Wall Street Journal still not convinced

Argel · 12-02-2009, 08:20 AM

Interesting article in the WSJ.

Also interested to see that, according to the article, BooksOnBoard apparently believe that a netbook is a better bet than a liseuse for most families.

E-Readers: They're Hot Now, But the Story Isn't Over

JSWolf · 12-02-2009, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Argel

Interesting article in the WSJ.

Also interested to see that, according to the article, BooksOnBoard apparently believe that a netbook is a better bet than a liseuse for most families.

E-Readers: They're Hot Now, But the Story Isn't Over

yet another news item ruined by that silly word.

Moejoe · 12-02-2009, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

yet another news item ruined by that silly word.

It's terrible, I agree. Here, I've corrected it for them

Liseuses: They're Hot Now, But the Story Isn't Over

WT Sharpe · 12-02-2009, 09:08 AM

If Mr. Geoffrey A. Fowler could show me a 10-ounce netbook with e-ink under $300.00, I'd say he had a point.

Truth is; barring some global, civilization-ending catastrophe, one day e-readers will be supplanted by something better -- as will netbooks, laptops, and desktops. But for now and for the near future, if you're a serious reader, e-readers can't be beat.

Sweetpea · 12-02-2009, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

If Mr. Geoffrey A. Fowler could show me a 10-ounce netbook with e-ink under $300.00, I'd say he had a point.

Truth is; barring some global, civilization-ending catastrophe, one day e-readers will be supplanted by something better -- as will netbooks, laptops, and desktops. But for now and for the near future, if you're a serious reader, e-readers can't be beat.

I agree. I'm also getting very tired about not being able to lend out books. I can count the amount of books (of the paper kind) I've lent out on one hand. Most people I know don't read what I read and I don't read what they read. So, should I not buy pbooks because I can't lend them out?

While I would like to buy a true tablet PC, the price is holding me back. And I don't see myself reading with a netbook in bed...

luqmaninbmore · 12-02-2009, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Indeed, many e-book readers place limits on how and where consumers can use them. Only the Nook allows people to share some of their books with a friend by wirelessly transmitting them—and even then, you can share each book just once and only for 14 days. And only Sony's Readers make it easy to check out free books from Overdrive Inc., the e-book service used by many public libraries.

This is blatantly untrue. Any ADE device can checkout EPUB and PDF library books. Any device that supports mobipocket DRM (I.E. Cybook Gen 3, Hanlin V3s with the old firmware, IRex devices) can checkout mobipocket library books.

Luqman

rhadin · 12-02-2009, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

yet another news item ruined by that silly word.

And thrashed to its death by suggesting that the vaporware Apple tablet will set the reading world ablaze.

WT Sharpe · 12-02-2009, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

... I'm also getting very tired about not being able to lend out books....

I never offer to lend a book, and a cold shiver comes over me whenever someone asks to borrow one. I've lost more good books that way!

Here's the real LOL moment in that entire article, however:

"Ms. Broughton says she can't recommend the Kindle to people who aren't technically savvy ..."

If operating a Kindle is beyond someone's expertise, how can they possible be expected to read on a netbook or a PC?

With a Kindle, all you have to do is turn 'em on, download a book, and start flipping pages. How "technically savvy" do people have to be to do that?

=X= · 12-02-2009, 10:20 AM

Unfortunately I agree with most of what the article says. Ereaders are too expensive and you get more for your money buying an netbook. Also we are in a format war and today's purchase might not work with tomorrows technology. While many on this board are tech savvy enough to strip DRM and convert, more folks do not.

Is there any ounce of regret, me buying an ereader, none whatsoever

Quote:

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

Here's the real LOL moment in that entire article, however:

"Ms. Broughton says she can't recommend the Kindle to people who aren't technically savvy ..."

Actually the complete sentence is. emphasis is mine.

Quote:

But Ms. Broughton says she can't recommend the Kindle to people who aren't technically savvy and might want to purchase their books anywhere other than the Amazon store. That's because the Kindle doesn't read copyright protected files from other bookstores or libraries

Which is a subtle statement that implies the stripping of DRM.

jasonkchapman · 12-02-2009, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luqmaninbmore

This is blatantly untrue. Any ADE device can checkout EPUB and PDF library books. Any device that supports mobipocket DRM (I.E. Cybook Gen 3, Hanlin V3s with the old firmware, IRex devices) can checkout mobipocket library books.

Luqman

The weasel wording here is "makes it easy". The author gets to determine what is easy and what isn't. Considering that he's quoting a user who thinks a Kindle requires technical skill to use anything other than Amazon-sourced e-books, his definition of easy is pretty clear.

The quote from BoB about netbooks is just bizarre. As written (which may or may not be the way Bob LiVolsi actually said it) it sounds like: If you like technology, not books, get a dedicated reading device. If you like books, not technology, get a low-powered, under-performing notebook computer. Huh?

bookfanmd · 12-02-2009, 10:59 AM

I carry my reader in my purse and pull it out whenever I have a few minutes. It's great while waiting in line, at lunch at work or just waiting for someone to finish at the store. A few weeks ago a tree had fallen across the road on my way home and I didn't fret while waiting the 20 minutes for it to be removed - I just pulled out my reader and enjoyed the little break. I would never be able to do that with my netbook.

luqmaninbmore · 12-02-2009, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonkchapman

The weasel wording here is "makes it easy". The author gets to determine what is easy and what isn't. Considering that he's quoting a user who thinks a Kindle requires technical skill to use anything other than Amazon-sourced e-books, his definition of easy is pretty clear.

