Kindle Scribe comes with a large 10.2-inch high-resolution display, asymmetric design, battery-free pen, and a variety of handwriting templates (notebook, to-do-list, and diary, among them).

The price of Kindle Scribe is set at $339.99 – that’s for the variant with 16 GB storage and basic pen. It’s $90 more than for the Kindle Oasis, and roughly the same as for the entry-level 10.2-inch iPad.

If you want more storage (Kindles don’t come with microSD cards, remember?), you will have to buy the premium pen, and the price jumps to $389, not a usual $20 price increase for twice the storage.

You can compare the detailed specs on the Kindle Scribe product page, but please keep in mind one thing: the Scribe, more than any other Kindle model, will change the way you read and work.

Are you ready for a switch in your working habits? Will you accept the lack of usual tablet features? Are there enough books (textbooks, academic publications, non-fiction) in your Kindle account that are suitable for active reading?

Below, you will read about the benefits and disadvantages of the Kindle Scribe from the perspective of your potential needs and expectations, not technical features.

You may love Kindle Scribe…

If you desperately need a large-display e-reader

You are a long-term Kindle user. You had the Kindle before, but realized it was too small, even for novels you were reading for pleasure.

And increasing the font size didn’t solve your problem. It was not about text visibility but space.

You miss the good old days when you were thinking about Kindle DX and feel sorry you didn’t do it. If you want to read a book, you prefer the 10-inch Amazon Fire you gave your son for Christmas.

The Kindle Scribe is just for you. It comes with the 10.2-inch, 300 ppi, crisp display, and you will be able to read not only novels but also non-fiction, comic books or magazines without the need to zoom in.

Plus, it comes with warm light and adjustable front light – everything you need to comfortably read in all possible lighting conditions.

And the pen? It’s optional. You may use it or not, but it will always be at hand. The only problem is the price – twice as much as the 6.8-inch Kindle Paperwhite. Isn’t $340 too much for the e-reader that’s just the size you need?

If you make lots of notes on your Kindle already

You make notes on your current Kindle, in a Kindle app on your tablet, or in a browser, using Kindle Cloud Reader. You access all your highlights on your laptop, at read.amazon.com, and use them for work.

Kindle platform with note taking, reference, and highlighting tools, is your natural habitat. You use this environment extensively and don’t want to change it.

The Kindle Scribe is an excellent choice for you. With the attached pen and the handwriting support, it will help you raise book annotation to a new level, letting you read, learn, and work more efficiently.

If you want to upgrade from the Oasis

When you take a look at the Kindle Scribe without the size reference (the palm or the stylus), it looks just like your Oasis 3. It has an edge-to-edge glass front and an asymmetric design.

Having seen the Scribe, would you like the next-generation Oasis to support handwriting and have the stylus? And will the 7-inch screen be large enough, after all?

If you’d like too many features from the Scribe to see in the 4th-generation Oasis, you are most certainly ready for the Scribe.

The question is: am I ready to pay at least $80 more?

Will the Oasis 4 be launched at all? I’m not sure. From my experience, too many devices cause confusion. Three devices are the perfect range to choose from.

If your primary concern is sore eyes

Here is your workday as seen through your tired eyes: looking at a large computer monitor at work, looking at a tablet during commuting to work and back home, looking at a smartphone hundreds of times. All these devices have one thing in common: a backlit display.

Backlit displays are used in TV sets, laptops, tablets and smartphones. The source of light is placed directly behind the screen. The light comes through the display right into your eyes. Your eyes are tired, red, and dry in the evening.

Are you looking for a device that would take a part of your work to an eye-friendly tool?

E-readers, including the new Kindle Scribe, come with the e-paper display that’s much more friendly for the eyes, because the front light is distributed over the display, not directly into your face.

If you’d like to use e-paper based devices for more than just reading novels, Kindle Scribe is worth considering. 

If you are ready to upgrade from paper note-taking

You love the feel of paper, the sound of turned pages, and the personal touch of everything you write using the pen you got from your dad.

You tried making notes on a tablet, but it was painful. All your thoughts (some of them brilliant) were being killed by an ugly textarea, a tiny font, and an irritating autocorrection.

Plus, the tablets offer everything you hate: information overload, push notifications, several separate environments (they call them “apps”), stupid system sounds, shouting colors, jumping ads, and way too many other distractions.

You may stick to making notes in a classic paper notebook, but if you decide to upgrade, the distraction-free Kindle Scribe, with the handwriting support and paperlike black-and-white feel is the right tool to try.

You may hate Kindle Scribe…

If you want it to be your eye-friendly tablet

The Kindle Scribe is not a perfect device, after all. It comes with a colorless e-paper display, and offers a clean but limited interface. You can count the tools on one hand: dictionary, basic Google and Wikipedia lookup, highlights & notes, and handwriting interface.

Now, compare it to the possibilities of a tablet, no matter which one you use (be it an iPad, Amazon Fire, or Samsung Galaxy). Endless number of apps you can tailor exactly to your needs, ability to switch between these apps, fully-fledged internet browser, videos…

If you use your tablet for learning, writing, and active reading, for instance your Amazon Fire, or an iPad with the Kindle app on it, you may be disappointed with the Kindle Scribe.

Kindle Scribe will never be an eye-friendly tablet. Because it’s not meant to be.

If you switch from another productivity platform

The Scribe comes with handwriting and annotation tools that you can perform in a distraction-free, classic-feel environment. 

What you have to keep in mind is your work habits and the tools you have used so far.

If you were extensively using the Kindle platform and books, using the Kindle Scribe is not painful at all.

But if your work is built around Google or Microsoft apps, the pain starts, and it may be big. Kindle Scribe does not come with apps, such as Gmail, Adobe Acrobat, Google Keep, or OneNote.

You will need to send each document to your Kindle account to make it available on the Scribe. Sounds like a daily send-to-Kindle duty. 

What may happen with your annotated documents afterwards? You can keep them on the Kindle platform, but the productivity tools (advanced note-taking and to-dos) are just starting. Or you can access your Kindle notes and highlights online, from your computer, and use the results back in your Google or Microsoft workspace.

Switching from your current productivity platform just to use a nice device with a handwriting support does not make sense.

You can only try the Scribe, if you are about to set up a digital productivity workspace.

If you want to search, edit, and copy your handwritten notes

If a note is handwritten on a digital display, you expect it to be searchable and editable, just like any standard digital text.

We are used to OCR, an optical character recognition technology that transforms a text in images to editable text, which you can edit, copy, and use in your digital text editors.

Many users assume that it’s what you will be able to do with the notes on your Kindle Scribe – they should be available somewhere as digital text. 

In a press release announcing the new model, Amazon wrote:

All notebooks are automatically saved and backed up to the cloud for free, and, coming in early 2023, they will also be accessible via the Kindle app.

Does it mean the handwritten notes will become editable once they are available in other connected devices? I hope so.

However, for now, the Kindle Scribe doesn’t automatically convert handwritten notes to typed text. This info can be found in the Q&A section of Kindle Scribe product page on Amazon:

I just listened to the podcast by Len Edgerly (he has talked about Kindles since day 1) and he interviewed the VP of devices at Amazon who said they may eventually have an update to convert handwritten notes to typed text! That is what I want, too. 

Without automatic text conversion, the Kindle Scribe is not a fully-fledged writing companion.

If you want to give digital handwriting a try

When you look at the pictures and videos of the Kindle Scribe, you may realize that you have almost forgotten to write by hand. And this single device may bring the charm of handwriting back. It’s like an old good composition book you were using in college!

