CNET News.com's Greg Sandoval thought he found the right reading device, the Amazon Kindle, until he heard about Apple's soon-to-be-launched iPhone 3G (http://www.apple.com/iphone/). You might think they'd be two totally different devices serving different purposes. Not so Mr Sandoval:

I know Apple has said nothing about offering an e-reading application for the new iPhone. But what happens if Steve Jobs later surprises us or some developer turns the iPhone into a whiz-bang electronic reader? I'll tell you what happens, my Kindle ends up on eBay.

So I pass the question to our (hard-core) e-book users: Do you believe the iPhone could be turned into a whiz-bang electronic reader?

I think the question should be rephrased to something like "Could the iPhone become an adequate electronic reader?"

Of course anyone can read ebooks perfectly legibly on an iPhone but the whole point of eink is the old 'reflective' VS 'transflective' debate.
The screen on the iPhone is beautiful BUT it emits light and in certain lighting conditions that can be very stressful on the eyes.

It all depends on how you read your ebooks. If you read your books in 15min chunks in a well lit indoor environment then the iPhone will be adequate but for me, in bed with a side light, the iPhone could never replace a device with a reflective screen.

I also think the screen is too small to read novels comfortably.

E

How long do you think the iPhone will last if you keep its backlight constantly on?

Well,
if this is any indication where the Iphone is going
http://code.google.com/p/iphoneebooks/

It's also damn tiny for an e-reader. If Apple decided to do a little tablet thing with a larger screen... yes, they'd probably destroy any competition if they added ereader functionality and a decent store.. but an iphone? No.

See, some of us (and I'm not one of them) may be willing to use a palm device or iphone to read a book, but not most people. It's small, it's irritating to hold something like that and read for ages and ages (and I've used it in that way.) I LOVE my iPhone, and use it all the time for everything, but not books. It's not even the eInk thing, it's just the size. It's not efficient to read in those dimensions, the lines are too short, the page turns would be too frequent.

The reason the Kindle or the Sony Reader or Cybook or what-have-you are commercially viable is they recreate the reading experience, and over time we've worked out that the "paperback" size is just about right. Any smaller is too small, any bigger is unwieldy.

I think the iPhone at its new price point is going to shake a lot of industries, but I don't think books have a lot to worry about. Make the screen three times its current size and... well, that's another story all together. If Apple came out with a tablet-like touch device as expansive as the iphone but with a ebook feature and they had a decent book selection I'd toss my Kindle in a moment.

So I pass the question to our (hard-core) e-book users: Do you believe the iPhone could be turned into a whiz-bang electronic reader?

No, absolutely not. I have an iPod Touch (an iPhone minus the phone) and I think it would make a horrible book reader. The screen is too small, the battery life too short (around 6h or so with the backlight continually on) and a touch interface just doesn't work for a book reader.

On the other hand, it makes a great portable video player (which is primarily what I bought it for).

As a dedicated reader I don't think it could ever compare but it depends on your reading habits. There is a large population out there that has less then 2 hours a day to read and in less then 20 min sessions. Example: reading in bed or in poor light waiting for the movie to start. It will make a better reader then the Kindle for this market and I think that Amazon is making a mistake by closing their potential market to only Kindle owners. The dedicated readers aren't for everyone.

As a dedicated reader I don't think it could ever compare but it depends on your reading habits. There is a large population out there that has less then 2 hours a day to read and in less then 20 min sessions. Example: reading in bed or in poor light waiting for the movie to start. It will make a better reader then the Kindle for this market and I think that Amazon is making a mistake by closing their potential market to only Kindle owners. The dedicated readers aren't for everyone.

But there are far better devices than the iPhone/iPod Touch for that market - eg devices which will read MobiPocket format books open up a hugely wider range of books than any app for the iPhone is likely to. That includes virtually any Palm/Pocket PC/Windows Smartphone, as well as the majority of other makes of mobile phone.

I think one day the ereader market will also be rolled up from the mobile sector. As the mobile will evolve into an all-purpose-mobile-electronic-device. I think however that to function as a reader you need a eInk or comparable technology. And right now eInk isn't up to be usefull in a mobile device. Once it reaches say 250ms refresh times, one could build a mobile with eInk which also works nicely as eReader but until then: iLiad :)

I think however that to function as a reader you need a eInk or comparable technology.

No, I don't agree with that, I'm afraid! I read books on LCD devices for over 20 years before eInk screens came along. Certainly eInk devices make better dedicated eBook readers, but any PDA type device makes a perfectly satisfactory reader, especially for the more casual reader.

I guess that in the long run mobile devices will be the "used in most cases"-gadgets. Wether they use eInk or LCD or whatever is up to someone else to decide.
But dedicated readers will have their place, even in that world.

