Another IPod question (related to e-books)

[ckay87]

I know there is no shortage of IPod questions here, but bear with me. I've been using a non-IPod MP3 player for many years, but I never got into the Apple world til now.

Got my son (18) an 8G IPod touch for Christmas. He is also asking for an e-reader, but as I understand it, you can kind of use the IPod as an e-reader (he's not getting both, btw). Has anyone done this, and do you have any opinions or other thoughts on it? Do you purchase books through ITunes? We got him a good amount of ITunes gift cards and I'm wondering if he can use those to purchase books, too. Is there a decent selection?

Do the books take up a lot of space on the machine? I'm second-guessing the 8G decision, but I've already spent a ton of money on him and don't want to increase the memory if not needed.

And actually that brings me to my final, general IPod question: Is the media you buy from ITunes yours to do with as you please? I'm spoiled with a non-IPod in that I purchase MP3 files and can load and unload them from my machine as needed. If I run out of memory on my device, I can just unload files onto my computer and have them back anytime I wish. With IPods do you have that freedom? How married are you to the ITunes application and how restrictive is that in the way you manage your files?

Thanks so much for helping me out on this one. Looking for some practical opinions from those of you who have been there.

 

[Desnik]

I can't answer all of your questions, sorry! But, I can answer about reading on an iPod. You download, for free, the apps from either Kindle, Barnes and Noble, or Borders (you can use them all you don't have to choose just one) and then purchase the books through them. with the Kindle app if you have an Amazon account you can set it up so you can get the book with just one click! it is so simple. So, gift cards to Amazon would work best, or the other book stores. The difference between reading on an iPod and an e-reader like the Kindle is the screen. The ereaders are like reading a book, the iPod is backlit. So, reading for long periods of time on an iPod can cause some people eye strain, especially those of us who wear glasses. I wear glasses and used my iPad as an ereader for a long time. I read a lot and I didn't really have too much trouble with eye strain. I finally got a Kindle and it is much easier to read on.

If your son reads a lot I would say get him an ereader. I know you said he can't get both but there have been some really great deals on the Nook.($99) If he will occasionally read on the iPod then just stick with that.

I have never purchased books through iTunes! We have iPods, iPad, Mac computers, Apple TV, and I have only used iTunes for music and movies. On the IPad they have iBooks, but I hardly use that. I am not sure if that is on the iPods but if it is then you can use that for reading and use your iTunes account to purchase books through that iBooks app. I find the iBooks to have a very limited library that is why I just stick with Amazon.

 

[DVCLiz]

I know there is no shortage of IPod questions here, but bear with me. I've been using a non-IPod MP3 player for many years, but I never got into the Apple world til now.

Got my son (18) an 8G IPod touch for Christmas. He is also asking for an e-reader, but as I understand it, you can kind of use the IPod as an e-reader (he's not getting both, btw). Has anyone done this, and do you have any opinions or other thoughts on it? Do you purchase books through ITunes? We got him a good amount of ITunes gift cards and I'm wondering if he can use those to purchase books, too. Is there a decent selection?

Do the books take up a lot of space on the machine? I'm second-guessing the 8G decision, but I've already spent a ton of money on him and don't want to increase the memory if not needed.

And actually that brings me to my final, general IPod question: Is the media you buy from ITunes yours to do with as you please? I'm spoiled with a non-IPod in that I purchase MP3 files and can load and unload them from my machine as needed. If I run out of memory on my device, I can just unload files onto my computer and have them back anytime I wish. With IPods do you have that freedom? How married are you to the ITunes application and how restrictive is that in the way you manage your files?

Thanks so much for helping me out on this one. Looking for some practical opinions from those of you who have been there.

If you have to choose, I think you made the right choice. Having said that, I would do my best to get him an ereader, too - they are very different machines and an ereader with an eink screen would be far superior to reading on a small backlit device. The new Kindle wifi is $139 so at least let him know about that and if you are choosing any more gifts for him or if relatives ask, gift cards to Amazon would give him a head start on purchasing a Kindle as well as having an iTouch.

Yes, he can purchase books from the iTunes store. Browse the iBooks site and you can see the selection and the prices. With the iTouch, he can download the apps for Kindle, Nook and also the iBooks store and purchase from all three. With the iTouch he won't be tied to one company's reader. But, if he gets a Nook or a Kindle later, he will only be able to read the books that correspond to that reader - only Amazon purchases on a Kindle and only B&N purchases on a Nook. There are thousands of free books as well that can be read on both readers.

He will be able to move a book he purchased from Amazon or iTunes back to the servers - not sure if B&N offers this as well but I assume they do. So, any book he wanted to read could be moved to the iTouch, then when he finished it he could send it back to the server and it wouldn't take up room on his iTouch. Does that make sense to you?