Wait. Don’t spend $340 to test your predisposition to handwriting.

You have a smartphone and most probably a tablet, too. If you want to see how it feels to jot notes by hand, all you need to do is get the right app from the application store and get a decent stylus that costs a few dollars.

If you heavily use the Kindle app on your tablet

Are you using the Kindle app on your iPad or Android-powered tablet? Treating the Kindle Scribe as a replacement for the tablet is a bad idea.

The Amazon Kindle app on your tablet is just one part of the productivity chain.

When you are reading a book in the Kindle app, you can create a highlight or note, and look up the topic. The same happens on the Scribe.

But on the tablet, you can switch to other apps to learn much more about the topic. You can find the location on the map, explore social media, see images, and watch videos. You can create a quick note – and if you have a stylus, it can be a handwritten note.

On the tablet, you can write and edit the entire text based on what you have read in the Kindle app. There is no need to switch to a computer. And you can use your current productivity platform or a set of favorite apps. 

What’s more, if you have the tablet, you can also publish or share what you have written after reading the Kindle book. WordPress, Gmail, or social media are a few taps away. None of them are on the Kindle Scribe.

Kindle Scribe pros and cons – conclusions

For many users, the Scribe will be the most challenging Kindle model ever released. When you consider buying it, it’s not about the display size, front light, or water resistance.

You will have to change your habits, routines, and – most probably – productivity tools, to make the most use of the Kindle Scribe.

Because, opposite to other Kindles, it’s meant for active reading. And opposite to tablets, it’s not meant for fully-fledged writing.

Keep exploring. Here are other tips and lists:

In this provoking list, I discuss whether case covers are still a must-have e-reader accessory.

Almost anyone who buys a new e-reader starts looking for a relevant case cover. Many add cases to the same shopping basket. You can’t leave your shiny new e-reader unprotected for even a few seconds, right?

The problem with e-readers is that they are less popular than tablets. As a result, there are much fewer case designs on the market. 

There are many times less case covers for the Kindle than for the iPad. And there are many times less case covers for other e-reader brands than for the Kindle.

Do you own a Kobo or Nook e-reader and have a hard time finding a compatible case cover because the original one doesn’t meet your needs? Are you a happy owner of the newest Kindle, and can’t decide which color of the case to choose?

Maybe you are asking yourself the wrong questions. Maybe all you need is not a case cover. Maybe alternative e-reader accessories fit your needs much better.

Reasons not to buy a case for your next e-reader

Reading is one of the safest activities

Reading books is one of the safest and calmest daily activities. You find a cozy and quiet place, and turn the page or tap the screen once in a while. 

Compare it to using your smartphone hundreds of times a day, in most unexpected situations. Even tablets are prone to damage much more often. We use tablets as cookbooks or drone monitors, we play games for hours, and use them in extreme weather conditions. And that’s just us. Imagine what can happen when your tablet lands in your kids’ room.

The fact is that the probability of accidentally dropping an e-reader is much lower than in the case of a smartphone or tablet.

The biggest threat is water. No damage is done if your e-reader is waterproof, but if it’s not, the case won’t help.

The only main benefit that’s left is protecting against dust and scratches. Oh, and there is also auto sleep & wake support like there was no power button.

Case covers are annoyingly expensive

The prices of e-readers are going down constantly. You can’t say that about prices of case covers.

During Black Friday or Prime Day shopping events on Amazon, you can buy the basic Kindle for about $50. Original Amazon case covers cost between $30 and $50. Fifty dollars – for that price you could get another e-reader for your family member.

A dedicated cover can serve only one e-reader model

It’s the biggest problem I have with e-reader case covers. There is a low probability of damage done to e-readers, so the benefits of case covers are limited – but their prices are not.

And every time you buy a new e-reader, you will have to buy a new case cover, because the old one won’t probably fit.

I know, looking for a cover for your e-reader that’s about to arrive in a few days can give a lot of pleasure. But in the end, you will pay even twice as much as the e-reader itself.

There are not enough dedicated covers for most e-reader models

There are many e-reader models on the market, not only Kindle Paperwhite. Unfortunately, it’s not reflected in a range of compatible case covers.

You can find hundreds of dedicated Kindle covers online, but there are only a dozen for Kobo or Nook models, not to mention less popular e-reader brands.

In fact, if you buy any e-reader that’s not a Kindle, you will have to rely on original cases from the e-reader producer. And that usually means you can choose from a few color options of one case design.

Yes, you can always try to find a “universal e-reader cover.” However, if you have ever searched for such products on Amazon, you know how ugly they could be.

No cover will make an e-reader feel like a print book

When ebooks were on the rise, and many book lovers were still hesitating about them, it was case covers that turned e-readers into objects that resembled real print books.

A book-like design, with a front cover opening to the left, as well as materials resembling leather-bound books, were a way to embrace digital reading.

Currently, I have noticed there are less and less book-style covers on the market. Readers just don’t need the link to print books any longer. E-readers are useful devices that you can adjust to your needs, and they don’t have to pretend to be something else.

The fact is that, no matter what you do to make a case cover look like a real book, it will never make reading ebooks feel like reading print books.

If you want to read a print book, buy one or go to the library.

A cover doesn’t increase the comfort of reading

Case covers offer protection against dust and support for auto sleep & wake. What other benefits could you name? 

Some cases can be turned into vertical stands. Some cases come with a comfortable hand strap. These advanced case covers are rather rare, and they are available only for most popular e-reader models.

There are alternatives that can solve similar problems

If you are looking for ways to improve reading experience and protection, you can always find an alternative to a case cover.

And in most cases, these alternatives can be used with more than one e-reader model.

Here are a few examples:

▸ If you are looking for protection – choose a sleeve. Because most accidents happen not when you are reading on your e-reading, but when you are carrying it.

▸ If you want to securely hold the e-reader – choose a detachable hand strap. Such handles can be detached and attached, and you can adjust their angle and position.

▸ If you want to bring the e-reader to an eye level – choose a stand. There are many stands on the market, and you can find the ones that will raise the e-reader to a level that will prevent pain in the back.

▸ If you want to comfortably read in bed – choose a pillow stand. Pillow stands are cozy and you can use them on uneven surfaces. Advanced designs let you adjust the angle and come with flexible holders.

A case cover is a limitation

I had a few e-readers before, and was always determined to give them “necessary” protection by buying a case cover.

Then I realized I have never dropped an e-reader. I damaged a few smartphones, my kids made one tablet unusable, but all the e-readers at the time I was replacing them with a newer model, were in almost perfect condition.

So I decided to refresh my mind and stop thinking about the case cover as a must-have accessory. And I have found a perfect protection for my new Kindle e-reader. Interestingly, it’s not even intended for electronic devices.

Do yourself a favor and try to free yourself from being a case cover slave. Case covers can be a huge limitation.

E-reader case cover – pros and cons

To summarize, here are the pros and cons of e-reader case cover. Maybe it’s time to try another solution the next time you buy an e-reader?

Check out these innovative and clever accessories that you may need for your e-reader more than a case cover:

Keep exploring. Here are other popular lists:

[ef-archive number=5 tag=”lists”]

Would you buy a foldable e-reader if it were launched? Do you expect it to open like a real book?

The moment I think about a foldable Kindle or Kobo e-reader, I immediately imagine it opening like a paper book. The prototype foldable device revealed by E-Ink in 2020 is just like that.

Will foldable e-readers have a chance to become mainstream products? I doubt so. E-readers are a different breed of mobile devices than tablets or smartphones. And customers have different expectations.

