[Timboli]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

There are some people that avoid books completely.

For sure, and they are not the target audience.

Thing is if a person is stubborn enough to want only books with paper, the design of the ereader won't matter because they won't buy one anyway.

Well that is where you and I differ, as I do not see it as stubborn, but rather one of an aesthetic. They either love current physical books a lot, as I do, or they dislike the look and feel of an ereader, especially as a substitute for a physical book. Most people are not tech junkies, and while ereaders have in recent years, moved some way beyond just appealing to a geek, they still have a ways to go, before they reach mainstream appeal.

Since ereaders are pretty much alike in size and shape, I am pretty sure research has shown that it optimal for most people that buy ereaders.

Don't follow your logic there. I am not talking about the barebones device itself, but what it gets housed in, and really it is limited physically when it comes to some plastic and a screen. People just buy what is on offer most of the time anyway, provided they want it enough. I and I'm sure many others, bought an ereader to read ebooks, not because we thought an ereader looked great, and when there isn't much real variety in choice, you go for the least displeasing/best features/does a good job/fair enough price. Unless of course you are a tech junkie and thus all ereaders have some merit, even if just to laugh back at in years to come and show off.

While I admit to being a bit of a tech fanboy or geek at times, I never looked at an ereader and said that looks great artistically, so I will leave it like that. I always thought - now what sort of suitable friendly cover can I find.

All said and done, when an ereader or tablet are sitting there off, they look much alike, the differences being just thickness and quality of materials and craftsmanship putting them together.

If you really think making an ereader that acts more like paper books will attract an audience, why don't you get in touch with a developer. Michael over at goodEreader might be interested in helping you.

Developers need to come to the right conclusion themselves, else I would just be wasting my breath. Short of a petition, which no-one is gonna bother with, as current ereader owners are already convinced, potential owners are blinkered mostly (due to what they have already seen), I'm sure the developers wouldn't listen. Someone needs to be brave, just like with the first iPod.

And then, let's not forget, all those who have for various reasons, gone straight to the tablet/iPad. Most of them, probably weren't thinking ebook reader when they went that way, except as an additional feature. But because they have gone that way, they are unlikely to fork over extra for an E-Ink reader. Most in my experience, just don't understand the difference or realize the benefit.

So when you really look at ebook readers and take out all the tablet/ipad users only, the number of actual E-Ink owners decreases quite dramatically.

As I think about all this and the future of E-Ink readers, I am reminded of the way surround sound music went. Vastly superior to Stereo, it has not been marketed well, and so we have format after format, seen them essentially disappear and never go anything like mainstream. They have for the most part been relegated to Hifi enthusiasts with plenty of money. This could all too easily become the fate of E-Ink readers, and for those of us who realize just how much better they are, that would be a great loss.

To that end, I promote E-Ink readers to the masses whenever I can, though one cannot deny the cost factor and lack of alternate uses.