E-reader facts for kids
An e-reader is a small electronic device made mainly for reading digital e-books and magazines. It's also called an e-book reader or e-book device.
While many devices can show text, special e-readers are designed to be easy to carry, simple to read from, and have long battery life. Their biggest plus over paper books is how portable they are. An e-reader can hold thousands of books but weighs less than just one book. They also offer handy extra features.
Contents
What is an E-reader?
An e-reader is a device made for reading e-books easily. It looks a lot like a tablet computer. But e-readers often use a special screen called electronic paper (or "e-ink") instead of a regular LCD screen.
E-ink Screens: How They Work
E-ink screens make the battery last much longer. Batteries can last for several weeks! They also make reading easier, even in bright sunlight, just like reading real paper. The downside of e-ink screens is that they refresh slowly. Most also only show shades of gray. This means they aren't great for fancy apps like those on tablets. But for many, not having other apps helps them focus only on reading. The Sony Librie, released in 2004, was the first e-reader to use electronic paper.
Connecting and Getting Books
Many e-readers can connect to the internet using Wi-Fi. Their built-in software can link you to online libraries or e-book stores. This lets you buy, borrow, or get digital e-books. You can also download e-books from a computer. Some older e-readers could read books from a memory card, but this is less common now.
The Story of E-readers
The idea of an e-reader isn't new! In 1930, a writer named Bob Brown imagined a "simple reading machine." He thought it could let someone read huge novels very quickly. His idea was a ribbon of tiny text that you could scroll past a magnifying glass.
Key Moments in E-reader History
The company E Ink Corporation started in 1997. They developed electronic paper. This technology allows screens to reflect light like paper, so they don't need a backlight. Some of the first e-readers for sale were Sony's Data Discman and the Rocket eBook. Others came out around 1998 but weren't very popular.
Electronic paper first appeared in the Sony Librie in 2004. Then came the Sony Reader in 2006. But the big change happened with the Amazon Kindle. When it came out in 2007, it sold out in just five and a half hours! The Kindle lets you buy e-books directly from the Kindle Store.
E-readers and Tablets Grow
By 2009, new ways to sell e-books were appearing. The Amazon Kindle and Sony's PRS-500 were the most popular e-readers in the US. Later, the Barnes & Noble Nook also became very popular. The Ectaco jetBook Color was the first color e-reader. However, its colors were not very bright. Today, some color e-ink readers are much better.
In 2010, Apple Inc. launched the iPad. This was a multi-purpose tablet computer. The iPad came with an e-book app called iBooks and a store called iBookstore. The iPad was the first successful tablet. After it, many Android tablets came out. Unlike dedicated e-readers, tablets can do many things. They have LCD touchscreens and can use different e-book apps. This helped e-books become even more popular in the 2010s.
E-reader Sales and Use
In 2011, sales of e-readers worldwide reached 12.8 million. Amazon Kindles made up almost half of these sales. However, in 2012, e-reader sales dropped. This was because more people started buying general-purpose tablets. Tablets could read e-books and do many other things.
By 2014, about 12 million e-readers were sold globally. Amazon and Kobo were the main sellers worldwide. In late 2013, rules changed. Before, you couldn't use e-readers on airplanes during takeoff and landing. Now, you can use them all the time if they are in Airplane Mode.
E-reader Apps
Many big book stores and other companies offer e-reader apps. You can use these apps on your desktop computer, tablet, or phone. This means you can read e-books without needing a special e-reader device. These apps work on Mac, Linux, PC, Android, iOS, and Windows Phone devices.
How E-readers Changed Things
E-readers brought big changes to the book publishing world. Some people even worried that paper books and magazines might disappear!
Things to Think About with E-readers
E-readers have some limitations. Most e-ink readers don't show colors. Their screens also have a set size and resolution. How well you can read on an e-ink screen depends on the light around you. This is because they don't have a backlight.
Limited Choices and Costs
Many e-readers are set up to only let you buy books from one online store. This is called a "digital ecosystem." It can make it harder for you to buy books from other places. This also means companies don't have to compete as much on price. So, e-book prices might not go down. Also, buying a book online is different from going to a library or bookstore.
In the EU, paper books often had lower taxes than e-books. E-books were seen as a temporary rental, not a product. So, e-book prices were often similar to paper books, even though e-books cost less to make. In October 2018, the EU allowed countries to charge the same tax for e-books as for paper books.
Some people, like Richard Stallman, worry about privacy with e-readers. They are concerned that companies might track what you read.
Good Things About E-readers
E-readers can hold thousands of books. Their memory is the only limit! They take up the same small space as just one regular book. Most E-ink screens don't have a backlight. This means they are usually easier on your eyes than computer screens. They also cause no more eye strain than a traditional book.
Helpful Features
E-readers have features that can help people who have trouble reading. You can change the font size and spacing. This is great for people with dyslexia. Some e-readers can even help you find definitions or translations of words. Amazon says that 85% of its e-reader users look up a word while reading!
You can also instantly download books from many public libraries. This is done using apps like OverDrive and Hoopla.
Popular E-reader Brands
- Amazon (Global): Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Voyage, Kindle Oasis, Kindle Oasis 2
- Barnes & Noble (US/UK): Nook, Nook GlowLight, Nook GlowLight Plus
- Bookeen (France): Cybook Opus, Cybook Orizon, Cybook Odyssey, Cybook Odyssey HD FrontLight
- Kobo (Global): Kobo Touch, Kobo Glo, Kobo Mini, Kobo Aura, Kobo Aura HD
- Onyx Boox (Europe, Russia, China and Vietnam): Onyx Boox Max2, Onyx Boox Note
- PocketBook (Europe and Russia): PocketBook Touch, PocketBook Mini, PocketBook Touch Lux, PocketBook Color Lux, PocketBook Aqua
- Tolino (Germany): Tolino Shine, Tolino Shine 2 HD, Tolino Vision, Tolino Vision 2
Other Devices That Can Be E-readers
See also
In Spanish: Lector de libros electrónicos para niños
- Comparison of e-readers
- Supporting platforms for e-book formats
- Open Publication Distribution System
