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I hope I'm not repeating something someone else has already said, but what is the availability of an ebook edition was advertized along side the paperback. I see dozens of ads for spy thrillers and horror novels that probably have ebook editions available but nowhere do i see "Also available to read on your Cell phone." It would probably confuse many but the idea is planted.
What if Barnes and Noble sold ebooks and setup one's device with the proper software. It sounds rediculous but many of us who buy paper from Amazon still but from the local or big chain book store and the situation can only be helped if the idea of the Ebook was accepted, advertised and sold through the same places people go to get their paperbacks. I saw a french video clip youtube that imagined a world where ebooks were common place and you could get ebooks are the local book store. I wish i could fill up my mp3 player at the local cd shop. I like going to stores.
There's a lot of comparison to iTunes and iPod but I think we're comparing apples to oranges.
I know very few people who need or want to carry more than one book at a time, so getting a reading device ends up being an extra expense and another piece of technology to recharge and because of this I don't think readers will be won over buy sexy iPod-esque dedicated devices and people consume far more music than books.
The market needs to be "attacked" in a very different way. The right device that emulates what one can do with paper closely enough, at the right price, will help. But thats all, it'll help. Eliminating DRM would be nice, (I've currently gone from buying mobi to lit in anticipation of the Sony Reader i should be getting in a few weeks), but most aren't concerned about DRM.
The publishing industry, if it cares, need to find an imaginative way to hook the average reader, and college kids, especially college kids.
Digital music caught on so quickly because its easy to sell instant gratification. Reading a book is work. It takes time and most people don't mind slowly taking up their living space with more books.
Where it becomes a definite convinience is in college where students might be walking around with 10 pound text books. if reading digital editions becomes common place there it'll take off everywhere else.
Currently, I only know two other ebook reader. My best friend, who's a gadget whore like myself. I introduced him to reading ebooks on his N-Gage. I was introduced to ebook reading years ago buy a friend who inhales vampire novels so quickly that buy paperbacks for every book is not feasible.
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