E-Books, Still a Niche Hobby?

[sianon]

Originally Posted by melmurray

Is age profile another factor in the slooow rise of the ebook reader? The MP3 players are targeted at a youth market. Music is cool in a way books aren't. Judging by the reminiscences above we are mostly an over thirties, over forties crowd. That might have some influence on the investment companies are prepared to make at this stage.

I recall sitting on a platform at Penrith Station in England and two little boys aged about 11 or 12 being fascinated by the Sony Reader I was using at the time. They were full of questions and pretty much in awe of it, mind you they then asked me what language was spoken in Australia and commented that I spoke English well

Karen

[jasonkchapman]

Originally Posted by melmurray

Is age profile another factor in the slooow rise of the ebook reader? The MP3 players are targeted at a youth market. Music is cool in a way books aren't. Judging by the reminiscences above we are mostly an over thirties, over forties crowd. That might have some influence on the investment companies are prepared to make at this stage.

The demographics of readers are skewed in the same way that this forum appears, anecdotally, to be. The NEA's (National Endowment for the Arts, a US gov't organization) 2004 report "Reading at Risk" spotted this as well. As the population aged, the demographics who did most of the reading aged with it. The younger age groups reported very little reading.

It takes a different slant in both marketing and design to appeal to an older age group. That's why Cadillac uses Led Zepplin for its ads. They're not aiming for twenty-somethings. I carry a Rio Karma as my DAP. It's not that common, so a lot of people don't recognize it. Everyone who has asked me about it has been in his twenties. Every person who has asked me about my Sony Reader, though, has been forty or older.

So far, e-book information has mostly spread through online communities. That's an arena that I think, on the average, self-selects for younger age groups. Sony's smattering of ads aside, no one has really tried mainstream marketing in the e-book arena yet. That's one of the things that I'm hoping Amazon will be able to help with. They already have the ear of a huge percentage of the reading population. They have a chance to make a very big splash with little investment.

[Lemurion]

The only person I know who has a Sony Reader is my stepdaughter's best friend. She's a freshman in high school.

[astra]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

we like our reading devices and the things they bring to us like the ability to have lots of books onhand, a small size, a given weight, no need to lug around some big heave hardcover book, and while the wow factor may be gone, the practical reasons will still exist.

And to answer the question ... yes it will still be fun. I didn't purchase my reader for the wow factor. I purchased it to actually read ebooks. I've wanted a device to read ebooks, but did not want some sort of palm/PDA.

Agree.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by melmurray

Is age profile another factor in the slooow rise of the ebook reader? The MP3 players are targeted at a youth market. Music is cool in a way books aren't. Judging by the reminiscences above we are mostly an over thirties, over forties crowd. That might have some influence on the investment companies are prepared to make at this stage.

This is why many of us suspect that the youth market will be pushed into e-books through some kind of digital textbook program, to save them the weight and expense of all those textbooks throughout their school years.

I personally expect that, when dedicated e-book readers go color, we will see many popular magazines go digital, and I suspect many of the youth-oriented magazines will be the first to convert. This will catapult younger readers into e-magazines, allowing them to carry entire collections with them at all times... a truly unique advantage to e-book readers.

Once they have the readers, and get used to them, they can start buying e-books as well. So in this analogy, e-books will take a back seat to e-magazines. But I consider it a viable way to introduce the youth market to e-books.

[nekokami]

Manga might be another angle -- and the current devices would support those.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by nekokami

Manga might be another angle -- and the current devices would support those.

True. But I suspect the larger market will be in magazines devoted to popular stars and celebrities, movies and TV shows, and cheesecake/beefcake, and include a lot of color pictures of same... possibly even allowing readers to "clip and save" their favorite parts and store them for later access.

"Have you seen Amy's collection of (insert favorite teen heartthrob here) pictures? He's soooo hot!"

"Have you seen those pics of Kendra that Danny's got? I'm getting me a subscription to Maxim, man!"

[melmurray]

We're sounding a little patronizing about the young folk here! I think they'll find more uses for ebook readers than looking at beekcake shots and reading gossip. For instance subscriptions to gig listings in one's area, reviews of films, books, etc. Blogs. [Ebook readers have to be wifi enabled] Travel guides. Imagine backpacking round the world with an ebook reader. And short stories might have a revival. I can imagine young writers putting work out under creative commons licence trying to attract a buzz and there after a publisher. Ebooks for the under 25s needs some creative and dynamic thinking about and marketing.

[jasonkchapman]

Originally Posted by melmurray

We're sounding a little patronizing about the young folk here! I think they'll find more uses for ebook readers than looking at beekcake shots and reading gossip.

Wait, wait! It's my turn to be the curmudgeon!

Two words: My Space. *chuckle, chuckle, snort*

Case closed.

[melmurray]

Lord love a duck, they're not that one dimensional. When I was a teenager I likeD Dostoyevsky and DC Marvel comics. Still do in fact. The thing is they just don't put as much weight on THE WORD as our generation did. OK that's strange from our perspective. Our old stlye cultural perspective. But we are known that even our lovely Western civilisation has only had high literacy rates for a very short time. We tend to think a culture can't be complex unless its highly literate. Hold on a second I think I can see one of my favourite hobby horses galloping over in my direction.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by melmurray

We're sounding a little patronizing about the young folk here!...

Well, okay, I was mostly thinking of younger folk than I think you're thinking of... but point taken, there are a lot of informational reasons to get a reader.

However, as entertainment is also a big draw for new devices (think iPod), I think my point is still valid. Besides, entertainment will draw a lot of adults, too!

[europas_ice]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

This is why many of us suspect that the youth market will be pushed into e-books through some kind of digital textbook program, to save them the weight and expense of all those textbooks throughout their school years.

Although ebooks need to be more searchable and browsable before this will really work, feel very strongly that every kid should be given an ebook reader in first grade, and not have to carry any other books around with him though high school at least. I'm not sure it will save expense, as textbook publishers, even of etextbooks, will want to be paid, but it will sure reduce the bulk of "stuff" a student needs to carry around. Although I believe it is a utopic model, it clearly and unfortunately isn't going to happen any time soon.

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by europas_ice

... [ I ] feel very strongly that every kid should be given an ebook reader in first grade ....

Good gracious! Not until the devices are a lot more robust!

[europas_ice]

You mean more physically roubst devices? I suppose so, though I don't really have a lot of experience with kids. It seems though that if they can handle cell phones and mp3 players they should be able to handle an ebook. But I suppose I can see how the current eink screens might be too fragile to go around handing out to kids.

Ooo, I'm going to post a poll about this, wait for it.

[NatCh]

Yeah, physically robust is precisely what I mean.

Regarding Cell Phones & MP3 players, et. al.: the less mass something has, the less structural strength it can get away with having and still not be prone to ... percussive failure, shall we say?

I'm looking forward to your poll with great interest.