There's nothing new here. People have been using cell phones as reading devices for a while now. Take a look at sites like http://www.wattpad.com. People who love to read will read, and people who love gadgets will use gadgets. It's no surprise that those of us who like both will bring them together.

As great as e-ink devices are (and they truly are great) many people want device consolidation. They'll get in their phone / pda / mp3 player / gps / ebook-reader. Is it better that way? I don't know, but if people stop trying new things, we loose innovation. Maybe future generation phones will use better e-ink technology as well?

- Ed

But there are far better devices than the iPhone/iPod Touch for that market - eg devices which will read MobiPocket format books open up a hugely wider range of books than any app for the iPhone is likely to. That includes virtually any Palm/Pocket PC/Windows Smartphone, as well as the majority of other makes of mobile phone.

But Mobipocket announced at the IDPF conference that they would have a reader for the iPhone by the end of the year.

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?p=184740#post184740

Thanks, Barcey - I'd overlooked that announcement!

I still haven't purchased my device yet as I am waiting to see what Astak has to offer. With that said, there is no way I would use a device that is mainly a phone/mp3 player, as a reader. Can you imagine the ringer going off while engrossed in a great read? I am sure you could mute the phone but let it the device serve its main purpose. It may be great as an alternative.

Well for shorter texts it is fine, likely ideal. Most iPhone users have ADD so they won't be reading more than a few pages before swapping to IM and other apps. The gizmo does so much that no single app is used for a longer period of time.

Thus the "real" reading where you sit down to read for 1+ hours a book cannot be done. That is when battery life and active screen shortcomings come to the forefront.

Hmmm. I'm not sure I see why the fact that the device can do a lot means that you won't do a single thing for an hour, Bob. I sat down for 2h yesterday to watch a movie on my iPod Touch without feeling to urge to stop every 5 minutes and look at the weather forecast or check my stock quotes, despite the fact that I could have done. Maybe I'm just wierd :). Same was true when I used to read on a Pocket PC. The fact that you have lots of applications available to you doesn't mean that you're going to keep chopping and changing between them - does it?

Another writer read the Cnet article wrote a piece that disagrees. He makes many of the same points mentioned here.

3G iPhone a Kindle Killer, I Don't Think So! (http://www.uberreview.com/2008/06/3g-iphone-a-kindle-killer-i-dont-think-so.htm)


Greg Sandoval over at CNET has an interesting theory and by interesting I mean completely insane. His theory is that the second generation iPhone could end up killing off purpose-built e-book readers, namely the Kindle; a laughable suggestion.

First, let me categorically state that I do read and I do not own a Kindle. I want an e-book reader, but the Kindle is US-centric with its wireless technology and that would make it a stupid purchase on my part. Alas I digress; I am supposed to be informing you of why the 3G iPhone makes a lousy e-book reader.

To those of us who are perfectly comfortable reading e-books on PDAs, I'd say the iPhone has the potential to be a great e-book reader.

To those of us who are perfectly comfortable reading e-books on PDAs, I'd say the iPhone has the potential to be a great e-book reader.

But do you really want to have to touch the screen every time you turn a page, Steve? Don't you think that hardware buttons, such as most PDAs have, work a lot better than a touch screen, for that purpose? The only other option I can think of is auto-scrolling, and I've never come across an auto-scroll system that I'm comfortable with.

But do you really want to have to touch the screen every time you turn a page, Steve?

Since I've never used the iPhone, and don't know how the screen might be set up for page turning, I really can't say. But I'd think an on-screen pageturn icon would work just fine.

Hmmm. I'm not sure I see why the fact that the device can do a lot means that you won't do a single thing for an hour, Bob. I sat down for 2h yesterday to watch a movie on my iPod Touch without feeling to urge to stop every 5 minutes and look at the weather forecast or check my stock quotes, despite the fact that I could have done. Maybe I'm just wierd :). Same was true when I used to read on a Pocket PC. The fact that you have lots of applications available to you doesn't mean that you're going to keep chopping and changing between them - does it?

The *GENERAL* pattern for most users is to use the available functions on a device (there are exceptions of course). The knowledge that iPhone can display movies, check weather forecasts, etc. will often induce a user to do so. I find it much easier to read a book on my eReader without distractions knowing that it has not other functions than say on my computer right now. On PC I can handle articles. Even then I copy longer articles to my reader.

Again, you may use a single function (like movie display) for several hours, sure enough. However, the temptation is always present to check e-mail, IM, FaceBook, etc. You might be more disciplined, not an average user.

