Reading book on the phone or a kindle doesn't feel the same

[Ikagura]

I don't know if it's psychological or anything but I don't feel like I'm actually reading unless it's on paper.

 

[Spikey Dread]

I used to feel exactly the same way. But.... I downloaded Play books on my mobile and found a free download ebook site with millions of old and brand new books. It's so much easier holding it in one hand in bed. It's the first John Connolly I've read that's not an actual book. And I don't seem to be able to pick up a book anymore

 

[RomanticAndroidEmuGuy]

Wait till u start reading comics on phone lol.
I manage reading books very well with apps like readera and moon reader especially books in.epub and mobi since their fonts can be enlarged unlike PDFs.


Tis comics that i find kinda difficult even though i have read like 60-70 of em

 

[RustySK]

I don't know if it's psychological or anything but I don't feel like I'm actually reading unless it's on paper.

Absolutely with you there, I find it much less enjoyable and absorbing.
Psychological effect or not - for one, I miss the physical act of turning the pages and the feel of paper (let alone that newly-printed book smell) and for another, staring at a screen for a long time, even one as optimized for reading as that of a Kindle, eventually gives me a headache and puts a strain on my eyes.

 

[Gorse]

I have a ton of friends who are VERY PASSIONATE on either side of the digital-analog phone debate. Many will argue that one is "objectively" the correct way to read a book in the modern era, and will attack the other side ravenously whenever the issue comes up. It makes for a lot of fun conversations!

Personally speaking, I prefer real books. I like having a bunch of stuff on my shelf that I can look up and leaf through whenever I desire, and, whenever I have anyone over, my book collection makes a lovely conversation piece. I have a lot of obscure, expensive books, so people tend to be pretty impressed – I'd rather show them that than some dumb anime girl figurines or shit old PS1 jewel cases. When it comes to the actual experience of reading, nothing really gets me more snuggly and cozy than actually turning the pages myself by the light of a window or late-night desk lamp. Plus, you don't have to charge the bloody thing, which is a bonus all on its own.

Then again, I've read several full books on both my tablet and just at a laptop, scrolling up and down the pages with my arrow keys like I'm playing Pac-Man. If I can't get a book physically, and the only option is to pirate a .PDF, then my tablet is probably what I'm going to read it on. (I use this cool Windows program called Cover – it's great for reading both text and comics, and even has a "manga mode" that turns pages right-to-left!) I'd like to actually have the book in my hand, and I'm willing to spend money to get a high-quality version of it, but when that isn't an option, I just steal it, instead. Less competition for me as an author!

 

[sysuah]

I miss the physical act of turning the pages and the feel of paper (let alone that newly-printed book smell) and for another, staring at a screen for a long time,

I miss the smell of like old books because my grandad left the family a bunch of books that's passed down to him from previous generation of the family, I'd do this thing before bed where I would just set up a candle on my nightstand and I'd just read the thing until the candle ran out or I fall asleep
Same could be said about any other physical media. It feels special owning and using a physical thing over interacting with it through a device

 

[_oBSOLEte_]

Last physical book I bought was Pratchett's "The Shepherd's Crown", and it took me ages to read it in full. Was quite bittersweet.

Otherwise I got a Calibre server running on the LAN here. For comics as well. Switching to portrait mode on the laptop feels like a cyber-grimoire.

 

[Yousef's iconYousef]

Yeah that’s true.

 

[kirihitsugi]

I feel you OP. I use a Kobo Clara but I haven’t been using it too often. Even though I REALLY should because just look at what the internet is today. Although for me I guess I’m picky about what to read. I have Accel World on there, but I’m not in a LN mood. And I wanna read more Japanese literature, but I just don’t know what. I’m so indecisive over reading when it comes to all things. And I think reading a real book is an experience that I do miss. Like if you read a lot as a child there’s some nostalgia and positive feelings to be found there.

 

[Sir Auriel of Lionel]

As I unbuild my physical library for space and rebuild it on Kindle (looking to convert to Kobo) I fully get it. It at time doesn't feel like it's the same book both from the lack of weight and the lack of pages to turn. And it's worse when it's a physical book you've read before, if it's something new I could shake the feeling but at the moment there's nothing that helps keep reading retention. Changed font, changed size, changed back light maybe the Kindle is too limited or maybe it's the choice is overwhelming that nothing feels right. With books I'm not given a choice but only can change the outside stimuli to suit reading conditions. Laptop reading is worse since I can get easily distracted by trying to cut down my bookmarks, tabs and end up adding to them.

 

[Karnik 2.0: reboot]

I notice that the majority here miss the tactile sensation of paper, and that is understandable, but it is all a matter of habit. After all, what matters is the content (the text), and not the external form.
As for me, I find it convenient and pleasant to read on a smartphone or tablet, where it is possible to archive hundreds of ebooks, ready for consultation. But above all, I suffer from asthma and am allergic to dust, and often the slightly old and yellowed paper caused me wheezing and breathing problems. With ebooks, however, everything is solved. And then, said between us, in this pirate's den; there is no new or old title that I have not found easily and for free on the shady Z-Library.

 

[PhrawzT]

I agree that it's not the same, however I did get an eReader a couple months ago and I would say that I do enjoy using that over reading something on my phone, however both pale in comparison to an actual book.

 

[Zachery2112]

I agree that reading off of a screen feels wrong compared to paper. I've figured out that if you want it to feel better, you should consider investing in an e-ink tablet. Those things feel so much more natural than a computer screen.

 

[HTBandicoot]

It depends on your reading background I guess. I never enjoyed reading throughout school. It wasn't until 2020 that I started reading through the Kindle app on my iPhone. I found sites that curated lists of all the free books offered on Amazon weekly. So I occasionally found really good books and learned to love reading. Then later that year I got a Kindle and the rest is history. I got a library card and have since been able to check out books of my choice through the Libby app. I've read hundreds of books since, and a few being over 1,000 pages. I know for a fact that I never would've attempted a physical book that big. So for me, the digital will always reign supreme. That is my preference.

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

I used to think that, but I was forced into that and... now I have read around 400 books on my phone.

It's actually pretty great, particularly since Moon+ Reader (my app of choice) shows me how much I have read with each session. Getting to 25% on the first day, reaching 50%, then getting to 75% and finally knowing that the home stretch of 90% has been conquered is strangely fulfilling. Quite addicting, too.

 

[Bakuma1997]

I read books on PC and in physical if i get the luck, but comics are fair game (Just ask gocomics)

 

[Sir Auriel of Lionel]

I read books on PC and in physical if i get the luck, but comics are fair game (Just ask gocomics)

That's a fair point, with old manga out of print or official translations slow or cut half way reading manga online has just been the only way at times.

 

[LiberoVulpes]

When i was in college, i had to read about 4 ~ 5 books a week, all on pdf, i didn't mind it cause i did it in my PC, i just hate doing anything on a phone.

I prefer physical books, it just feels good to have something real and tangible in my hands, and turn the pages, see how much i have progressed instead of a progress bar, its just so cool to have something fancy like a leather bound or a case bound in my bookshelves, it also looks imposing as hell when i show people my personal library, recently, i have actually decided to buy books that i have on pdf, just because i want to have them physically.

For manga or LNs however, full digital, mostly because its too many volumes and i prefer fan translations.

 

[Grumpy_Old_Man]

I prefer physical, my eyes thank me, I get light headaches during long reading sessions in front of a pc.
Bonus for that old paper odor.
On the other hand some old technical books are easier to find digitalized, like Literature theory, Roland Barthes or Mikhail Bakhtin to name a few.