Ebook Idea - An Amazing Coincidence!

Diso · 09-08-2010, 10:32 PM

For a long time, I have been only lurking on this forum without making any post. However, one thing happened today that thrilled me and made to share it with you folks.

Just yesterday I was thinking of new ideas for ebooks and imagined if there will be a huge, wall-size ereader, which can serve as a group readeing device and can be operated with a remote control. I thought it will be good to be placed in public waiting rooms or private homes, where content can be selected on consensus among readers.

To my utter amazement, as I searched the web for some ebook keywords, I came accross this blog post which is already one year old but strikingly similar to the idea I thought of yesterday! Isn't this wonderful?

WINNER: SuperFlyer 5000
Design: Hot Studio

And, we have a winner! Hot Studio and Friends, with their concept for shared living room reading, takes the grand prize. There was a serious case of kitchen-sinkism on this (massive entry), but perhaps this was understandable given the large team they convened for the effort. While life in the living room is increasingly fragmented across devices, and media content keeps upping the hyper in order to grab some fraction of our attention span, Hot has a big idea a la Slow Food: bringing reading back into the media room so people can spend time together...with books. This concept reconsiders the entire reading gesture, going from hand-held/one foot away, to hands-free/10 feet away. Research participants told us that they saw books as a respite from their over-connected, screen-based lifestyles; here's an application of those digital technologies that has the potential to engage people with reading in a new way.

The team also deserves special mention for the quality of their effort. They illustrate their solutions in a variety of ways, showing the power of quick-and-dirty paper and Photoshop prototyping. In bringing people together to create and inspire each other, they've generated a best-in-class artifact that reveals great process, uses scenarios based on research participants, and a demonstration of how humor can help sell an idea. Hot Studio modeled how it really should be done. Kudos!

http://www.core77.com/blog/featured_...ding_15084.asp

Worldwalker · 09-08-2010, 10:44 PM

My significant other and I read at considerably different speeds, and even the slower of us two reads at double the national average. I can't see this working.

Even less so in public. In any 10 people, how many are going to agree on a book? 10 people in a laundromat can't agree on a telenovela! And even if they do come to a consensus, who decides when to turn the page? Does someone never quite finish a page, or does someone have to wait forever?

There's a reason that books were never projected on walls in the past, and e-projecting e-books on e-walls doesn't change that.

Lady Fitzgerald · 09-08-2010, 11:42 PM

I do something similar at home. My TV is patched into my computer. I read from my bed using a wireless mouse for a "remote."

Doing this where multiple people are reading could be problematic. The only thing that I could think of that could make it work would be to have something like a slide show. Mayhap a one screen short story or series of joke that would stay up long enough even slow readers could keep up, then move to another, unrelated screen.

kindlekitten · 09-09-2010, 02:12 AM

as worldwalker said, I read so much faster than the average reader it would be agony for me. I used to loathe the reading out loud periods in class where I would typically be about a chapter ahead of everyone else as I simply couldn't listen to the way they butchered the words.

I'll continue to pack my Kindle around

taming · 09-09-2010, 02:23 AM

Jeannie--I can see your scheme for reading in my kitchen when doing food prep.

Kumabjorn · 09-09-2010, 03:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

as worldwalker said, I read so much faster than the average reader it would be agony for me. I used to loathe the reading out loud periods in class where I would typically be about a chapter ahead of everyone else as I simply couldn't listen to the way they butchered the words.

I'll continue to pack my Kindle around

That brought back some horrid, horrid memories. I was a nasty little bitch, I would jump in when other kids got stuck on a word (it is m-o-n-k-e-y, just like your momma) to move things along. Miss Elsa resented that so I had to spend considerable time in the hallway. Always brought two books with me, sort of a protest.
The only way that thing comes up on my wall is if the remote is surgically inserted into my hand.

nohmi2 · 09-09-2010, 03:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

I do something similar at home. My TV is patched into my computer. I read from my bed using a wireless mouse for a "remote."

Doing this where multiple people are reading could be problematic. The only thing that I could think of that could make it work would be to have something like a slide show. Mayhap a one screen short story or series of joke that would stay up long enough even slow readers could keep up, then move to another, unrelated screen.

I must be behind the times. This is one of the most brilliant ideas that I have heard in ages.

We also have a large TV in the bedroom that I watch sometimes, but the idea of being able to read from it is great.

