App-books to "steamroll over e-books"? - Page 4

leebase · 03-21-2011, 11:23 PM

Ok...it's a lot of hyperbole to suggest app-books will overtake ebooks. However, I do think we've just begun to see what tablets are bringing to the table. I, for one, love my Cooking apps (Jamie Oliver, Mario Batelli, Gordon Ramsey all have good ones) that combine video, step by step recipes with pictures, recipe management and shopping lists. Even apps like Big Oven which don't have videos offer far more than a traditional cook book can.

Lee

J. Strnad · 03-21-2011, 11:52 PM

I think of when DVDs were introduced and of the many that came with Director's Commentary and lots of extras, and for the most part, people just didn't care, and they especially didn't want to pay extra for the extras.

I see more "bare bones" DVDs these days with minimal extras (if any).

I really don't see "enhanced" ebooks as making any kind of dent in the regular ebook market. It just seems like a hopeful, maybe desperate ploy to keep prices high.

Worldwalker · 03-21-2011, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barty

You can always count on MR for knee jerk reactions. Just because a book CAN have interactive elements doesn't mean every book HAS to have it.

So how else would you interpret the word "steamroll"? Or the phrase "transform the experience of reading"?

If we say that the DVD steamrolled the VHS tape, the meaning is pretty obvious. So when Glassman says the "app-book" (from context, something resembling the 90's multimedia) will steamroll the conventional book, why should we assume he means something else?

Sorry, but Glassman is being foolish. He's going from "oooh, shiny!" to "everyone will want everything to be shiny!" No, they won't. Wallace & Gromit is a joke. We don't live in a Jetsons world. And while the multimedia book has its uses, as have been noted in depth in this thread -- from coffee-table ebooks to things like my dreamed-of car innards app -- they're going to be both specialized and limited.

Interactive "books" for children? Nothing new. We sold one of those in Radio Shack in the early 90's. About 1991 or so. It was a computer program based around a kid's room with all sorts of things to discover. The kids weren't all that interested; the adults kept playing with the thing. Dorling-Kindersley has been selling things like their History disc for at least 10 years. Glassman is all psyched about something that's far from new; he simply doesn't realize that. But I can't see a sleepy kid getting ready for bed saying "let me play with my video book" ... it's still going to be "read me a story" (especially if we want to raise kids who don't think the movie is better because it's less mental effort).

To Glassman, new = compelling and video books = new. He's wrong on both counts. People have already been exposed to the things to "transform the experience of reading" and the response has been a resounding "meh." They will certainly find their niche, but it's highly doubtful they'll be steamrolling anything.

Speaking of world-changing technology, I saw a guy on a Segway yesterday -- first time I've seen one outside a 25-mile radius from where they were invented.

FizzyWater · 03-21-2011, 11:53 PM

I can imagine great uses for this in non-fiction books, but it seems gimmicky for fiction.

kennyc · 03-22-2011, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barty

.
Really, you don't think we're going to be stuck with mobi forever do you? ....

No, because epub is the default standard.

carld · 03-22-2011, 06:22 AM

When I read a book, I want to read a book. I don't want an "experience." I just want to read.

WillAdams · 03-22-2011, 08:14 AM

Agree w/ Andrew H. (and anyone else) seeing the ``App books'' as the 21st century version of luxury ``coffee table'' editions.

In addition to the nifty ``Elements.app'' for the iPad, an older exemplar would be Corbis's fabulous _Leonardo_ CD-ROM which was a multi-media presentation of the Codex Leicester brought out by Corbis.

An interesting examples of a book which might be worth revisiting as such would be Ursula K. LeGuin's _Always Coming Home_ which had a bundled audio cassette of music. Similarly one could see Mercedes Lackey adding in filk music at appropriate points in her Valdemar stories.

William

DixieGal · 03-22-2011, 08:57 AM

Do any of you get National Geographic via the Zinio app? Up til now, it was "enhanced" to the point of being almost too annoying to read. Every article had the first paragraph, then you tapped a link to open a popup in order to read the rest of the article. Slideshows or videos (or both) embedded in each article. Lots of interactive features. It was beautiful to look at, but sucked to try to just read the magazine. I feel certain that all of those extras costed Nat Geo a fortune to include in a digital edition that sells for half of the printed subscription price.

About a month ago, they sent out a very long survey about the interactiveness.

