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Ideally Blue

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Ideally Blue

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books

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Dec 20 / 2:17am

Reading on multiple media

A couple of days ago I finished reading Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. I thoroughly enjoyed it (I may post a longer review later on, but I really liked learning the "behind the scenes" of much of what I witnessed from the outside over so many years).

With this book, for the first time, I decided to conduct an experiment. I got the book as an audiobook (from Audible, playing on my iPhone), as an ebook (using Kindle on my iPhone) and also the hardcover physical book. This allowed me to read the hardcover book when at home, to read the ebook whenever I was around and had some quiet time, or to listen to the audiobook when I was moving around (walking, driving, working out, etc.).

It worked quite well. Having multiple means of consuming the book allowed me to finish it in a shorter time, and also to experience the differences of each media type. Overall, for the sheer pleasure of reading, I think I still prefer reading on paper. But I really appreciate not having to carry the heavy book everywhere I go, and to be able to continue "reading" even when I could not focus my eyes on the book.

My one wish: synchronization! It would be great if the Kindle book and the Audible audiobook would synchronize among them, so that one would skip to wherever I stopped on the other (like what Kindle does when you read the same book across multiple devices).

Filed under  //  audible   books   kindle   reading   stevejobs