You won’t compare the foldable Kindle to the foldable iPad or Amazon Fire. You will compare it to your previous Kindle. And you will compare it to the paper book.

The idea of a foldable e-reader being one step closer to a paper book is nice but it doesn’t make much sense. Why do we still have to compare e-readers to paper books? Book lovers who still reject electronic books won’t fall in love with them just because they could see their e-readers opening like a good old paperback. 

An electronic device will never resemble a print book. It’s not about looks. It’s about the feel. You won’t feel the texture of the paper, and you won’t feel the smell of an old library or a leather-bound classic novel.

And then comes the biggest problem – the size.

Do you expect the foldable e-reader to feature a single page no smaller than 6 inches? Then imagine you open it: you have two 6-inch pages one by one. This device, when opened, will be huge and heavy, even with an edge-to-edge front. Something like a 10 or 12-inch iPad. And all that just to read a novel. Say “bye” to one-handed reading.

I know, paper books are heavier. But, on the other hand, why should we get rid of the biggest benefit of e-readers: the unbearable lightness of reading? Users embrace e-readers not because of nostalgia but convenience. You can have hundreds of books packed into a lightweight object the size of a page from a paperback book.

There is another solution. But it’s possible only if you accept a single page to be much smaller than 6 inches. But then the idea of a foldable e-reader opening like a real book is gone. 

The opened e-reader will be too small to let you read in a landscape two-page mode. Technically, you could reduce the font size. Reduce the font size from the one I use for years in my current e-reader?

Most probably, you will switch to a portrait mode, and use the device the same way as your current e-reader. Why foldable and so expensive, then?

I have made two size visualizations to prove my point. You can read more about my doubts regarding a foldable e-reader.

What should a perfect e-reader look like? I have imagined the next-generation Kindle Paperwhite as a fully symmetric device with a wider bezel to incorporate hard-press page-turn buttons and adjustable warm light tone.

A concept of a foldable Kindle – size 6″ × 2

A concept of a foldable Kindle – size 6″

Keep exploring. Here are other posts for Kindle users:

[ef-archive number=5 tag=”kindle”]

The 6th-generation Kindle Paperwhite could feature a fully symmetric design, hard-press page-turn buttons, and adjustable warm light tone.

The 2021 Kindle Paperwhite 6.8 has just started shipping, but it’s never too early to think of how the next-generation model could look like.

Having in mind that Amazon is launching new Kindle models not every two but three years, the next all-new Paperwhite should arrive in 2024.

Three years seems like a lot of time, but only when you don’t plan considerable improvements. But you have to improve the e-readers. A lack of new features, the ones that answer readers’ growing needs, could make the e-reader category fade out.

And no, I don’t think the color display is the most promising new feature. The color e-reader will be more like a tablet, and users will expect it to have more tablet features. The thing is that the e-reader, with the slow e-paper display, will never be a tablet.

What features would you like to see in the next-generation Kindle (or e-reader in general)? What is the current Kindle Paperwhite still missing? My wishlist includes four main features. For more ideas, please read the original post on Geek Updated.

6th-generation Kindle Paperwhite concept and features

Fully symmetric design

The moment you get rid of the logo at the bottom of the front is the moment you can think of new ways of using the Kindle.

I like the idea of using the e-reader in both the vertical and horizontal position, fully rotatable.

If you move the power button to the top, it will be more convenient to press it rather than trying to find it on the bottom edge of the device.

Plus, when the USB-C port and power button are in the same place on the top and bottom, you will be able to put on the case the way you want, also upside down.

Wider bezel on the sides with hard press page-turn areas

Page-turn buttons are a very helpful feature. Why should I move my finger far to the center of the device to turn the page? Could I move the finger just a little?

You can use physical buttons with an all-glass front, but I think another idea would be better: to have sensors that are triggered by pressing them a bit harder. You can have your finger resting on the side of the Kindle and press it a bit harder for, let’s say, one second, to turn the page.

Also, I would love to have the setting that would allow me to choose which areas in the screen and on the bezel are for next page, and which for previous page.

Adjustable warm light tone

Warm light is a fabulous feature, and it’s 50% of what I love about Kindle Paperwhite 5.

The thing is that an adjustable warm light lets you decide only about the intensity of the yellow light.

However, the light seems too yellow for me. I would love to have a chance to decide on the color of the warm light, a range from very yellow to very orange.

Front light on/off by the schedule

Auto-adjusting front light in e-readers is tricky. You don’t need it during a day, especially when you are reading in the direct sunlight.

However, when you set up a brightness at the most suitable level, you forget about that feature once and for good.

The problem is that an enabled front light, especially if its level is high, may drain the Kindle’s battery much faster.

A setting that would give the user a chance to set up a schedule to turn off the front light is something to consider, especially that it’s not that expensive as a light sensor needed for auto-adjusting brightness feature.

Via Geek Updated.

Are you interested in all things Kindle? Keep exploring:

[ef-archive number=5 tag=”kindle”]

Go from binge-watching to binge-reading with these 13 useful tips.

Isn’t it the right time to realize that Netflix and other video-on-demand services are taking too much of your precious time? Why is it that you can binge-watch hours of Friends in just one sitting without feeling tired? Or that you can finish watching an entire season of Breaking Bad in under a week?

With Netflix cancellations skyrocketing over recent controversies and the selection of movies offered by video-on-demand services getting more and more dull, now might be the right time to ditch watching and get into reading instead. Especially since watching one season of a popular series takes roughly the same amount of time as reading a book it’s based on.

So if you were already thinking about cancelling Netflix, don’t switch to another video-streaming service. The habits you’ve developed over the countless Netflix sessions might come in handy – and you can use them to rediscover the joy of reading instead.

Read on to learn 13 ways in which you can implement your Netflix habits into reading books (and 13 Reasons Why you should definitely do so).

13 Netflix habits you can use for reading books

1. Daily routine

With video on demand services, you are no longer limited by the stiff timetables of TV guides – it’s up to you to decide when and where you’d like to watch your favorite shows and movies.

Yet, ironically, many VOD users quickly end up confined to a daily routine and tend to wait until evening to start watching – mostly because by the time it gets dark, they’ve done everything they had planned for the day, and so they can enjoy watching their favorite shows guilt-free.

And so, evening might be the best time to incorporate reading into your routine. One does not exclude the other – you could always watch one episode of your favorite show instead of two, and spend the remaining time on reading (after all, by doing so, you’ll be able to enjoy the TV series twice as long). Or, alternatively, you could treat the book as an appetizer and read it for half an hour every day before your Netflix binge.

2. The celebration of watching

What do you usually do while watching? Do you snuggle up in bed with a bag of chips? Watch a movie with your entire family? Or maybe soak in the bathtub with a bottle of cheap Pinot Grigio and a peel-off mask?

Most probably, your Netflix binges are also an everyday self-care ritual – and you can develop the exact same habits to bring your reading experience to a whole other level.

If you watch movies with a glass of wine – start reading with a glass of wine. If you love watching TV series with some crackers and cheese – make sure to have them by your side while starting a new book. And if you like to watch Netflix together with others – audiobooks are a great replacement.

3. Go off the grid

Putting your phone on silent is like telling yourself: “the world can wait”. It’s a signal for you and your brain that a well-deserved free time has started and that no one, not even your co-workers, is allowed to disturb your peace of mind.

Many people put their phones on Do Not Disturb when it’s time for Netflix. And so, why not do the same while reading?

If you like reading ebooks on your iPhone or iPad and can’t resist the urge of checking your social media every second or so, make sure to check out distraction-blocking apps like Freedom or Forest.

