I hear that it’s quite possible to jailbreak your kindle these days, and that sounds super cool.

But a lot of e-Readers tend to be quite expensive. Why would you purchase an e-Reader if you already have your phone? Even if you didn’t, your average phone is still gonna be cheaper than an e-Reader. Depending on the phone you’ll get, it’s also more durable and portable, probably even waterproof. Phones also tend to have more storage than ereaders. They even come with color. (I know color e-Readers exist, but they’re even MORE expensive, and they also come with their own issues that black-n-white e-Readers don’t have.)

Yeah, eReaders have more battery life than phones, and they’re also easier on the eyes. But overall, why buy an e-Reader to jailbreak if you already have a phone?

  • rowinxavier@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3·
    1 day ago

    The difference in cost for a black and white or colour ereader is fairly minimal now, mine was about $30 more than the black and white. I’m using a Kobo Clara Colour. I have installed NickelMenu and KoReader and absolutely love it.

    The difference between that and my phone is significant. My phone has to be maximum brightness to be readable outside, but my Kobo is fine. Eink relies on reflected light so bright external lights like the sun don’t make it look bad, they actually make it look better. The size is also a bit more suited to reading, though you are correct that phones are often close to that size now. These are reasons, but they are not the main reason.

    It can’t do music or web browsing, nor can it have much in the way of apps and games. It can’t get messages or emails, and notifications are not even supported. Why do I use it? To read. It is for reading while doing nothing else. I can decide that I will now read for an hour and just put my phone somewhere else, maybe on charge, while I do so. I can focus on that one task and smash it out without anything else getting in the way. It is glorious.

    I am going to get an MP3 player soon given how great my experience of separating reading has been. Using my phone for everything is great for travel but the cost is the constant intrusions. I have notifications off for most things and that helps, but the availability of everything all the time is just not something I cope well with. I think my phone will continue to be my camera for the most part, and my communication tool as well, but moving music and reading off seems to be a good path.