The article by Matt McFarland tells us that less people are reading books because we are too busy and new technology has received much more of our attention. Being an avid reader, I want to disagree and say that every day I see people siting and enjoying a book, but frankly, I can count the number of people I know who have read a book in the past month on one hand.
The invention Spritz was created to help people read faster and to be more focused while reading. Spritz rapidly flashes words on a screen in the exact same spot to provide the best comprehension and attention.
This could potentially change the way people read; however, I would not use it. Some may call me old fashioned but the only way I read is with a actual paper-filled book in my hands.
Mc Farland, Matt. "Books Are Losing the War for Our Attention. Here’s How They Could Fight Back." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2014. Web. 27 Sept. 2014.
I've used Spritz and I'm at 350 wpm. Also, in the last paragraph it should be ;however,
ReplyDeleteI think that this was a great article to write about. It is very debatable and can have many outputs on it. I agree with you though. I like having a paper book in front of me and being able to flip the pages. This might sound abnormal but I feel a sense of accomplishment every time I make it to a new chapter. If I was to mess up, which happens often, I feel that it would be hard to go back or “rewind.” I would not be one to use this.
ReplyDeleteIt's a tie between reading on my phone and having the actually copy of the book. For example, I'm going to read Fahrenheit 451 and The Lord of the Rings physically, but there are some books I would rather read electronically like the A Song of Ice and Fire series and Ender's Game. Over the summer, I found a program similar to Spritz. I used to read through a chapter or two of Bulfinch's Mythology on my computer, but I didn't really like it.
ReplyDeleteSpritz isn't just full of negatives, however. It doesn't match my reading style because I like to slow down and visualize the events of a narrative or think about the information in a non-fiction work. Using Spritz just feels like it decreases the value of text by showing a word at a time and not showing paragraphs, page numbers. I lose the feeling that I'm reading an actual book.
As a reader, I understand both the pros and cons of this new app. Overall, the cons seem to outweigh the pros for me; I would choose to stick to the good old-fashioned way to read. The new app may speed up your reading rate, but it wouldn't give you the feel of a regular book, or it wouldn't allow you that enchanting smell that only a book can give. I enjoyed this post and look forward to more!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI am an avid reader and love paper books, but I have found myself on wattpad lately. This would not be for me because it would feel like a game and take the fun out of the book. Flashing words would feel like it would be boring. However, I can see how this would help some people. If you are looking for a good book try Rogue by Isabella Modra.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of it... but there could be very many different opinions or outlooks on it. I love digital books on my phone or tablet mainly because they are very easy to transport and can be very convenient but I also love the way a physical hard back book feels.
ReplyDeleteI might use this product but not as a dominant resource.
This is indeed a debatable topic and I agree with most people that commented and a lot of others that are readers when I say that I would much rather have a nice Hardcover or paper bound book in my hand than an eBook.
ReplyDeleteOn the contrary, prices, convenience and portability have forced me to look at this topic at another angle so now I read both paper books when I can and books on my phone and tablet, which are not only cheaper, but they are easier to carry. these devices are synced so that I may read the same book, just on the go with my phone. But, as Arman said, there are some books that are just not appealing on paper that are a better read on a device but the same goes vice versa.
In a way this app sounds good, but at the same time I agree with your point of view on real books. When you get a new book there is this sense of rights to the book. "This is my book and I'm going to enjoy every page of it." When all of your books are just flashing words across your screen it seems like you can't get the real feeling in the authors words. I loved your blog post and I can't wait to read more.
ReplyDelete