This month's issue was delayed by half a month. When it finally came a couple of days ago, it is completely different. No more popups just to read the articles, because now it has a scroll feature. Fewer videos and things.

Previously, it took anywhere from 1 to 3 hours to download. This most recent issue took about 5 minutes.

SO I SEE THIS DE-EVOLUTION to be the fate of any app book. Buyers will either choose to go for a book loaded with all sort of fancy tricks, or else the cost of making the extras will limit it to something like maybe video covers or whatever.

BrentKnowles · 03-22-2011, 09:21 AM

I doubt I'll ever buy an app-book. I just want to read.

As for creating app-books, it won't be cheap or easy and so will limit who can actually create them. I don't see it catching on in a big way.

kennyc · 03-22-2011, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Do any of you get National Geographic via the Zinio app? Up til now, it was "enhanced" to the point of being almost too annoying to read. ...

No but I installed the (new) CNN app on my Xoom and it's a lot like that. Almost unusable. I really don't care for it much. Some people seem to love it though.

CarolC · 03-23-2011, 12:25 PM

My husband likes to read books on his iPhone but finds that the battery wears down very quickly. For me, I prefer my ereader (currently Nook Color). I find that I can read them on my reader and on my iphone. Also, I can get library books, many of them current bestsellers.

megthered1 · 03-25-2011, 11:09 AM

I don't have any Apple products because I don't like the company, so what is an app?

elcreative · 03-26-2011, 06:46 PM

App = application and isn't only an Apple thing, there are Android and other OS apps...

Quote:

Originally Posted by megthered1

I don't have any Apple products because I don't like the company, so what is an app?

HansTWN · 03-26-2011, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Do any of you get National Geographic via the Zinio app? Up til now, it was "enhanced" to the point of being almost too annoying to read. Every article had the first paragraph, then you tapped a link to open a popup in order to read the rest of the article. Slideshows or videos (or both) embedded in each article. Lots of interactive features. It was beautiful to look at, but sucked to try to just read the magazine. I feel certain that all of those extras costed Nat Geo a fortune to include in a digital edition that sells for half of the printed subscription price.

About a month ago, they sent out a very long survey about the interactiveness.

This month's issue was delayed by half a month. When it finally came a couple of days ago, it is completely different. No more popups just to read the articles, because now it has a scroll feature. Fewer videos and things.

Previously, it took anywhere from 1 to 3 hours to download. This most recent issue took about 5 minutes.

SO I SEE THIS DE-EVOLUTION to be the fate of any app book. Buyers will either choose to go for a book loaded with all sort of fancy tricks, or else the cost of making the extras will limit it to something like maybe video covers or whatever.

I read it on my PC, I have a good connection, so that the February issue only took about 40 seconds to download. March was about the same. Yes, March has fewer videos and you don't need to jump around as much (to continue to read an article), too. But that is less of an issue on a PC, of course.

Videos and active links can be nice extras for NatGeo. For newspapers I still prefer the "real paper feel" I get from Pressreader.

Donnageddon · 03-26-2011, 11:51 PM

Three words: Carl Sagan Cosmos

Sagan's work is close to non existent in ebook form, and really I am not sure if ePub, or mobi would satisfy the need. I would love to see an "enhanced ebook" built for tablets like iPad, or Xoom for these types of books.

But I agree with most here, for most fiction eink reproductions are all that is required, or desired.

03-22-2011, 09:21 AM	#54
BrentKnowles Author Posts: 38 Karma: 540064 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Edmonton Canada Device: iPad	Probably not I doubt I'll ever buy an app-book. I just want to read. As for creating app-books, it won't be cheap or easy and so will limit who can actually create them. I don't see it catching on in a big way.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Yep. It's official. Sony Reader has "ruined" books for me. A final "review."	WilliamG	Sony Reader	48	01-14-2011 03:49 AM
How to remove "Fully read" books from "Last Open" list?	pjeanetta	PocketBook	4	12-08-2010 10:30 AM
Classic No "My Books" app?	jhempel24	Barnes & Noble NOOK	5	08-31-2010 08:59 AM
[Enhancement suggestion] Folders when save books in "Add Books" function	simonbcn	Calibre	1	08-30-2009 12:59 PM
"Paleo E-books": E-books from before the dawn of the e-book age	Robotech_Master	Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links)	12	05-04-2009 05:22 PM

