As an English major, I have a special appreciation for going to the bookstore, browsing through my favorite sections with a coffee in hand and choosing a book to bring home and devour. In addition to my fondness for selecting the perfect read, I also have an appreciation for technology and like to consider myself technology savvy. That is why for Christmas this year, I was able to ask for the perfect combination of these two loves of mine, an e-reader.
The process for picking out a book in a bookstore and on an e-reader is quite different. But the e-reader is something I feel that I can embrace. For some, advantages such as being able to have greater access to books and a wider variety of news media at oneâÄôs fingertips outweigh some of the drawbacks âÄî such as the price. However, just as we once embraced the emergence of the iPod and the smartphone, the tablet computer and e-reader has great potential to be welcomed as the new way that masses of people read and receive information.
This kind of innovative technology is making reading more accessible. According to a study done by the Pew Research CenterâÄôs Project for Excellence in Journalism, consuming news and reading a wider variety of news articles ranks as one of the most popular activities on the tablet. This same study also found that 77 percent of all tablet users now spend more time getting news than they did before. This is resulting in more subscriptions to certain newspapers and magazines by 286 percent. Being able to download a book or news article onto the device in a matter of seconds is revolutionary and makes it easier for readers to read more content than before.
For students, another convenient advancement that will promote the change in how they read is the ability to read textbooks on the device. While this is still a new idea that publishers are toying with, the growing popularity of these devices makes it almost inevitable that students will do their required reading on a tablet sized screen. According to the Pearson Foundation, a nonprofit that works to find solutions in promoting education, almost half of college students surveyed believe that tablets will effectively replace college textbooks.
Replacing textbooks could greatly increase the number of students who own an e-reader, which would give them more convenient access to their studies. However, this might come with some consequences like finding a way to afford the e-reader in question. Even though cheaper e-readers are beginning to break out in the market, having the cost of this in addition to purchasing e-textbooks would add up for students.
Many publishers are fixing this setback by renting out e-books. This makes it more affordable for students to embrace the tablet revolution. In addition to not having to lug a number of heavy textbooks around campus, students would have a number of titles on hand with them wherever they go. Also, searching for particular subjects within the books is much more efficient than flipping through pages in a normal textbook today. And the lack of material costs would eventually make it cheaper for students to use an e-reader.
The way that people read is shifting with tablets and e-readers. Even though the tablet computer is still evolving, there are a number of advantages that students have in using them. With e-readers, students would not only have more access to mass media, but also to their schoolwork.
With a little help from Santa this year, IâÄôll have the advantage of unlimited access to news and books, right at my finger tips.