Finally, the battery lifespan (or lack thereof) has a huge impact. Shorter lifespan will tend to encourage shorter activities. Thus a 6hr battery won't encourage book reading that requires more time. I cannot relax and read a bood if I have to keep checking battery all the time. In this respect my eReader is very different from Palm Zire71 and laptop. I no longer even think about battery and only check it once in a while.

For myself, active display and reading don't work. Others claim it is fine.

To those of us who are perfectly comfortable reading e-books on PDAs, I'd say the iPhone has the potential to be a great e-book reader.

I tend to agree. I don't think I could read books on such a device, but I can see the potential for others.

So, I answered "Yes", but in response to the poll question, "Could the iPhone serve as a whiz-bang e-reader?". If the question was as per the thread title ("Could Apple's iPhone smoke the Kindle?") my answer would probably be "No" as I do not think that the iPhone being used that way would eat significantly into Kindle sales (that is, I suspect people who buy the Kindle are mostly buying it for its dedicated function, and don't necessarily want their phone to do the same thing). It's supposition on my part though.

Cheers,
Marc

It's a lot less satisfactory simply because there's absolutely zero tactile feedback that you've pressed something, unlike a physical button. Don't get me wrong - I love my iPod Touch for many things, and I'm perfect happy to read an a hand-held device. I just don't think that the iPhone/iPod Touch is the right device for the job.

I had to vote "No" based on the question because it will not be a "whiz-bang electronic reader". However, does it really have to be a "whiz-bang electronic reader" to be successful? I do not think so.

Think about it. It is not like the iPhone is a whiz-bang phone or even a whiz-bang audio player. However, it has provided the best solution for all these functions in a device that can go with you wherever you go.

So while it may not be a "whiz-bang electronic reader", it has the potential to become the most used device for electronic reading, outside the mainstream computer. In fact, it might already be. While people may not be reading e-books on their iPhones right now, they are already reading a lot with it. They are reading email, stock quotes, weather, web sites, etc. What would keep people from reading e-books on the iPhone?

While the iPhone will not be the best way to read a book, I have a strong feeling that it will be good enough for most people. Thus, it will be very successful in delivering electronic books to the masses. Of course, you will always have other options available.

By the way, for those who do not have an iPhone or iPod Touch, the ability to scroll text on the screen using your finger is a totally different experience than using navigation pads, buttons, and/or scroll wheels on other devices. The user interface for the iPhone is a lot less disruptive than that of other devices, especially when reading. I believe this is a huge advantage for the iPhone/iPod Touch that is often missed by people who do not own one.

I do not like phones but out of all the phones that I have owned, I find I use all the abilities of my iphone, its easy. I use the browser while shopping all the time. I listen to its music and watch movies on it. I pull my email look up weather and stocks. I even text now an again. Would I use it instead of my Kindle, no. Would I use it instead of my TV, no. Would I use it instead of my Mac, no. I use it because those things are not around outside my home and my iphone is just a substitute. It will never replace them. My Kindle however has replaced my books, my ipod/iphone has replaced my stereo system and my Mac has taken over a lot of my TVs uses.

I actually have read an ebook on my ipod touch. My ipod is jailbroken and I installed books.app and read Cory Doctorow's new book Little Brother on my ipod. I liked the touch screen just fine. I liked reading in landscape (horizontal) more more so than portrait (vertical), because the lines of text were longer and it was easier to scroll along without getting your finger in the way of the text. The application does have an onscreen "next page" button, but I liked scrolling along more so than the button.

Using my ipod as an e-reader actually inspired me to get a seperate device (the sony reader) to use exclusively for reading. I liked the ipod fine, but I realized that it wasn't a great option if I was going to be reading alot of stuff on it.

Also even though there is an application for the ipod touch for reading comics I can never get it to install correctly. Where as the sony reader (and from what I hear the iLiad) works very well for comics without too much trouble.

It is an interesting situation. So many devices that we carry have overlapping functions. I myself carry an iPod Touch, Nintendo DS, and the Sony PRS-505. All three of these devices play mp3s (I have a flashcart for the DS), all three can view ebooks (the ds with the flashcart and the ipod with a hack) All three can read comics, Both the iPod and DS play games and can play videos. If I carried a cell phone it would likely be able to do most of these things as well.

I think the thing is if you are really interested in something you'll buy the dedicated device for it. If you really like video games then you'll prolly have a PSP or DS because the games on your cell phone aren't going to cut it. Where as a more casual game player will likely find the games for the cell phone are fine for passing a little time while waiting in line. I think ebooks are the same way, the casual reader might find the iphone is perfectly fine for occasionally reading. But someone more interested in reading will likely not find it sufficient.

Will Mobipocket also have a reader that will work on the iPod Touch or does it have to be specifically the iPhone?

I think to be a good reader, the iPhone/Touch should have a screen twice the size of the current screen.

