The Future of Reading

If you were watching Oprah on Friday, October 24, 2008,  you learned of her newest “Favorite Things” gadget.  It is a product from Amazon called the Kindle.  Kindle is a handheld, wireless reading device that allows you to download books, magazines, newspapers and even blogs.  This seems to be the “future” of reading.  You can download most any book in aproximately 1 minute!  To think this will really be the way we read books in the near future makes me both sad and excited.  I am sad because I think of the old school way of reading.  I mentally have a hard time focusing on reading from a screen!  I guess I am a tactile learner and need to feel the pages in my hand as I am reading.  But the thought of how may trees we will save by this new way of reading, in addition to the less “stuff”  we have sitting around our home, makes me so excited!  Following is a link to the Kindle:

There has already been a move toward on-line reading materials.  Newspapers have been on-line for a while now.  Magazines are heading in that direction as well.  There is a company, Coverleaf, that provides digital editions of many magazines.  This allows you to view your favorite magazines anywhere you have internet access.   According to coverleaf.com, “you can access your magazines for free by verifying your subscription.  You can also browse the selection of magazine on coverleaf.com and look inside any issue for a free preview.”  Visit www.coverleaf.com for more information.

If you are like me and not ready to stop physically holding your reading materials, there are many ways to cut back on the expense and amount of space they take from our lives.  First, the local library is an excellent way to have access to all that you want to read.  The library can track down most any book for you.  Also, used book stores or Amazons “used” book selection are ways to get the book you have been looking for at a reduced rate. 

For magazines, you can also find them at your local library and even online.  If you have a subscription to a magazine that you are not really enjoying any longer you can look into www.maghound.com.  According to Maghound, “Maghound is an exciting new online membership service that allows you to choose, change, and manage all the magazines delivered to your home for one low monthly fee.”  Maghound has a 30 day free trial to see if you like it.  You have the flexibility to change your magazine selection!  I know that I have been disappointed in magazines in the past and this service will be fabulous to ditch those and move on to a new one. 

I am learning to trade paper for a computer screen, but I know it will be a slow transition.  I hope the products listed above will help me (and you) reduce paper waste.  Let me know your thoughts on other ways to read without holding a book, magazine or paper!

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