Register Guidelines E-Books Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Go Back   MobileRead Forums > E-Book General > News

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 12-30-2008, 06:42 PM   #1
=X=
Wizard
=X= ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.=X= ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.=X= ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.=X= ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.=X= ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.=X= ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.=X= ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.=X= ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.=X= ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.=X= ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.=X= ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
=X='s Avatar
 
Posts: 3,671
Karma: 12205348
Join Date: Mar 2008
Device: Galaxy S, Nook w/CM7
Business Week - Cell Phones take on e-Readers

Interesting article, just as interesting this made the top story for BusinessWeek.

Business Week - Cell Phones take on e-Readers


=X=
=X= is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-30-2008, 06:52 PM   #2
lilac_jive
Grand Sorcerer
lilac_jive has much to be proud oflilac_jive has much to be proud oflilac_jive has much to be proud oflilac_jive has much to be proud oflilac_jive has much to be proud oflilac_jive has much to be proud oflilac_jive has much to be proud oflilac_jive has much to be proud oflilac_jive has much to be proud oflilac_jive has much to be proud oflilac_jive has much to be proud of
 
lilac_jive's Avatar
 
Posts: 5,870
Karma: 27376
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Pennsylvania
Device: PRS-505
I think for sometimes-readers this will work, but for big readers I don't think it'll cut it enough.
lilac_jive is offline   Reply With Quote
Advert
Old 12-30-2008, 06:57 PM   #3
zelda_pinwheel
zeldinha zippy zeldissima
zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
zelda_pinwheel's Avatar
 
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?
i have some books in my phone (from the aptly-named site "booksinmyphone.com" ) which is an lg viewty, not an iphone or smartphone. they are convenient for short métro trips or similar circumstances when i have no other reading material, but i would never read in those conditions at home. i am glad to have it though ; sometimes it comes in handy.

i found it interesting that although the article talks a lot about ebooks being cheaper they gloss over all the sources for completely free books ; i think they mentioned that once in passing. they even mention all the pd books available for only $1, so much cheaper than the paper versions... whereas using stanza (which they do talk about) you can get any book from feedbooks for 0$, including a lot of classics.
zelda_pinwheel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-30-2008, 06:59 PM   #4
sabredog
Geographically Restricted
sabredog ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sabredog ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sabredog ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sabredog ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sabredog ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sabredog ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sabredog ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sabredog ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sabredog ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sabredog ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sabredog ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
sabredog's Avatar
 
Posts: 2,629
Karma: 14933353
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Perth, Australia
Device: Sony PRS-T3, Kindle Voyage, iPad Air2, Nexus7v2
When I was looking at a new mobile phone, I decided a big screen was the way to go. Settled on the Samsung i900 Omnia with a 3.25" screen. The Omnia runs WinMo 6.1, so Mobipocket works a treat.

My lovely bride has given me the nod to look at a "proper" ebook reader sometime next year. I currently use my HP Ipaq PDA for book reading and find it excellent, but a bigger screen for my main reading device is something to look forward to.

Cheers

SD
sabredog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-30-2008, 07:03 PM   #5
mjh215
Guru
mjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentameter
 
Posts: 988
Karma: 12653
Join Date: Apr 2008
Device: None of your business
You know, I am perfectly happy for people that enjoy reading ebooks on their phones or notebooks or pda's. That being said, have any of these writers truly ever used an ebook reader? Especially an eInk one? It's like comparing apples to aardvarks. Before the Sony hit the market there were alot of articles like this from the junior know-it-all bloggers association about how pointless they were. Later a similar stream of useless banter for the Kindle. I guess I just find it annoying when sources like Business Week go that route and probably harm what is still an emerging market.

What an article like this does is get a reader that might have taken a look at a dedicated reader and made him think, "Oh, I can read the books on my phone". At which point he'll buy a couple books, read one or two and then decide the next time he might as well grab the paperback. When anyone brings up the topic of ebooks again he'll think of that experience and dismiss it as novelty and nothing more...

-MJ
mjh215 is offline   Reply With Quote
Advert
Old 12-30-2008, 07:05 PM   #6
zelda_pinwheel
zeldinha zippy zeldissima
zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
zelda_pinwheel's Avatar
 
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?
Quote:
Originally Posted by mjh215 View Post
It's like comparing apples to aardvarks.
to be fair, they *are* both crunchy...
zelda_pinwheel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-30-2008, 07:06 PM   #7
mjh215
Guru
mjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentameter
 
Posts: 988
Karma: 12653
Join Date: Apr 2008
Device: None of your business
Quote:
Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel View Post
to be fair, they *are* both crunchy...


