Textbook alternatives
Electronic books transport students, professors from textbooks pages to wireless tablets
Stacy Wagoner
Issue date: 6/4/09 Section: Campus
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Kindle is a hardware and software platform that allows users to download and read books, magazines, and newspapers electronically in a handheld, lighted display. The screen is meant to look like paper pages.
The original Kindle was released in 2007 and sold out in five and a half hours. Since then, Amazon has released a Kindle 2, the iPhone application, and now the latest, Kindle DX last month.
However, the price of the Kindle might be too costly for some students. The latest 9.7-inch wireless reading device retails for $489, plus the cost of books.
The prices of books, however, are significantly less than those at a new or used bookstore. According to ComputerWorld.com, the Kindle can pay for itself after 20 to 30 novels. Consider how quickly it would pay for itself purchasing less-than-half-price textbooks at roughly $50 a book.
Others who like the feel of physical books and paper don't believe they could make the change.
"I can't imagine not experiencing the feel of the pages," English professor Sharon Russell said. "I get so tired of looking at screens of any kind."
Some professors already have started giving students the option of buying textbooks online through the publisher on the Internet.
Carrol M. Stripling teaches computer applications. She gave her students the option to use the electronic textbook version; one student did.
The next, and less expensive, route would be e-books online in which underlining text and note taking is not a problem.
Early childhood education professor Krissy Kim has been using the instructor's tutorial on the publisher's website.
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