In this era of all things electronic, books have gone digital. While some argue in favor of the old-school charm of physical books, it’s hard to deny the unmatched features that eBooks offer.
According to a study, eBooks accounted for 34% of book sales in 2023. While this figure may seem relatively modest compared to traditional book sales, the rapid rate at which this percentage is increasing underscores the efficiency and growing popularity of electronic books.
In this blog, we’ll explore eBook features that make them strong competitors to traditional printed books.
Table of Contents:
eBooks vs Digital Books
Customization
The first noteworthy eBook feature is the capacity to personalize our reading experience. In an eBook, changing text size or style is not troublesome.
There are also certain parts in a book that we like so much that we need to revisit them as often as possible. It’s difficult to always remember the page number. Luckily, with eBooks you can easily highlight specific entries or bookmark them for quick access. You can even add annotations.
These customizations improve the involvement of the reader; it’s like painting on a canvas.
Interactive Elements
Electronic books are extremely engaging due to their interactive elements. These books can integrate audio and video, which is extremely beneficial for educational purposes. These can help students visualize concepts more effectively, and as is commonly known, visual aids promote better retention of information.
Another handy feature is the clickable table of contents. Want to go to a specific topic? Just click on it in the table of contents. This conserves time and is more efficient. Links to additional resources can also be added.
KITABOO, a digital publishing platform, allows content creators to incorporate all these interactive elements along with others such as animations and pop-ups.
Accessibility
Why lug around heavy books when you can get all your eBooks on a single gadget? Be it your smartphone, tablet, or PC, eBooks can be read anywhere at any time.
Digital textbook platforms like KITABOO let you download and read your eBooks offline so you can keep reading smoothly even when there’s no internet access. Moreover, with eBooks, you can carry a whole library with you anywhere without the extra weight and mass of paper books.
Cost Effectiveness
People often assume that eBooks cost a lot, but that’s not true. Purchasing eBooks actually saves you money in the long run. Just think about having all your books on one device through a single subscription. You can save a good amount of time and money by choosing eBooks rather than buying books every time from a bookstore or waiting for online orders to come.
Publishing too is much more cost-effective in electronic formats. Printing a physical book requires a long process with many expenses. The costs of printing numerous copies are substantially higher. As a result, publishing and reading are more affordable with eBooks.
Text-to-Speech Functionality
Reading a book manually might be challenging if one is too busy with their schedule. The text-to-speech feature enables you to listen to the eBook even when you’re occupied. This feature is particularly beneficial for individuals with disabilities. Moreover, it allows for multitasking, as you can listen to your eBook while doing other tasks like exercising, commuting, or cooking. This enhances productivity and maximizes the use of your time.
Additionally, the text-to-speech feature often comes with adjustable settings, allowing you to customize the listening experience according to your preferences, such as adjusting the speed or tone of voice.
Easy Updates
When it comes to academic reading, you can’t always rely on books that are outdated. If there’s an update, you often have to wait a long time for the newer edition to be published.
Digital books can be updated whenever the creator wants, allowing readers to access the latest information and eBook content. Additionally, updating an eBook is not as hard as creating an entirely new edition, giving eBooks the upper hand in this case.
Environmental Friendliness
eBooks offer a sustainable alternative to physical books as they eliminate the need for paper.
Shareable Content
There are occasions when we wish to share the books we’ve read with our peers. However, sharing a single physical book with multiple people can be challenging. Additionally, when you’ve lent out your book, it becomes inaccessible for your own reference.
On the other hand, digital books make sharing eBook content with peers effortless, and you can still access the material yourself whenever needed. This eBook feature can greatly enhance discussions among peers and facilitate collaboration.
Storage Space
Not everyone has enough space for physical books, but with eBooks, you don’t need any space for storage. You can carry as many books as you want in your pocket or on your device, making it easy to access your entire library wherever you go. Plus, eBooks often come with cloud storage, so you can access your books from multiple devices without worrying about storage space.
Syncing across Devices
With eBooks syncing across multiple devices, you can seamlessly transition to reading on your tablet or laptop. This flexibility ensures that you never miss a moment of your reading journey, regardless of which device you have on hand. Plus, eBook platforms often offer automatic syncing, so your progress is always up to date, no matter which device you’re using.
Rounding Up
In summary, eBooks offer numerous advantages over traditional printed books, including customization, interactivity, affordability, and environmental friendliness. With eBooks, readers can personalize their reading experience, access interactive content, and contribute to a more sustainable future. Whether you’re a reader, author, or publisher, eBooks provide a convenient and accessible way to enjoy and share content.
Now that you’re familiar with eBook features, are you ready to publish your own? Contact us today to learn more!
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Kitaboo is a cloud-based content platform to create-publish & securely distribute interactive mobile-ready ebooks.
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