MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - iPad What will iPad do for e-books?

flashgordonv · 01-31-2010, 07:53 PM

I admit that I am a confirmed technophile. I have had innumerable mobile phones over the years always searching for the perfect phone for me. I have also been an ebook reader since the days of the Franklin eBook reader and have also been immersed in the perfect eBook reader search. Currently I have three different Sony readers - 500, 505 and 700 - and an iRex. None of these is for me the perfect reader, (the 505 is the best of the batch but the ereader PC software is still such unfriendly rubbish), but the search goes on.

The thing about eBooks is that until very recently the process of acquiring and reading eBooks has never been very simple and straightforward. I have a variety of programs on my PC (mainly sourced from or through this forum) for dealing with the various ebooks I own that I want to get onto my readers, so I have had to have means of removing DRM, changing format etc - you all do this.

Some time ago my wife expressed an interest in getting an eReader, attracted by the concept of having all her reading material on the one small device but after we explored the options, the numerous different readers which supported only certain DRM schemes, the pathetic handling of PDFs etc, she flagged it away as it was just too complicated for her. She was looking for simple, easy trouble free. And at the time it didn't really exist.

Now that is different. I think the iPad is going to be the device that makes it simple for people to acquire and read ebooks. In the same way that Apple made buying music simple, (and my wife is a regular purchaser of iTunes music because it is easy), I believe Apple and the iPad will simplify the process for non technical people to buy and read eBooks.

Now, that will not satisfy the bulk of people on this forum, because forumites tend to be both focused on the best ebook reading experience, as well as being very capable of doing whatever manipulation is necessary to allow them to read their books on the reader of their choice in the format of their choice.

But people like my wife and even my mother-in-law, will find the iPad reading and book acquisition process simple and easy to cope with, because lets face it, Apple is really good at making it easy for the neophyte. And I predict for these people who are not technical in the eBook sense, iPad will open up the eBook world and attract shedloads more people into the eBook experience than would ever be accomplished with the fragmented and technically difficult process we currently go through.

I can definitely see my wife with an iPad and an Apple Bookstore account and I can see her using it extensively.

Just my 2c worth.

01-31-2010, 07:53 PM	#189
flashgordonv Member Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Rocket EBook	Make it simple for people I admit that I am a confirmed technophile. I have had innumerable mobile phones over the years always searching for the perfect phone for me. I have also been an ebook reader since the days of the Franklin eBook reader and have also been immersed in the perfect eBook reader search. Currently I have three different Sony readers - 500, 505 and 700 - and an iRex. None of these is for me the perfect reader, (the 505 is the best of the batch but the ereader PC software is still such unfriendly rubbish), but the search goes on. The thing about eBooks is that until very recently the process of acquiring and reading eBooks has never been very simple and straightforward. I have a variety of programs on my PC (mainly sourced from or through this forum) for dealing with the various ebooks I own that I want to get onto my readers, so I have had to have means of removing DRM, changing format etc - you all do this. Some time ago my wife expressed an interest in getting an eReader, attracted by the concept of having all her reading material on the one small device but after we explored the options, the numerous different readers which supported only certain DRM schemes, the pathetic handling of PDFs etc, she flagged it away as it was just too complicated for her. She was looking for simple, easy trouble free. And at the time it didn't really exist. Now that is different. I think the iPad is going to be the device that makes it simple for people to acquire and read ebooks. In the same way that Apple made buying music simple, (and my wife is a regular purchaser of iTunes music because it is easy), I believe Apple and the iPad will simplify the process for non technical people to buy and read eBooks. Now, that will not satisfy the bulk of people on this forum, because forumites tend to be both focused on the best ebook reading experience, as well as being very capable of doing whatever manipulation is necessary to allow them to read their books on the reader of their choice in the format of their choice. But people like my wife and even my mother-in-law, will find the iPad reading and book acquisition process simple and easy to cope with, because lets face it, Apple is really good at making it easy for the neophyte. And I predict for these people who are not technical in the eBook sense, iPad will open up the eBook world and attract shedloads more people into the eBook experience than would ever be accomplished with the fragmented and technically difficult process we currently go through. I can definitely see my wife with an iPad and an Apple Bookstore account and I can see her using it extensively. Just my 2c worth.