Ereaders: the final chapter for the book?

M.H. · 07-12-2008, 12:01 PM

There is an article in today's Telegraph newspaper about ebooks in which the writer says

Quote:

Finally, there is the all-important emotional question. An ereader, like all gadgets, is shiny, plastic, artificial. A book is pliable, organic, warm.

And that, in the end, is the reason I suspect the ereader will be slow to become a mass-market phenomenon, if indeed it ever does. It works for me because it is an elegant solution to a specific problem - that of carrying heavy books on the Tube. But it won't work for everyone.

He seems to imply that it is a solution to a problem that only he has. There are thousands (millions?) of people that travel on public transport every day that could benefit in exactly the same way. I think the real barrier is the initial cost of the hardware.

zelda_pinwheel · 07-12-2008, 12:09 PM

plus, books may be pliable and organic, but trying to read the omnibus edition of Léo Malet's Nestor Burma books (printed on onion skin paper, as thick as it is wide, and with soft cover...) in bed is possibly the least "friendly" reading experience i've ever had. nothing about the ergonomics of that situation can be described in a positive way. it's much friendlier to get cozy with a little liseuse that weighs a few grammes and can be held in one hand, in any position. i suspect people who never expected it will find themselves forming a similar bond to their liseuse that they had to books, once they actually try them.

jerryleejr · 07-12-2008, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

plus, books may be pliable and organic, but trying to read the omnibus edition of Léo Malet's Nestor Burma books (printed on onion skin paper, as thick as it is wide, and with soft cover...) in bed is possibly the least "friendly" reading experience i've ever had. nothing about the ergonomics of that situation can be described in a positive way. it's much friendlier to get cozy with a little liseuse that weighs a few grammes and can be held in one hand, in any position. i suspect people who never expected it will find themselves forming a similar bond to their liseuse that they had to books, once they actually try them.

Ok ZP this is the Translation I found how wrong is it.
1 liseuse Noun, feminine (a) reader
(b) book-cover, binder
(c) (lady's) bed jacket
(d) reading light
(e) paper knife (used as a bookmark)

zelda_pinwheel · 07-12-2008, 12:17 PM

(f) electronic reading device.

hey, it's a new technology ; you have to allow some time for the terminology to catch up.

i can assure you though that it is already in use in everyday life.

(you should actually try searching this forum for the word. for example, you could try reading the thread called something like "e-reader devices : naming."

i guarantee it's worth your time.)

jerryleejr · 07-12-2008, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

(f) electronic reading device.

hey, it's a new technology ; you have to allow some time for the terminology to catch up.

i can assure you though that it is already in use in everyday life.

(you should actually try searching this forum for the word. for example, you could try reading the thread called something like "e-reader devices : naming."

i guarantee it's worth your time.)

I will give it a shot but I am barely good at English!

JJ

zelda_pinwheel · 07-12-2008, 12:30 PM

it's okay, the overwhelming majority of that thread *is* in english.

carld · 07-12-2008, 01:56 PM

I think that ebooks will eventually capture a majority of the book market. I don't think it will be any time soon, nor will it be any of the current crop of ereaders or their direct descendants that does it (as much as I love my Kindle). But, I have no doubt that it will eventually happen.

There will always be a place for real paper books, but in time there will be a switch over to ebooks for most things.

DaleDe · 07-12-2008, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

(f) electronic reading device.

hey, it's a new technology ; you have to allow some time for the terminology to catch up.

i can assure you though that it is already in use in everyday life.

(you should actually try searching this forum for the word. for example, you could try reading the thread called something like "e-reader devices : naming."

i guarantee it's worth your time.)

Or look in the wiki.

dale

JSWolf · 07-12-2008, 03:38 PM

How can you take an article seriously when the author cannot even use the term eReader properly?

JSWolf · 07-12-2008, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

plus, books may be pliable and organic, but trying to read the omnibus edition of Léo Malet's Nestor Burma books (printed on onion skin paper, as thick as it is wide, and with soft cover...) in bed is possibly the least "friendly" reading experience i've ever had. nothing about the ergonomics of that situation can be described in a positive way. it's much friendlier to get cozy with a little liseuse that weighs a few grammes and can be held in one hand, in any position. i suspect people who never expected it will find themselves forming a similar bond to their liseuse that they had to books, once they actually try them.

I found that trying to read The Stand in bed is not a great experience as well. The pBook is just so thick, it's hard to hold on one hand. Now that's it's available as an eBook, it will be a lot easier to read when in bed.

slayda · 07-12-2008, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Ereaders: the final chapter for the book?
There is an article in today's Telegraph newspaper about ebooks in which the writer says

Quote:

Finally, there is the all-important emotional question. An ereader, like all gadgets, is shiny, plastic, artificial. A book is pliable, organic, warm.

