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Along the rein of "Will X force the success of ebooks?", I reckon that having a widespread platform, that is as ubiquitous as Windows (there I've said it), may just be what ebooks need.
As much as some may hate or bi*ch about Windows for its "monopoly", ebooks could do with such a widespread platform adoption. By platform, I mean ebook hardware + OS that is not necessarily tied to any particular ereader software. Basically, a PC structured model for an ebook.
MS or some OS folks (linux?) could write the OS that will run on say x86 or some hw platform. The hw platform should be opened or at least licensed, so that mobo makers can create their own variants of such ebook mobos, driving prices down. Some companies may choose to create a whole ebook, while others may not. There should be some standard stuffs as well. All these will help in bringing ebooks to the mass.
But ... as with any industries, its a chicken and egg thing. Even if iLiad or Hanlin or Sony releases their specs for licensing, there must be enough perceived demand for OEM makers to jump in. On the other hand, lack of standard and widespread adoption discourages consumers to buy a new product. So where is the missing spark? Piracy may fill in some of it, but will hardware alone make the difference?
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