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Gideon · 03-11-2008, 10:10 AM

The textbook thing is trickier, though.

Textbook companies are kind of notoriously out of touch and monstrously profit hungry. For it to be taken up by students a few things would need to happen.

PC(mac, whatver) - Interface for their texts they've bought (for ease of reference, etc.)
Academic discount on the hardware - the company can make this up in their cut of book sales
Much cheaper than regular editions of the book - this is important for a number of reasons. For a book you have to be really heavy into, the portability doesn't quite equal the ease of use for a regular book. Also, you don't have a lasting product to either hold on to, or sell. Many students are very reticent to touch any text they don't think they can sell back.
Aggressively campaign to campuses, professors, and students. Get some small colleges set up with every student having an eReader device and making all the texts available for those students. You get some solid data that way, and if it is successful you get a lot of positive PR.
Whatever device does this needs to include the email type system the Kindle has. Professors could just email the article they want the student to read, the syllabi, etc.

I talked to them a lot about the academic side of things... whomever they are representing, I hope they pursue this line as this is the group that reads a LOT and are young so are more receptive to technology.

I think it's Sony, myself. Personally, I'd like to see Sony making the hardware and then interfacing with Amazon's store, but I doubt we'll see that happen. I really like Sony has a hardware company, but do not trust them at all when it comes to the software, content, etc.

Hell, look at the PS3 - they've been talking about movies, tv shows, etc.. all downloadable from the device for a long time (something the 360 has had for ages now) and they still (despite being a production company of many movies, tv shows, etc) have no such content and a very bad UI on the device. I really love my PS3, and use it all the time to stream media, but it'd be great if they had a huge HD movie selection as well.

But, it's Sony... so I just assume that won't ever happen in a decent way and use my cable box, blockbuster, and my 360 to order movies instead.

03-11-2008, 10:10 AM	#22
Gideon Wearer of Pants Posts: 1,050 Karma: 7634 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Norman, OK Device: Amazon Kindle DX / iPhone	The textbook thing is trickier, though. Textbook companies are kind of notoriously out of touch and monstrously profit hungry. For it to be taken up by students a few things would need to happen. PC(mac, whatver) - Interface for their texts they've bought (for ease of reference, etc.) Academic discount on the hardware - the company can make this up in their cut of book sales Much cheaper than regular editions of the book - this is important for a number of reasons. For a book you have to be really heavy into, the portability doesn't quite equal the ease of use for a regular book. Also, you don't have a lasting product to either hold on to, or sell. Many students are very reticent to touch any text they don't think they can sell back. Aggressively campaign to campuses, professors, and students. Get some small colleges set up with every student having an eReader device and making all the texts available for those students. You get some solid data that way, and if it is successful you get a lot of positive PR. Whatever device does this needs to include the email type system the Kindle has. Professors could just email the article they want the student to read, the syllabi, etc. I talked to them a lot about the academic side of things... whomever they are representing, I hope they pursue this line as this is the group that reads a LOT and are young so are more receptive to technology. I think it's Sony, myself. Personally, I'd like to see Sony making the hardware and then interfacing with Amazon's store, but I doubt we'll see that happen. I really like Sony has a hardware company, but do not trust them at all when it comes to the software, content, etc. Hell, look at the PS3 - they've been talking about movies, tv shows, etc.. all downloadable from the device for a long time (something the 360 has had for ages now) and they still (despite being a production company of many movies, tv shows, etc) have no such content and a very bad UI on the device. I really love my PS3, and use it all the time to stream media, but it'd be great if they had a huge HD movie selection as well. But, it's Sony... so I just assume that won't ever happen in a decent way and use my cable box, blockbuster, and my 360 to order movies instead. Last edited by Gideon; 03-11-2008 at 10:14 AM.