[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by JackieFrost

Hey dmc, wouldn't you say though that Amazon have a lot more of their business than Sony?

You mean, a larger share of the market for ebooks and dedicated readers to read them? Possibly. I have no numbers and can't say. But the same caveats apply to both companies: ebooks and readers are a small part of what they do. Investments in either will rise or fall depending on how the overall company does, and aren't likely to be dramatically affected by the ebook operations.

As for irex and bookeen I would like to find out if they are publicly traded.

iRex has no indication I could find on their web site that they are publicly traded, and they seem to be a Dutch operation in any case. Bookeen is a French outfit, and I see no indication on their site that they are publicly traded, either.

I can understand that if colour is a necessity e-ink as currently is would not be an option, but what about eye strain? For me that's the sole most motivating factor behind e-ink, I can't stand an lcd for more than a certain period of time, and even before that time frame where I get tired I can't read as well, in terms of concentration and comprehension, as I do with paper.

<shrug> I spend about 16 hours a day looking at one LCD screen or another. I don't find it a problem. Others do.

Meanwhile, as mentioned, eInk isn't an option for me. The bigger issue is that I need a device that does other things besides display ebooks. The is a limit to how many gadgets I'm willing to carry around with me. Cell phone and PDA, yes. Cell phone and PDA and eBook reader, no.

For me one of the areas that should be targeted is the small to medium office that aim to cut operational costs by eliminating paper, or at least cutting it down to the basics. How many time does one need a print out just to read something away from the computer? That's just one example of the many. So someone should make inroads to the small and medium business from a marketing standpoint. If a reader (such as the iliad) manages to penetrate this market with some success and establish themselves that would open very profitable ways for them. For me this is one of the final tec frontiers, the office and the elimination of paper.

See the thread elsewhere here from the academic looking at ebook readers as a link in the chain of paperless assignments and grading.

Meanwhile, I've been involved in computers for many years, and I don't think I have ever seen an installation that actually reduced paper use.

The question is exactly what function a reader would serve in the small/medium business market. Right now, with the partial exception of the iLiad, they are "half duplex". You can use them to display information, but not to create it in the first place.
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Dennis