[nekokami]

I thought I'd summarize my suggestions (hardware and software) for improving the ability of ebook readers to support literary engagement as a focal practice, on the theory that posting them here might generate more comments than expecting people to download, unzip, and read the whole article....

Basic reading features
- Dictionary/encyclopedia lookup functions (including translation dictionaries)
- search texts for use of specific term or name - within or across texts
- create index or concordance of specific terms, names, etc.
- Create own definitions for terms that could be linked to all future occurences of terms (even in other books?)
- Mark quotations for extract to other documents
- Dependable access to text (including notations, reading records, etc.) across platforms, time
- Adjust font sizes and faces for readability and comfort
- Track the number of times a reader has read through a text (in percentages, or even visits per page) - not to report, but for the reader to access
- In particular, maintain current page per reader, per book
- Access multiple texts at once (split window or easy switching)

Annotation Support
- digital ink (i.e. stylus input, whether or not converted to text)
- Text input, e.g. physical or virtual keyboard
- Easily locate annotations
- Allow for "layers" of annotation, by time (e.g. first read, second read, date-tag annotations), indicate visually, e.g. by color or font face
- Allow for merging of annotations by different readers, with options to differentiate via color, font face, etc.
- Hide or display "layers" of annotations
- Oral dictation of annotations - convert to text or record as sound
- Include other "scrapbook" elements as annotations, e.g. digital images, music, spoken text, stylus drawings, etc.

Categories and Tags
- Equivalent of different colored bookmarks, possibly with annotations of their own
- Support assigning one or more tags (preferably "free tags") to any annotation (or a bookmark with no annotation)
- Choice of bookmark symbols displayed in text per tag
- Collate annotations by date, by tag, by reader, etc., including across multiple texts to build topical concordance
- If internet access is also provided, tagging and concordance may include URLs (see Zotero)
- Synchronization between reading devices

Community Tools
- Ability to publish own annotations to a group server (see DotReader)
- Distinction between private, group, and public annotations
- Subscribe to annotations within groups, within larger online community (e.g. social networking, degrees of friendship, etc.)
- Indicate source type with annotation
- Ability to add/invite "friend" on basis of annotation
- Ability to publish reading list/favorites to all, to groups, to friends, etc.
- Online discussions attached to/organized around books and portions of books
- Annotations might be published in "blog" form with link back to relevant segment of text
- Automatic update of social networking site "current favorites" e.g. "currently reading" with all open books
- Tag clouds of multiple readers per book
- Meet-Up style in-person meeting facilitation organized around books, authors, annotation tags, etc.
- Short range "mesh network" communication (e.g. Cybiko, OLPC) - option to broadcast current book, favorites, option to receive notices of other readers within range, especially those currently reading or having recently read the same book, chat, annotation swap option
- "One Book" project groups

Comments?