“Books are no more threatened by Kindle than stairs by elevators”.
-Stephen Fry
The way we live our lives today has been greatly influenced by technology and this has also extended to the way we read. The Kindle has been a key player in revolutionizing the reading experience by bringing about e-readers.
Evolution of The Kindle
Looking back, Jeff Bezos introduced the first Kindle in November 2007, selling out within six hours. Initially, its design was not so appealing with a big keyboard and small screen, weighing about 300 grams (Cerezo, 2022). In later versions like Kindle 4 and Kindle Touch, Amazon improved by removing the physical keyboard, but they still looked a bit odd with unusual keys and a cursor pad (Cerezo, 2022).
Over the years, the basic Kindle kept getting better, and by 2021, we got the Kindle 11. This was a significant upgrade, with 16 GB storage and a high-quality 300 ppi display. It had changed so much from the initial design that its almost unrecognizable today (Cerezo, 2022).
Boom of The E-reader Industry
The introduction of the Kindle led to the rise of E-readers. In the following years, the industry boomed, with various companies creating their own products, with differing levels of success (Kozlowski, 2017). While many brands emerged, some, like Nook and Sony, faced significant failures. Although a few, including Kobo, made strides, none matched the success of the Kindle (Cerezo, 2022). Hence it’s fair to say that without Kindle, E-readers and eBooks might not have gained the widespread popularity they enjoy today.
Physical Books v E-Books
There’s a debate on whether physical books can compete with new technologies like the Kindle or if the Kindle will take over the reading industry. Edward Cumming (2011) noticed the start of printed books declining but saw it as positive, thinking it could create more competition and jobs, especially for tech-savvy young people. However, owning a physical book has a special quality, creating sentimental feelings and a stronger emotional connection compared to digital options on a Kindle (Condliffe, 2021).
Despite worries about physical books declining in the face of eBooks, recent data from 2017 shows a thriving book industry. Consumer eBook sales dropped by 17%, but revenue from physical book sales went up by 8% (Rowberry, 2017). Additionally, Kozlowski (2019) suggests that the decline in eBook revenue is more about the growing popularity of audiobooks, as people shift from reading on devices to listening. So, it seems like the decline in traditional books isn’t just because of e-readers like the Kindle but is part of the broader impact of technology.
Despite the convenience of digital access, we can infer that traditional book is not fading away from reading practices anytime soon.
Does reading E-Books affect the intake of info?
Researchers investigated this question and conducted a study to find answers. Flood (2014) talks about a study in Italy where 50 readers were given the same short story. Half read it on a Kindle, and the other half read it in a paperback book. They were then tested on various aspects of the story. The research suggested that the tactile feedback of a Kindle, lacking the physical sensation of turning pages in a paperback book, might not support the mental reconstruction of the story as effectively. The sensory experience of a physical book contributes to better recall of the plot. This leads to the theory that reading a paperback book helps absorb information faster and more effectively compared to Kindles and eBooks (Flood, 2014).
References
Cerézo, A. (2022, November 9). 15 Years of Kindle: A Look Back On Its Setbacks and Successes. BOOK RIOT. https://bookriot.com/history-of-kindle/
Cumming, E. (2011, February 28). The Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8352505/Are-Kindles-killing-off-the-beautiful-book.html
Condliffe, P. (2021, December 12). Is the Kindle Killing the Book? – Publishing in the Digital Age – Medium. Medium. https://medium.com/publishing-in-the-digital-age/is-the-kindle-killing-the-book-c911de6c0ff2
Ink, E. (2021, February 24). The history of eReaders: How has reading changed? https://blog.eink.com/the-history-of-ereaders-how-has-reading-changed
Flood, A. (2017, November 30). Readers absorb less on Kindles than on paper, study finds. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/aug/19/readers-absorb-less-kindles-paper-study-plot-ereader-digitisation
Kozlowski, M. (2019, June 18). ebook sales decrease by 4.5% in the first quarter of 2019. Good e-Reader. https://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/ebook-sales-decrease-by-4-5-in-the-first-quarter-of-2019
Rowberry, S. (2017, July 26). Royle Printing – Is The e-Book A Dead Format? – Industry News. Royle Printing. https://www.royle.com/industrynews/is-the-e-book-a-dead-format