AFAIK all iPhone apps will also work on the iPod Touch, unless they specifically use the phone functions. An iPod Touch is basically an "iPhone without the phone".

My wife has the iPod Touch and when Mobipocket come out with their reader, it'll be the first portable Mobipocket reader we'll have here.

As one who has read huge novels on a Clie, I can see that an iPhone would be a perfectly good reader. The thing is, you can take it everywhere -- you don't have to lug a Kindle or an Iliad around. But why should one be limited to one kind of reader? The Iliad is the best for reading at home or when you can take it with you, but the iPhone would be a good stand-in when you don't have the Iliad (or the Kindle or the Sony Reader) with you.

I voted NO because the screen's too small for my taste. The 6" screens on various devices is just perfect for me ...

So far, we have Book.app getting re-written with the official SDK, MobiPocket announced a version, and I believe I read that FictionWise was looking at porting eReader. The SDK targets both the iPhone and iPod touch - which in reality make up a computing platform all their own - so I see no reason today why a book reader application would be iPhone specific.

In an episode of TWiT, Jerry Pournelle said that the ability to read electronic books on a device people already own would be the death of the paperback book industry. (Emphasis mine, but it was his point.) People that aren't willing to spend $350 for a Kindle might end up buying an e-book for the iPhone they already have on them.

In addition, none of these potential solutions ties you to an iPhone as a reading device, whereas the Sony PRS and the Kindle do tie you to a one single physical device. What I mean by this is that you can't real BeB books on the Kindle, amz books on the Sony, or either on anything else, but those MobiPocket books or Palm Reader texts are readable on a variety of devices.

I don't see any reason why the experience of reading on the phone would be any different from reading on a Palm or Pocket PC device, except for having higher pixel density, more memory, and wi-fi built in.

I own a Kindle, a PRS-505, and an iPhone. (Okay, my wife stole the Sony and won't give it back, but that's another story :cool:) I can see reading on the iPhone in certain situations where I wouldn't want to bring along the Kindle (waiting at the Dr's office, or lined up at the polls on election day - which is how I read a big chunk of "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe" and learned to despise Rosetta's lack of OCR proofreading).

The real kicker will be when books can interact with the phone's location awareness features. Imagine what this could do for things like the Frodor's travel guides.

I still believe that dedicated reader devices won't take off until some kind of subsidy model is used. $200 for a phone that does a whole bunch of other stuff is easier to swallow, because many people feel they need a phone. $350 for a book reader, not so much, when they can buy a paperback or a magazine for less than $10...especially in an economy lacking in consumer confidence.

No, I don't like my books to glow. I much prefer eInk for reading when compared to an LCD, especially a 3" diagonal one.

I'm with lowmagnet. I very much prefer the non-reflective e-ink and the iPod screen is just too small for my taste (actually, I even wish the Kindle screen was bigger).

In an episode of TWiT, Jerry Pournelle said that the ability to read electronic books on a device people already own would be the death of the paperback book industry.

Er, they already can :). The vast majority of mobile phones have a version of MobiPocket reader available for them. If the paperback book industry is dead as a result, it's a very healthy corpse :D.

The screen is small, it's a touch-screen which is bothersome for keeping the display clean, there are no physical buttons for page turning, it's not e-Ink, and the battery life is poor. But what if it ran MobiPocket, the screen was larger (say, by a factor of two), and had two physical buttons for page turning. It still wouldn't have e-Ink and the time between charges would probably be even shorter. But would that make it a pretty good ebook reader?

There's a limit to how many functions I want any single device to do. The problem with having a "one device does it ALL" sort of item is, when the battery goes dead, and you are out in the middle of nowhere without a charger, then you have access to nothing!!

Same thing in my office .... I keep multifunction devices or a minimum, or I have more than one of the suckers. I don't want the printer going down to mean I also can't scan and can't fax .... you get the idea.

Same with the phone. Assuming battery life is going to be seriously diminished using the iPhone to read, I don't want to be stuck somewhere without something to read. In addition, I don't want to be stuck without a phone because I ran down the battery reading.

Devices are becoming small enough and/or light enough, that it no longer bothers me that I carry more than one device with me. I pop my iPod, phone and Kindle in my small pack and .... it still weighs close to nothing.

So, for me at least, the iPhone having a reader will not make me even think about putting my Kindle on eBay. Not even tempted, actually.

While I used to use a Clie for my EBook reading, the main advantage to the Clie was the scroll wheel on the side. I could pretty much operate it with one hand, turning pages with the scroll wheel. Unfortunately, I doubt that reading on an iPhone would be quite as easy as that.

Hell, even tho the Sony Reader is bigger, I can still hold and operate it with one hand, if need be. Not as nicely as the Clie, but it can be done.

