"E-reader devices", naming

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by tsgreer

Hey I make my living as a graphic artist and I am a Mac guy! But I totally agree with you the "i" stuff is way overused.

It's just a fad, isn't it. About 10 years ago the large computer company I work for went through a spell of renaming all its division "e-something"; we had "e-business", "e-applications", "e-consultancy", etc. Lasted a couple of years and then in the inevitable next reorganisation it all went away again.

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I call mine a 505 and what I am reading an eBook.

Now, Jon, you can be as pragmatically practical and foolery-crushing as you wish, but, listen here,mate. "505" is not even a word; it's a number!

So, to solve this obstinate unfoolery of yours, from now on you're going to find that you can't help saying to yourself (because I have now put the thought in your head), when you switch "505" on, "Number 505 is alive!" and, because of homophonic resonance, you will call your Sony "Johnny Five!".

(If you have never seen Short Circuit, all of the above is going to look like nonsense...or more so )

Cheers,
Marc (I'm just teasing you a little, Jon. Heaven knows I wouldn't want to curse other people with my silly penchant for giving names to inanimate objects )

[Cthulhu]

I can't necessarily fault anybody for this, because it all written, but please, for the love of the Elder Gods:

'oh' is a letter. ZERO is a NUMBER.

Also, can we revert to tom-foolery? All the semiotic makes my neurons ache.

WRT 'pads,' Did Greg Bear use the notion of an Uber PDA "Pad" in any books beyond Slant ? That seems like a darned handy device, whatever the heck it was.

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by Cthulhu

I can't necessarily fault anybody for this, because it all written, but please, for the love of the Elder Gods:

'oh' is a letter. ZERO is a NUMBER.

I thought "oh", amongst other things, was what my loved one said when I shouted out "Help! I'm stuck in the Time Machine again" (and by "Time Machine" I mean "Washing Machine". A man can dream, can't he?), however, who am I to argue with a Great Old One, no matter how cute the avatar.

Also, can we revert to tom-foolery? All the semiotic makes my neurons ache.

I don't know who this Tom fella is (I know a Tom O'Bedlam - nice chap, keeps trying to lick the back of his own head), but I prefer the ordinary kind of foolery; the kind you have to shout to be heard over all the voices in your head.

WRT 'pads,' Did Greg Bear use the notion of an Uber PDA "Pad" in any books beyond Slant ? That seems like a darned handy device, whatever the heck it was.

I tend to think that "touch screen" is likely to become more common in these devices. If so, they're more likely to have a stylus come with them too. As such, the idea of them being named a "pad" might be something they evolve towards.

Cheers,
Marc

[mores]

Book TNG

[Prospect]

My conclusion after reading this thread so far would be that the generic name for the devices is “ereader”, (not to far in the future “reader” will probably do) and that the name for the content is “ebook”.

For the device there are alternatives (read-box, readpad and other) but I do not think they will make it.

There might be issues with competing companies not being allowed to refer to their devices as “eReaders” since this already is a brand name, but I think that this will not be an issue in the long run (I doubt that Sony is in position to make claims related to “Reader”, it is probably too generic).

There is of course the issue with the confusion between ereader as a generic term for the device and the ereader format, but in lack of stronger alternatives I think the possible confusion is something we would have to live with. Alternatively the name of the format could be slightly changed?

[spooky69]

Bbookkzz

[vivaldirules]

Fiona. Or did Bezos reserve that for the Kindle?

[nekokami]

Based on the analogy to "computer" - a device one uses for computing (sort of), I'd go with "reader." Unfortunately, that also refers to a person who reads (never mind the Sony device). I'm thinking "ereader" is likely to become very common.

Since eReader.com has been bought by FictionWise, maybe that format will go away, which would be less confusing. (Or, I suppose, FictionWise might keep the eReader format name, end up on the top of the heap, and become the default standard... but I'm still holding out for a non-proprietary format!)

[Oh, Why Not?]

ebookshelf

[electristan]

e-folio (i like the pun on "in folio" and etymologically "electronic leaves of paper" makes sense especially with e-ink screens...)

i like this one, if there way only a way to make it roll of that tongue

[Jadon]

mybrary

[JSWolf]

I hereby name the Kindle... Mr. Ed.

[Cthulhu]

Personally, am absolutely against trendy vowels masquerading and posturing as meaningful prefixes. "Electro-Reader" would be acceptable, because the device is that, plus there's the tie-in to fancy e-ink, and of course, the retro credit that could be squeezed out.
But 'a' is really the only single letter prefix that I recognise.

@ MountsMagi: Give me an Illiad that has colour and costs at most as much as the PRS, and I will be a happy happy cuttlefish. By the way, do you folks lick those evil cane toads as a matter of course? I love the non-sequiturs.

Speaking of which, I just listened to an Arcade Fire tune all alone in my room, missing my girl and lamenting my injured hand. Guess I finally get this indie/emo deal.

Continuing my ramble:


Are there any classical nerds who went so far as to name a device Homer?

C'mon, we won't judge you....

[JSWolf]

If we are being serious for a moment, then what we have with the 500/505, Kindle, Gen3, etc.. is an ULTRA PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT READER.