4. Overwhelmed by choice

Whenever you open the Netflix or HBO Go app, the first thing you probably ask yourself is: What should I watch?

Chances are, you scroll down your “personalized” recommendations, find nothing you like in the plethora of rom-coms and cliché-packed Netflix originals, go on Google and spend a considerable amount of time searching for movie recommendations (or end up re-watching Friends for the hundredth time).

Analyze how you look for new movies to watch. Which topics are you interested in? How do you find the perfect film recommendation? Do you look for movie recommendations

You can use the exact same ways of finding great new movies to watch to find great new books to read.

It’s much easier to find a good book. One reason is that the number of books in a specific category is much larger. If you are interested in a historical TV series that takes place at the beginning of the 20th century, you can find a few good ones. And a few hundred good books on the same topic.

5. Testing out new series

Once you’ve finally found a great TV series recommendation, next thing you do is you probably test it out by watching the pilot – the first episode – to decide if it’s even worth binging.

But not many people know that you can easily do the same with books – by reading the free sample.

Amazon, for example, lets you peek into a book of choice no matter which format you prefer – print, Kindle, or audiobook – and read roughly 5-10% of its content. What’s more, you can choose the location of the free sample yourself – and start previewing the book wherever you choose, be it the beginning, the middle, or the end.

It’s even easier when you read ebooks on your e-reader or tablet. Find the book in the database of your ebook app, download a free sample, and start reading in a matter of seconds. You can download and read an unlimited number of free samples – until you find the perfect, binge-worthy read.

The best thing is that you can test unlimited number of full-length ebooks if you decide to go for an ebook subscription, such as Kindle Unlimited or Scribd. The good thing about it is that you have access to the entire content of a book right away.

6. Plan ahead

Before going on vacation, most of us download plenty of movies on the Netflix mobile or iPad app, just to make sure we’ll be able to enjoy them even when the internet connection is poor or not available.

Planning out which films you will watch on vacation is a habit you can use for books, too. If you plan your reading schedule properly, you will only take the print books that you are most excited to read with you. If you read ebooks, you will make sure to download the planned titles to your device or app so that you can read them without the internet connection.

As you see, managing movies and books to watch when you are offline is similar. Do both and double the pleasure.

7. Follow new releases

Once you know the first contact Netflix catalog by heart (by “first contact” I mean what you see when you open the website or app), you are hungry for more.

You are probably disappointed by the search feature, which gives you mostly what the service wants you to watch. You are also disappointed by the fact that many movies and TV series are not available, and replacements you see are not something you will ever be interested in.

After a few months, you assume the only source of interesting stuff is now what you have found in Netflix archives, but what’s added to the service.

And it’s where you land outside Netflix. You are most probably using Google search, follow news aggregators or social media profiles that share which movies and TV series come to Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Go and Hulu in the coming weeks. Maybe you even subscribe to email notification to make sure you get the latest updates.

Thinking in advance and hunting for hot new releases is something you can use to find new books to read, as well.

You can follow social media profiles of an ebook platform of your choice, or subscribe to email newsletter of your local library that offers ebooks. You can check out hot new release section of online stores.

Or, you can bring things to a new level, and start using services like Prime Reading, which offer a rotating list of ebooks and audiobooks. Every month, a few dozens new books are joining the catalog, but some are also leaving. The best thing is that Prime Reading is a part of Prime membership which gives you unlimited access to Prime Video.

You see, with just one subscription, you can get access to movies, ebooks, and audiobooks, making sure you will never run out of a great stuff to enjoy. Especially that it’s being refreshed every few weeks.

8. Rewatch favorite scenes or entire movies

What are the top 5 best movies you watched in your entire life? How many times have you have watched the movie you loved the most?

Which TV series and which seasons have you watched again? How much time has passed between your first and next watching of the same movie or TV show?

There is nothing wrong in watching the same movie over and over again. If you do it with pleasure, it means you still have something to learn, admire, and discover.

It’s the same with books and book series. What’s great about ebooks is that you can get back a title you’ve read long time ago and start reading in seconds.

Ebooks, however, have one feature that makes rereading them much easier than watching movies again. You can bookmark or highlight text to mark parts of the book that were especially interesting, emotionally involving, or inspiring.

9. Improve language skills

Some users feel that spending one or two hours every day for entertainment is way too long.

They try to fade the feeling of discomfort that may potentially appear when they realize how much time they spend (or waste) on Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV, Prime Video, or all these services combined. They try to find some sort of rationale.

If English is not your mother tongue, you have a ready-to-use excuse. You can always say that you’re watching movies with English subtitles, and that’s your passive way to learn English.

Of, if you are learning Spanish, you can watch TV series in this language, and explain to yourself and others that learning to understand a foreign language is a part of the deal.

You can use books for the same purpose (or excuse) instead of getting a book in your mother tongue, you can read a novel in English or a language you are learning, and spend great time on both following a great story and improving your language skills.

10. Skip introductions to keep watching

Maybe this tip is one tiny step too far, but I wanted to point out that the most important thing in this whole “cancel Netflix, read books” story is identifying your own habits.

I can suggest you a couple of most obvious things, but sometimes you have to go and analyze your behavior much deeper, find something that makes your time with Netflix special only to you.

And the more detailed analysis it is, the better.

For instance, I have realized that badly created opening title sequence can spoil the first impression. That’s why I almost automatically skip opening credits in a new TV series because, well, “don’t judge a movie by its credits.”

The same is with books. Sometimes a preface or prologue, especially when it’s too long or irrelevant, can discourage from reading an interesting book. I have developed a habit of skipping intros in TV series and prologues in books to give myself a chance to get to the point right away and judge the real content.

To go even further, I now usually skip prologues, read the entire book, and go back to prologues as a way to sum up and take another perspective on what I have just read.

11. Use fast-forward

Do you often use the fast-forward button when watching movies or TV series online? Do you jump by 15 second chunks, scenes, or use the scroll?

There is nothing wrong in skipping the part that make you bored. You can watch the movie till the very end and enjoy it much more than when you push yourself to watch every single scene and dialogue.

There is nothing wrong in turning a few pages if you are stuck in a boring description or when a plot stalls on a side plot you are not interested in.

Skimming books is better than not reading at all.

12. Binge-watching sessions

Do you happen to watch a few episodes of your favorite TV series in one sitting? An entire series over a single weekend?

Do you spend every single evening on watching a few episodes of a TV series you always wanted to watch but never had time to do it?

Do you buy food for a few days, lock yourself at home and watch day and night, with short breaks for meal and optional 7-minute workouts?

This binge-watching pattern can be easily transformed to binge-reading. And it’s easier than ever with ebook bundles, which include all volumes of one book series in one file, giving you a chance to conveniently search for situations and characters in the entire story, not just one volume.

The binge-watching behavior can help you survive the time you are locked at home, for instance when you are on quarantine. Make sure to have enough movies to watch and enough books to read.

13. Just one more episode

A good episode ends with a hook that makes you desperately want to start watching the next one. Especially that it start playing automatically.

As a result, an evening you planned differently ends up on watching three episodes, and you are still ready to start watching the fourth one.

Is this an addiction? It’s not your fault. It’s how great stories work. They keep you involved, especially when you reach a break, such as the end of an episode or chapter.

Speaking of chapters: “Just one more chapter” was there long before Netflix which you are about to cancel, right?

Keep exploring:

[ef-archive number=5 tag=”lists”]

Nowadays, short stories have one certain benefit: they are short. And “short” doesn’t only mean the number of words or characters. It also means the fast pace, the single-minded plot, and the concise form.

