The future of e-book readers

[ahi]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

You're kidding yourself. Most would never buy a dedicated reader as they don't read enough to spend ANY money on something like that.

Most people who would buy a reader at all will buy a dedicated one... judging by just about every other form of technology that isn't a general purpose computer.

I could be wrong... but it rather seems to me that "history" (as little of it as is relevant) mostly supports my suggestion.

Don't you think?

- Ahi

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by ahi

Most people who would buy a reader at all will buy a dedicated one... judging by just about every other form of technology that isn't a general purpose computer.

I could be wrong... but it rather seems to me that "history" (as little of it as is relevant) mostly supports my suggestion.

Don't you think?

- Ahi

Sure.

But my point is there's a much bigger market for portable devices that can surf the net, do e-mail, watch movies, etc. etc. than there is for readers.

Look at the iPhone success. Or how many more Nintendo DS's have been sold than eReaders etc. Or netbooks.

And some of those people who buy a tablet for other reasons may by some books on it too (just like some buy books with the Kindle app on the iPhone) and thus can expand the e-book market beyond tech inclined book worms.

[ahi]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

Sure.

But my point is there's a much bigger market for portable devices that can surf the net, do e-mail, watch movies, etc. etc. than their are readers.

Look at the iPhone success.

And some of those people who buy a tablet for other reasons may by some books on it too (just like some buy books with the Kindle app on the iPhone) and thus can expand the e-book market beyond tech inclined book worms.

... err. I thought that was my point?

The iPhone might be successful against other cell phones. But how successful is it against dedicated mp3 players? And how successful will it be 5 years from now?

Will people repurchase their portable music library every year and a half when they need a cell phone until they die?

The greatest benefit of a multi-purpose device is also its greatest weakness. The moment one of its functions become obsolete... its other ones are gone as well when the update happens.

- Ahi

[dmaul1114]

What? They can just load their songs on their new iPhone or whatever they buy in a few years. No need to repurchase any songs, any more than there is when upgrading to a newer iPod Nano every few years.

All technology is always in flux and needs replaced every 5 years at a minimum for people who want to stay current. Whether that's a multifunction device or a single purpose device. My Kindle 1 will be obsolete in a few years when there are color e-ink devices out that don't suck ass at magazines, newspapers, letter sized PDFs etc. So I'll want a new one even if I stick with a dedicated reader.

Single purpose devices have the advantage of doing that one function typically better than multifunction devices. Multifunction devices offer convenience of doing several task the user needs without having to lug around multiple devices. I'll take convenience over quality in this case since I spend lot of time surfing the net, watching movies, watching TV and sports, reading books, reading magazines, reading and marking up PDFs, grading student papers etc. etc. and would kill for a 10" or so tablet device that could do all that stuff.

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

Or how many more Nintendo DS's have been sold than eReaders etc. Or netbooks.

Well, I think this comparison is not right. Nintendo DS is an almost dedicated machine (I don't know if really dedicated, I haven't used it ). You don't sell more here because is multi-purpose but, sadly, because there're more gamers than readers.

[hansl]

Originally Posted by Terisa de morgan

Well, I think this comparison is not right. Nintendo DS is an almost dedicated machine (I don't know if really dedicated, I haven't used it ). You don't sell more here because is multi-purpose but, sadly, because there're more gamers than readers.

Well, see my device list to the left. Since a month or so a homebrew reader (DS libris) even supports ePUB, currently text only. But text only means UTF-8 with multilingual support from German to Japanese, perfectly rendered. Also the DS Lite has 2 screens, very much like a book if you flip it 90 deg. It's my preferred reader although I also own a PRS-500. For reading PDFs with images or difficult layout, convert them to images and launch another homebrew, Comicbook DS, and have fun reading. Also nice for photo albums.
In addition to that I'm using the DS as organiser and mp3-player and occasional gaming but way less than reading (a matter of age I guess).

So I think the comparison is ok but probably no one would buy a DS for just reading, except me. But maybe, if you consider the price tag. Including the homebrew hardware it was about 60% of the Sony reader in 2007.

hansl

[FlorenceArt]

I think the multipurpose device is mainly a marketing device that allows manufacturer to sell their products for higher prices. People end up buying several multi-purpose devices that they use for specialized purposes.

I remember 20 years ago, the future of home entertainment was supposed to be a multi-purpose device that would be a TV, computer and gaming platform. I had trouble believing this at the time.

And now, what do we have? Gaming platforms and computers that can show movies. How many of these multi-purpose devices does every one of us own? And how many uses does each one of them serve?

Nowadays it's practically impossible to buy a mobile phone that doesn't take photos, except for the very low end of the market. Have sales of digital cameras plunged because of that? No, because most people still want a camera, even if they occasionally use their mobile phones to take quick photos.

The main beneficiaries of multi-purpose gizmos are the manufacturers, who get us to buy more expensive gadgets with more non-essential functionalities.

I'm sure e-readers will get more functionalities. Will we really benefit from them? Maybe, marginally. Will the manufaturers benefit? Probably, but on the other hand they are creating more pressure to make devices that do everything, which increases costs. Competition nowadays seem to be more and more on non-essential and eventually costly improvements.