-MJ
mjh215 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2008, 10:46 AM   #8
rhadin
Literacy = Understanding
rhadin ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.rhadin ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.rhadin ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.rhadin ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.rhadin ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.rhadin ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.rhadin ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.rhadin ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.rhadin ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.rhadin ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.rhadin ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
rhadin's Avatar
 
Posts: 4,833
Karma: 59674358
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: The World of Books
Device: Nook, Nook Tablet
What I find interesting is that reading 20 books a year makes one an avid reader. What are those of us who read significantly more than that called?

Also, I would find it frustrating to read 3 lines and then have to change the "page" for the next 3 lines. But then I don't text message or twitter so just call me neanderthal.
rhadin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2008, 10:50 AM   #9
mjh215
Guru
mjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentametermjh215 can solve quadratic equations while standing on his or her head reciting poetry in iambic pentameter
 
Posts: 988
Karma: 12653
Join Date: Apr 2008
Device: None of your business
rhadin, it's listed right under your username on the post..

-MJ
mjh215 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2008, 11:00 AM   #10
French
Groupie
French ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.French ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.French ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.French ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.French ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.French ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.French ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.French ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.French ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.French ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.French ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 151
Karma: 1002968
Join Date: Dec 2008
Device: none
Actually, I'm a Blackberry Mobi reader and considering upgrading to an ebook reader. For me, I like the idea of having my books with me all the time for unexpected down time (Blackberry), and having the ereader for reading at home, or vacations, etc. Having used my Blackberry exclusively for ereading I can tell you that it doesn't bother me. Maybe I'm weird. It DOES, however, take about a chapter to "adjust". I read strictly for entertainment so don't need to be able to annotate and rarely read books that have footnotes, etc.

The attraction to having a reader on the phone is simply having a book when you have down time, especially unplanned down time. Or when you don't want to haul several different paperback books (vacation). I've read entire books on my Blackberry and enjoyed them just fine. I hit my space bar when it's time to scroll down further and I get a good flow going. One thing about downpaging on a Blackberry...it's a smooth scroll. The page doesn't "turn" or blank out. You simply read to the bottom, hit the space bar, then move back to the top for the next page. I'm a fast reader, too.

I definitely think the majority of posters on this site are in a group that maybe isn't named yet. I go through phases where I'll check out 13 books from the library and read them all in the 3 week period of time, but then go weeks without reading anything significant. I'm not sure if I'm considered avid (that seems overkill), but I think that makes me a little bit more than casual. However there are some here that when I read how many books they have, carry with them at any given time, etc...avid doesn't quite seem adequate.

So those are my thoughts. I am waiting for the ebook industry to come just a little bit further (I think) before I jump in. For example, more stuff available via "libraries" for checking out. I'm close to ready though, and reading on my cell phone got me here. I say I'm holding out, but don't be surprised if you start seeing me around here more.
French is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2008, 11:05 AM   #11
lilac_jive
Grand Sorcerer
lilac_jive has much to be proud oflilac_jive has much to be proud oflilac_jive has much to be proud oflilac_jive has much to be proud oflilac_jive has much to be proud oflilac_jive has much to be proud oflilac_jive has much to be proud oflilac_jive has much to be proud oflilac_jive has much to be proud oflilac_jive has much to be proud oflilac_jive has much to be proud of
 
lilac_jive's Avatar
 
Posts: 5,870
Karma: 27376
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Pennsylvania
Device: PRS-505
Quote:
Originally Posted by rhadin View Post
What I find interesting is that reading 20 books a year makes one an avid reader. What are those of us who read significantly more than that called?

Also, I would find it frustrating to read 3 lines and then have to change the "page" for the next 3 lines. But then I don't text message or twitter so just call me neanderthal.
rabid?
lilac_jive is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2009, 10:27 PM   #12
Steven Lyle Jordan
Grand Sorcerer
Steven Lyle Jordan ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Steven Lyle Jordan ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Steven Lyle Jordan ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Steven Lyle Jordan ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Steven Lyle Jordan ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Steven Lyle Jordan ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Steven Lyle Jordan ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Steven Lyle Jordan ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Steven Lyle Jordan ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Steven Lyle Jordan ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Steven Lyle Jordan ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Steven Lyle Jordan's Avatar
 
Posts: 8,478
Karma: 5171130
Join Date: Jan 2006
Device: none
As an e-book writer, e-book reader, and an iPaq user, I do not have a problem reading everything on my PDA. I have seen the Sony, Kindle and Iliad readers, and I have nothing bad to say about them (other than, perhaps, the cost). But for me, as the article suggested, being able to read without another device suits me fine. I already have the iPaq with me all the time, and I'm comfortable using its screen all day long... why not read on it?

