While I agree with KNtoran that these eBooks are great for travel, I miss the tactile sensation of opening, holding and turning the pages of a book. I LOVE to read. I'll put down a Jordan book in a few days and grab the previous off the shelf just to brush back up before hitting the newest one a second time. But I personally need to have something more tangible and less plastic-y in my hands if I'm really going to lose myself in a story.
Edited: Bacour on 27th May, 2011 - 7:05am
There is no way I'd replace a real book with an e-book, because I just love the smell, and coziness of a book. The flipping of the pages can't be beaten. I also love going into my parents house, where they have floor to ceiling book shelves and perusing their titles. If the humble paper book were to replaced by technology, what would we put in book shelves? We would have to name them something different. No, I like the book. I like that new smell a book has and also the worn covers of a loved book read too many times. Its comfortable and nice.
Most of my time spent reading is done while traveling, so for myself I prefer the e-book method. I just load the book(s) that I think I will be reading on my phone and I am good to go. Also, If I decide that I really didn't want to read the book that I loaded I can just load another. I am not stuck with a book that I found out that I really wasn't interested in.
I can see how ebooks are very convenient but you know what... Because you can carry around so many books with you it becomes a novelty and you don't take it quite as seriously as if you had a good book in your hands.
In my opinion, both have upside and downside.
E-books, perhaps is very convenience to be read in anywhere. But, the radiation of pc's monitor isn't a good thing for your health.
Paper books, though these kind are heavy in your bag, but you wouldn't have the radiation like e-books.
I always read someone talk about the weight of books being the downside but really books aren't meant to be carried around unless its just one book. Most books stay on your shelf until you need them.