Just my 2 cents

[Crowl]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

Single purpose devices have the advantage of doing that one function typically better than multifunction devices. Multifunction devices offer convenience of doing several task the user needs without having to lug around multiple devices. I'll take convenience over quality in this case since I spend lot of time surfing the net, watching movies, watching TV and sports, reading books, reading magazines, reading and marking up PDFs, grading student papers etc. etc. and would kill for a 10" or so tablet device that could do all that stuff.

It all comes down to where you are willing to make the compromises in your multifunction device, for you a tablet is the right balance and for others they would go with a netbook or laptop to cover those requirements. The simple fact of the matter is that one size does not fit all and as long as that remains the case there will always be a market for both single and multifunction devices and as time goes by and the market grows you are likely to see more variation rather than less since the niches will become big enough to be addressed by hardware makers.

[Crowl]

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

Nowadays it's practically impossible to buy a mobile phone that doesn't take photos, except for the very low end of the market.

You also see things like blackberries intended for companies that don't allow camera phones due to security, so there's an example of a niche market being big enough for a hardware manufacturer to address it.

[ahi]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

All technology is always in flux and needs replaced every 5 years at a minimum for people who want to stay current. Whether that's a multifunction device or a single purpose device.

Do you buy TVs with built-in DVD players?

I don't. And my DVD player is getting close to 10 years old.

- Ahi

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by ahi

Do you buy TVs with built-in DVD players?

I don't. And my DVD player is getting close to 10 years old.

- Ahi

Silly comparison. Multifunction devices aren't really needed for non-portable things. Those things stay at home, and it's not a problem having dedicated devices. As for 10 years, I've been through a few. First DVD player broke after 3 or 4 years, second one I ditched when I got an HDTV and upgraded to an upconverting DVD player. And that one was ditched for a Blu Ray player last fall. Again, all devices--single function or multifunction need replaced with newer technology every few years for those of us who care about staying current.

Where I personally need/want multifunction devices are portable gadgets I carry around with me. The more a device can do, the less stupid gadgets I have to carry around to have my calender/contacts (Palm Pilot), music (mp3 players), movies/TV/sports (nothing currently since I don't carry my laptop), books (Kindle--which I don't carry), PDFs (nothing suitable for my needs currently) etc. with me everywhere I go.

But I'll concede maybe I was too strong. Maybe dedicated readers will always have a place for you bookworms. I'll leave mine behind as soon as there's a 9-10" tablet that does everything I want well around $500.

[Crowl]

Isn't it somewhat contradictory for you to be complaining about carrying multiple gadgets around and indeed choosing not to do so, while at the same time being so eagerly awaiting something that would weigh as much as the rest (minus the laptop) put together.

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

Maybe dedicated readers will always have a place for you bookworms.

That actually explains a lot.

[ahi]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

Silly comparison. Multifunction devices aren't really needed for non-portable things. Those things stay at home, and it's not a problem having dedicated devices.

I also have an MP3 player that is over 5 years old and still works (and when I need a portable music player, that is what I use).

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

But I'll concede maybe I was too strong. Maybe dedicated readers will always have a place for you bookworms. I'll leave mine behind as soon as there's a 9-10" tablet that does everything I want well around $500.

Bookworms?

Your theoretical device is a...

1) a reasonable sounding eBook reading device, unless of course it's a light-emitting screen, which will induce greater eye-strain to all buy the jetbook-owning population

2) a music player with an unpleasantly large form factor (arguably no longer portable, by the standards of music player portability)

3) an exceedingly small (albeit larger than tiny) screened video player with almost certainly enough battery line for two movies, if that many. And possibly not LOTR Extended Edition two movies either.

4) a decent internet browsing device, no doubt

5) a fairly poor general purpose computer, given that it has either a cramped netbook style keyboard or only an on-screen one

All but one of those items are not something I've any interest in owning. Ever.

- Ahi

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by Crowl

Isn't it somewhat contradictory for you to be complaining about carrying multiple gadgets around and indeed choosing not to do so, while at the same time being so eagerly awaiting something that would weigh as much as the rest (minus the laptop) put together.

It would still take up less space than a laptop or netbook--and that matters more to me than weight. And the key is having a screen that lets me mark up PDFs and ebooks just like paper--without having the size and bulk of a tablet PC with keyboard etc.

Originally Posted by ahi

I also have an MP3 player that is over 5 years old and still works (and when I need a portable music player, that is what I use).

Mine are old as well. I haven't upgraded as I just don't use them much as I generally just listen to music on iTunes since I keep my whole collection on both my home laptop and my work desktop. My Creative Vision M seldom get's touched, my old, crappy 512 MB player I use in the gym is fine for that purpose--drowning out the crappy gym and people talking.

But for things I use more--pcs, PDAs, cell phones, dvd/blu ray players, TVs etc. I upgrade pretty often.

All but one of those items are not something I've any interest in owning. Ever.

To each their own. Net surfing, e-mail and reading and marking up scholarly books/PDFs are my main desires for such a device as that stuff takes up a big amount of my daily life.

Other features like music, movies, games etc. would just be icing on the cake and only used on airplanes etc. in place of having to bring a portable DVD player or my MP3 player etc. since I'd already have the tablet with me for work and internet.

Eyestrain is a mild concern, but I VERY rarely read for more than 30-60 minutes at a time, so it's a bit of a moot point for me. And most of the longer sessions are work reading. Leisure reading is just a couple chapters before sleeping at night as I enjoy things like TV, sports, movies, music and video games more than reading when I have free time at home.