Jason

While I used to use a Clie for my EBook reading, the main advantage to the Clie was the scroll wheel on the side. I could pretty much operate it with one hand, turning pages with the scroll wheel. Unfortunately, I doubt that reading on an iPhone would be quite as easy as that.


I agree. That's exactly why I think hardware page-turning buttons are a lot better for a bookreader than a touch screen.

Having read on my Tung.e-2 for several years,the only problem I have is battery life. As for reading for more than 5 or 6 hrs. I use my cybook. If Iphone adds Mobi format Ill get one.
"Crackers"

I voted no, but I think the iPhone can be used as an eReader, but it won't ever substitute a pBook or a dedicated eReader. Just like my phone's mp3 player will never substitute my stereo system/computer.

While I do prefer reading on my Sony Reader, I think smartphones are viable alternatives.

I have a smart phone Samsung i730. It's a windows 5 (WM5) with a touch screen. The reading applications on the smart phone are superior's to my sony reader PRS-505 so the reading experience is great. However where the SONY shines is on the, Battery life, Daylight reading, and Screen size.

The main reason I do not actively read on my Phone is because of the battery drain it takes to power the LCD. Until the battery life issue is resolved on phones can compete.

Another alternative is that phones start using the e-ink technology I think there will be good competition.

... I've never come across an auto-scroll system that I'm comfortable with...
My Samsung i730 came with an app called "Picsel browser". The way it handled documents was excellent. It had the ability to Zoom/pan and turn pages quite easily and instantly. For flow able text like HTML the user could switch between the default view and reflowed text

=X=

I'm with Steve Jordan and the others, I read ebooks on my Palms (various models) for years and was happy to be able to do so. My iPhone is a splendid little device - I use it a lot even though I don't actually phone people very often. I can easily see myself reading an ebook on it. The mechanics of page turning tend to 'disappear' for me once I'm engrossed in a book, so I don't think that would interfere at all.

I do have a Sony Reader but don't always take it with me for regular errands. I always have my iPhone with me, so the ability to read on it would be a big plus, imo.

(waiting at the Dr's office, or lined up at the polls on election day - which is how I read a big chunk of "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe" and learned to despise Rosetta's lack of OCR proofreading).
I cringe every time I see Rosetta's name on an eBook. They overall do one of the worst pBook to eBook conversions. Just not nice overall.

Like many of its other applications, Whiz-bang, no, mediocre, yes.

the killer app for iPhone would be if Amazon developed an app for the iPhone that would remotely sync your place in the book so when you picked up the kindle it would continue where you left off from the iPhone or vice versa. iPhone is great for covert reading at work or in line somewhere. The books app on iphone you just tap near the bottom or top of page to turn and its instaneous

Works great for reading bible passages.

Nonsense. Size unsuited for reading, lcd unsuited for reading.

LOL I hadn't thought of it in years, but the first thing that popped into my mind when I read that last post was how I'd read Tolstoy's Anna Karenina back in high school in the smallest book (I think) in the school library. The book itself was - maybe - 4" x 5", and the text block smaller than that, and (iirc) around three inches thick. In other words, not much bigger than a PDA screen. It did not, however, glow by itself. :D

LOL I hadn't thought of it in years, but the first thing that popped into my mind when I read that last post was how I'd read Tolstoy's Anna Karenina back in high school in the smallest book (I think) in the school library. The book itself was - maybe - 4" x 5", and the text block smaller than that, and (iirc) around three inches thick. In other words, not much bigger than a PDA screen. It did not, however, glow by itself. :D

That would be a collectors item I would imagine. Anna Karenina 4x5x3

I am quite happy with my iPod Touch (same interface as iPhone) as a secondary reader. Especially for short time spans, on the go, or in low light conditions, like reading in bed. It's possible to adjust the brightness, so it doesn't glare, and the screen is excellent, with crisp text. I use the ruBooks.app which is fine for my use - a lot of what I read is in HTML format anyway.

The screen is too small though, for long-time sit-down reading sessions, but overall nice, and definitely gives a much nicer reading experience than my old Dell Axim51 PDA, which is a rather 'bleh' in comparison.

Using my ipod as an e-reader actually inspired me to get a seperate device (the sony reader) to use exclusively for reading. I liked the ipod fine, but I realized that it wasn't a great option if I was going to be reading alot of stuff on it.

I think that's actually a pretty likely scenario for a lot of people. If people are introduced to reading books on PDAs, they'll likely find that the device doesn't fulfill their needs as well as they'd hoped. With the Kindle as popular as it is, I think a lot of iPhone users are going to jump on any app that claims to add that kind of functionality to their new device, and then when they've tried it and found it good but not great, they'll move to a real ebook. I know that's what I did when I moved from reading books on my PDA to reading books on my Sony Reader.

