The gift of an e-reader

Awhile back (Oct 2009 to be precise) I rambled on about e-readers. At the time, I wasn't very convinced I needed one or wanted one. I was worried about the future of printed books.

However, a little over a year later, I may be singing a different song. I have to admit that I really had no desire for a Kindle or even a Nook (the original, e-ink version). A friend of mine let me borrow her Nook to try it out, and while it was a fun experience, it didn't really convince me I needed to take the plunge yet. THEN, the iPad came out and then NookColor. I really wanted an iPad. But I learned from both the iPod and the iPhone. I was going to wait until at least the 2nd generation iPad came out before convincing my husband we needed this gadget. After seeing and playing with the NookColor at Barnes and Noble one day, I was very impressed. I LOVE the idea of an e-reader that is multi-functional. One that you can listen to music on, or check your email or whatever. Our public library also recently jumped on the e-book bandwagon and now you can borrow e-books to your e-reader. A real plus in my book.

Borrowing library e-books would make an e-reader a little more useful to me. I do not buy many of the books I read, so I wasn't sure I was going to like purchasing e-books. I also knew I would never want a Kindle, because I didn't want to be married to one particular e-bookstore. The NookColor was appealing to me as well because of the Nook Kids aspect. E-picture books that could be read TO my kids. That is a pretty cool thing for travel.

So Christmas rolls around and I didn't ask for either an iPad or a NookColor because my husband bought me a new studio light for the photography business. I wasn't expecting to have anything fun to open on Christmas Eve day (when we open at our house). But, lo and behold, I had a fun package wrapped up for me. He'd actually been listening to me bather on throughout the last couple months about how cool the NookColor looked and he got me one! Oh goody goody goody! I could enter the e-book world and discover what it was all about. THEN, Christmas morning rolled around and we open our stockings. I didn't have a thing in my stocking this year, not a lick. But I had medium-sized box sitting on the mantle above my stocking. I opened it up and it was a new iPad. Holy s*#t! I couldn't believe it. Now, the iPad was really my husband's company Christmas gift. So, I'm not truly THAT spoiled. However, I felt extremely guilty having both.

I have played around with them and I actually like both of them ALOT. And think I might keep the NookColor too, even though it seems so excessive to me. I mean, really, how many gadgets does a girl need? My husband did point out to me that the iPad is technically his. So I shouldn't feel guilty that the NookColor is mine. It's just that the NookColor is so much smaller and can fit in a purse or the diaper bag for easier e-reading-on-the-go.

In the past week, I have discovered many things with both devices. I think maybe I'll share in some form of a weekly/monthly post. We'll see how my New Year's Resolution of better book blogging holds up. :-)