10-02-2009, 02:16 PM | #16 | |
Now what?
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10-02-2009, 02:24 PM | #17 |
Grand Sorcerer
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Never argue with a fetishist. If the guy can't get over his hang-ups, that's his business.
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10-02-2009, 02:26 PM | #18 |
Wizard
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Yeah I disagree with that. I love having my Kindle to take a ton of books with me easily. I don't care about the smell of books, the physicality etc. For leisure reading that's a down side as I'm stuck with a physical object I'll probably never touch again after reading once, and have to either find shelf space or time to donate it.
The area I think is lacking is using them for any books other than leisure reading due to screen size, lack of color, lack of stylus annotation on most devices etc. Thus I don't use them for my academic work. But that will come with time once tablet devices get out and perfected etc. Last edited by dmaul1114; 10-02-2009 at 03:00 PM. |
10-02-2009, 02:30 PM | #19 |
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I think he makes some good points. Although he seems to not quite "get it" as it relates to music. For some people, the physical record with album art and liner notes is just as important as the hard cover book is to him.
But I do agree that ebooks are a good way to expand the market, not just cannibalize existing readers. I think that is one reason we have the pricing issues we have...a desire by publishers to no cannibalize their paper book sales. His thoughts about ipod-esque adds is a good one. A kid with a kindle, and Percy Jackson hops out to sit by him? Nice. |
10-02-2009, 02:30 PM | #20 | |
zeldinha zippy zeldissima
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interesting article. i think he may actually have a valid point, when he says at the end in the last paragraph :
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10-02-2009, 02:32 PM | #21 |
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His experience with ebooks, according to the article, only includes using ereader computer software and an ereader iphone app. He's never experienced eink, and therefore his opinion is invalid.
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10-02-2009, 02:33 PM | #22 |
frumious Bandersnatch
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10-02-2009, 02:37 PM | #23 |
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His opinion is certainly not invalid. He is entitled to it.
I couldn't get through an ebook on my laptop either. I've only now started to appreciate a dedicated ereader, having owned my first for one whole week. What I found odd is he easily separates music from it's medium, but not stories. For him, music is the tune, but a book is the paper. Then again, I love the smell of old hardcovers. I'll never get rid of my father's library. Just the memories that smell conjures up is worth more than any ebooks. |
10-02-2009, 02:44 PM | #24 |
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I can't wait for the audiophile version of pBook readers to start claiming that they can "smell" the 1's and 0's in eBooks.
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10-02-2009, 02:45 PM | #25 | ||
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10-02-2009, 03:15 PM | #26 |
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10-02-2009, 03:39 PM | #27 |
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I think the author is wrong about what the industry should do. The ebook industry is doing exactly the right thing as far as targeting their core customer base, heavy readers.
Let's face it, ebook readers are expensive, not fully featured, and sometimes buggy. This is not something you want to market to non-readers. This is a new (well, still pretty new) technology and you need earlier adopters. Once you have converted over your core customers, then you will have the volume and the exprience to expand your market to new customers. This is just like the rise of personal computers. |
10-02-2009, 03:50 PM | #28 | |
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I understand what the original author means about the feel, shape, smell and weight of paper books. It was something that stopped me from transitioning for awhile. But with as much travel I do and the volume I read, an ereading device just makes sense for me. I don't understand what he means, however, about not marketing ereading devices to avid readers. Those of us that need 5 paperbacks for 48 hours will always have a use for an ereading device, even if it's just for trips. I think what he's trying to say is that there is going to be a portion of the market that won't want to give up paper books. Just like there are still people who collect vinyl records, the paper book market is not going to completely disappear any time soon. I do think it will begin to decline. When ebooks and ereaders become less buggy and more available, I think we'll see a huge decline in paper reading. But there will always be a nostalgia market, or hangers-on who simply want to do it the way they've always done. |
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10-02-2009, 03:55 PM | #29 |
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Well, we know that he is missing something. Like many people who "prefer" paper books or who knock eBook readers, it doesn't seem like he has given an honest shot to eBook readers. He has maybe tried one briefly, looked at the price, and moved on, with his mind firmly closed.
When I read only paper books, I didn't get much thrill out of paperbacks, which was the majority of what I read. Before I got my K2, I "preferred" paper books too. Then, I met a lady on the train with a K2 and found myself staring and almost reading over her shoulder. I questioned her, and my mind was opened. When I heard about all the "free classics" that was all the further justification I needed to invest in the reader itself. It doesn't take many classics at $6 a pop to pay for a K2. A nice cover heightens the experience, but that is only worth the money for a book I would read more than once. (Sherlock Holmes, Lord of the Rings, etc) For a sci-fi or fantasy book that is in a 10-book series, it would have to be a VERY good book to justify the purchase of the hardcover to get that nice feeling. I guess I'm preaching to the choir though. We're all on the same... er... location. |
10-02-2009, 04:18 PM | #30 | |
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