Between the Lines: Why My Kindle Paperwhite is a Godsend

April 14, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

is a series of posts focused on better understanding books, trends in writing, and the labels associated with these.


 

This was not the post I intended to write today. In fact, I had started two other Between the Lines posts and had to immediately stop those to write this one when I saw Melanie @ Grab the Lapels‘ post which included eReader recommendations. Typically, I don’t have strong feelings about eReaders. But reading Melanie’s thoughts made me realize I passionately disagreed with her. I haven’t felt passion like this since before the pandemic lock-down. Obviously, I needed to express these thoughts.

Prepare for the most biased post I’ve ever written.

 

My eReader history is fairly brief for a bibliophile. I was a late adopter due to my passion for physical books. But when I took a job in 2010 which required frequent travel, I realized carrying 3 books in my carry on and another 4 in my suitcase was heavy, bulky, and inconvenient. The first eReaders were introduced in 1998, but the first major eReaders were produced in 2004 by Sony followed by Amazon’s Kindle in 2007. My first eReader purchase was reluctant in 2011. I never looked back.

Can you imagine my joy when I flew to England with all 7 Harry Potter novels and 8 book club books in my back pocket all weighing under 2 ounces? Yeah. It was liberating.

I still borrow books from the library all the time. I love physical books. I look at a screen all day for work — a back-lit, LED screen. It’s refreshing to take a break from screens and still get to read a physical book. Our local libraries have been closed for over a month with no reopening date set for the future and I have lots and lots of book club books to read. No longer can I borrow physical books. I must borrow eBooks.

And here is why my Kindle Paperwhite is a Godsend. Yes, I love that I can easily access eBooks from my library using Libby. Yes, I love that I can highlight text and take notes directly in the book without marking pages. Yes, I love that I can change the font, font size, and background color easily. But during quarantine, it’s the eInk that has saved my life.

eInk suspends tiny microcapsules in a liquid placed within a film layer, containing both positively charged white particles and negatively charged black particles. When a negative field is applied, the white particles come to the surface. When a positive field is applied, the black particles come to the surface. Thus, by applying different magnetic fields at various parts of the screen, you see a text display. (Science!)

There are no scientific studies I could find to link here. And, honestly, I don’t care what the science says. What I know is that after looking at my backlit laptop all day, I cannot read a book on Hoopla, using my Kindle app, on my phone or tablet. I cannot look at another backlit LED screen to read. My eyes are exhausted and I cannot focus. But if I pick up my eInk Kindle Paperwhite, I feel fine.

It took me weeks of isolation before I realized my inability to focus on reading was partially due to the chaos in my mind (oh, hai quarantine. #ExtrovertTrappedInABox) but partially due to eye fatigue. My Paperwhite has no colors. Just black and white. My Paperwhite has no blinking ads to distract me. My Paperwhite has a matte screen, not a glossy one. And my Paperwhite reflects light by default, rather than projecting it.

Other reasons I love my Paperwhite include:

  • How long the battery lasts (I charge it about once a month and I read 3-4 400 pages books on it in that time)
  • That it’s connected to my Amazon account so I can just buy a book whenever I want (Yes, I am supporting the Amazon machine, but it’s worth it for this convenience)
  • It’s connected to my Goodreads account and updates my reading statuses auto-magically
  • I can turn the internet connection off to both save battery and to hold on to eBook which is about to be automatically returned hostage until I finish it
  • It’s super light
  • It charges in half a second (okay, under 2 hours to full charge)
  • It holds about 1.5 million books at once, and everything else is stored on the cloud.

But right now, eInk. eInk is my Godsend. 

 

We’ve started week 5 of shelter at home. I find that anything I can do to improve my body is essential to my health and wellbeing. I try to do yoga daily, I try to take a walk after every meal, I try not to wander the house like a shlemiel or sit on the couch like a lump all day. But that can be hard. After all, an object at rest tends at stay at rest, right? So if I can do this one thing for my body — if I can alleviate my eyestrain just a little bit– it’s worth it. 


What do you think?

  • What is your preferred eReader? Why?
  • Do you think there is a difference between a back-lit reader and eInk? How does the difference manifest itself for you?
  • How are you digesting books during quarantine? Is this your preferred method or not?