Someone may say a short story is a substitute for a novel. Oh, it’s just like YouTube is a substitute for the cinema. Or a Facebook chat is a substitute for the real-life conversation.

Let’s face it: digital reality is switching our lives. And when it comes to reading, the balance is switched to the benefit of short-form fiction.

In times of traditional publishing, a 25-page short story was not serious enough to bear the cost of printing and distributing it as a separate publication.

Nowadays, authors can publish any piece of writing in a digital form, no matter how long – or short – it is.

It changes the perspective. A short story published as a Kindle Single is a fully-fledged electronic book – with a cover, blurb, and reviews. And when you finish it, you can say: Hey, I’ve read a great book!

It’s not justified to say that we face the revival of short stories. But short stories may turn out to be the most effective tool of a revival of reading in digital times.

6 benefits of reading short stories

1. A certainty you’ll read the entire piece

Many people who don’t read books share a common attitude: This novel sounds interesting, but I won’t have time to read it, so why start at all?

Having no time to read is one of the major reasons people stop reading books. Sometimes it’s just an excuse – every time you watch YouTube videos or go through the Twitter timeline for hours.

But there is one essential difference between reading a book and exploring a social network. The end of the latter is when you decide so. The end of a book is fixed.

In a novel, the last line is hours, days, or weeks away. It depends on how long your reading sessions are and how often find time for books.

In a short story, it may be in the next 15 minutes. Sure, it may take longer, but the time range is short. Short enough to imagine when you’ll finish reading and in which circumstances (by the time I leave a subway, this evening in a bath, etc.).

You may find it hard to finish the entire novel. But you may also try very hard not to finish the entire short story.

2. A pleasure of finishing a story

Why is finishing a book so important? Because when you give up reading before the end, you feel discouraged.

You may try one or two more times and, eventually, come to the conclusion that reading is… well, you don’t have time for reading.

What happens when you finish a story? No matter whether it’s a novel, a novella, an essay, or a flash fiction piece, you expect a wonderful feeling to come. It’s a feeling of accomplishment.

Moving forward by accomplishing goals one by another. It’s what life is about, isn’t it?

There is one more thing. Reading fiction is about visiting unknown, exciting worlds, full of characters you’d love to meet in person. Reading a book is like going on a journey. The feelings and dynamics are the same: from expectations to excitement, to doubts, to fulfillment, to nostalgia.

Imagine you can fly to one of these unknown worlds and come back safely before you finish drinking a cup of coffee.

3. An incentive to reach for the next read

People who are stuck reading several books rarely reach for the new one. They are right thinking it’s not right to leave behind something that’s not finished.

A green – big and bright – light to read the next book turns on when you finish the previous one. Hey, you are now free to move forward!

It’s after finishing the last sentence when you are fully justified to evaluate the book.

When you conclude the read was great, you’ll try to find something similar: from the same author, genre, or something that deals with the same topic.

When the story hasn’t met your expectations, you will be more open to trying something completely different.

4. A convenient way to try new genres and authors

It’s where short stories come extremely handy.

What do you do when you are not satisfied with your last read? You are thinking about how to refresh your reading list. Why not trying titles, authors or genres you never knew would ever get interested. By the way, have you read anything from planetary romance, nanopunk, or tech-absurd?

A common way to get acquainted with a new genre or author is to buy its most prominent work. But why buy the book if you’ll not like it in the end?

Obviously, with digital books on board, you can always download a free sample. Well, free samples are not quite suited for exploring literature, because they often end before the author introduces the main character or starts a leading plot.

Any other ideas? Check out the short stories or short story collections from genres or authors you plan to read.

Short stories with their right-to-the-point plot and concise form are a convenient way to learn about the style and characteristics of the literary work you are about to discover.

5. A great read between the novels

It’s true that as an activity reading is more demanding than other daily pleasures, such as watching TV.

Sometimes, after finishing a long, fascinating, and deeply involving novel, it’s good to make a break.

Having a break from a novel doesn’t mean you have to make a break from reading. You can reach for an easier and less challenging read – a short story.

Refreshing the mind is all about changing conditions, and leaving the path.

You can read one short story and make one short and intensive step aside. Or you can read a short story collection and dive into unexplored lands for just a bit longer.

When you are finally back on tracks, you’ll eagerly reach for the next novel of your favorite author, or the next volume in a book saga you’re reading.

6. A way to bring back the habit of daily reading

Take a look around. Having a minute of spare time, people take out their smartphones and check out their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

It’s an example of a highly effective use of time. Why not give the book a try? And it doesn’t mean you have to keep the book in your purse or backpack. You can download a free book reading app and place its icon next to Facebook’s.

Now, it’s all about what you expect. When you open Facebook, scrolling through a couple of latest status messages makes it already a finished activity, no matter when you decide to stop.

When you open a book app, you imagine the time you spend reading – five minutes or half an hour – is a tiny little percent of what is left.

Short stories are suitable to be read in short chunks. A single chunk may be a substantial part of the entire story.

Even when you read a short story for five minutes, you see the progress – and this is encouraging to reach for it the soonest you’ll have the next few spare minutes.

Download a short story collection to your book reading app. Reading one story might take less time than going back home from work on a subway.

Conclusion

Maybe, for avid readers, short stories will never become a serious kind of read. But for occasional readers, they can be a serious chance to find some space for reading books among other daily activities.

Benefits of reading short stories – infographic

Feel free to share this infographic on your site (Creative Commons license).

Keep exploring. Here are other tips and lists to check out:

What features would you like to see in your mobile audiobook app? Let’s compare our expectations.

There is a growing list of audiobook applications that are available for Android devices, iPhone/iPad, and other mobile platforms.

Some are beautifully designed, some are versatile. Some offer advanced playback options, and some have a built-in catalog of free audiobooks.

However, none of them is perfect. There is always something missing, or – just the opposite – there is one feature too far that spoils the app’s speed, performance, or overall impression.

Have you ever thought about how a perfect audiobook app should look like? Let’s compare our expectations.

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A mobile audiobook app – feature wishlist

1. It should be stable

It sounds like an obvious thing: every mobile app should be stable, shouldn’t it?

Having read several reviews of audiobook apps for both Android and iOS, we can say that performance issues happen more often in audiobook players than in other apps.

The most common problem is audiobook playback. The apps may either stall or quit while you are listening to an audiobook.

Therefore, it should be the top priority for app developers to fix stability issues so that users could listen to audiobooks without any interruptions.

2. It should offer reading speed controls

Some apps have this feature, and it’s of great help. While playing an audiobook, the user should have a chance to either speed up or slow down the playback.

Some audiobooks are so thrilling that you impatiently wait to know what’s next. The slow and calming voice of the narrator becomes an obstacle you will desperately want to overcome.

On the other hand, some users love audiobooks because of creating the world you can entirely delve into. There is no need to hurry, just the opposite – you like the slow tempo, and you’ll die for it.

Most apps can adjust the speed by 10% in both ways. It’s enough.

3. It should seamlessly support CarPlay or Android Auto

Many users used to listen to audiobooks because they spend a lot of time behind the wheel – and audiobooks help them spend the trip in a better mood.

Therefore, every audiobook app that can connect to the car’s dashboard is the good audiobook app.

And here comes the surprise. Not every iOS audiobook app supports CarPlay, and not every Android audiobook app supports Android Auto.

4. It should offer a choice between offline playback and streaming

Some users want to download the full audiobook for offline use. Others, especially those with phones or tablets that have limited internal memory, would prefer streaming.

An app that downloads all audiobooks for offline use is not good enough. An app that can only play audiobooks if you are connected to the internet is not good enough, as well.

