Netbooks versus the Amazon Kindle and Sony e-reader
Comparison between a Netbook
and e-reader is like comparing apples with oranges. Not because of the color but the taste, flavor and fruitiness. Netbook users are those who want to keep in touch with others while traveling. In fact, a Netbook is a Laptop computer stripped of the heavy parts like a recording device. Usually a sub one kilogram laptop with a screen of 10 inches or less can be classified as a Netbook. This means you can do almost as much with it as with a PC. It is a multitasking device sans the bulky peripherals. With a fast Wi-Fi connection, it is easy for communication, provides excellent browsing experience, with the ability to play music and video in several formats.
Amazon Kindle and Sony Readers are simply e-readers and nothing else. If that’s so, why do people buy Amazon Kindle? Going by the high sales figures, there must be something in this stripped down device which appeals to buyers who are ready to spend for this exclusive experience. One the reason why Amazon Kindle is popular is because of its extremely light weight and form factor. The same goes for Sony Reader. Those reading long novels on a Netbook are sure to catch a sprain in their neck even if they manage to read one while lying down. With Amazon Kindle and Sony Reader, you can be as comfortable as with reading a paperback . Their design is also such that the screen resembles an actual physical page . The feel of paper mat admittedly be missing but that’s a sensual pleasure one has to sacrifice here. The reading experience with Amazon Kindle is great also because of the technology called eink. This makes reading a pleasure. Netbooks have a LED screen which can be difficult to read under different lighting conditions. The eink technology may be one of the main reasons why Amazon Kindle and Sony Reader score well above Netbooks.
But more than technology it is the look and feel of Amazon Kindle and Sony Reader which sets them apart from Netbooks. You have to understand that readers of books, novels and periodicals are a different breed of animals. They want to read lying down, half sprawled, on the beach, on a mountain top and everywhere else in between. Try doing this with a Netbook and you will know the difference. Lugging it up a steep mountain path would be enough.
Amazon Kindle is a e-reader designed and sold by Amazon who are the largest book sellers in the world. The Amazon Kindle version of novels is far cheaper than the print versions. They can be downloaded instantly using Amazon Kindle without bothering about delivery and other such problems. The only issue is that not all books have a Amazon Kindle version which can make things a tad difficult for bibliophiles.
On the whole, Netbooks are for those who want to keep in touch with friends and colleagues while they are on the move. Reading experience per se is not the main criteria. Amazon Kindle and Sony Reader on the other hand are purely e-reading devices.
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