Has anyone tried a book reader? I read a ton, but I can't get excited about reading from a gadget

I read a lot as well and thought this would be a good investment.  I bought one and then returned it, because every time you "turn a page" it fades from bright to dark.  That doesn't happen when I read a real book. 

I figure it'd be great for me, because I can't take my library with me when I move to NZ... I guess I'll wait a few generations

 Your confarngelled gadgetry will replace the book only to those whose literary interests are largely confined to the contents of magazine stands and those poxy best-seller lists.

I dont like the idea.

Your confarngelled gadgetry will replace the book only to those whose literary interests are largely confined to the contents of magazine stands and those poxy best-seller lists.

Except that most e-book readers (especially the one from Sony) can consume all kinds of digital formats.  The Kindle can also be hacked, making it available to other formats as well.

And once you're there, you have much of the gutenberg project in various countries to consume, as well as a growing number of publishers that are releasing classic (ie - pre 1970) books for free or as parts of for-pay anthologies.

So, it will replace the book for those who read magazines, best-sellers, and almost every goddamn book written before the 1900s.

I read a lot as well and thought this would be a good investment.  I bought one and then returned it, because every time you "turn a page" it fades from bright to dark.  That doesn't happen when I read a real book. 

In borrowing a friend's for a day, I didn't notice that to be a significant issue.

It's due to the nature of eInk technology.  All of the ink pixels have to be "reset" each time a page is drawn.

I like reading. Part of what I like about reading is that it's not electronic, there's something nice about that. I guess I'll stick to paper and ink then.

I'm only interested in kindle when porn is available on it.

2% of kindle content is "Erotica"!

They're still too big and clunky. When they make one that's about the size of a regular paperback book, I'll be interested.

I like reading. Part of what I like about reading is that it's not electronic, there's something nice about that. I guess I'll stick to paper and ink then.

Comics excluded. I could see this kindle thing blurring the lines between cartoons/anime and comic/graphic novel.

Slight skeezed out on the kindle for 2 reasons:

1) high fixed cost of the product (kindle) + high variable cost of the e-books relative to regular books
 -- look, i shelled out $$$ for your e-reader so i could buy books for cheaper or pirate them because if there is no paper there is no production cost, ergo, the cost of purchasing individual works should be significantly cheaper, instead they are usually equal or slightly more or slightly less, and are released later than the hardcover/paperback versions.  dumb.

2) potential for 1984'ing my shit that i buy
 -- I don't care much about my copyrights for things like video games because when it comes down to it, the shit is just a video game, but digital rights for books are sacrosanct and having an EULA that allows the corporation entailed to fuck with the work contained is just not legit.

Fix these things then sign me up, until then no thanks.

I hear you can get a leather cover that makes it LOOK like a book and a little spray can of scent that makes it SMELL like an old book...

Yeah, Amazon going in and deleting copyrighted shit troubles me. I'll stick to real books. Besides, I haven't figured out my iPod yet, how the fuck and I gonna work THAT thing...?

 As ever, eitje, you've missed the point completely.

Ummm... Balor? He's a nerd. A NERD!!! Technology is the point in his world.

You should come to Krsna's this weekend. We can drink vodka martinis and discuss Disraeli.

Oh cool, Balor's a Cream fan too? That was an awesome album!

Roight then....

As ever, eitje, you've missed the point completely.

Que? The man was being sarcastic

I think it was sarcasm combating sarcasm. 

No it wasn't. Balor's sarcasm involves religion and dead babies.

Except that most e-book readers (especially the one from Sony) can consume all kinds of digital formats.  The Kindle can also be hacked, making it available to other formats as well.

And once you're there, you have much of the gutenberg project in various countries to consume, as well as a growing number of publishers that are releasing classic (ie - pre 1970) books for free or as parts of for-pay anthologies.

So, it will replace the book for those who read magazines, best-sellers, and almost every goddamn book written before the 1900s.

 I'm not seeing the sarcasm. Are you sure you know what that word means? (There is my sarcasm.)

If I could be bothered, I would take pictures of some of my books to illustrate why they will never be replaced by some pocket calculator with ideas above its station.

I've been reading books I downloaded from Google books on my netbook.  At most, I'll read like that for an hour or two.

It is not nearly as satisfying.  I'm considering just printing them.  Staring at a screen for 8 hours is bad enough when I'm programming/manipulating data/working on drawings or otherwise actively engaged with the computer.  I just can't read a screen for any appreciable length of time - it makes e-books particularly annoying for me, since I'm known to read for 10-15 hours straight if I'm particularly interested in a book.

I've been reading books I downloaded from Google books on my netbook.  At most, I'll read like that for an hour or two.

eInk screens work dramatically differently from standard LCD/LED/OLED screens (which require backlit illumination to work).  Because it's actually polarized ink, there is little to no eye-strain (in my experience).

As ever, eitje, you've missed the point completely.

And, as ever, you drop one-liners and opt to act superior.

They're still too big and clunky. When they make one that's about the size of a regular paperback book, I'll be interested.

The Sony Reader (PRS-505) is 7" tall and 5" wide.

Ooh, nice!

As ever, eitje, you've missed the point completely.

And, as ever, you drop one-liners and opt to act superior.

 Who's acting?

 And you're still missing the point, which Zoomie apparently grasped without any trouble whatsoever.

 People who posses a love for literature generally do not give a damn what display technology is being used if it ain't good old Paper 1.0.

 People who poses a love for literature, also tend to posses a love for books.

Then explain paperbacks and books on tape/CD?

Your confarngelled gadgetry will replace the book only to those whose literary interests are largely confined to the contents of magazine stands and those poxy best-seller lists.