03-21-2011, 11:23 PM	#46
leebase Karma Kameleon Posts: 2,933 Karma: 26616647 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: iPad Mini, iPhone X, Kindle Fire Tab HD 8, Walmart Onn	Ok...it's a lot of hyperbole to suggest app-books will overtake ebooks. However, I do think we've just begun to see what tablets are bringing to the table. I, for one, love my Cooking apps (Jamie Oliver, Mario Batelli, Gordon Ramsey all have good ones) that combine video, step by step recipes with pictures, recipe management and shopping lists. Even apps like Big Oven which don't have videos offer far more than a traditional cook book can. Lee

03-21-2011, 11:52 PM	#47
J. Strnad Guru Posts: 915 Karma: 3537194 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kobo, Kindle 3, Paperwhite	I think of when DVDs were introduced and of the many that came with Director's Commentary and lots of extras, and for the most part, people just didn't care, and they especially didn't want to pay extra for the extras. I see more "bare bones" DVDs these days with minimal extras (if any). I really don't see "enhanced" ebooks as making any kind of dent in the regular ebook market. It just seems like a hopeful, maybe desperate ploy to keep prices high.

03-21-2011, 11:53 PM	#49
FizzyWater You kids get off my lawn! Posts: 4,220 Karma: 73492664 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Columbus, Ohio Device: Oasis 2 and Libra H2O and half a dozen older models I can't let go of	I can imagine great uses for this in non-fiction books, but it seems gimmicky for fiction.

03-22-2011, 06:22 AM	#51
carld Wizard Posts: 2,698 Karma: 4748723 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	When I read a book, I want to read a book. I don't want an "experience." I just want to read.

03-22-2011, 08:14 AM	#52
WillAdams Wizard Posts: 1,234 Karma: 3350652 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (300ppi), Samsung Galaxy Book 12	Agree w/ Andrew H. (and anyone else) seeing the ``App books'' as the 21st century version of luxury ``coffee table'' editions. In addition to the nifty ``Elements.app'' for the iPad, an older exemplar would be Corbis's fabulous _Leonardo_ CD-ROM which was a multi-media presentation of the Codex Leicester brought out by Corbis. An interesting examples of a book which might be worth revisiting as such would be Ursula K. LeGuin's _Always Coming Home_ which had a bundled audio cassette of music. Similarly one could see Mercedes Lackey adding in filk music at appropriate points in her Valdemar stories. William

03-22-2011, 08:57 AM	#53
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	Do any of you get National Geographic via the Zinio app? Up til now, it was "enhanced" to the point of being almost too annoying to read. Every article had the first paragraph, then you tapped a link to open a popup in order to read the rest of the article. Slideshows or videos (or both) embedded in each article. Lots of interactive features. It was beautiful to look at, but sucked to try to just read the magazine. I feel certain that all of those extras costed Nat Geo a fortune to include in a digital edition that sells for half of the printed subscription price. About a month ago, they sent out a very long survey about the interactiveness. This month's issue was delayed by half a month. When it finally came a couple of days ago, it is completely different. No more popups just to read the articles, because now it has a scroll feature. Fewer videos and things. Previously, it took anywhere from 1 to 3 hours to download. This most recent issue took about 5 minutes. SO I SEE THIS DE-EVOLUTION to be the fate of any app book. Buyers will either choose to go for a book loaded with all sort of fancy tricks, or else the cost of making the extras will limit it to something like maybe video covers or whatever.

03-23-2011, 12:25 PM	#56
CarolC Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Sony PRS-600	My husband likes to read books on his iPhone but finds that the battery wears down very quickly. For me, I prefer my ereader (currently Nook Color). I find that I can read them on my reader and on my iphone. Also, I can get library books, many of them current bestsellers.

03-25-2011, 11:09 AM	#57
megthered1 Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Nook	I don't have any Apple products because I don't like the company, so what is an app?

03-26-2011, 11:51 PM	#60
Donnageddon Now you lishen here... Posts: 2,494 Karma: 479498 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Seattle-ish Device: Sony PRS-650. Kobo Touch, Kindle Fire	Three words: Carl Sagan Cosmos Sagan's work is close to non existent in ebook form, and really I am not sure if ePub, or mobi would satisfy the need. I would love to see an "enhanced ebook" built for tablets like iPad, or Xoom for these types of books. But I agree with most here, for most fiction eink reproductions are all that is required, or desired.

Advert

Advert