Quote:
Originally Posted by rixte
Or people who saw me reading on my pda or my smartphone and whose main reaction was 'that's cool, but I could never read on such a small screen'.
On the other hand, with my Cybook, I've had half a dozen people ask me to send them the information on how to get it or ask me question after question about ebooks, formats, how they work. I know of at least 1 person that's planning on buying one and several others that are still trying to justify the price but absolutely wants one - or the Sony or Kindle.
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I've been reading e-books on my PDA since 2002. I've always gotten reactions such as "that's cool but the screen is too small, the device is too clunky, etc."
People who see me reading my Sony Reader are driving me crazy (in a good way). When I'm reading in public, strangers have asked to look at my Reader. I think part of the fascination is it is approximately the same size as a paperback. People are always impressed that I can enlarge the font. Of course, one of my friends asked me how to turn on the back light!
I was reading at my vet's office the other day. When she came into the examination room, she wanted to know all about the Reader. She had NEVER heard of such a thing, but immediately picked up on the benefit of her daughter not having to lug so many books around.
Same thing happened at my eye doctor's office. He only knew a little about e-books, but he was so impressed about E-ink that we spent much of our time talking about the different readers. I asked him his professional opinion about reading on an E-ink screen. (I always wondered what an eye doctor thought about them.) He said it was quite good, and liked that it didn't have a back light. He picked up on the fact that older eyes (and eyes like mine that need a strong prescription) could benefit from such a device.
According to
Pew Internet, 71% of 50 to 64 year-olds and 32% of those 65 and older use the Internet (in 2006). The report also says these users tend to be well-educated, which may mean they read for pleasure. Therefore, I hope that e-reader manufacturers AND publishers reach out more to the over 50s. Obviously, this means easier to use hardware and a standardized format for books. Also, libraries need better selections of e-books. But, I still think it's a great market. So few books are published in large print format. E-readers are a great idea for seniors.