If Amazon is smart, they'll actually create an app to sell books on the iPhone to lure people in to their system, which would of course result in more hardware sales.

Er, they already can :). The vast majority of mobile phones have a version of MobiPocket reader available for them. If the paperback book industry is dead as a result, it's a very healthy corpse :D.

The Thing is that most people more often then not don't realise that their device can actually do that. 80% of people I've run into with smart phones or PDA's don't bother or don't know about any other programs then what comes preinstalled.

Especially those with Smartphones. More often then not they got the phone for a specific function or got it from work, and hove not done anything else with it.

What is needed IMHO is a sustained educational campaign about such capabilities, and a easy way to add new programs etc. to the devices. In that way Apples approach looks to be dead simple and easy to do.

While the iPod Touch/iPhone aren't going to be wiz-band reading devices, there are enough of them out there that they could make an impact given decent software. Decent software has yet to appear. Sure we have eReader. But it was released before it was finished. Not being able to use content I have on my computer is the biggest downfall. I'm hoping that when Mobipocket is released that this major bug/flaw/screw-up is not present.

While the iPod Touch/iPhone aren't going to be wiz-band reading devices, there are enough of them out there that they could make an impact given decent software. Decent software has yet to appear. Sure we have eReader. But it was released before it was finished. Not being able to use content I have on my computer is the biggest downfall. I'm hoping that when Mobipocket is released that this major bug/flaw/screw-up is not present.

Well, in this case, this is Apple's fault. It would be very easy for a developer to let you read your own content, except on the iPhone/iPod Touch where Apple limited the access to the file system.

That's why all these applications need some sort of server, or download books through an API.

And you can't even register a MIME handler with Safari, that would make downloads through the built-in browser possible.

Then how is eReader going to allow you to get your own content from your computer onto your device? They said in a few weeks they would have it doing that.

Then how is eReader going to allow you to get your own content from your computer onto your device? They said in a few weeks they would have it doing that.

Through a dedicated application running as a server (like Bookshelf, Stanza) or through their service, where you'll have to upload the file.

I remember that at Adobe, they were really annoyed when Apple announced these limitations (a comment on Teleread).

And will these dedicated apps be free? Would they be something we can 100% turn off when not needed so they don't take up any of the computer's resources other then disk space?

And will these dedicated apps be free? Would they be something we can 100% turn off when not needed so they don't take up any of the computer's resources other then disk space?

Price: no idea.
Turned off, I hope so.

Anyway, it's plain silly that you NEED such an app, when you could simply use the USB connection.

I certainly hope too that the eReader DRM format won't be popular again thanks to the iPhone: it's already quite a mess with all these formats and DRM, it would only make things worse.

Well Fictionwise didn't do us any favors when they purchased eReader and started promoting it.

Well Fictionwise didn't do us any favors when they purchased eReader and started promoting it.

It's easy to understand why controlling a format and a DRM system is attractive for a company: $$$.

But in the meantime, it makes things much more complicated for the end-user and for e-books in general to reach a mass-market audience.

I guess I have to disagree with the naysayers. I've owned the Sony Reader (it's out on loan to a friend) and when I bought the iPhone and was able to add books to it, I stopped using the Sony Reader altogether.

I read everywhere and having the iPhone be my reader as well is ideal. For the record, I can read a book and a half without a charge. It's definitely not as sweet as the Sony Reader's battery life (and other comparable devices) but it's not troublesome for me in any way.

I don't think I suffer from ADD and most of my reading is novel length books.

I voted yes, even though I don't have one and don't plan to get one. I like my iLiad just fine, but I think the marketing/cultural popularity of the iPhone/iPod Touch will be a huge push behind any app available, and ebooks being commercially available was the last necessary step.

Yes, the whole system could be much better designed and easier to use, but I still think it's going to be hugely popular, among people who would never have bought a Kindle. It will probably push other phone vendors into making sure ebook readers are available and promoted on their phones as well.

Apparently Apple sold 1 million iPhones just this weekend. Add to that number the people who have upgraded their iPod touch (me included) and existing iPhone updaters and that's a pretty big number of potential readers. Even if it only introduces people to the idea that they can easily carry around a stock of books with them, it's got to be good for ereading in general as some of those people will progress to the larger dedicated devices too!

Maybe the Kindle sold 1 Million devices but they are shy to announce it :)

Sure there will be a place for the Kindle and Sony and so on, as niche devices for us hardcore readers. But mass market - I guess this iPhone opening to ebooks just nailed the coffin for that...

