Asklemmy

Physical. The whole feel of it and for old books the smell. Can't beat it. But I still read most books on my phone or a Kindle.

Digital - easier to carry and to handle while reading. Plus u can read on a phone/laptop in dark environments as well. However for reading on a plane, where I'm sitting in one place, I somehow prefer physical books as they're less painful than looking at a lit up screen for extended periods of time.

Physical. I love the smell of paper.

I do occasionally use a Kobo, which is a very convenient little device. However, I prefer a paper book.

I really don't see the appeal of paperbooks anymore. Ebooks are infintly more practical. Lightweight and easily fillable with endless content. Why would I ever want to lug around a single novel when I can just slide my entire library in my purse?

Digital because you can alternate between stuff.

Physical but I have to use digital. An e-ink reader plus an external hard drive allows me to read entire libraries worth of books anywhere I go. You keep two hard drives with a RAID system and you can store those with almost zero risk of failure barring two mechanical faults occurring at once.

Digital because I can read all of my childhood favorites or new finds on my phone!

I can't read anything longer than 100 or so pages on my phone, I just put it down and never pick back up. I like physical books but I mostly read on e-ink kobo. The last few big doorstop type books were/are on e-ink

I prefer an e-reader and digital books. I pirate them for my kindle.

• No space and weight so you can take them anywhere
• Piracy
• Can download far faster than ordering or going to the bookstore
• Can find niche or foreign books my local bookstores don't have
• Built-in dictionary and translation is just moah
• Adjustable text size or font
• Easy on the eyes, can read in the dark
• Can pick up where you left off super easily, no need to worry about bookmarks

I was not an avid reader prior to the Kindle purchase. I used to read comic books almost exclusively haha. Nowadays my reading habits include more book reading as well. The Kindle was honestly one of the best purchases I've ever made.

Digital! But only in a kindle paperwhite. Or perhaps any other e-ink screen, but not LEDs.

• I can read lying down on my side without having to roll over or hold the book weird
• If I drop it in the tub it doesn’t matter
• I can change the font of whatever I read to OpenDyslexic, which helps me read faster and with far less eye strain
• I can read in the dark
• I can highlight portions and take notes without permanently marking up a book
• I can long-press any word to see its definition. Same for translations of vocab I don’t know when I’m reading in Spanish
• I can get a new book in seconds
• I get to finally have an aspect of the third millennium technology that I actually kind of enjoy

I know traditionally the dream fantasy of book readers has been to own an expansive physical library, with shelf after shelf full of book spines, but I just could never get into it. I'm a data hoarder, not an object hoarder! All my books are digital, mandatory in plaintext DRM-free format, sorted and backed up. I find joy in the knowledge that everything I have ever read is instantly grep'able, ageless, and can fit in my pocket (on a thumbdrive) wherever I go.

I do prefer to read on e-ink as well, because the device is lighter than any book, guaranteed to fit in my pocket, can hold multiple books, and gives me control over font size. The only downside is when the battery gets old it needs more frequent recharging. A paper book will not refuse to work for lack of power!

I prefer either physical or audiobooks. I seem to have a hard time concentrating and reading books digitally.

Digital on the Kindle Paperwhite, but only because it's easier and I don't accumulate a physical book if I buy it (if the library doesn't have it). I like book books but don't like owning many books.

Comics/graphic novels I like on paper. No other format compares.

Can't do audiobooks, I read faster than I talk or listen so the pace bothers me.

I haven't investigated, but I'd give digital books a shake if I could find a solution that doesn't put control of my library in the hands of Amazon or similar, phone home for analytics, etc. I don't object to the idea in principal. But until I feel safe doing it, I'm still reading physical books.

As someone who used to write extensive notes in the margins of books digital notetaking has forever replaced physical books for me.

E-ink all the way

Physical. Paper or fiche!

I prefered physical books for the texture of the pages and the smell of the paper. And my eyes become quickly tired on a screen.
However, I probably read more on screen, btw text messages, social media and articles... I also read comics : super shorts onse, or webtoon that are beautifully designed for a digital reading experience, unlike many digital novel.

And OP, you forget about audiobooks.

Digital for entertaining books, paper for technical stuff. But most of the time can't afford one, so just digital.

Physical. My ideal invention would look like a blank book. Pages would feel like paper. Insert a 'disc' and text downloads onto the pages. Now it looks and reads like a physical book. Perfect for camping/travel. After you finish the story, you can change the text to a new novel. Of course, you could have pictures and other illustrations. Probably wouldn't be a giant seller, but I'd want one.

Digital most of the time, physical for the special books I like

I prefer digital books because of the following points:

• There is a book price control in Germany, meaning that you can't get new physical books cheaper. This does not apply to digital books.
• They take less physical space.
• I can read them everywhere with either my Smartphone that I already have with me at all times or my tablet. I do not have to plan to read a book when I'm on the go.
• I can quickly search for something in a reference book if I have it in digital form. This is not possible with physical books.

Only downside:

• I need to have a device when I want to read a digital book. And this needs to be charged. But this is rarely a problem.

Physical because it's easier to focus.

For reading, digital. I can have access to a functionally unlimited number of books. They also tend to be less expensive. That makes a difference for media like manga where it racks up pretty quickly. And I can make adjustments to the text and lighting that help with readability.

I still like having some books around as decoration. They bring a room together nicely.

I prefer digital with no drm but if that is not possible I will get a physical book.

I go about 50/50 these days.

Browsing a bookstore will always beat out a website. Favorite books or authors will always get a physical purchase. Used books are cheap and awesome. And sometimes lengthy books are easier for me to get through if they're physical.

But I love the convenience of my Kindle. I have a ton of books and can add to that collection any time I want. I can adjust text size, font, etc. Dictionary lookup. Syncs progress with the phone app so I can literally pick up and read anywhere.