I just love to read! But as I grow older, my eyes begin to let me down! My focusing distance has now gotten farther and farther away, a condition we commonly call "old" sight, otherwise known as long sightedness (medical terms: hypermetropia or hyperopia).
Now, I have to use reading glasses! To date, I have four pairs (only!) around the house. But for those with my problem (love to read but with reading glasses), we know we cannot read for long before we gotta put those glasses down :(.
So when ebook readers came on the scene a few years ago, I sat up! Literally! In front of the computer surfing the Net, figuring out what such readers could do. I was especially interested in the features where I could potentially load in all my favourite books, and then be able to adjust the font size so as to be able to read without glasses :-).
However, one major stumbling block. Average prices are not less than S$300, and none are available in retail in this Southeast Asian market. While some you can order online (models by Sony, iRex, etc), those like the Amazon Kindle (its second improved version just came out) are only available in the US and not importable due to export restrictions. Hopefully that will change soon, and then this Southeast Asian market which is otherwise known for easy availability of up-to-date and reasonably-priced tech stuff, will have easier access to such devices.
But wait! This device isn't just for adults. It's for kids too. Whether myopic or hypermetropic, the features I mentioned are of such use in daily life.
In an age when kids are gaming glued to tiny screens, inculcate the love of reading by putting the books on such devices. They may resist the idea of paper-based books but that's more likely related to the media (paper) rather than a rejection of reading in itself.
Ebook readers (so far all are still monochrome) sport paperback book-sized screens with paper ink that is really easy on the eye (nothing like eye-tiring LCD or LED screens of computer displays!). Ebook reader display reading is akin to normal paper-based books except that you can do more - search, load in a small library, adjust font size, connect to your computer and internet to download more, etc. The Singapore National Library recognises the efficacy of electronic medium to promote reading too and have about a million digital products in its eResources section.
Click on the links below for more information.
Psst! The National Library is only a click away!
Carry your library with you! Get an ebook reader
