Kobo

Have you ever heard of Kobo?  Or how about Kindle?  These little gadgets are eReaders and they work a like an iPod - only for books.  You download a book to your computer and then upload it onto your eReader.  With differing storage sizes, you can carry up to 1000 books - on a device that is about the size of a (skinny) paperback novel!

And I'm getting one!  I've ordered the Kobo eReader (read specs: here) and it should arrive in about a week.  Soo excited!

One of my reasons for ordering it is that I simply have too many books.  I have 3 book shelves crammed with them (granted, one does contain textbooks) and many of the books that I buy are just to try them out.  In a house where bookshelf space is at a premium, I should be reserving those hot spots for my favourites, not just handing them out to whatever fits.

Another reason is because I like to read several books at once, depending on what I'm in the mood for.  And now I can carry hundreds of books at once, while taking up much less space in my purse.  This is really going to help when I go travelling, especially since hardcovers take up way more space than paperbacks.

Another perk: getting new release novels up to 50% less than what you'd be paying in-store.  Also, there is more privacy offered when you buy a book online.  I get razzed at work when I buy a romance novel, so if I was interested in something more exotic, I can buy it and no one else would know.

I have a hard time getting rid of books once I've bought them.  I usually buy them for a reason, so why would I get rid of it?  Well, with an eReader, the story would only use up storage space, and if I only paid $3 (or less!) for a mediocre story, I wouldn't hesitate to delete it.

One of my cons for buying an eReader was that I was worried it would read like a computer screen.  And I hate reading off of a computer screen.  Having done it for many years during University (and again in College), it just reminds me of doing research.  But, since this little device isn't as wide as my computer screen, I'm hoping that it'll be easy to read. 

Another con was that when I browse books, I honestly judge them by their cover.  If it looks interesting, I pick it up and read the synopsis.  If it intrigues me, I buy it.  Simple as that.  However, if I'm browsing books online, I'm worried that I'll be missing out on some great stories simply because they aren't on that page.  Or maybe I don't have the patience. Or that I'm simply looking for something specific.  Or that there are too many choices.

After weighing the pros and cons, I decided to get one.  The more I thought about it, the more sense it made.  Like I said, I read a lot and despite an initial price of $150 (plus tax), I think that in the long run it'll allow me more freedom buying books and not having to worry about storing them.  I can keep up with some of my series that are just taking up space at a lower price. 

Don't get me wrong, I'll still buy books at my favourite book store!  I'll just be more picky about the books I buy.  And I'll think of them more as an investment, instead of a passing fling or fad.

PS - Did you notice Kobo is just "book" rearranged?