Quote:
Originally Posted by Format C:
The iPod is cool.
It's a must have among the youngest (and the middle aged who play young).
Every other player is perceived as a wannabe...
And coolness is priceless.
Is the ebook reader cool enough?
I doubt it
OK, I know some ebook readers are actually Cool-er....
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Yes, but "coolness" is entirely a marketing phenomenon. Most of what makes something "cool" is that other people think it's "cool". Consumers are terrified of being in the "wannabe" group, so they desperately look for a crowd to follow.
Based on my own anecdotal assessment, yes. E-book readers are reaching the point of being "cool". I work in the Wall Street area. More and more, I'm seeing folks settling in with devices while eating lunch or reading during the subway commute (mostly Sonys, some Kindles).
Folks I know who, over the last few years, expressed mild curiosity about e-book readers, are suddenly saying things like "I really want a nook!" It's probably not the device itself so much as some kind of alchemical reaction that occurs when a certain number of major players get involved in an industry, or maybe it just looks "cool". I don't know. Personally, I have no trouble recommending any of the major players. The more consumers who join the marketplace, the better the options will be.