Quote:
Originally Posted by Penforhire
I'd say e-readers are a stop-gap technology. If netbook screens ever get e-ink-like reading quality it will at least diminish the eReader market, especially in tablet-PC form IMO. If I travel and have to drag a netbook with me anyway then why add an eReader if the netbook had as good a screen with only slightly more mass? Today I still take the eReader with me for its better display and convenient form.
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I tend to disagree with this premise. I believe there is a lot of anecdotal evidence which seems to indicate that most consumers prefer a focused device that accomplishes its primary mission better than any other device, and then adds additional value through the introduction of incedental features. Take the ipod – you can listen to music on your laptop, why do you need an iPod? The answer lies in from factor and features.
Laptops and netbooks , even if the screen issue is addressed still suffer from several fatal flaws in ergonomics
Weight - netbooks and laptops weigh too much
Battery life – dismally low compared to an ebook reader – unless you add huge slab batteries which compound the weight issue
Complexity – I have $3000 motion tablet which seems like the dream reading device - but it is too heavy and the battery life too short but the main reason is Windows itself (or any full operating system) – with its long boot time and occasional crash, makes it an unpleasant and mainly inconvenient reading experience – I can carry my ebook reader with me wherever I go and have it instantly turn on and off and my command - I could not imagine lugging my tablet around for reading, waiting for it to boot or maybe come out of suspend which seems to be at best a hit and miss affair.
Ebook readers, in my opinion, are here to stay but they will go through evolutions much like the ipod did, which also started monochrome and is now is in full color with touchscreens and additional functionality