Cheers

Richey79 · 09-09-2010, 04:28 AM

For me, this idea takes away virtually all the advantages of the printed word, and listening to an audiobook through communal speakers would be a much better option.

Seems like this design team were trying too hard to create a need, rather than creating a product that effectively fulfils needs that are already there.

Many of the other ideas aren't much better. An ebook so you can show off what you're reading to other people. Ugh! Thought we'd finally managed to escape such daft posturing. 'Mocks' - fake book spines you can display around your house to show off to visitors. You too can emulate the rich and stupid of the Victorian age: 'People need to display their identity through books'. In the words of Eliot, 'only those who have personality and emotions know what it means to want to escape from these things.'

Ben Thornton · 09-09-2010, 04:37 AM

Perhaps it would work if, instead of projecting the words of a story onto the wall, they recorded people acting out the story and speaking the dialogue? Then everyone would "read" it at the same speed.

pdurrant · 09-09-2010, 04:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben Thornton

Perhaps it would work if, instead of projecting the words of a story onto the wall, they recorded people acting out the story and speaking the dialogue? Then everyone would "read" it at the same speed.

Hey — what a good idea. We could call it an "Audio-book" or "a-book".

And since we're not using the screen for the book pages, perhaps we could get the people speaking the parts to dress up as the characters and record them on video, and display that on the screen at the same time as the sound plays. They could even do the appropriate actions, and we could add in backgrounds images in some way. We could call it an "Audio-Visual-book" or "av-book".

I think this could be big. I wonder if we could patent it....

pholy · 09-09-2010, 08:31 AM

Don't quit your day job, Paul. I'm sure you're making more money from your publishing business than anyone will ever make from this silly avi-book thing.....

patrickt · 09-09-2010, 10:11 AM

So, the fight for the remote control could continue. The television remote control, the electric bed remote control, the electric blanket remote control, the ebook reader remote control, the music player remote control, and so forth and so on.

"How was he killed, Doc?" "He was beaten with a bag full of remote controls."

Lady Fitzgerald · 09-09-2010, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

So, the fight for the remote control could continue. The television remote control, the electric bed remote control, the electric blanket remote control, the ebook reader remote control, the music player remote control, and so forth and so on.

"How was he killed, Doc?" "He was beaten with a bag full of remote controls."

Time for a universal remote. My music player and music is all on the computer. Eventually so will my DVDs and their player. All I'll need is something like the little wireless paddle Logitech has with a track ball and keypad to run all but my TV (and maybe even it).

ShellShock · 09-09-2010, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

And since we're not using the screen for the book pages, perhaps we could get the people speaking the parts to dress up as the characters and record them on video, and display that on the screen at the same time as the sound plays. They could even do the appropriate actions, and we could add in backgrounds images in some way. We could call it an "Audio-Visual-book" or "av-book".

I really like this--I think you're onto something here. And if you were out getting a life whilst the av-book was being displayed, or you did not have one in your house, we could instead write the words down on bits of paper, and stick them altogether between two bits of cardboard so they did not get lost. Then we could send people to school to learn how to read the bits of paper, and you need never miss an episode. I'm calling it "paper and words". Catchy, eh?

lacymarie7575 · 09-09-2010, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben Thornton

Perhaps it would work if, instead of projecting the words of a story onto the wall, they recorded people acting out the story and speaking the dialogue? Then everyone would "read" it at the same speed.

lol uh...isnt that called tv?

09-08-2010, 10:32 PM	#1
Diso Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: Sony PRS505	Ebook Idea - An Amazing Coincidence! For a long time, I have been only lurking on this forum without making any post. However, one thing happened today that thrilled me and made to share it with you folks. Just yesterday I was thinking of new ideas for ebooks and imagined if there will be a huge, wall-size ereader, which can serve as a group readeing device and can be operated with a remote control. I thought it will be good to be placed in public waiting rooms or private homes, where content can be selected on consensus among readers. To my utter amazement, as I searched the web for some ebook keywords, I came accross this blog post which is already one year old but strikingly similar to the idea I thought of yesterday! Isn't this wonderful? WINNER: SuperFlyer 5000 Design: Hot Studio And, we have a winner! Hot Studio and Friends, with their concept for shared living room reading, takes the grand prize. There was a serious case of kitchen-sinkism on this (massive entry), but perhaps this was understandable given the large team they convened for the effort. While life in the living room is increasingly fragmented across devices, and media content keeps upping the hyper in order to grab some fraction of our attention span, Hot has a big idea a la Slow Food: bringing reading back into the media room so people can spend time together...with books. This concept reconsiders the entire reading gesture, going from hand-held/one foot away, to hands-free/10 feet away. Research participants told us that they saw books as a respite from their over-connected, screen-based lifestyles; here's an application of those digital technologies that has the potential to engage people with reading in a new way. The team also deserves special mention for the quality of their effort. They illustrate their solutions in a variety of ways, showing the power of quick-and-dirty paper and Photoshop prototyping. In bringing people together to create and inspire each other, they've generated a best-in-class artifact that reveals great process, uses scenarios based on research participants, and a demonstration of how humor can help sell an idea. Hot Studio modeled how it really should be done. Kudos! http://www.core77.com/blog/featured_...ding_15084.asp