23 Comments

  • Kim @ Traveling in Books April 14, 2020 at 10:05 am

    I’m on my third Nook tablet (or Samsung tablet from Barnes and Noble), and I’ve always been happy with them. I never get the big fancy ones, because I primarily want it as an ereader, but I like that I can get apps if I want them. Having Google Maps on a tablet has been so helpful on my travels, and I like that I can check ebooks out from my home library, no matter where I am in the world (I downloaded three ebooks while waiting at Heathrow Airport, for example. Yay last minute, free books!). Even though my eyes are super sensitive to light, using a regular tablet as an ereader doesn’t bother me, since I can set the apps into a dark mode.

    • Grab the Lapels April 15, 2020 at 11:50 am

      Getting the apps is what makes me recommend a versatile yet inexpensive Android tablet. Google books, Kindle, Barnes & Noble, Libby, Hoopla — I have all of them. If I could get them in eInk, I would because it does look nice. I never get any adds with any of these apps when I’m reading, so I’m not sure what ads Jackie’s talking about! Then again, if someone uses the Android tablet for reasons other than reading, they’re might struggle with the purpose of the device.

      • Jackie B May 6, 2020 at 3:04 pm

        Ahh, the Kindle format includes “Book Recommendations” on your home page, along with your own library. I interpret all these as ads because they are always for books you can buy through Amazon. Technically, I could pay a flat fee to remove these reocmmendations, but I also like them as they remind me of books I want to read but might have forgotten. Will I buy them through Amazon? Probably not. But they reminded me and that is all that matters.

    • Jackie B May 6, 2020 at 3:00 pm

      So, technically my Paperwhite has a browser that allows me to access the internet. But the lag on the typing is so bad I avoid it. So, I’ve always used the apps on my phone. But I get it. It’s nice to have access to those apps!

      Do you find the Nook interface easy to use? You’re the first person I know who uses a Nook!

      • Kim @ Traveling in Books May 6, 2020 at 3:04 pm

        My Nook is a Samsung Tablet preloaded with all the Barnes and Noble apps, so I don’t know it it’s technically a Nook, but to differentiate it from a Kindle, I just say Nook. I have always had good luck with the tablets. I get the cheaper ones, so sure there are some glitches, but they’re cheap and it’s still a little technological wonder in my hand, so I can’t complain too much.

  • Sam@WLABB April 14, 2020 at 10:08 am

    I have always kept a dedicated reading device for that very reason. I went from a Kindle to a paperwhite to the Oasis I use now. I have a Fire for when I am forced to read on an app, but I will never choose it over my Oasis. I struggle with my eyes as it is, and there is less fatigue with my eReader than some tablet. Yeah! I love this post, and agree with you wholeheartedly on about everything contained therein.

    • Jackie B May 6, 2020 at 3:21 pm

      Yay! I’m glad that I’m not alone here. I haven’t used an Oasis. Is it a step up from the Paperwhite in any notable way? I mean, other than the whole waterproof thing…

      • Sam@WLABB May 6, 2020 at 5:56 pm

        The Oasis is the top of line, which is why my kid bought it for me. I am too cheap to spend that much. It’s more responsive, lighter, ergonomically shaped. Not sure what else, but there is probably something that let’s them charge that much more.

        • Jackie B May 8, 2020 at 12:26 pm

          Neat! Every 5-8 years I ask for the top-of-the-line tablet. I like to make certain gift request lists are HIGHLY varied in price point. This means I don’t get up with something super expensive or super cheap I wouldn’t use. Works for the whole family. 😉 Maybe an Oasis request is in my future…

  • Jaclyn April 14, 2020 at 10:19 am

    I bought my paperwhite in 2013, before setting off on a round-the-world backpacking trip. The battery life you mention in your post was so key for me–I was staying in hostels and camping, and frequently on long bus/train/plane trips, and often without an outlet. And 7 years later, my kindle still works just fine! I don’t have a single other piece of technology that has lasted so long.

    • Jackie B May 6, 2020 at 3:23 pm

      Wow! You still have the same Kindle Paperwhite?! That’s amazing. My Fire still works, but I much prefer the eInk of my Paperwhite. I can imagine it would last that long and then some, honestly. They are hearty pieces of equipment!