I wouldn't say articles like this harm the e-book industry. They may manage to put a dent in sales of dedicated readers... on the other hand, they may be getting new people to read on their PDAs and phones, where they did not before, because the article lets them know it's do-able (and, incidentally, usually cheaper than the Sony or Kindle package).
Steven Lyle Jordan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-06-2009, 12:16 AM   #13
giedre
Connoisseur
giedre is fluent in JavaScript as well as Klingon.giedre is fluent in JavaScript as well as Klingon.giedre is fluent in JavaScript as well as Klingon.giedre is fluent in JavaScript as well as Klingon.giedre is fluent in JavaScript as well as Klingon.giedre is fluent in JavaScript as well as Klingon.giedre is fluent in JavaScript as well as Klingon.giedre is fluent in JavaScript as well as Klingon.giedre is fluent in JavaScript as well as Klingon.giedre is fluent in JavaScript as well as Klingon.giedre is fluent in JavaScript as well as Klingon.
 
giedre's Avatar
 
Posts: 84
Karma: 4850
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: North Carolina
Device: Sony 500,505, Kindle, 1150
For a couple of years I read on my pda phone and it was nice, but nothing compares to an e-reader. Another thing...battery life on a pda style phone! While I think it's great that phones can do all these different things nowadays, by the time you're done reading your book, or playing several games, etc...your battery is gone! Then how does one make phone calls??
giedre is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-06-2009, 04:15 AM   #14
=X=
Wizard
=X= ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.=X= ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.=X= ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.=X= ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.=X= ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.=X= ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.=X= ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.=X= ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.=X= ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.=X= ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.=X= ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
=X='s Avatar
 
Posts: 3,671
Karma: 12205348
Join Date: Mar 2008
Device: Galaxy S, Nook w/CM7
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Jordan View Post
As an e-book writer, e-book reader, and an iPaq user, I do not have a problem reading everything on my PDA. I have seen the Sony, Kindle and Iliad readers, and I have nothing bad to say about them (other than, perhaps, the cost). But for me, as the article suggested, being able to read without another device suits me fine. I already have the iPaq with me all the time, and I'm comfortable using its screen all day long... why not read on it?

I wouldn't say articles like this harm the e-book industry. They may manage to put a dent in sales of dedicated readers... on the other hand, they may be getting new people to read on their PDAs and phones, where they did not before, because the article lets them know it's do-able (and, incidentally, usually cheaper than the Sony or Kindle package).
Well if I may quote the inventor of the internet -- "I Agree."

Thought the article was a direct attack on dedicated eBook readers, like you I don't see it as a negative. Folks that like their eBook Readers will continue to own them and folks that want a multi device will use their phone/PDA as such.

What I do see is with the increase of mobilephone readers, the demand for eBooks will increase which will also benefit the eBook Reader industry as publishers will start delivering more content in electronic format.

I think however when more phones like the Readius come out THEN there will be a dent in the eBook industry.

Quote:
Originally Posted by giedre View Post
For a couple of years I read on my pda phone and it was nice, but nothing compares to an e-reader. Another thing...battery life on a pda style phone! While I think it's great that phones can do all these different things nowadays, by the time you're done reading your book, or playing several games, etc...your battery is gone! Then how does one make phone calls??
Yep I agree here too... kind of. I had(have) a Samsung i730 Windows Moible (WM) phone. The form factor on that phone was bar none the best experience in electronic reading. Mostly because MobiPocket did such a fantastic job of optimizing their reader for the WM OS.
The only drawbacks and they where big was the screen quality in broad daylight and the batter life.

I have a BlackBerry Storm now and those issues are no more the BB Storm screen is brilliant in broad daylight. And after using it heavily throughout the day I still had 1/2 the battery life.

=X=

Last edited by =X=; 01-06-2009 at 04:18 AM. Reason: Correcet grammer
=X= is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-06-2009, 10:51 AM   #15
shighfield
Groupie!? GROUPIE!?!?
shighfield will become famous soon enoughshighfield will become famous soon enoughshighfield will become famous soon enoughshighfield will become famous soon enoughshighfield will become famous soon enoughshighfield will become famous soon enough
 
shighfield's Avatar
 
Posts: 317
Karma: 649
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: The Dirty Shwa
Device: EBW 1150, Kobo Touch
I read ebooks for years on my PDA / Smartphone's. Started in 1999 with the Palm IIIe, and even have ereader installed on my HTC Touch.

I switched to ereaders for the screen size, and the fact that my Palm Treo755p was only 8 months old and I wore out some buttons reading on it.

The e-ink is beautiful and I could never go back to just reading on my phone / pda.
shighfield is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
New use for e-ink in cell-phones NatCh News 13 10-10-2007 05:32 PM
E-Ink outships OLEDs in cell phones Anchoku News 1 06-20-2007 06:13 PM
E-book industry counts on cell phones TadW News 1 06-28-2006 09:28 AM
Cell phones as radiation sensors Alexander Turcic Lounge 0 08-15-2005 03:11 PM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:02 AM.


MobileRead.com is a privately owned, operated and funded community.