The Importance of Page Turn Styles

Before the Kindle debuted in 2007, and even now, with e-readers becoming the norm, there is something about the ability to flip through pages in a book.  In used book stores and libraries you’ll find a lot of dog eared pages.  Quite handy when there’s no bookmark available.

I was reading an article earlier today about program that replicates the tactile sensation of turning pages in a book.  It works on a tablet, like the iPad, but not really on the Kindle.

Electronic page flips are really cool, but you have to get used to it.  It allows for more tangible bookmarks and highlights.  You can flip through the book without bending the pages.  It gives the look and feel of a book.

The Kindle’s page turning methods are kind of blah, but they have their benefits as well.  The simplicity doesn’t take suck up memory.  You also don’t have to worry about losing your place.  The e-reader takes you back where you left off, even across different devices.

The drawbacks are that it is harder to get to different parts of the book.  You have to take a couple of steps to get to the spot.  There’s no tangible indicator to let you know where in the book you are, except for the percentage point.

How important is the page turn style to you?  It is true that once you’re immersed in a book, the formatting doesn’t really matter so much.

Digital natives are growing up with e-readers, and won’t get a chance to really appreciate the nostalgia of print books as much.  Sign of the times I suppose. Learn how to open pages file.

The good news is, that no matter what our preferences are, we have options.  I still read regular books in conjunction with my Kindle.  So, if I want the nostalgia, I head over to the used book store.  I think these options will be around for awhile yet, at least until print no longer plays much of a role in the world of reading.