First off, I want to apologize for being so long between posts.  It's been a crazy month.  With that said, on to our topic.  One of the things I've seen thrown at me more and more of late is the subject of ebooks and how they're superior in every way to every other form of printed or book media (including audiobooks).  As such, I want to lay out to you a few points to consider before joining in with the "ebooks are superior to all" crowd.

Now don't think that I'm dissing ebooks.  They have their place in the market, and they are a great solution for a LOT of people.  However, they are NOT for everyone.  First off, let me lay out the facts about sales figures.  Right now, according to the latest sales numbers, ebooks are about 8% of the total market.  But that's in total dollar sales, and not actual units.

If you adjust for the fact that the average price of a print book is $12, and an ebook is about $4, that means that the total number of ebook sales is more like 20% of the market, rather than 8% if you go by units sold rather than total income.  Yes, I understand that there's presently no effective way to track ebook sales numbers (except in dollars), but that's because the big book companies don't want to track accurate sales numbers.  It's more profitable if they don't than if they do.  The idea is, if they don't know the exact amount, they can get away with underpaying people rather than giving them the true amount due them.  It's a greed thing, but I'll touch on that in another blog post.  Hopefully.

Anyhow, let's look at each of the four major book types out there, and see the advantages and disadvantages of each.  After that, I ask that you compare that to your needs.  Find the one that works best for you.

Print Books (paperback)
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Advantages:
* You own the book.
* It's easy to bookmark and come back to.
* It's easy to read in almost any light.
* You can sell your copy to someone, give it away, or trade it for another book.
* You can get it signed by the author.
* You can personalize it.
* Can be used for other non-literary applications, such as propping things up, spacers, etc.  
* Cheaper solution if you enjoy reading a book more than once.
* Can be read when the power is out (as long as you have light), or anywhere that you have no ability to charge your electronic reader or use it (such as on planes).
* They last forever, if properly taken care of.
* Can often be free if rented from the library, shared, or cheap if bought second hand, and sometimes brand new if you can find a good bargain.

Disadvantages
* You can't do word searches (you can only do this on ebooks)
* Bulky and takes up space
* Susceptible to water.  (can be water damaged, but are quite often still readable afterwards.)
* Easily torn.
* Sometimes they're expensive.  (usually only applies to books that are highly in demand or collectible)
* No batteries, hardware, or anything special required (except light, and the ability to read.  lol)
* Kills lots of trees (unless made from recycled paper or some other green alternative)

Print Books (hardcover)
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Advantages:
( Same as paperback, plus the following: )
* Has a hard, protective cover and a replaceable dust jacket.
* Studier and easier to store.
* Worth more as a collectible and lasts longer.

Disadvantages
( Same as paperback )

Ebooks
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Advantages:
* Cheaper than all other books (usually)
* Zero storage space required (except for the reader, and the digital storage medium)
* Thousands of books can be stored in one place at a time.
* Cheaper solution if you read a LOT of books.  (minimum 50+ per year)
* Free reading software
* Books can be read out loud by some ereaders.
* Good for people who only read a book once and throw it away.
* Searchable.  You can search for and find specific words or phrases easily.

Disadvantages
* Requires a reader.
* Most have DRM (digital rights management) which takes away your user rights.
* You can't share them (legally anyways)
* You don't legally own the book (ebook agreements say you "rent" the book, not own it)
* Formats change regularly, which may leave you without a readable book.
* EReaders are expensive and only last a few years, then it has to be replaced.
* EReaders have to be regularly recharged and consume resources (ie, power)
* EReaders generate lots of pollution, both in manufacture, and disposal.
* Prohibitively expensive if you don't read a lot of books (referring to the need for a reader)
* Hurts the environment if you read it on your PC, as you're burning a lot of power.
* Can't be read if the battery is dead (reader), or power is out (computer).
* EReaders can easily be broken, are highly susceptible to water, and don't last long (2-4 years max)

Audio Books
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Advantages:
* No need to read the book.  It's read for you.
* Book is read by a real person rather than a computer (typically, as a few are read by machines, but most are done by humans, or groups of them)
* A good way to enjoy books when on the move, driving, etc.
* A well read audio book can be even more enjoyable than reading it, as the characters come to life even more than if you're reading it.
* Can be listened to almost anywhere.
* Can be just as compact as an ebook (mp3/digital audio only)

Disadvantages
* Requires a media player (cd, tape, mp3, computer, etc)
* Requires power (to run the player device)
* Can be bulkier than a regular book (cd's and tapes only)
* Can be damaged (tape/cd)
* Can be WAY more expensive than any other format (depending on book and medium)

Well, that's the general gist of the various books.  I'll probably update this list a couple times as I fine tune this list, but for now, there it is.  In general, the type of book you choose depends on what your needs are.  For most people I recommend paperback books.  For the collector, hard covers.  For the prolific, "once is enough" type reader who reads a lot of books, but only once, and never again, then I recommend ebooks.  For those who drive a lot, or are quite often busy on their feet or with their hands, audiobooks are best.

So there's a book type for everyone.  You just have to find out what that is.  Yes, I agree that audiobooks are good for a number of people, but when it comes down to it, paperback books are still the best choice.  I'm not saying that from a nostalgic perspective.  I'm saying it from a practical perspective.  Sure, it kills a lot of tree, but if people recycle often, including sharing copies and recycling used paper (including books), then the impact is minimal, and likely quite a bit less than any digital alternative.

But in the end the choice is yours, the reader, as you must decide what's best for you.  I hope this guide has been informative for you, and made you think about which is best for you.  Now you don't have to stick with all one type.  You can mix and match, but in the end it should be what works best for you.