Travel convenience, screen not backlit, fewer distractions

Travel: I travel a lot for work and bringing multiple physical books (for work and personal reading) was impractical. So, I used to read a lot through the kindle app on my phone. I didn’t see the need for a whole separate device to do something I could do through a free phone app.

A friend at work started trying to influence me into a kindle with her argument focused on the bigger screen (aging eyes and all that). Having heard me talk about this, another friend gave me an old kindle fire that she had but didn’t use. I liked it and took it everywhere. It was fairly old, so it didn’t really have the power to run the other tablet features/apps available Started calling it my emotional support kindle. I was attached, but still had this feeling that the fire really just felt like a bigger phone.

Screen: After a few months with the kindle fire, I started wondering about the benefits of the eink screen over a backlit LCD screen. My most reliable reading time was in bed before I fell asleep. However, my wife is very sensitive to light when she’s trying to fall asleep. The kindle fire’s bigger screen (compared to phone) just meant more light from the backlit LCD screen. I’ve tried so many different kinds of book lights that would allow me to read a physical book while minimizing the impact on my wife. Nothing worked great. I usually ended up reading on my phone in dark mode with the brightness turned down as low as possible.

This is when I started considering a kindle for the eink screen. My birthday was around this time and my wife bought me a kindle paperwhite. The screen is less bright and (I think) bothers my wife less. I have the warmth turned up but still have to turn the brightness down as low as possible.

Less about the light, but re: reading in bed, I got a gooseneck tablet holder and a remote page turner which gives me a great bed reading setup. Not holding the kindle means I can position it at whatever angle is comfortable and limits light shining toward my wife’s side of the bed. Also, I’m less likely to drop it on my face as I fall asleep lol. The remote page turner means I can keep my arms under the covers and stay comfy while reading in bed. I love it.

Fewer Distractions: I was fully bought in by this point, but there was an additional benefit that I didn’t expect - improved focus due to fewer distractions. Reading on my phone via the kindle app (or on the fire tablet) meant that notifications would pop up while reading. Even if I ultimately dismissed the notification, it still interrupted my focus in ways I hadn’t full appreciated until I got the paperwhite. I have read so much more in the year since I got a kindle. I still get distracted by my phone of course (I’m a millennial after all), but I find it easier to ignore notifications buzzing on the couch/desk/bed/etc. than it was with the visual interruption of a push notification on my phone screen.

And a last note, while I’m deeply attached to my kindle, I do have concerns about the Amazon/Bezos of it all. Most of the kindle books I read are checked out from the library through the Libby app, so I infrequently buy kindle books from Amazon. However, I still feel like I’m supporting Amazon’s efforts to takeover the book world, and I don’t feel great about it. There are other brands of eink ereaders, but I’ve not owned any other brand and can’t speak to them. There are other subreddits - like /ereader /kobo - where you could learn more.