TECHNOLOGY
Net gain for avid readers
Ever so often we experience technology in a way that changes our lives forever. It's like a switch that is flipped and we can never go back. I remember when this happened with me and the Internet; I could fulfil my desire for information without even leaving the comfort of my house. I was mesmerised by the technology and my life wasn't the same from that point.
This sort of change was something I experienced with the mobile phone and then with Facebook.
As someone who has always been interested in acquiring knowledge, like a lot of us are, I have been interested in books and the information they contain. The fact that writing a book takes up over a year of a writers life on average has always fascinated me. Going back a decade or so, I always wanted to read but I could never settle on a book, besides the ones that were labelled as bestsellers. This wasn't a problem I was facing alone, a lot of people happened to be confronted with the same choices. There were lots of books available and no meaningful ways to sort through them besides the fiction and non-fiction categories at the bookstore. The only source I had to both hear about and decide on a book was the people I knew, and they did not really like reading.
All of this changed with the advent of e-commerce and the internet which lead to the creation of devices such as the Kindle. The kindle is a unique e-reader or a device capable of reading digitised versions of books. The digitisation of books is a huge step forward for people interested in reading but Amazon really took it one step forward with the Kindle. By combining the power of the Amazon store and it's built in customer review system with access to purchasing and reading books wherever you are on a device that is designed to provide you with the closest digital representation of the experience of reading a book, the Kindle is no small achievement.
Everybody has a story to tell, but publishers cannot afford to publish everyone's story. The digital revolution of reading has changed that, people can now self publish e-books at a fraction of the cost of what was possible a decade ago and hence are not dependant on the Publishers approval. This process was made possible because of self-publishing on platforms like Amazon and Google Play Store that has lead to the discovery of so many great books that would not have been available otherwise.
Reading while travelling has also changed in a profound way. The latest generation of the Amazon Kindle which includes devices such as the Kindle Voyage provide you with free network access so you can download books while you are travelling and do not have access to Wi-Fi. This is huge because you might be on a long vacation and somebody just told you about a book that you cannot pickup locally but want to read. The Kindle makes this possible.
Even though it is an obvious result of digitisation, hard to find and books that sell out quickly are always available now. I remember spending a lot of time looking for two transformative books, The Fall of the Human Intellect and The Holocaust of Attachment, both written by Swami Parthasarathy, which are not available at most places and sell out quickly where they are. The Amazon store delivered both the books to me within seconds. This was one of those moments where I had realised that a profound change had taken place in terms of my access to books.
In addition to the Kindle, the digitisation of reading has also lead to the easy distribution of audiobooks. What used to be difficult to acquire before is now available easily. Thanks to digitisation it is also possible to get different voices for the same book giving the listener the option to choose which voice he or she likes the most. Both audiobooks and e-books have made it to the mobile, making books a lot more accessible regardless of where you are.
The world of writers and readers alike has been changed for good. Brick and Mortar establishments are disappearing and new e-commerce websites are popping up all the time.
Although everybody might not like it, this is the direction we are moving towards and it is the direction that will benefit everybody involved and create an environment where the best information can thrive.
IND vs NZ, 2nd Test Dream11 prediction: Fantasy cricket tips for India vs New Zealand match
How To Prepare For The UPSC CSE 2025 Exam?
'India supports dialogue and diplomacy, not war': PM Modi at BRICS Summit
This woman lost in Dubai's desert orders camel via Uber, netizens say 'your camel has arrived'
Good news for Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Paytm gets NPCI nod to..., shares surge over 7%
Fan requests Rohit Sharma to deliver her message to Virat Kohli, here's how Indian captain responded
Rajkummar Rao recalls being scammed in Delhi during struggle days: 'The man had...'
Robbers pose as customers in jewellery shop, what owner did next will leave you shocked
Maharashtra Elections 2024: NCP releases 1st list of 38 candidates; Ajit Pawar to contest from…
Japanese Shah Rukh Khan leaves Bollywood Badshah's fan impressed, social media says...
Will KL Rahul be retained by LSG ahead of IPL Auction? New report provides BIG update, it says...
