In 2007, the now multi-billion dollar company Amazon developed the very first prototype of the Kindle, a digital, portable device for reading.
The Kindle can store tens of thousands of books, a game-changer for avid readers, and exciting development in the world of books. Today, millions of people across the world have Kindles, and thus, have access to all of those books at the tap of a button.
The success of the Kindle foreshadowed the rising popularity of ebooks and online reading in general. Apple created iBooks, an app that can be installed on all of their devices, while schools and libraries utilize OverDrive. Additionally, audiobooks, a convenient way to “read” books while driving or participating in another activity that doesn’t allow for the reader to look at the pages, have grown in popularity, as well.
While bookstores and libraries still play a vital role in our culture today, digital reading has integrated itself in our technology-crazed world, too. Digital marketing can take advantage of the wide market that accesses digital books, in a number of ways.
Revolutionary Advantages of the Kindle
As mentioned above, the Kindle has been around for over a decade now, but it is still incredibly popular. When the device first came out, it offered revolutionary new technology that print books couldn’t. The Kindle is light and extremely portable, offering an alternative to print books that can often be bulky and heavy, and those who travel a lot or just don’t have a lot of space to store books can take advantage of this.
The Kindle can store tens of thousands of books, an amount that almost no one has space for at home. Many libraries have this many books, but having them at the tips of your fingers is more convenient and simply astonishing. Additionally, the Kindle is unique because of its screen display. Unlike phones, TVs, tablets, and computers, the screens of all of which are bright and stimulating and can often be bad for your eyes and brain, the Kindle’s screen is designed to look more like paper.
It is dim and a dark white color, and allows for a reading experience that won’t keep you up at night. This is especially important for people who want to spend less time on screens, but want to read more, as well. Parents and children are a great example of groups who benefit from the Kindle. Parents don’t usually want their kids on screens all the time but want to read to them a lot, as well.
OverDrive and Other Digital Advancements
OverDrive is another example of digital reading available to libraries around the world. These can be public libraries in towns and cities, or could even be libraries at a college or university. OverDrive allows libraries to store more books online without taking up space in the building, and the service can deal with books that are in high demand. For example, if a library has three physical copies of a popular book and doesn’t want to buy more print books, they can get more copies on OverDrive and loan them to patrons online. Schools can do this, too, especially if they don’t want to store and loan out physical copies of a class set of books.
Libraries have adapted digitally in other ways, too. Many people think that since we are using technology more on a day-to-day basis, that libraries are becoming outdated and losing their place in our culture, but that simply isn’t true. Libraries have incorporated many digital aspects into their events and services, such as QR codes around town that can be scanned for information and educational virtual reality experiences. In homes, schools, and libraries, ebooks on various websites and new digital advancements in the world of reading and education are changing people’s lives.
Audible and Other Forms of Audio Reading
Audiobooks are another form of reading that is becoming increasingly popular. Today, it seems like everyone is always busy-constantly working, or taking care of the kids or the dog, driving, or cleaning the house, and they never have time to sit down and read. Audiobooks provide an alternative to using your eyes to read a book, and instead rely on ears. If a person is driving or working out, both activities were reading a book is hard or impossible, an audiobook can allow them to still enjoy a story, much like a podcast. Audible is a well-known audiobook app, and, like the Kindle, it can store many different books. Another thing Audible shares with Kindle is the parent company: Amazon. Amazon began as a company that was focused on books, and they are still developing in that realm of business today. With Audible or other audiobooks, you can listen anytime.
Books serve as a form of entertainment, as well as a form of education. In the past decade or so, digital books have made strides through devices like the Kindle and online services such as OverDrive and Audible. Libraries and schools are incorporating technology into their day-to-day events, proving that online reading is on the rise. While millions of people around the world still prefer physical books to digital ones, it can’t be denied that digital reading is a market worth investing in.
This post may contain affiliate links. Meaning a commission is given should you decide to make a purchase through these links, at no cost to you. All products shown are researched and tested to give an accurate review for you.
