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Originally Posted by Cthulhu
GameBoy & Steve J make good points regarding the future of e-text.
However, I think that to be successful, any e-text reader must win the battle on two fronts; 1. why is this device better than a paper book? and 2. why should I buy a separate device to check RSS/Online content?
To address question 1, there is a massive dearth (is that possible, can a lack be large) of e-content. The only files available at a reasonable cost or format are very old texts. Good, but not great. Until we consumers win the DRM war & every book published is released electronically, the e-text reader will be seen as merely a gadget.
I really cannot speak to question 2, since I am only vaguely aware of what RSS is and how it works. I suppose that if folks are willing to hotsync their mp3 player daily to get the Colbert Report as a soundfile, they would not mind syncing a reader to get blogs or online periodicals. It does seems that it would require an extra step of formatting of the content.
I would make this statement:
We do not need the ipod of books; we need the mp3 of books.
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The eBook market is about at the point of the first VCR's. Basically late 70's to early 80's. Was usefully but until content was cheep or rentable it did not take off.
Its a chicken or the egg problem. To have one you need the other.