'Wayanad will have two MPs': Rahul Gandhi after Priyanka files nomination for bypolls
I Want To Talk teaser: Abhishek Bachchan announces his next with Shoojit Sircar, to release on...
Diwali 2024: When is Deepawali, October 31 or November 1? Check dates, mahurat timings and more
JEE Main 2025 exam date to release TODAY: Know how to register, check exam calendar HERE
Jhalmuri fever hits London: Video of British man selling Kolkata-style street food goes viral, watch
SC slams Centre as Delhi air worsens, calls environment laws...
Ex-cricketer suggests replacing KL Rahul with THIS batsman for 2nd Test vs NZ, he is…
TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee smashes bottle, hurls it towards Chair in row over Waqf meet
Know how Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani's children Isha Ambani and Akash Ambani got their names
Family finds venomous snakes under their bed, what happened next will leave you in shock
This company's Vice President gets fired after raise and bonus, reason will leave you shocked
Mukesh Ambani-led Jio Financial eyes JVs with Allianz SE in insurance sector
IMD's BIG update: Cyclone Dana forms over Bay of Bengal, to cross Odisha-Bengal coasts on...
This company gifts cars as Diwali bonus, calls its employees celebrities, is owned by…
Amid divorce rumours with Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan skips her family gathering
When Ratan Tata opened up about his parents separation, first love and childhood, he said...
Blow to Mukesh Ambani ahead of Isha Ambani, Akash Ambani's birthday, Reliance stocks...
Saudi Arabia's futuristic megacity project Neom a big threat to migratory birds? Experts say...
Apple CEO Tim Cook didn’t know about this iPhone feature, left speechless, know here
Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio offers superhit Diwali plan, unlimited 5G internet for just Rs...
Bengaluru Rains: Schools closed, WFH advisory for private companies as IMD issues yellow alert
Israel confirms killing of Hashem Safieddine, presumed successor of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah
Big move by Anil Ambani, his company to invest Rs 10000 crore to set up India's largest...
Meet Indian genius, who was born in small town, today leads AI innovations of Google, she is...
Woman stays at luxury resort worth Rs 3 lakh for free, claims she used...
Delhi AQI update: Air quality worsens to 'very poor' level at 349, becomes 'severe' in these areas
PM Modi to hold bilateral talks with Xi Jinping at BRICS Summit today
Odisha, West Bengal brace for Cyclone Dana: How was it named and what it means?
POCSO case: Mumbai Police ask Ekta Kapoor, her mother to appear for questioning tomorrow
Watch: Can you identify all the actors in this clip from 1991?
Priyanka Gandhi to file nomination for Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll today
Meet woman, whose father used to sell milk, cracked UPSC exam with AIR 62 to become...
Delhi: No water supply in Capital for 12 hours on Friday due to…; check list of affected areas
Salman Khan resumes shooting for Sikandar amid death threats from Lawrence Bishnoi
India, Pakistan extend Kartarpur Sahib corridor agreement for five years
DNA TV Show: What is BRICS currency? Is it possible to introduce it today?
IPL 2025: Three-time IPL champion set to join Gujarat Titans as batting coach - Reports
PM Modi, Xi Jinping to hold bilateral meet on sidelines of BRICS Summit on Oct 23, first in 5 years
New Himalayan snake species named after Academy Award winner Leonardo DiCaprio, it will be called…
Cyclone Dana: Schools closed in West Bengal, Odisha for 4 days from...
Delhi govt to provide special assistance of Rs 5000 monthly to...
Rape-accused Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein diagnosed with bone marrow cancer
IND vs NZ: Sarfaraz Khan or KL Rahul; Who will find a spot in 2nd Test? India coach says…
Mumbai Police interrogates Ekta Kapoor, her mother Shobha Kapoor in case under POCSO act
Mukesh Ambani may team up with govt to sell food products through...
Bengaluru: Several feared trapped as under-construction building collapses
Best Cheap VPS Hosting Providers: Top Picks for Hosting Under USD 10
Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal set to raise Rs 8500 crore, says it is meant to...