Only one or two days ago I was in my pops cellar, going through my old storage of books trying to pick which ones I had more of a deep attachment too. I was moving across states with the help of a chum and his pickup, so I had to tame my inner pack rat and take only what I felt was important, things I might really remember not taking and regret it. Over my 20+ years I've collected a far quantity of books, there was a point in my teenage years where I could easily devour 2 or 3 a week. Such was the life of a forsaken loser.
After I filled 2 card boxes with my most favourite novels, I couldn't help but think about my mates new "toy"-an Amazon 'Kindle'. An ebook rising in renown that downloads books straight from Amazon's Whispernet.
Toy Boxes With Bookshelves
The latest Kindle model, Kindle DX costs nearly 0, I could not believe he was prepared to drop that kind of scratch to read the same books he could buy for less than 1 / 4 of that cost. How could it possibly mimic the intimate connection you can get with a good paper paged novel? Especially older ones, with yellowed pages and a thick, musty smell.
Ebooks had a tiny surge in popularity in the early 2000's, but many were only programed in one format. So if you were the owner of an Ebook, and your fave novel just came out on a rivals Ebook-you would just have to deal with it.
Due to the Kindle's popularity, many huge companies decided to try and join the competition. Barnes & Noble introduced they're "Nook", which is the first to be primarily based on the 'Android' platform, and has a MicroSD expansion slot for additional storage. Except for being much less expensive Kindle alternative, it can be hacked to add applications like Pandora, a twitter client, Google Reader, Facebook, and a web browser.
In France, Bookeen released the ultra light Cybook Opus, featuring a paper-like high contrast appearance that may basically be read in direct daylight. When the Cybook Opus is hooked up to your PC it registers as a common USB mass storage device, so you can easily copy books without special drivers.
With the release of Apple's iPad, came the release of the iBooks application. Except for having all the features of the Kindle, it can also embed video. Still lacks USB ports, however.
While my friend raved about his dear, tiny, electronic library, I could not avoid thinking how foolish it was to suspect that a tiny, thin contraption able to download books could ever replace hundreds of years of paper paged history. It only took up less room, you could download any book you wanted whenever you wanted, generations to come will surely be less expensive and better quality...I stopped my train of thought and took a good look at my stacks of physical books, all together they weighed a ton and took up so much space. Will this generation see the demise of printed word? I am sure people in the sixties couldn't imagine life without their favorite 12-inch vinyl records, now those same people carry the entire discography of their favorite artist on an itty bitty iPod.
ten years gone T.V's were hulking monstrosities, now they're paper thin with such amazing quality you can count the pores on someone's's jaw. 10 years back Nintendo games were still pixelated and featured squat characters with jerky movements, now it's essentially interactive animation. In 10 years, will my 'bookcase' just become 'shelves'? Featuring one PDF and whatever knick knacks I throw on there to lose the empty space? What will happen to libraries? My favorite used book store?
As I eventually closed the card boxes and pressed down the packing tape, I couldn't help but think how convenient it would be to just slip my fave book 'The Stand' in my back pocket while having the remainder of my library stored on my C: drive.
Special Price!!! Guidecraft Classic White Bookshelf
Nov 08, 2011 10:00:18
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Guidecraft Classic White Bookshelf Feature
- Bookshelf Assembled Dimensions: 24in H x 36in W x 11in L / Weight: 22 lbs.
- Perfect For Storing Books, Toys or Games
- Fixed Center Shelf and Finished Back Panel
- Soft White Matte Finish and Gently Scalloped Edges
- Adult Assembly Required
Guidecraft Classic White Bookshelf Overview
The Classic White Bookshelf from Guidecraft offers a beautiful combination of design and function. This attractive childrens furniture features a stunning white matte finish, a fixed center shelf and finished back panel to ensure sturdy storage of books, toys or games. Baskets are not included.SAVE NOW on the special offers below!
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