It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that we’ve gone digital with practically everything in our lives. There aren’t too many people left who insist on buying vinyl or CDs for their music. A lot of people don’t even buy MP3s anymore, preferring to use one of the many music streaming services available online. We don’t shoot pictures with film anymore and we email PDFs rather than fax paper documents.And while reading a physical printed book still holds its appeal for a lot of people, the paradigm of e-books and the e-reader has really taken over. The thing is, even in the relatively short history of the e-reader, a lot has changed. The dance between provider and consumer continues, one virtual turn of the digital page at a time.
The Wonders of E-Ink
When the first generation or two of dedicated e-reader devices hit the market, people were amazed by the e-ink technology. It was a “screen,” but it really looked more like a regular piece of paper. The two biggest advantages here had to do with battery life and reducing eye strain. You couldn’t find a comparable device that could go a whole month between charging.
And while the “traditional” e-reader still exists today, its popularity has begun to wane and that’s why companies need to continue innovating. The built-in backlight has become the expected norm. Most recently, we were introduced to a waterproof Nook e-reader that’ll make it so much easier to read your Game of Thrones in a bubble bath… or whatever else you might be reading.
For bibliophiles, the device dedicated to reading just e-books is still very attractive. But what about people who want to do more?
Beyond the E-Reading Experience
E-books are great and all, but so are music, movies, games and social networking. What if you want to do all of these things on a single device, all while still having the convenience and instant gratification of reading a digital book to suit your moment-to-moment fancy?
More and more, people are turning to their smartphones and tablets to accomplish this feat. The problem with reading e-books on your powerhouse of a phablet, however, is that it could drain the battery and you’ll be left without a usable phone. A separate device for reading e-books is still the order of the day and a laptop, as thin and light as it may be, just isn’t practical.
Tapping in the same great pedigree that brings us smartphones like the Galaxy S6 is the Nook-branded Galaxy Samsung tablet from Barnes & Noble. You still get full access to the Google Play Store for all the apps and games that you love, but it has been optimized to work within the Nook ecosystem too, including Nook Profiles for further personalization.
E-Books Any Way You Want Them
We’ve come to expect a greater level of versatility in our technology and mobile devices, and the expectations for our e-reader devices are no exception. We also want to extract great value out of our devices, because affordable tablets don’t have to be garbage anymore. Just stick with reputable devices from reputable brands.
The Galaxy Tab 4 Nook 7.0 is easily one of the most affordable options at $149.99 and you can even trade in your old Nook for additional savings. It’s easily powerful enough to handle your day-to-day activities, all without having to break the bank.
Whether you want to follow Mark Watney to Mars or catch up with Emmet Brickowoski in the land of LEGO, your e-reader can take you there.