Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Jordan
I'll tell you one thing I believe the iPad has done for e-books: It has given MobileRead a sudden rush of new members, many of whom have been inspired by the iPad (or the hype thereof) to check out e-books, and are seeking answers to their questions here.
Welcome, everybody!
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This is not the first time that this is happening. We saw this upsurge when 'Kindie' finally appeared (after months of 'rumours' and speculations in press and blogs). We used to be a very small bunch here once.
As far as the iPad Vs eink is concerned, I think with its price tag of $499 and the availability of the Kindle application on Apple Store (if you can take your Amazon-bound 'purchases' to an iPad using your Kindle account), these must be worrying times for Amazon. I think Apple and Amazon will fall out shortly and Kindle application will disappear from iTunes/ Apps Store.
I have given up on eink as Stanza is the most wonderful thing on electronic screen I have ever seen after using a whole bunch of devices and applications. I will sell my iLiad shortly and buy an iPad. If tablets don't kill off ereaders, they will need quite a few years to catch up. As far as the 'glow' or glare or backlight is concerned, you can adjust it with a swipe of your finger. You can read iPhone screen in sunlight without any problem (it adjusts itself automatically) and I am sure iPad would be the same. Night reading mode where the background goes black and writing white is also another blessing. I wonder how eInk will compete with all these features which are available to a backlit screen.
I know it is a heresy on this forum to say anything against the eink but this is how it is: Eink is one thing that failed to make noticeable improvement or innovation in these rapidly changing times. I think 'discretely backlit' screens will finish it off.
Ereaders can rescue eInk through innovation in design and more choice in purchasing department. iLiad-like flexibility, subtle designing features like built in lamp for night-time reading, maybe good old paper can find a slot in covers for note taking, touch screen with a facility to mark and annotate (how my iLiad was years ahead of the competetion!) we need massive innovations in eink readers if they want to compete with the tablets.