Quote:
Originally Posted by bill_mchale
Actually the irony is that after e-reading spent a decade on converged devices (i.e. PDAs, laptops, desktops), it finally migrated to dedicated devices. Now that it is has gotten off of a dedicated device, they are predicting its downfall...
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I think ebooks haven't been very popular in the past because of the difference in reading experience from paper with the converged devices. It's the screens, IMO, not the fact that they're multi-function. Most people find reading on them uncomfortable for long periods. I've wanted to switch to ebooks for over a decade but didn't until e-ink because I simply couldn't bear reading for hours on a CRT or LCD. Some people don't mind it or even prefer it but from what I've seen, they're not in the majority. I think if we can get the right screen technology, we can go back to converged devices. I think most people would prefer them, even people that aren't big into reading. They'd use them for other things, mostly, but that's fine. If this kind of device became mass market, that would likely mean lower prices. I bet practically every student would want a netbook that you could use to take notes, do a little school work, and comfortably read all your texts. You could carry around a whole library with you that was searchable. Internet access would get you even more. These days more and more libraries are putting resources on line. Annotations and citations would be a breeze. I would've loved something like that when I was in university.