A perfect audiobook app should give the user control over which audiobooks to download and which to leave for streaming.

5. If should have a sleep timer

A little feature that allows the user to set up the time after which the app will stop playing a book is very helpful for people who used to listen to audiobooks before bed.

The sleep timer should be easily accessible and offer the simplest possible way to set up the time length.

6. It should offer free audiobooks to test

There are audiobook apps that offer access to thousands of free audiobooks from the public domain.

Other apps, especially the ones that are offered by audiobook stores, should provide a few free audiobooks. These example audiobooks should be available to the user immediately after downloading the app.

Before picking up the audiobook platform, the user may want to test the app and compare features, playback quality, and settings.

Forcing the user to buy an audiobook, when the only thing she or he wants is to test the app, is not the right thing to do.

7. It should sync the last-reached location

If the audiobook platform serves content from the cloud, their app should offer the ability to open the audiobook at the same location where the user left on another connected device.

It’s a common feature of book-related applications, but we should always double-check whether it’s available in the app we tend to like the most.

8. It should give access to an audiobook store

Major audiobook platforms, such as Audible, Scribd, or Kobo, add a store section to their audiobook apps. Thanks to that, the user can discover and buy new audiobooks without the need to leave the app.

It’s possible in audiobook applications for Android. Unfortunately, on the iPhone or iPad, the only app to offer full audiobook shopping experience is Apple Books.

9. It should offer full content in a subscription

Subscription-based access to the entire content of a digital platform is a standard these days. You can play any movie or TV show from Netflix or HBO Go with your monthly subscription; there is no need to buy anything extra.

Unfortunately, platforms that offer digital ebooks and audiobooks are behind in developing seamless subscription-based services. Only Scribd does that, and Audible tries to do that with the introduction of Audible Plus subscription plan.

Credits, one of the biggest benefits of Audible membership plans (Gold and Platinum, remember?) are a sound of the past. Exchanging one credit you get from your membership for one audiobook is so outdated!

[ef-reco id=”147727″ title=”Read also” info=”Top article”]

10. It should offer books in multiple formats

Maybe it’s too much – the app would become too complex, and unreliable (see wish No. 1). On the other hand, some apps offer this feature already.

What is this feature about? It’s access to purchased content in different formats. If the store offers ebooks, comics, and audiobooks, its app should have the ability to handle any book, no matter the format.

Google Play Books is a good example. If you want to read an ebook, the app will open the book reader. If you prefer an audiobook, the app will open the audiobook player.

11. It should offer bookmarks and notes

When reading an ebook, you have to touch the screen to turn the page. Audiobooks are more passive. You start playing the book and put the device away.

But it doesn’t mean users would not want to mark the place in the audiobook that’s worth remembering: a quote, a fact, or a text to share in social media.

Therefore, the ability to add bookmarks and even notes is entirely justified.

[ef-reco id=”138773″ title=”Read also” info=”Top article”]

• • •

An audiobook app concept

The concept was created by Anna Yarovenko, and shows how the app let the user add text notes.

Are you interested in audiobooks? Keep exploring:

[ef-archive number=5 tag=”audiobooks”]

iCloud is still not a fully reliable cloud storage solution. One feature from the Kindle would help users avoid the biggest drawback.

Apple introduced iCloud, a cloud storage solution for Mac and iOS devices, back in 2011. It’s constantly improving, but one of its components from time to time drives iPad or iPhone users crazy.

I’m talking about iCloud Drive. It’s a file hosting and syncing service that lets users access their files across all connected devices, not only iPad, iPhone or Mac, but practically any operating system with an internet browser.

In theory, when a user edits a file stored in a folder inside iCloud Drive, this file should be automatically saved, so that you can access the latest available version on any other device.

At the beginning, syncing via iCloud Drive was a nightmare. It’s much better now, but from my experience syncing the last-edited state works in 90%, not 100% of cases.

That 10% makes a huge difference, especially when you face losing your entire work because of sync not being pushed.

Imagine you write a new blog post or an essay on a note-taking app that syncs via iCloud, such as iA Writer, Bear Notes, or Paper. You spend a few hours writing and polishing the text on your iPad. You expect the last-edited state of the file to be synced to your Mac, so that you can continue working with the text.

And then you see that the file has not been updated with your iPad work!

I have experienced iCloud Drive sync issues recently, so I have decided to find a way to manually force iCloud sync. The most reliable method is this: you open the Files app on a device you edit the file to send the latest version to the cloud.

The only question is: why should I use a turnaround if I could use a feature that’s built into the system? Apple would simply provide a way for app developers to use a push-sync button or setting in their apps. At least such an option would be added to the Files app. Obviously, it would mean admitting that the perfect Apple world is no so perfect.

[ef-reco id=”147319″ title=”Read also” info=”Top article”]

On the other side, the not so perfect Amazon does not have a problem with helping users sync their devices manually.

I can sync the content of the Kindle e-reader by simply tapping the gear icon on the top of a screen, and choosing the sync icon. It will send a trigger to the server to update last-read positions, highlights, and notes (it will also check the status of your Kindle Unlimited books, too – if you have canceled the subscription recently, all KU books will be removed from your Kindle).

The manual sync button is also available in free Kindle apps. You can go to “More” section and tap “Sync” on a list of settings. That’s it.

iCloud Drive sync is supposed to be automatic, so that users can focus on work and don’t bother about technicalities. It is still not a reliable solution. Even if it works in 99% cases, Apple should give users an option to sync iCloud Drive files manually.

Interested in the iPad and iPhone? Keep exploring:

[ef-archive number=5 tag=”ipad”]

What features and improvements would you like to see in a next iPad? Here are some ideas to consider.

iPad is an almost perfect mobile device for all kinds of tasks. It’s a solid laptop replacement, a great reading companion, and a stunning gaming console.

But there are always a few things that are missing. Sometimes these features are what competitors are already offering (naming only an OLED screen), and sometimes these features naturally come into view when you see possibilities of an operating system combined with iPad’s performance.

Take a look at the wishlist list below. It’s obviously focused on turning an iPad into an ultimate reading machine, but you will find here a few other ideas and concepts as well.

Features I’d love to see in a new iPad

1. True landscape-first design

Many people use their iPads in a landscape mode, but there are still a few things Apple could do to make the tablet a fully fledged landscape-first device – and I’m not talking about the orientation of the logo on the back.

A great example is Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet released in 2020. Using it in a landscape orientation is natural – it’s what I’d expect from an iPad as well. And it’s nothing too complicated to develop.

The most significant design change is moving the front camera from the top in the portrait mode to the top in the landscape mode. Thanks to that, when you make video calls, the camera is right at your eye level and not on the side of the display.

Landscape orientation is how I already read books on the iPad, with two-page layout setting selected what makes me feel like reading an opened book.

The landscape-first approach would also force Apple to rethink the position of a charging port, speakers, or Smart Connector – and potentially enhance even more the way you are using the device.

A few years ago, the portrait mode was something that made tablets a perfect solution for anyone who considered their smartphones too small for certain tasks. Today, most tablets are being used as laptop computers and offer comparable performance and features. Why keep the portrait-first design, then?

2. Asymmetrical balance for easy one-handed use

Assuming the iPad would be mainly used in a landscape mode, it would be great to implement some ideas that already exist in Amazon’s top-shelf e-reader – Kindle Oasis.

The whole idea is to move the center of gravity to one side to make holding the iPad in one hand much easier.