09-08-2010, 11:42 PM	#3
Lady Fitzgerald Wizard Posts: 2,013 Karma: 251649 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Tempe, AZ, USA, Earth Device: JetBook Lite (away from home) + 1 spare, 32" TV (at home)	I do something similar at home. My TV is patched into my computer. I read from my bed using a wireless mouse for a "remote." Doing this where multiple people are reading could be problematic. The only thing that I could think of that could make it work would be to have something like a slide show. Mayhap a one screen short story or series of joke that would stay up long enough even slow readers could keep up, then move to another, unrelated screen. Last edited by Lady Fitzgerald; 09-08-2010 at 11:45 PM.

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09-08-2010, 10:44 PM	#2
Worldwalker Curmudgeon Posts: 3,085 Karma: 722357 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: PRS-505	My significant other and I read at considerably different speeds, and even the slower of us two reads at double the national average. I can't see this working. Even less so in public. In any 10 people, how many are going to agree on a book? 10 people in a laundromat can't agree on a telenovela! And even if they do come to a consensus, who decides when to turn the page? Does someone never quite finish a page, or does someone have to wait forever? There's a reason that books were never projected on walls in the past, and e-projecting e-books on e-walls doesn't change that.

09-09-2010, 02:12 AM	#4
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	as worldwalker said, I read so much faster than the average reader it would be agony for me. I used to loathe the reading out loud periods in class where I would typically be about a chapter ahead of everyone else as I simply couldn't listen to the way they butchered the words. I'll continue to pack my Kindle around

09-09-2010, 02:23 AM	#5
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	Jeannie--I can see your scheme for reading in my kitchen when doing food prep.

09-09-2010, 04:28 AM	#8
Richey79 mrkrgnao Posts: 241 Karma: 237248 Join Date: May 2010 Device: PRS650, K3 Wireless, Galaxy S3, iPad 3.	For me, this idea takes away virtually all the advantages of the printed word, and listening to an audiobook through communal speakers would be a much better option. Seems like this design team were trying too hard to create a need, rather than creating a product that effectively fulfils needs that are already there. Many of the other ideas aren't much better. An ebook so you can show off what you're reading to other people. Ugh! Thought we'd finally managed to escape such daft posturing. 'Mocks' - fake book spines you can display around your house to show off to visitors. You too can emulate the rich and stupid of the Victorian age: 'People need to display their identity through books'. In the words of Eliot, 'only those who have personality and emotions know what it means to want to escape from these things.'

09-09-2010, 04:37 AM	#9
Ben Thornton Guru Posts: 900 Karma: 779635 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: UK Device: Kindle 3, iPad 2 (but not for e-books)	Perhaps it would work if, instead of projecting the words of a story onto the wall, they recorded people acting out the story and speaking the dialogue? Then everyone would "read" it at the same speed.

09-09-2010, 08:31 AM	#11
pholy Booklegger Posts: 1,801 Karma: 7999816 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Device: BeBook(1 & 2010), PEZ, PRS-505, Kobo BT, PRS-T1, Playbook, Kobo Touch	Don't quit your day job, Paul. I'm sure you're making more money from your publishing business than anyone will ever make from this silly avi-book thing.....

09-09-2010, 10:11 AM	#12
patrickt Wizard Posts: 1,221 Karma: 8381518 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Oaxaca, Mexico Device: Paperwhite 4 X 2	So, the fight for the remote control could continue. The television remote control, the electric bed remote control, the electric blanket remote control, the ebook reader remote control, the music player remote control, and so forth and so on. "How was he killed, Doc?" "He was beaten with a bag full of remote controls."

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