Over the years since the Amazon Kindle was first released in 2007, the e-reader has evolved to offer more and more features that continue to make it an enticing alternative to physical books. As e-readers have increased in popularity, more kids are using them as substitutes. Here are some of the benefits these devices have today, along with a comparison of the best Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, and Kobo e-book readers.
Benefits
Having an e-reader grants users access to a vast digital library. Having a physical library of books on a shelf is great, but an e-reader allows you to purchase and read books that you don’t want to own physically; maybe the book is for an assignment and you don’t plan on reading it twice. You also have the ability to take an e-reader on the go, as the portability factor enables you to bring several books on a trip; this cuts down on your luggage.
E-readers offer customizable font size and style. This is a user-friendly opportunity to avoid what might be a daunting read otherwise — like a lengthy novel with tiny text that isn’t so easy on the eyes. Kindle also offers Assistive Reader, which allows you to listen to the book with real-time highlighting. There’s also the Reading Ruler, which places a colored overlay on your current line, helping you remain focused. In a similar vein, dark mode is another way to reduce eye strain. Nook takes this a step further with GlowLight, which helps with reading in bright sunlight. Kobo easily allows you to highlight ebooks with your finger, adding, erasing, or changing colors while you read.
One way that the Kobo and Nook e-readers stand apart from Kindle is their physical buttons for page turning that are built-in on some of the models. Kobo e-readers have OverDrive and Libby integration, allowing users to borrow ebooks from local libraries. The Instapaper feature can be used to save online articles for offline reading.
Buying books digitally comes with an upfront cost for the e-reader itself. Depending on the model and how many premium features you desire, this could run you several hundred dollars. However, there are instances where purchasing a book digitally costs less than its paperback or hardcover alternative.
Learning Opportunities
Kindle has a feature called Word Wise, which allows you to quickly access definitions of words, along with pronunciations, translations, and other info. Taking this a step further is the vocabulary builder, which allows users to automatically create flash cards out of the words they check. You’re also able to add notes to text you select and highlight.
More About
Kindle
One of the best ways to save money in the long-term is with a subscription to Kindle Unlimited. For $11.99 a month, you have access to millions of books.
Right now, the 2024 Amazon Kindle 16 GB is available for $109.99, though a slightly more expensive version gets rid of the ads on the lockscreen for $129.99. The Kindle Paperwhite 16 GB is a faster device, with larger, 7” display and longer battery life (12 weeks versus 6). For those interested in having extra storage space, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 32 GB model is available for $199.99 (no ads).
Amazon also offers Kindle models specifically for kids. While the regular Kindle is certainly not a device for social media, gaming, or other apps, the Kindle Kids prioritizes being a tool for reading. The 16 Model is available for $129.99, and comes automatically bundled with 6 months of Amazon Kids+, a subscription that provides access to age-appropriate books, plus a 2-year warranty. There is also the Kindle Paperwhite Kids, with the larger display (also includes the bundle).
Nook
The Nook GlowLight 4 comes in two versions. The standard, 6” model is $149.99, while the Plus model offers a larger 7.8” display, priced at $199.99. The latter also features a built-in headphone jack and Bluetooth support, for easy listening to audiobooks. Each model comes with 32 GB of internal storage, for thousands of books through Barnes & Noble’s digital storefront, plus support for loading your own ePub or PDFs.
Kobo
The Kobo Libra Colour is the premium, 7” e-reader, featuring a display with full color, a stylus (for making notes, selecting text and more), and 32 GB of storage space (~24,000 ebooks). The Kobo Clara comes in at $139.99 for the exclusively black and white display, or $159.99 for full color support, both with 16 GB of internal storage. Each of these are smaller, with 6” displays, making them more travel-friendly, though they lack the physical buttons of the Libra.