Reading books is no longer limited to physical books. One of the more recent offered options to get your hands on desired book contents is through e-book downloads. An e-book is a common but relevant freebee provided by many websites today although many are being offered for sale.
An e-book or electronic book is a digitalized publication that may contain text and images just like regular books. It is however read on computers or a specific electronic device used for the purpose of reading books known as e-book readers. E-books may or may not have a printed equivalent.
There are clear advantages of opting for e-books over physical books including the comparatively small space that will be occupied by numerous e-books stored in a single device. In this case, the only limit lies in the memory capacity of the chosen device. E-books also come out cheaper compared to physical books although an initial investment will have to be placed on an e-book reader. Readers who are contented to do their reading on their computers or even select mobile phones don’t even have to deal with this cost, if not desired. There is also a whole range of e-books being offered for free online. Just like regular books, e-books can be bought or borrowed depending on the agreement with the service provider. The entry of e-books has also allowed authors whose works were rejected by established publishers to self-publish.
Readers who have a special relationship with books in the physical sense cannot derive the same fulfillment from e-books since there is no paper to feel and viewing of pictures is not exactly the same on screen. The life of an e-book can also be determined by the battery life of the device, digital rights management realities, and the life time of the company offering the service. Although e-books address specific reader needs, physical books are still here to stay. Never the less, voracious readers will never say no to other options.