The ancient Sumerians etched cuneiform script into clay tablets as far back as 3,200 B.C. The first printing press that allowed for the mass production of written texts wouldn't appear until roughly 1440, when Johannes Gutenberg invented movable type.
Now, next to a modern e-reader, printed books are starting to feel like clay tablets — cumbersome, expensive to produce, and easy to damage.
But it looks like we have a new kind of printing press, with the advent of e-readers like Kindle, Nook, Sony Reader and Kobo Reader.
Some read books on their smartphones, tablets and laptops. However, staring at a bright computer screen for hours on end can strain your eyes. Further, flipping pages on your smartphone or other devices can quickly drain your battery, perhaps leaving you without charge by the end of the day.
Using e-ink, e-readers provide a look and feel similar to printed text. Unlike traditional screens, e-ink screens don't need to project light with a backlight. Instead, these so-called reflective screens can operate without lighting at all, instead relying on environmental light. Despite the "reflective" name, e-readers substantially reduce glare, making them easy to use outdoors.
E-ink screens are also "bistable," which means if you shut off the device, whatever's on the screen (say, the cover of your favorite book) will remain. The above features all add up decreased energy use and long battery life. In fact, you can often go a week or more without having to plug your e-reader in.
The benefits don't stop there. E-readers allow you to change fonts and adjust font sizes. Many people struggle to read the text in a mass-market paperback, but with an e-reader, you can adjust the font to your liking. You can also carry hundreds or even thousands of books in your pocket, purse or backpack. It should come as no surprise that bookworms around the world are turning to e-readers.
