Quote:
Originally Posted by harryE123
@the Hamster.
That's a perfect way to rationalise a stale market: Why would you need good quality screens, responsive and intuitive software, larger screens (or even colour e-ink), format compatibility, open stardards etc. etc. when all people do with their devices is read novels.
Of course why would you need large lcd screens, wireless peripherals, small footprint, fast cpus and large hard drives when all people do with the computers (circa) 1980 is type on some rudimentary spreadsheets and word processors and play a few moronic games.
btw, sure wikis are better than textbooks, that's why 0% universities and students (and interested readers) learn via wikis, and magazines and newspapers are doomed because you say so, but hey the ipad has tons of magazine subscriptions and newspaper subscriptions and so does (in a compromised way of course) the kindle.
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Newspapers are doomed because I say so? Because I say so?
Virtually every print newspaper in the western world is on the ropes. Subscriptions are plummeting, ad revenues are plummeting and share prices are rock bottom. It's the same thing for tons of magazines. And it's not because I say so.
Hang on. "The ipad [sic] has tons of magazine subscriptions and newspaper subscriptions". Which is exactly what I was saying. The paper format is dying, and the content is being delivered in new ways. I'll admit that I've not seen any of this content on an iPad, but I'd be willing to bet that it's not just a digital copy of the print format. And if it is today, it won't be in a few years.
It doesn't take much reflection to see that an ordinary eBook format is absolutely the worst format for a textbook. Any reasonable textbook format is going to allow highlighting and notes, hypertexting and linking, embedded flash and video, and all kinds of other interactive elements.
So why hold out for a giant, colour, dedicated eReader to read newspapers, magazines and textbooks? It's not the right answer. Something like an iPad, that can handle all of these interactive elements (maybe not the flash) is closer to the right answer. And surprise, surprise, the market's going to be flooded with these devices before Christmas.