  • PerfectlyTolerable April 14, 2020 at 4:52 pm

    I have a paperwhite too! Its my 3rd one. The first one I had FOREVER and then upgraded to a newer touch screen one. I had that for a couple years but then they came out with the waterproof one and I needed that! (I don’t know why I need a waterproof kindle since I never take baths or read in the ocean, but shush! I needed it!) Anyway, I love love love kindle <3 One of the things I don’t think you mentioned is that you can go from the kindle app on your phone to your paperwhite and it takes you to your last place read even if you jump back and fourth between the two!

    • Jackie B May 6, 2020 at 3:28 pm

      You needed the waterproof Paperwhite on principle. What would happen if your Paperwhite, goodness forbid, got wet?! This is a safety precaution! A risk control!

      Oooh, I didn’t realize the Kindle app was tied to what I was reading so closely on my Paperwhite. How neat! I bet that’s because I rarely have my Paperwhite connected to the internet. I’m always doing whatever I can to save my battery and keep library books longer than I should. 😉

  • Krysta April 16, 2020 at 1:01 pm

    I don’t read e-books too often just because I love having a break from screens. But, I think quarantine will change that. I will have to try to get my hands on e-books (the ones not already checked out). It’s nice your e-reader gives your eyes a rest!

    • Jackie B May 6, 2020 at 3:36 pm

      I, too, prefer to read physical books over e-books, but quarantine has pushed me into an e-reader dominant lifestyle. It’s the only way I can get my book club books from the library. Well, not the only way. But I prefer to check out books from the library over purchasing them if I can help it. I don’t need more books on my shelves unless I know I love them already.

      Do you find you’ve been using your e-reader more over the last few months?

      • Krysta May 8, 2020 at 8:48 am

        I finally finished the stack of books I checked out the day the libraries closed, so I have been driven to e-books, yes. I use the blue light filter and I think that helps. But there is something about holding a physical book that I miss.

  • Laila@BigReadingLife April 17, 2020 at 4:02 pm

    That’s a neat trick about being able to keep the library book longer by turning off the internet! I’m glad your paperwhite is providing comfort and entertainment to you now!

    • Jackie B April 21, 2020 at 8:10 am

      I’m still struggling to focus on reading, but when I do read I find I’m turning to my Paperwhite more and more often.
      Yeah… sometimes, I feel like I’m cheating, keeping the book on my Kindle past the expiration date, but I know other people are still getting the book next, so it’s okay? I learned this trick by accident one day and I’ve never turned back. Plus, keeping your Kindle in airplane mode helps the battery last longer!

  • Evelina @ AvalinahsBooks May 30, 2020 at 1:27 pm

    Ebooks all the way! I can’t agree to you more. But I just wish loaning ebooks was a thing here! Apparently, they don’t even have a legal basis to do this in our country. BAH.

    • Jackie B June 1, 2020 at 4:42 pm

      Wait. You cannot borrow eBooks at all in Lithuania?! Why not? What the heck is the legal basis? Ugh. This makes me want to send you all the books.

      • Evelina @ AvalinahsBooks June 2, 2020 at 1:16 pm

        No, you can’t. I don’t know why… Maybe it’s copyright related, who knows. Our country’s constitution was written in 1991, so maybe they put something there that doesn’t go with it. But it’s never been a thing – it’s a fairly small country, so ebooks are fairly recent as well. We have no local Amazon or anything of the like, so not many people consume ebooks, to be honest. And governmental institutions take the longest to catch up as well!

        • Jackie B June 9, 2020 at 10:35 am

          I have so much to learn about Lithuania. Wow — well, I hope that y’all catch up with the eBook world soon. At least you can get eBooks sent straight to your device for reading from NetGalley and the like! That’s better than zero access at all.

          • Evelina @ AvalinahsBooks June 11, 2020 at 2:15 pm

            Yeah, that is one of the reasons why I started reviewing (although NetGalley still denies a lot of copies to us based purely on location). But I do buy a lot of ebooks on Amazon sales, and then there’s Scribd too.

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