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da_jane · 09-29-2006, 10:18 PM

Let me address the backlight issue as 42 readers of the 60 some who responded on my blog wanted a backlight. We aren't technophiles but we are avid readers. For those who don't know, romance ebooks are currently the most downloaded genre. Look at any ebookstore for the bestsellers. At least half will be romances. Why is that? Because romance readers, on average, buy at least 5 books a month and sometimes up to 20.

We primarily read mass market titles and we are used to carry these things around everywhere we go. The need for a backlight or some integrated light source comes from the fact that we often read in lowlight situations. During movies with our kids, in the car (while someone else is driving of course), in bed with our SOs who frequently complain about the light (hence the huge aftermarket business of booklights).

When moving to a $350.00 ebook reader, the manufacturer has to better the reading experience. It cannot be an even trade. The backlight/integrated light source is something that is important to readers. It is not enough to say that the resolution is as good as paper. So what? I'll buy paper then and use my booklight or lamp. For one thing, you have to justify the cost issue. Romance readers are huge swap, ubs users so they are used to buying their 5-20 books with half of them being 50% off. Second, you have to make it easy as pie. Meaning, that you shouldn't have to convert a file 3 times in order to make it readable on Sony's ebook reader. Alot of ebooks today are sold by epublishers such as Ellora's Cave or Samhain. They don't currently offer their books in BBeB format so customers won't be able to view their existing content or they will have to go through a rigorous conversion methods to get their content on the BBeB.

I am pretty sure that the average reader will be content with their paper hardcovers and paperbacks. It's the AVID reader who is likely to buy this product and it is the AVID reader, not the techno geek loving reader (like me), who needs to fall in love with this product for it to be successful.

09-29-2006, 10:18 PM	#32
da_jane Evangelist Posts: 405 Karma: 692 Join Date: Sep 2006 Device: Samsung Galaxy Note 3 \| Kindle Paperwhite \| iPad Mini	Let me address the backlight issue as 42 readers of the 60 some who responded on my blog wanted a backlight. We aren't technophiles but we are avid readers. For those who don't know, romance ebooks are currently the most downloaded genre. Look at any ebookstore for the bestsellers. At least half will be romances. Why is that? Because romance readers, on average, buy at least 5 books a month and sometimes up to 20. We primarily read mass market titles and we are used to carry these things around everywhere we go. The need for a backlight or some integrated light source comes from the fact that we often read in lowlight situations. During movies with our kids, in the car (while someone else is driving of course), in bed with our SOs who frequently complain about the light (hence the huge aftermarket business of booklights). When moving to a $350.00 ebook reader, the manufacturer has to better the reading experience. It cannot be an even trade. The backlight/integrated light source is something that is important to readers. It is not enough to say that the resolution is as good as paper. So what? I'll buy paper then and use my booklight or lamp. For one thing, you have to justify the cost issue. Romance readers are huge swap, ubs users so they are used to buying their 5-20 books with half of them being 50% off. Second, you have to make it easy as pie. Meaning, that you shouldn't have to convert a file 3 times in order to make it readable on Sony's ebook reader. Alot of ebooks today are sold by epublishers such as Ellora's Cave or Samhain. They don't currently offer their books in BBeB format so customers won't be able to view their existing content or they will have to go through a rigorous conversion methods to get their content on the BBeB. I am pretty sure that the average reader will be content with their paper hardcovers and paperbacks. It's the AVID reader who is likely to buy this product and it is the AVID reader, not the techno geek loving reader (like me), who needs to fall in love with this product for it to be successful.