Who Needs Books When There Are Cellphones About…
I received an email recently about a (possibly) useful resource for backpackers.
It’s a service called BooksInMyPhone and it allows travellers (and anyone else for that matter) to download entire books in digital format onto their cellphones, for reading on planes, trains, bus benches – generally anywhere that requires waiting around to get somewhere.
For a relatively small fee you can feed your mind with Jules Verne’s ‘A Journey To The Centre Of The Earth’ or H.G. Wells’ ‘A Modern Utopia’ – only classics are available – all from a device that seems anachronistic somehow (I wonder what Dickens would think?).
It’s a nice idea, and no doubt many people do read books in this way, but in my (humble) opinion, nothing beats the feeling of a good old-fashioned book that you can devour from cover to cover and slam shut triumphantly when you reach the other side.
But perhaps that’s just me.
Posted in General Travel, Travel Tools
March 6, 2007 at 7:10 pm
My husband is a huge fan of ebooks. Myself, I’m with you. But, I must say that not having to lug a book around when you’re out and about is a great idea.
March 6, 2007 at 10:15 pm
I just can’t get with the idea of reading the works of great writers from a tiny little cellphone screen… it just doesn’t seem respectful somehow (and my eyes would hurt).
March 8, 2007 at 12:55 am
You know, I was sceptical at first but it really is very very readable (at least the one i got from booksinmyphone.com). Its great – i have it everywhere with me and i’m often a bit early to pick up my kids or waiting for them to do karate etc etc and i always have a book with me.
PS I also read paper books at home, but on the road, its great to have books on my cell. You really should give it a try. And the thing about being respectful to the writers…..c’mon! Don’t you think they would prefer that we READ their work rather than not at all?
March 8, 2007 at 1:51 am
My Dad was the one who put me onto books in my phone. He travels a lot for business and he doesn’t like to check in luggage so big surprise he’s a big fan of anything that can minimise his carry-on. He’s almost 60 and is starting to suffer from cataracts…but the book reader comes with font sizes so he just increases it to the size he can see easily.