IMHO Two completely different animals. Yes, you can read on the Iphone BUT the Kindle is a dedicated reader. Thats what it was designed for, even the browser is primarily designed for getting more books.Trying to compare the two is an exercise in futility. Again, IMHO....

We now have two very good eBook programs for the iPhone -- Stanza and Bookshelf. Both let you put books on the iPhone wirelessly, and both work. Bookshelf still lacks the ability to navigate -- something Stanza has. I compared the iPhone to my large-screen Clie, on which I have read many long novels, and found it is better (the resolution is higher, and the print doesn't look jagged). Everything is habit. If you get used to reading on the iPhone, you'll like it. At least that was my experience. Imagine how many books you could carry on the 16gb model. Thousands. And they're always there. I hate the Kindle.

The iPhone offers a different experience than a dedicated reader, true, but I think quite a few people will actually prefer it, for various reasons. (I'm happy with my iLiad, but I can see how people might like the iPhone better.)

Trying to be everything to everyone is a noble intention. I think this is what Apple is trying to do. I applaud their efforts. It may work for them. For me, I'll stick to my Kindle. I just want to read any book I want anywhere I want. Almost there.......:D Had you told me 2 months ago I would be traveling with 150plus books in my purse I would have laughed.

Smoking is bad for one's health.

Smoking is bad for one's health.

:rofl: course, I had to think for a moment to 'get it'..........

I hate the Kindle.

Might one ask why?

talaivan, please, tell us why you 'hate the kindle' Do you own one?

Couldn't help but weigh in with some of the other opinions about the limitations of the iPhone as a reader. Anyone trying to using it for reading a book is not a serious reader but is more interested in a making a fashion statement.

Couldn't help but weigh in with some of the other opinions about the limitations of the iPhone as a reader. Anyone trying to using it for reading a book is not a serious reader but is more interested in a making a fashion statement.

Well, now, I wouldn't go THAT far. I spent 10 years enjoyably reading books on my Palm, and that's quite similar in size to the iPhone's reading experience. But I'm buying the iPhone (when AT&T gets more.....) for its phone-ness and pda-ness. I will do most of my reading on my Kindle ..... but will try to keep the same books loaded on the iPHone. That way, when I have 10 minutes to kill in the grocery checkout line, I can keep reading the same book (and not always carry the Kindle everywhere). We'll see how it works.

desertgramma: agreed, they are for different purposes. They can be complimentary to each other, but I will still use the Kindle as my main reader.

Well, now, I wouldn't go THAT far. I spent 10 years enjoyably reading books on my Palm, and that's quite similar in size to the iPhone's reading experience. But I'm buying the iPhone (when AT&T gets more.....) for its phone-ness and pda-ness. I will do most of my reading on my Kindle ..... but will try to keep the same books loaded on the iPHone. That way, when I have 10 minutes to kill in the grocery checkout line, I can keep reading the same book (and not always carry the Kindle everywhere). We'll see how it works.

desertgramma: agreed, they are for different purposes. They can be complimentary to each other, but I will still use the Kindle as my main reader.

We all know not to cross DG:D

Well, now, I wouldn't go THAT far. I spent 10 years enjoyably reading books on my Palm, and that's quite similar in size to the iPhone's reading experience. But I'm buying the iPhone (when AT&T gets more.....) for its phone-ness and pda-ness. I will do most of my reading on my Kindle ..... but will try to keep the same books loaded on the iPHone. That way, when I have 10 minutes to kill in the grocery checkout line, I can keep reading the same book (and not always carry the Kindle everywhere). We'll see how it works.

...
That's what I do with my iPod Touch andmy CyBook. I think it works really well for me. Each divice has its limitations - size, backlighting, portability, battery, etc.

talaivan, please, tell us why you 'hate the kindle' Do you own one?

talaivan returned his/her Kindle back in December.

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showpost.php?p=126952&postcount=1

We all know not to cross DG:D

Oh, wow, am I that bad?? :(
But seriously, folks, it all boils down to this. If it works for you, thats the most important thing. Like someone else said on this board one time,(sorry, I can't remember who!) I don't care which book reader you got, as long as you get one! The Kindle came along at a perfect time for me. Everything about it (except I can't download ALL books!) is perfect........for me. I know you others feel the same way about your Sony and Iliad. I still think this tiny screen will backfire on Apples book-reader hopes after the first flush of excitement, but I"ve been wrong many times before. And isn't that what they said about the Kindle. I'm just keeping my eye on the big picture....the more book readers that excite interest out there, the faster more books will become available for us all.....:iloveyou:

talaivan returned his/her Kindle back in December.

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showpost.php?p=126952&postcount=1

Some people are just not meant to have one, and I"m glad Amazon is so generous in their return policies.

