Mike Cane changes his opinion and becomes a Sony Reader fan

[Gameboy70]

I'm with Steve. The focus on books is extemely shortsighted. I remember reading somewhere that the majority of reading today among the under-35 demographic is for of online content.

I used the Librie (don't have a Sony Reader yet) mainly to read HTML pages (converted using Toolbar for Librie). I personally have no problem with the scarcity of book content for these readers, since I don't think within the "e-book" paradigm, which seems like a dead end. My interest is strictly in getting online content offline into a "printout" medium for greater portability and readability.

[Cthulhu]

GameBoy & Steve J make good points regarding the future of e-text.

However, I think that to be successful, any e-text reader must win the battle on two fronts; 1. why is this device better than a paper book? and 2. why should I buy a separate device to check RSS/Online content?

To address question 1, there is a massive dearth (is that possible, can a lack be large) of e-content. The only files available at a reasonable cost or format are very old texts. Good, but not great. Until we consumers win the DRM war & every book published is released electronically, the e-text reader will be seen as merely a gadget.


I really cannot speak to question 2, since I am only vaguely aware of what RSS is and how it works. I suppose that if folks are willing to hotsync their mp3 player daily to get the Colbert Report as a soundfile, they would not mind syncing a reader to get blogs or online periodicals. It does seems that it would require an extra step of formatting of the content.


I would make this statement:

We do not need the ipod of books; we need the mp3 of books.

[Nightwing]

Originally Posted by Cthulhu

GameBoy & Steve J make good points regarding the future of e-text.

However, I think that to be successful, any e-text reader must win the battle on two fronts; 1. why is this device better than a paper book? and 2. why should I buy a separate device to check RSS/Online content?

To address question 1, there is a massive dearth (is that possible, can a lack be large) of e-content. The only files available at a reasonable cost or format are very old texts. Good, but not great. Until we consumers win the DRM war & every book published is released electronically, the e-text reader will be seen as merely a gadget.


I really cannot speak to question 2, since I am only vaguely aware of what RSS is and how it works. I suppose that if folks are willing to hotsync their mp3 player daily to get the Colbert Report as a soundfile, they would not mind syncing a reader to get blogs or online periodicals. It does seems that it would require an extra step of formatting of the content.


I would make this statement:

We do not need the ipod of books; we need the mp3 of books.

The eBook market is about at the point of the first VCR's. Basically late 70's to early 80's. Was usefully but until content was cheep or rentable it did not take off.

Its a chicken or the egg problem. To have one you need the other.

[BuddyBoy]

Originally Posted by Cthulhu

there is a massive dearth (is that possible, can a lack be large) of e-content. The only files available at a reasonable cost or format are very old texts. Good, but not great. Until we consumers win the DRM war & every book published is released electronically, the e-text reader will be seen as merely a gadget.

I think everyone has their own definition of reasonable cost - your's seems to be somewhere around "free."

I'm willing to pay pbook prices, less a discount for the loss of resellability and lendability, plus a premium for instant delivery, no trekking to the store, portability and reduced storage space.

The reasonable sony prices - i.e. $6-8 for books currently out in paperback - hit that target zone nicely. The ones at $15.96 that are out in paperback for $7.99 do not.

[Cthulhu]

@BuddyBoy:

I am willing to pay for content. I am willing to pay for convenience. I am not willing to be gouged. When I see a paperback that is $7.00, but the data file is $11.00 or $25.00, I see that as unfair. To an extent, paying the publisher or website a premium for shop-at-home convenience without paying for shipping is understandable.
My choice for e-text prices on the mobilread poll was $5-10.

The reasonable sony prices - i.e. $6-8 for books currently out in paperback - hit that target zone nicely. The ones at $15.96 that are out in paperback for $7.99 do not.

I could not agree more.


The convenience surcharge cannot be so much that it obviated the notion of it being convenient.

To be honest, I have never bought an e-book, because I was so turned off by the price. (I am rather cheap, and hardly ever purchase hardcover books because of price). I have no idea what I get if I do; is the cover art included? Are maps and photos, say from a non-fiction book, bundled as jpegs? I have a sneaking suspicion that such is not the case. If I am correct, that I am getting less content, why am I paying more money? If I am incorrect, disregard.

Let us not include a little diatribe regarding digital copyrights...

Here's something a little non-sequitur(sp):

When people on this forum discuss the price of a book being mediated by the opportunity to resell it, I hope that they understand that the publisher is not considering this in their pricing. They want to charge $25.00 regardles of whether you recoup any money.