of ink on paper, and can be in sunlight without difficulties. [1] The increased contrast in the Kindle is not evidence of technical difficulties, it is evidence that e-readers are continuously improving. Books have remained as they are for hundreds of years. E-readers can be charged and read at the same time, so the battery will not be a problem in many situations. The Amazon Kindle can hold a charge for up to two months. [2] Half the Book E-readers often can display many of those components. One popular e-reader, the Nook, can display images in color. [3] There is more than just the words to a book, an the manufacturers of e-readers realize this and deign the devices accordingly. Variety As the demand for titles grows, publishers will respond to the demand by making their books available as e-books, increasing the variety. The out-of-print books would likely be converted to e-books, as there is still a market for them and e-books can easily reach that market without ever having to be printed, shipped, and sold at a store. A book can be both out-of-print and available as an e-book. Anonymity If anonymity is important to you, there is the option of purchasing a gift card that can be used online and paying for the e-book with it. For most people, I do not understand why anonymity would be a deciding factor when choosing between a physical book and an e-book. Condition of Books If a business is doing something that you find unethical or bothersome, then the logical solution would be to boycott the business, not what they are selling. It is also important to note that Amazon credited the customers' accounts with the money that they paid for the book. This point is incorrect, the e-books do not disappear once an internet connection is lost; once they are downloaded, they are stored on the device. No internet connection is necessary to read them. With proper care (such as not dropping it, or getting it wet), technological devices can have a significant lifespan. A physical book cannot last indefinitely, as it will begin to fall apart with repeated use. An e-book can be read as many times as you wish without losing pages. Signatures If a signed book has significant financial value, then it would be reasonable to protect it from damage. Damage can come about through use of the book, rendering it impractical. Economy E-books are taking over physical books in terms of market share partly because they are cheaper. The decreased price of an e-book means that more money can be pent at local restaurants, stores, and such. Let's say someone saves $50 by purchasing e-books instead of physical books. The $50 could be spent at a bookstore, giving the bookstore owner a job. Alternatively, it could be spent on lunch, a movie ticket, and a new shirt. This would give three people jobs, which benefits the economy more than giving one person a job. My Arguments 1. E-books do not result in the destruction of trees, as physical books do. Physical books are made out of many sheets of paper, e-books are digital. Millions of e-books be made with minimal resources. 2. An e-book reader takes up much less physical space than a book does. The Kindle can hold up to 3,500 books. [2] This is even more significant when you consider that an e-book reader can hold many books, without taking up more space. The extra space can be helpful in small spaces such as apartments, tiny offices, and students' backpacks. 3. Many e-books are available free, through Amazon, Project Gutenberg, and many other sites. [4] [5] This increases the availability of books to people who would ordinarily be unable to afford them, promoting literacy. Sources [1] http://www.eink.com... [2] http://www.amazon.com... [3] http://www.barnesandnoble.com... [4] http://www.amazon.com... [5] http://www.gutenberg.org...