MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Barnes and Noble confirms COLOR e-book reader for Spring 2010 [INCORRECT]

jswinden · 10-09-2009, 12:21 PM

I think this, and almost every darn thead I've read on any new eBook (generic term here) reader, misses the point by a 1000 miles. Who cares which device can out perform the others, or which device has more bells and whistles. New devices should be seen in the proper context:

They have a closed OS that prevents you from installing your favorite applications (unless you hack)
They offer the book sellers application, a few generic formats, and that is it
You need a separate device to read content from each major book seller: Kindle to read Amazon books, Sony Reader to read Sony books, B&N reader to read B&N books

I know several of you self-proclaimed geniuses will say, but you can use Calibre to do this, or convert that, et cetera. Pish posh! The average user of an electronic book reading device does NOT have the knowledge or capability or desire to hack her/his way into reading what they want to read. And my point is they shouldn't have to!

If they want me to get exited about a new book reader, then they will have to use an OS that is opened to allow me to install whatever reader applications I choose, and they will have to make a deal with the all the major book sellers to allow their books to be viewed on that device. It is stupid to have a library full of eBook reading devices with each tied to a specific company. Separate the device hardware from the control of the book distributers are eBooks are doomed to failure!

The decade+ old and proven model used by Palm and WM powered PDAs, and to a much lesser extent Apple's limited iPhone/touch, is the hands down BEST model to follow:

Build a highly useable hardware platform.
Put an OS on that plaform which developers will gladly develop software for, preferably a well established and non-web-based OS.
Allow the owners of the device to install whatever applications they choose. Do NOT use the Apple model that tells you which applications you can install, and darn sure do NOT use the current reader device model that does not allow you to install applications at all.
Ensure that all the major book distributers/publishers make their books available to the device, even if that means you have to pay a REASONABLE software fee to install their reader application.

In other words, build a giant (5+ inch) screen PDA/tablet device that runs an established OS (with reader applications already available for it, though they would have to be tweaked for the device) and make it have long battery life. Do NOT try to make this device a do everything device, focus on eBooks (generic term). If developers want to extend its uses, as they did with the early Palm PDAs, then great, but make it efficient for reading eBooks.

10-09-2009, 12:21 PM	#37
jswinden Nameless Being	You guys are missing the point... I think this, and almost every darn thead I've read on any new eBook (generic term here) reader, misses the point by a 1000 miles. Who cares which device can out perform the others, or which device has more bells and whistles. New devices should be seen in the proper context: They have a closed OS that prevents you from installing your favorite applications (unless you hack) They offer the book sellers application, a few generic formats, and that is it You need a separate device to read content from each major book seller: Kindle to read Amazon books, Sony Reader to read Sony books, B&N reader to read B&N books I know several of you self-proclaimed geniuses will say, but you can use Calibre to do this, or convert that, et cetera. Pish posh! The average user of an electronic book reading device does NOT have the knowledge or capability or desire to hack her/his way into reading what they want to read. And my point is they shouldn't have to! If they want me to get exited about a new book reader, then they will have to use an OS that is opened to allow me to install whatever reader applications I choose, and they will have to make a deal with the all the major book sellers to allow their books to be viewed on that device. It is stupid to have a library full of eBook reading devices with each tied to a specific company. Separate the device hardware from the control of the book distributers are eBooks are doomed to failure! The decade+ old and proven model used by Palm and WM powered PDAs, and to a much lesser extent Apple's limited iPhone/touch, is the hands down BEST model to follow: Build a highly useable hardware platform. Put an OS on that plaform which developers will gladly develop software for, preferably a well established and non-web-based OS. Allow the owners of the device to install whatever applications they choose. Do NOT use the Apple model that tells you which applications you can install, and darn sure do NOT use the current reader device model that does not allow you to install applications at all. Ensure that all the major book distributers/publishers make their books available to the device, even if that means you have to pay a REASONABLE software fee to install their reader application. In other words, build a giant (5+ inch) screen PDA/tablet device that runs an established OS (with reader applications already available for it, though they would have to be tweaked for the device) and make it have long battery life. Do NOT try to make this device a do everything device, focus on eBooks (generic term). If developers want to extend its uses, as they did with the early Palm PDAs, then great, but make it efficient for reading eBooks. Last edited by jswinden; 10-09-2009 at 12:27 PM.