And that, in the end, is the reason I suspect the ereader will be slow to become a mass-market phenomenon, if indeed it ever does. It works for me because it is an elegant solution to a specific problem - that of carrying heavy books on the Tube. But it won't work for everyone.

It could have as easily been said that the "Conastoga Wagon" is "pliable, organic, warm" while the automobile is "shiny, plastic, artificial". Does that mean that the automobile "will be slow to become a mass-market phenomenon, if indeed it ever does"?

Dopedangel · 07-13-2008, 01:14 AM

He is probably someone over the age of 30-35. People under the age of twentyfive those who have grown up with mobile phones, handheld games, other gadgets actually would feel more comfortable with the feel of plastic instead of paper.

I personally think the first eink reader with good enough color to show comics and manga correctly will be the breakthrough device like ipod was for mp3.

Alisa · 07-13-2008, 03:00 AM

When they get good enough for textbooks we'll see a generation of kids growing up reading on devices rather than paper.

Trenien · 07-13-2008, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

(f) electronic reading device.

hey, it's a new technology ; you have to allow some time for the terminology to catch up.

i can assure you though that it is already in use in everyday life.

It is? irst time I heard of it (and I am French).

zelda_pinwheel · 07-13-2008, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trenien

It is? first time I heard of it (and I am French).

it is, to the degree that *anything* about ebooks is in daily use, since the majority of people still have not heard of them (especially in France). but i first encountered it on a french blog quite some time ago, that is where i learned it, and have seen it used in several different places (always by people who know something about ebooks, of course, so i admit it does remain rather confidential for the moment). also we are making quite a big of progress propagating the word completely artificially in english in this forum.

secret goal : liseuse world domination !!

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07-12-2008, 12:09 PM	#2
zelda_pinwheel zeldinha zippy zeldissima Posts: 27,827 Karma: 921169 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Paris, France Device: eb1150 & is that a nook in her pocket, or she just happy to see you?	plus, books may be pliable and organic, but trying to read the omnibus edition of Léo Malet's Nestor Burma books (printed on onion skin paper, as thick as it is wide, and with soft cover...) in bed is possibly the least "friendly" reading experience i've ever had. nothing about the ergonomics of that situation can be described in a positive way. it's much friendlier to get cozy with a little liseuse that weighs a few grammes and can be held in one hand, in any position. i suspect people who never expected it will find themselves forming a similar bond to their liseuse that they had to books, once they actually try them.

07-12-2008, 12:17 PM	#4
zelda_pinwheel zeldinha zippy zeldissima Posts: 27,827 Karma: 921169 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Paris, France Device: eb1150 & is that a nook in her pocket, or she just happy to see you?	(f) electronic reading device. hey, it's a new technology ; you have to allow some time for the terminology to catch up. i can assure you though that it is already in use in everyday life. (you should actually try searching this forum for the word. for example, you could try reading the thread called something like "e-reader devices : naming." i guarantee it's worth your time.)

07-12-2008, 12:30 PM	#6
zelda_pinwheel zeldinha zippy zeldissima Posts: 27,827 Karma: 921169 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Paris, France Device: eb1150 & is that a nook in her pocket, or she just happy to see you?	it's okay, the overwhelming majority of that thread is in english.

07-12-2008, 01:56 PM	#7
carld Wizard Posts: 2,698 Karma: 4748723 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	I think that ebooks will eventually capture a majority of the book market. I don't think it will be any time soon, nor will it be any of the current crop of ereaders or their direct descendants that does it (as much as I love my Kindle). But, I have no doubt that it will eventually happen. There will always be a place for real paper books, but in time there will be a switch over to ebooks for most things.

07-12-2008, 03:38 PM	#9
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,897 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	How can you take an article seriously when the author cannot even use the term eReader properly?

07-13-2008, 01:14 AM	#12
Dopedangel Wizard Posts: 1,759 Karma: 30063305 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Singapore Device: Boyue	He is probably someone over the age of 30-35. People under the age of twentyfive those who have grown up with mobile phones, handheld games, other gadgets actually would feel more comfortable with the feel of plastic instead of paper. I personally think the first eink reader with good enough color to show comics and manga correctly will be the breakthrough device like ipod was for mp3.

07-13-2008, 03:00 AM	#13
Alisa Gadget Geek Posts: 2,324 Karma: 22221 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Paperwhite, Kindle 3 (retired), Skindle 1.2 (retired)	When they get good enough for textbooks we'll see a generation of kids growing up reading on devices rather than paper.

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