I’m not talking about any radical design decisions. The iPad can have perfectly symmetrical design. However, some things can be changed inside. Heavy elements, such as a battery, could be moved to one side. When you take the iPad into your hands, you would immediately feel it’s heavier on one side.

A natural reaction would be to grab the device on the side which is heavier. This way, holding it one-handed would feel easier. The other – lighter – side will not force your hand to hold the iPad tight. You would be able to hold the device in one hand for much longer.

3. Smart Connector compatible ergonomic battery grip

Here is another idea borrowed from the Kindle Oasis. Imagine you have an external battery pack that you can attach to the iPad using built-in magnets and Smart Connector.

Imagine that you have an iPad with a horizontal-first design, and the Smart Connector is on the shorter side.

A battery pack would be attached (and detached) to the Smart Connector to create an extra grip for a hand and move the center of gravity further to this side.

Obviously, such a batter pack should be compatible with several iPad models, not just one.

4. OLED display

iPads have great displays, there is no doubt about it. If you are looking for a tablet with a screen offering crisp image and bright colors, you should pick up an iPad Pro, but iPad models from a regular line are great as well.

Yet, all iPad models have an LCD. In such displays, an image is created by sending light from behind the screen directly to your eyes. It is causing eye strain and makes tablets a disputable idea for anyone who cares for their eyes. It’s where e-readers are unbeatable, especially if you used to read for several hours.

Sure, there is a helpful iPad feature called Night Shift. It eliminates exposure of blue light in the evening. It helps your brain understand it’s time to sleep and follow day-night routine, but it doesn’t solve the primary problem: eye strain.

Meet OLED screen. In this type of display, the light is being created by an organic layer that glows after being activated by an electric current.

It means that any pixel that should show 100% black doesn’t emit any light. Thanks to that, OLED screens offer better contrast and longer battery life.

Most importantly, they are much easier on the eyes, as less light is being emitted to create an image, and this light is not directed into the eyes. A fantastic iPad feature for anyone who spends a lot of time working or reading.

Some tablets, naming only Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 or Huawei MatePad Pro, sport OLED displays, but we have to wait some more time for the OLED iPad.

And believe me, I’m going to buy one when it’s out.

5. Foldable book-like design

I was thinking for a long time whether to put this idea on the list. You’ve probably seen foldable tablet concepts many times already, so it’s nothing new, and nothing too exciting.

However, from the point of view of a book lover, I’d love to see the idea of an iPad that can close like a book. Especially that we are on a way to horizontal-first approach. And it’s where the book-like folding design makes more sense than ever.

6. Ability to show a book or album cover on a home screen

This is a small but a nice iPad feature, and I’d use it, that’s for sure. I’d love to have an option to use a cover of a currently read book as a background for a lock screen and/or home screen. The same thing could be done with album covers.

I would be great to have a reminder to read a book every time I open the iPad. An option to open the book immediately from a home screen would be a nice addition, too.

Such a feature could be offered by Apple’s own apps – Books and Music – and it does not seem to be a big technical challenge.

7. Automatic dark mode in a reading view

Again this is a small feature, but this time I don’t understand why it hasn’t been implemented, yet.

Most apps, including the ones for reading books, offer theme switcher, usually with the option to tie it to iOS / iPadOS dark mode setting. But it applies to the theme of the app in a library view, not reading view.

In other words, if you are opening a book in Apple Books or Kindle app on the iPad, you have to choose White, Sepia, or Black theme manually, from an “Aa” menu.

I’d love to have the Black theme in a reading view automatically enabled when the iPad’s dark mode is turned on. When I switch the iPad’s display mode to light, I’d like to have a Sepia theme automatically applied in a reading interface.

[ef-reco id=”127033″ title=”Read also” info=”Top article”]

8. Closed eyes notification

I think it would be a nice little iPad feature for models equipped with a Face ID. As the iPad uses a camera to recognize an owner’s face, why not making the tablet response when your eyes are being closed for longer than usual?

I always read in bed in the evening – and always fall asleep with a book or iPad in my hands. Sometimes the iPad stays where it is but sometimes it slides down. Luckily, it hasn’t hit the floor yet.

Why not having a discrete sound notification telling me that I have fallen asleep and it’s time to put the iPad on a bedside table?

9. A bundle with a case cover

It’s something that could be done any time. Apple could begin selling special bundles that include an iPad and an original case cover.

I know, the idea is not new, Amazon does it for years. But on the other hand, a bundle is a way of saving some money and it would be welcomed by anyone who is addicted to all things Apple.

For Apple, it would be a way to keep selling original case covers and accessories. The trend is that more and more users are getting interested in third-party iPad case covers, which are a few times cheaper and offer similar quality.

Obviously, not all iPad models have to be offered in bundles. A set including the most affordable iPad 10.2 is more than enough to make users reconsider getting original case cover.

Are you interested in an iPad and iPhone? Keep reading:

[ef-archive number=5 tag=”ipad”]

Do you read books on your iPhone? What’s your experience? What would you improve? Did iPhone influence your reading life in any way?

Just like you, I’m a happy user of the iPhone. I’d like to share some thoughts on how this device shaped the way I read, and what I expect from books.

Do you remember when you bought your first iPhone? This image is still unbelievably crispy in my mind, even though it happened 12 years ago: a shiny black iPhone 3G pulled out from a perfect box one rainy and depressing day in October 2008.

I still keep this iPhone and I’m not going to get rid of it. It’s too important. This little device is a milestone in my life. It made me read books again.

One of the first apps I downloaded was Stanza. At that time, it was the most advanced book reading app for the iPhone – a loud and clear example that Steve Jobs was wrong saying a few months earlier in an interview for The New York Times: “It doesn’t matter how good or bad the product is, the fact is that people don’t read anymore.”

Twelve years have passed. Ebooks have become a part of daily life. They are not as inspiring as they were a few years ago. Most readers have found the perfect balance between reading print and digital books. They have learned, tested, and fixed enough to assume there is nothing else to discover. Are they right?

It’s never too late to exchange the experience. Here is my story.

[ef-reco id=”123906″ title=”Read also” info=”Top article”]

Reading books on the iPhone

When you read fiction, any other device is one device too many

What kind of books do you read the most? Is it fiction or nonfiction? Do you read textbooks or academic papers? Do you delve into picture books or use digital cookbooks in your kitchen?

If you prefer reading fiction, you don’t need a large-screen device. An iPhone (and any other smartphone, no matter how small or big it is) is perfect for reading novels, essays, or short stories.

90% of books I read is fiction and image-free nonfiction. I had a few iPads and Kindles, but I always ended up reading on the iPhone. It’s the device you don’t need to remember taking with you because you always have it.

Many users buy bigger devices for reading because they want to have a feeling of holding a real book. The 6-inch e-reader has the size of a paperback. The 10-inch iPad is comparable to textbooks. Some readers put their devices in a leather case to bring back the look and smell of an old library book.

Why should you need three devices (a smartphone, e-reader, and tablet), if you could accomplish most tasks by using just a smartphone and e-reader? Why would you need two devices, if you could accomplish most tasks with just your smartphone?

It’s true, a smartphone is not big enough to recreate the print book reading experience. It has the size of a palm and it doesn’t have the weight of something important. Does it have to?

E-readers are good for eyes. Tablets are must-have devices if you work with textbooks, and make many notes. But for someone who reads on a smartphone, they are just spare devices.

E-reader and tablet sales are decreasing not because these devices are not being improved fast enough. Many users bought these devices and had a chance to evaluate their value. There are new devices to test, naming only smart speakers, so why not giving them a chance?

