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sraun ([personal profile] sraun) wrote2011-03-24 03:22 am
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Reading in the dark

Yeah, I know - it's a silly subject. But it's a serious question.

I recently got a Kindle. I've been trying to decide if I want the Amazon Deluxe Case with Built-In LED Light, or something cheaper. And I've been thinking about my reading habits. I haven't read by anything other than ambient light since I was in elementary school, reading by flashlight under the covers when I was supposed to be sleeping.

My options:
1) Get the fancy Amazon cover - pros: all in one, only one thing to carry; cons: all in one, more expensive, heavier
2) Get a plainer cover and an external light - pros: possibly cheaper, possibly lighter; cons: adds another thing to my 'carry around' pile
3) Get a plainer cover: pros: probably cheaper, probably lighter, only one thing to carry, can upgrade to option 2 at my convenience; cons: can't read in the dark

So, here's the question: if you own an eInk-based ereader - Kindle, non-color Nook, some Sony devices - how often do you read on it using a booklight or other light source that just illuminates the device? Is this more or less frequently than you read dead tree books by booklight or similar illumination?

If you have an opinion - regardless of whether or not you own a relevant ereader - which of my options would you go for, and why?

ETA: FYI, part of what's going on here is I'm trying to convince myself that I'd actually find the light useful. So I'm likely to be poking fairly hard at some of the 'yes' entries, to try to figure out if they really apply to me.

[identity profile] verana1111.livejournal.com 2011-03-25 01:54 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm on my second Sony reader, and bought an outboard reading light that I never used even once. I eventually moved it to the Rummikub game box, where we use it to help tell the blue & black pieces apart when we play.

On covers, I am completely addicted to Oberon design covers. They are lovely, very protective, and comfortable to hold with the cover folded to the back for reading. It's worth looking at them even if you're not going to buy--they're beautiful. www.oberondesign.com

[identity profile] verana1111.livejournal.com 2011-03-25 01:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Added: I agree with the upstream comment: generally if the light is low, I simply increase the font size.