BOOKS 2.0

In the more than 500 years since Johannes Gutenberg began printing his Bibles, a lot has changed in the world of reading. Thanks to high-speed Internet connections, E Ink screens and portable media devices, a book is just as likely to be made up of code as of paper and ink. Here is a guide to reading in the 21st century.

EBOOK DEVICES

Examples:

Amazon Kindle, Sony Reader Digital Book, Cybook Gen3.

In a nutshell:

Lightweight, handheld devices for reading electronic books, periodicals and blogs.

PROS & CONS

Pros: eBook titles less expensive. Some devices have expandable memories. Text-tospeech capability and free 3G network use on the Kindle. E Ink technology re-creates look of real paper.

Cons: Pricey hardware. Limited hard-drive size on most devices. Devices without a 3G connection must manually move content from a computer. Digital rights management on eBooks limits transferring titles between devices and prevents reselling.

COSTS

Cost of extra equipment: $360 (Kindle 2), $489 (Kindle DX), $399 (Sony Reader Digital Book), $350 (Cybook Gen3).

Cost per title:

Most titles are 10-30 percent less than the print price.

TO GET IT

Visit www. amazon.com, www.bookeen. com or www. sonystyle.com

MOBILE APPLICATIONS

Examples: Kindle for iPhone, Wattpad, Stanza.

In a nutshell:

Programs on the iPhone and iPod Touch allow the purchase and download of titles from stores and public domain archives.

Pros: Available on the go with a 3G network on the iPhone or via a wi-fi network on the iPod Touch. Apps are free to download and use. Large hard drives on iPod Touches and iPhones allow storage of thousands of titles. Color screens.

Cons: Access to the stores and archives requires a network connection. Small size. Awkward to read for extended periods.

Cost of extra equipment:

$199 to $299 with two-year service agreement (8GB/16GB iPhone), $230/$300/$400 (iPod Touch).

Cost per title:

Most titles are discounted at 20 percent from the print price. Purchase apps through the mobile device.

DIGITAL LIBRARIES

Examples: Project Gutenburg, The Internet Public Library, Google Book Search. In a nutshell: Searchable archives of free, public-domain literature.

Pros: No subscription required. Accessible from any computer with an Internet connection. Titles include publicdomain works that may be printed or copied for free. Large archives of between 100,000 and 1.5 million titles, including out-of-print volumes and some periodicals.

Cons: Can’t be taken with you, though various mobile applications access digital libraries. Many titles haven’t been digitized yet. Some works still under copyright offer only a limited preview.

Cost of extra equipment: None required.

Cost per title:

Free. Visit www. gutenberg.org, www.ipl.org and http://books. google.com.

AUDIOBOOKS

Examples:

Books on CD/cassette/ mp3s.

In a nutshell:

A narrated recording of a book stored on various storage media.

Pros: Reading without the eye stress. Titles available at numerous stores and Web sites. Doesn’t require an Internet connection. Some titles have high production values with music and sound effects. Discs can be resold or shared.

Cons: More expensive than text-only titles (especially CDs). Discs can be scratched. Some titles are abridged. Limited selection. Must switch discs (except mp3s). Some CD players restart at the last track when a disc is stopped and replayed.

Cost of extra equipment:

Nothing, as long as you have the appropriate media player.

Cost per title:

Audiobook CDs are typically at least twice as expensive as paperbacks. Buy at bookstores or get eAudiobooks online through iTunes and sites like audible.com. Simplyaudio books.com offers a Netflixlike rental subscription service. The downtown library has titles for download or checkout (newer titles rent for $2 for three weeks).

TRADITIONAL PAPER BOOKS

Examples: Barnes & Noble, Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library, Amazon. In a nutshell: The same facility that’s been around since the one in Alexandria burned.

Pros: No Internet connection, batteries or other power source required. Can be resold or curled up with by a fire. Signable and appreciable in value. The smell.

Cons: Paper is flammable and fragile. Titles may be out of print, sold out, checked out or otherwise unavailable. Size makes it difficult to carry more than a few paperbacks at a time.

Cost of extra equipment: None required.

Cost per title:

List price for bookstores and free from the library. Visit a local library branch to sign up for a library card. Most bookstores accept cash and credit cards.