Reading Brought To Life Online

Reading to many is considered an escape from reality. The words sweeping you off the page and into a world created by an author. You could be reading anything from fiction, to non-ficition, to biographies, or even romantic novels. No matter the genre, reading creates a feeling like no other. Being able to read online has only enhanced this experience. People are able to go anywhere with the option of reading any book they choose. This is all thanks to the amazon kindle, which I will be going into further depth about throughout this blog post.  

If one person can be credited with the invention of the Amazon Kindle it's Gregg Zehr, head of the Amazon Lab126 product development team. The amazon kindle was released on November 19, 2007. It sold out within 5 1/2 hours and remained out of stock for 5 months. The amazon kindle was created for the efficiency of reading. It was even dubbed the iPod of reading. The kindle brings the convenience of reading any book downloadable at the touch of a screen. This was a game-changer because everything was already starting to transfer online, about time reading did. 

The Kindle gives you access to digital books and provides the best method for reading them and that's the guiding principle and impact of the kindle. It's about reading, reading, and reading. It's a tool for a single job, not a tool for many (there's the KindleFire for that, which we're ignoring here). In addition, the Kindle Oasis is now a hard competitor to the iPad.  

The first device was a 6-inch four-level grayscale E ink display with 250 MB of internal storage. There are 10 different versions of the kindle that have been created since then. Each one accomplishing something better than the last; whether it was adding more media or books. The first kindle had a full keyboard which looks extremely outdated compared to the sleek touch-screen models out now. However, it was one of the many stepping stones to introducing e-reading to the world. Developing with the advancement of technology the amazon kindle became smaller, waterproof, and touch-screen. In addition, audiobooks are now available on all kindles making reading even easier. In short, no matter what model you decide to buy they all will aid you in reading. 

The invention of the kindle has its upsides and downsides. On one hand, people are able to read efficiently without the hassle of going to a library or bookstore to find a hardback/paperback copy. Moroccan novelist Mubarak Rabo said digital reading is the next step in the evolution of formats and has its advantages, pointing out that multimedia options of e-books bring to life the written text. The discussion was moderated by Emirati novelist Fat'hai Al Nimr, who said the importance of the book's content is more important than the mode in which it is presented. Additionally, Amazon's self-publishing platform, Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) allows independent authors to self-publish ebooks. Creating an even wider selection of books from old and new authors to choose from. Ultimately, the kindle has many positive reviews from readers around the world. 

On the downside reading online for long periods of time can cause eyestrain. You could suffer from what is called computer vision syndrome (CVS), a repetitive-stress condition characterized by some uncomfortable side effects, including headaches, blurred vision, and eyestrain. To prevent CVS, amazon kindle readers use "electronic ink", which has sharply defined type and is easy on the eyes. Another disadvantage to the kindle is the decrease and closings of libraries. When the e-reader first came out libraries were hit hard and could not stay afloat. Interestingly, the traditional paper book has survived the digital age because of its permanence and emotional connection to readers, experts said during the Sharjah International Book Fair. Nevertheless, kindles and paperback books will always be competing. Each person has a different preference, so the numbers are everchanging, one never excels past the other for too long. 

In conclusion, the amazon kindle has contributed a lot to society and made a major impact. The kindle was able to change the way society efficiently read books. This is an impact that will last a lifetime. More features are continuing to be added to the kindle but one thing will always stay the same, the importance of making reading books available to everyone..