on the e-reader as an "it" device

mixed feelings from a seasoned e-reader owner

E-readers are undeniably having their moment these days. While literacy rates and book sales are still pretty grim, it’s also true that reading has crawled its way back to being a mainstream hobby, and digital publishing at large seems to have finally found its footing.

The renewed interest in e-ink devices from companies such as Kindle and Kobo has created a virtuous cycle of technological innovation. We can now choose between black-and-white and color e-ink, and access subscription-based services in addition to single purchases and… different kinds of sideloading (let’s not pretend piracy doesn’t play a part in this, come on).

Moreover, e-readers are now part of a consistent, widespread aesthetic. If you inhabit the “book”-something corners of the Internet as much as I do, you know what I am referring to. And if you don’t, don’t worry: I will provide examples.

E-readers are probably my favorite piece of tech to ever exist and have been around for literally half of my life, so why am I so torn about their newfound popularity? Isn’t this all I ever wanted? Francesca, could you just stop whining once and for all, dammit?

Source

some much needed context

Well, good news: I’m not here to complain. Not about e-readers themselves, at least. I have been a proud owner of a Kobo first and foremost, then a couple of Kindles, then my Kobo Libra Colour (also known as my beautiful little child) since last December.

I received my first Kobo as a birthday gift in 2012, for my fifteenth birthday. The girl who, just a year earlier, had asked for glittery gel pens and shopping sprees had now developed cultural and political awareness. But, most of all, she had run out of ideas. She loved both books and technology, so she asked for a Kobo e-reader, which is still (barely) functioning in 2025.

To be fair, I am also barely functioning in 2025, so who am I to judge.

I have stuck around reading e-books on pretty much any screen I could find through tough times. I got a master’s degree in media and publishing, where most of my professors thought e-readers were on the verge of extinction and fellow students probably thought I was less of a reader for not inhaling the smell of paper enough. Ugh, whatever.

Enough about me, though.

We have finally reached a time in which more people are reading in ways and formats that are practical, customizable, and accessible. As for any other device, a vaster audience leads the way for better support and faster innovations.

On the other hand, the shadow of capitalism looms heavy upon the world of e-readers.

please don’t call me a “kindle girlie”, I will commit a felony

To put it bluntly, my beloved e-readers have become one of the main symbols of overconsumption.

Spend enough time on Booktok or in the Reels tab of Bookstagram, and you will find different kinds of content about e-readers. I use, much to my dismay, “Kindle” as a blanket term, but Kobos are often featured as well:

• Kindle accessories, from stickers and cases to charms and trinkets shaped like chunky babies or little animals;

• Kindle “refreshes”, in which the owner does a complete makeover of said Kindle accessories;

• Kindle hauls, in which actual e-books finally pop up (hooray) as the owner shows their purchases for the week or month;

• Entire collections of multiple e-readers for different purposes.

Thoughts of landfills and polluted environments flash before my eyes, ruining this pastel-colored bliss.

I’m actually not worried about e-readers themselves, which are notably sturdy devices that stand the test of time way better than phones and even computers. The same can’t be said about their accessories, most of which scream “Temu” from miles away.

So called “purse Kindles” are another big pet peeve of mine and a notable exception to the e-reader sturdiness mentioned before. Despite their name, they are actually cheap, already obsolete Android devices that will brick in a matter of years if not months. Come on, using e-ink instead of a backlit screen is the entire point, what are we doing here?

Lastly, personal tastes and aesthetics are not strictly part of this discourse, but it’s safe to say the whole “Kindle girlie” shtick does not represent me on that front, either.

the big “however”

However. Since my prefrontal cortex is now allegedly developed in full, I don’t feel any less joy from picking up my Kobo just because someone else uses e-readers in a more shallow way than I do.

In the end, as single-use devices, e-readers are mostly blank slates meant to be filled with books, performing the magic of compressing thousands and thousands of pages into a small, thin frame. Medieval monks would have killed for this, I think.

Looking at the bigger picture, the way other people use something I also happen to own has nothing to do with it, or with me as a person. If a tried and true Kindle girlie sticks a “SMUT LOVER” heart-shaped sticker on the back of her e-reader, she is not forcing me to slap it on the back of my Kobo as well. So why should I care?

You can - and should - absolutely develop a critical eye towards consumption and overconsumption, but to perceive it as a degradation of your own experience, to feel personally offended by other people’s behavior, goes a bit too far. Correlation does not imply causation.

tips for mindful e-reader owners

I figured I would use the last part of this post to encourage you to use your e-reader, or even purchase one if you’re still new to them, in a more mindful way:

1. Buy second-hand, especially if it’s your first e-reader. Use overconsumption to your own advantage: platforms such as eBay and Vinted are home to great deals if you have enough patience.

2. Treat it well and you will be rewarded. As I said, Kobos and Kindles are sturdy beasts and the technology behind ebook formats is as basic as it can be. If you only care about reading, any basic model is more than enough.

3. Personalization does not require a big budget or Temu hauls. I always splurge on cases, which are the most functional accessory you could ever own, and you can print out the design you want on the back of your e-reader instead of buying sticker packs. Or use the letter stickers that come with diaries such as Moleskines. The options are endless!

4. Knowledge is power. I’m not even advocating anything illegal here, but please learn about Digital Rights Management (DRMs) and different formats and licenses. Use your digital library access if you’re lucky enough to have it, research about different operating systems and know your rights as a customer.

---

In the end, e-readers are my “it” device and have been for a long time: I hope they stick around, and if all else fails they will end up much like scrunchies - not much in fashion anymore, but still loved and cherished by me.

I hope something else means the same to you, in spite of trends and algorithms.

Love, Francesca