The font size is what matters

Do you remember the size of your first iPhone? It was probably much smaller than the one you have right now. For instance, iPhone 3G had a 3.5-inch display with a 480 × 320 resolution. And it was already good enough for reading.

The width of the smartphone screen is similar or higher than a text block in a newspaper. If you don’t have a problem with reading a print magazine, you should not have a problem with reading on a 4-inch smartphone.

At the beginning, many users were confusing the screen size with screen resolution and font size. Their iPhone’s display was “too small because the letters were not readable.”

From the very beginning, all book reading apps come with a default feature that lets increase font size to a level that is comfortable to users.

You can make the text on your iPhone big enough to be readable. And you can make the text on your iPad small enough to be unreadable.

My previous iPhone was the 7 Plus model. I wanted two things: to keep full functionality of the iPhone, and to use an extended screen estate to read books in a more active way.

It turned out that iPhone 7 Plus was too big for the first goal, and too small for the other.

Conclusion: KISS – Keep it Small, Stupid.

Distractions are not a problem

How does using a smartphone affect your attention span? Is your ability to focus decreasing with time? Do you get distracted easier than a few years ago?

For most people, distractions become a major problem, and smartphones make it only worse. There is simply too much happening on this little outer brain. Notifications appear when you want them and when you don’t; a desire to check out Facebook timeline makes you open the app every few minutes; there are so many new apps to check out, so many Twitter users to block, and so many YouTube videos to like.

Here is good news. When used properly, the same device that creates distractions can eliminate them. It’s all about developing a habit of embracing distractions, not fighting them.

Your favorite book reading app – be it a Kindle, Nook, Kobo, or Google Books – can be a powerful tool to balance distractions and focus on a single task.

You don’t have to use it for a few hours each day. As you already know, reading for only 6 minutes can reduce stress by almost 70%.

I use three simple ways to reduce distractions on the iPhone. You probably do the same:

• Turn on a “Do Not Disturb” or “Airplane” mode every time you want to read a book.
• Schedule “Do Not Disturb” for the time of the day you usually read books.
• Place a book reading app next to the app that is the biggest source of distractions. A Dock bar at the bottom of the display is a perfect place for that.

What other ways to limit distractions are you using?

A book reading app can be a source of distractions, too

A book is a portal to another world. A book reading app is a portal to countless worlds. Their number is determined by how many books you have downloaded to the app, but also free samples you can get in a matter of seconds.

Sometimes this is not good.

When you open the book reading app, you can immediately start reading. But there is always a temptation to check out other books you have at hand. Especially when you are not in a mood to read the currently opened book.

The moment you open the library view in your book reading app is the moment you will most probably stop reading in the current session.

And the more books you have in the app’s library, the more distracted you become. “Have I read this book, already?” “What is this memoir doing in the sci-fi collection?” “Which is the next book in the Witcher series?” “Am I really in a mood to read nonfiction?”

How to limit distractions in the book reading app?

• Download only a few titles – the ones that you are sure to read in the coming days or weeks.
• Remove every book you have finished.
• Disconnect your social media accounts.
• Disable extra features, such as reading stats or rewards.

When reading on an e-reader, you will use your iPhone anyway

When you read fiction, you may want to learn more about a character, place or context. And it’s where e-readers fall short. They are good enough if you use integrated solutions, such as a built-in dictionary or X-Ray.

Things change when you want to find more information using Google web search, translate text, find an image or place in Google Maps. You will have a hard time doing so on the Kindle or Kobo.

You will find it easier to pick up your iPhone to look up words, places, characters from a book you are reading on the Kindle. In other words, you may often need two devices when reading on an e-reader.

It doesn’t work the other way round. On the iPhone, it’s just a matter of switching between apps.

How often do you look for more information about the book you are reading? Which tools do you use? What is your experience with e-readers?

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You can read more often, in smaller chunks

Having a book always with you – and having it one tap away from what you are doing on your iPhone right now – makes you change your reading habits.

Opening a book becomes less of a celebration and more of a time management. Few minutes spent during a day on reading a book is a time well spent. A few such sessions can make you feel you have spent a good day. And there is still a reading time before bed!

This story can be told the other way round.

You love to read in the evening. The only problem is that you fall asleep too soon. How much time does it take before you close your eyes? I’m fast, I usually sleep in less than half an hour.

The iPhone is a way to extend the reading time backwards, in a spare time during a day, and as often as possible. You can read for fifteen minutes in a subway, a few minutes while waiting for your wife in a shopping center, a few more in a queue at the hairdresser.

Have you ever tried to count how many times a day you are reaching for a smartphone? A few? No way, much more. Most people would say “tens.”

Why not making a small test? Pick up your iPhone for the 67th time today and check out the Screen Time (Settings app ⇢ Screen Time). What’s the daily average? What are the most used apps? Aren’t you shocked by the time you spend with the first app on the list?

Why not replacing 5% of the time with a book reading app?

On average, I use Twitter for 100 minutes a day. 5% would make 5 more minutes for reading. Enough to reduce 60% of daily stress!

Eye strain is not a problem

One of the top reasons to buy e-readers is that they don’t cause eye strain, opposite to devices with LCD displays. It’s an incredibly rational decision if you spend a lot of time on reading books – not a few minutes, but a few hours a day.

However, this is not the case for someone who is satisfied with a smartphone as a primary reading device. Reading for 30 minutes on an iPhone doesn’t add up too much to the eye strain caused by long hours of being exposed to a computer screen.

What’s more, the screen of an iPhone is considerably smaller than, for instance, the 11-inch iPad Pro. The amount of light that attacks your eyes is much lower.

And there are improvements that have been added in the recent years.

The Night Shift makes the light warmer letting the iPhone adjust to evening lighting. This feature is now common, and you can have it not only in smartphones or tablets, but also desktop computers, and even e-readers.

Almost every reading app has a few themes to choose from, and a night theme is surely one of them. When you choose it, the background changes to black, and the letters are displayed in a light color. It’s a perfect setting for night owls.

It’s especially convenient on OLED displays. The first iPhone with such a display was iPhone X launched in October 2017. Opposite to LED screens (which use background light to create an image), an OLED display illuminates each pixel separately. The 100% black pixel doesn’t emit light. Therefore, in a book reading app with a night theme on, only the pixels that form text are sending light to your eyes.

A Kindle app with a dark mode on an iPhone creates smaller light aura than a Kindle Paperwhite with a brightness reduced to the level when the text is still visible.

Personal settings are the new book smell

Each time you pick up a paper book, you celebrate a beautifully designed and printed cover, a subtle texture of a cream paper, a balanced font face, and – most of all – a perfect scent.

Ebooks can’t please you that much because their biggest benefit is not pleasure but convenience.

The scent of a printed book is something that evokes nothing else than positive emotions. It can’t be replaced. But other things can.

Imagine that the paper used in a print book you have just bought is a bit too thick. The font is slightly too small, and definitely too fancy.

Ebooks give you something that may make you addicted to them the same way you are addicted to book smell. It’s the opportunity to make each book look exactly as you want it.

What is your favorite book app? What theme do you use the most – White, Sepia, or Night? Which font do you prefer? Is it Literata in Google Books, Palatino in Apple Books, or Bookerly in Kindle app?

After years of testing and hunting for the perfect look, I have ended up with a Kindle app, with the sepia theme, Bookerly as a main font, and reduced line height.

I’m pretty sure that if sometimes Amazon makes a decision to replace Bookerly with another font face, I would be extremely disappointed – most probably to the level I would try to find another book app.

What’s more enjoyable than making the book you are reading look exactly the way you wanted?

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Keep reading. Here are more tips a lists for book lovers:

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