Couldn't help but weigh in with some of the other opinions about the limitations of the iPhone as a reader. Anyone trying to using it for reading a book is not a serious reader but is more interested in a making a fashion statement.


Come on, that's a pretty broad statement. I am as serious of an ereader as you'll find and I know others who are in the same boat as I am who use the iPhone as a primary reader. It all boils down to convenience for me.

I like multi function devices. I read my emails, check on my blog, pay my bills, track my appointments and read all from the same device. But, more importantly, the eink devices are without backlights and for me and many of the readers on my blog, this vital because so many of us read in bed with partners who do not want to be blinded by booklights.

The iPhone and devices like it allow for a boolight-less ereading experience.

I have both. They do not take away from each other. Its nice to be able to read on the iphone but that isn't what I use it for. Its nice to be able to surf the net and play music with the Kindle but that isn't what I use it for.

Couldn't help but weigh in with some of the other opinions about the limitations of the iPhone as a reader. Anyone trying to using it for reading a book is not a serious reader but is more interested in a making a fashion statement.

What's next? Passing judgement on what people actually read?
I like reading on my iPod Touch just fine, thank you. Using ruBooks at the moment. I average around 3 books per week.

I guess I'm quite picky but the point for me is to be able to read in both low-light conditions and at times where I wouldn't normally bring a book with me. A 6" reader is way too big for me, I need my reader to fit in a back- or shirt pocket. My old Palm TX just barely qualified and weirdly cost as much as a 8GB iPod Touch so when the palm gave up, I decided to have a go at the iPod Touch.

For me, the Touch is primarily a reader, secondary usage is Safari and at a low third is music, mainly in the car.

I may be the exception that proves the point though...

I think that any device that is nice enough to read on is a good thing. Maybe some of those people who don't usually read books might take it up if they can do it on their iPhone. They're less likely to purchase a dedicated reader like the Kindle, but may find a way into books more easily with a device they're already using for other purposes.

I got the new iPhone 3G and like it a lot. And, typically for me, I downloaded a book onto it before I got home with the thing. But it's no better than the old iPaq for reading (small screen, battery issues etc).

The advantage, and why I like having eBooks on the iPhone is that I always have my cell phone with me but not always my Sony reader. This way, I get stuck somewhere, like in line at the Apple Store, I have something to read and won't just stand there pining for my Sony. In fact, I've even loaded a couple of movies on the thing for the same reasons.

Couldn't help but weigh in with some of the other opinions about the limitations of the iPhone as a reader. Anyone trying to using it for reading a book is not a serious reader but is more interested in a making a fashion statement.
Dream on.

I read ebooks on a Palm Os PDA, which has an equivalent screen size, and have for years.

I'm not interested in a dedicated reader because I need color, and the ability to do other things besides view ebooks. The PDA does that, and I can read ebooks in just about every format save Sony LRF and epub.

Yes, the iPhone can be considered a fashion statement, but it's also an attractive and well designed device that seems to serve its intended purpose well. And I don't think the folks whose main reason for having an iPhone is fashion statement are the same ones who read books on it.
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Dennis

Who knows Apple might actually invent a reasonably priced eReader that is as cool as their iPods (yes I admit it I have a blue iPod and I love it!). One can hope!

I think that the person who reads ebooks is probably not your average book reader. As most of the population does not read books regularly, someone who reads several books a week is its own little market.

I could see the iPhone as a helpful device to students who could use a easy way to lug around text books.

Amy

Who knows Apple might actually invent a reasonably priced eReader that is as cool as their iPods (yes I admit it I have a blue iPod and I love it!). One can hope!

I think that the person who reads ebooks is probably not your average book reader. As most of the population does not read books regularly, someone who reads several books a week is its own little market.
That's the problem: little market. Apple is unlikely to build a reader because the market simply isn't large enough.

The iPod works for them because everyone listens to music. The iPhone works because nearly everyone has a cell phone. They can sell millions of each.

The total market for dedicated readers at this point is likely on the order of a few hundred thousand devices for all reader manufacturers combined. Apple needs much bigger numbers to justify doing it.

I could see the iPhone as a helpful device to students who could use a easy way to lug around text books.
Assuming the texts were in a format readable on the iPhone. If they are in electronic format at all, it is likely PDF, which does not normally play well on a handheld -- the screen size is too small for effective display, and most PDFs don't reflow to fit the screen. The other issue is annotation. How do you write notes in the margin on a ebook? Some formats support annotation, but not all.
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Dennis

I think the iLiad is still the only device that would be really suitable for college textbook use. But there are still practically no textbooks available in any format. :( I think it would be well worth it for iRex to try to pursue deals with the large textbook publishers, e.g. Wiley, but perhaps the textbook publishers don't feel the same way.

Yet.