But how does Sony make it any easier than any of its competitors? I would argue that the Mobi DRM supporting devices make it the easiest of all because you can just download your library book through any web browser and copy it to the device. There is no buggy, proprietary software involved as there is with ADE and Sony Ebook Library.

Luqman

omk3 · 12-02-2009, 11:11 AM

I am frankly getting tired of people comparing dedicated reading devices to netbooks. Yes, they may be still a bit expensive, but that doesn't mean that I am better off spending that money on something else that does more jobs, when reading is the only thing I am interested in. I have owned a computer for as long as I can remember, but I have wished for a dedicated reading device from the moment I realised there are books in digital form out there (that was before any such device was produced). Reading on a computer was never an option, unless you are at work and need to appear to be working while reading

.
The ebook market does have a long way to go yet, but it's not the devices so much as the publishers that need to change. We need more ebooks, more reasonably priced, with less (or preferably no) drm. It's not the devices that prevent lending, it's the drm.

kindlekitten · 12-02-2009, 11:34 AM

once again, it would be really really nice if people at least used the item for a couple of weeks before they talk about it instead of going to a press conference and then heading back to their office and spewing drivel

marvmax · 12-02-2009, 11:46 AM

You guys are hilarious. I laughed my butt off reading this thread.

I wonder if the author of the article has ever used a reading device except for the one time that he read an article on one for "research" on this article? I've been using different reading devices for years now, and the one bad electronic reading experience that I have had was when I tried to read a book on a laptop. That almost put me off the whole concept. I can't imagine a netbook will be an improvement.

12-02-2009, 08:20 AM	#1
Argel Opinionated [but right] Posts: 281 Karma: 1412 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: UK Device: Cybook Gen3, PRS 505, Kindle Int, Oasis, Paperwhite, Scribe	Wall Street Journal still not convinced Interesting article in the WSJ. Also interested to see that, according to the article, BooksOnBoard apparently believe that a netbook is a better bet than a liseuse for most families. E-Readers: They're Hot Now, But the Story Isn't Over

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Wall Street Journal NewsFeed	erichoch	General Discussions	0	08-23-2010 07:40 PM
Wall Street Journal	dieterpops	Sony Reader	0	12-20-2009 05:51 PM
Wall Street Journal no longer downloads	jetliu	Calibre	11	03-25-2009 10:00 AM
Wall Street Journal bullish on e-books	Brian	News	1	01-21-2006 08:32 AM
Wall Street Journal free for 5 days	Colin Dunstan	Lounge	0	10-25-2004 08:53 PM

12-02-2009, 09:08 AM	#4
WT Sharpe Bah, humbug! Posts: 39,072 Karma: 157049943 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.	If Mr. Geoffrey A. Fowler could show me a 10-ounce netbook with e-ink under $300.00, I'd say he had a point. Truth is; barring some global, civilization-ending catastrophe, one day e-readers will be supplanted by something better -- as will netbooks, laptops, and desktops. But for now and for the near future, if you're a serious reader, e-readers can't be beat.

12-02-2009, 10:59 AM	#11
bookfanmd Addict Posts: 246 Karma: 4476 Join Date: May 2009 Location: US - Maryland Device: Sony 300/505/T1 Nook STWG Kobo Glo Kobo Aura HD KDX iPad1 K3 KT PW2	I carry my reader in my purse and pull it out whenever I have a few minutes. It's great while waiting in line, at lunch at work or just waiting for someone to finish at the store. A few weeks ago a tree had fallen across the road on my way home and I didn't fret while waiting the 20 minutes for it to be removed - I just pulled out my reader and enjoyed the little break. I would never be able to do that with my netbook.

12-02-2009, 11:11 AM	#13
omk3 Wizard Posts: 1,454 Karma: 37243 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Europe Device: pocketbook 360, kindle 4	I am frankly getting tired of people comparing dedicated reading devices to netbooks. Yes, they may be still a bit expensive, but that doesn't mean that I am better off spending that money on something else that does more jobs, when reading is the only thing I am interested in. I have owned a computer for as long as I can remember, but I have wished for a dedicated reading device from the moment I realised there are books in digital form out there (that was before any such device was produced). Reading on a computer was never an option, unless you are at work and need to appear to be working while reading . The ebook market does have a long way to go yet, but it's not the devices so much as the publishers that need to change. We need more ebooks, more reasonably priced, with less (or preferably no) drm. It's not the devices that prevent lending, it's the drm.

12-02-2009, 11:34 AM	#14
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	once again, it would be really really nice if people at least used the item for a couple of weeks before they talk about it instead of going to a press conference and then heading back to their office and spewing drivel

12-02-2009, 11:46 AM	#15
marvmax Member Posts: 18 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Rio Rancho, NM Device: iPod Touch 8gb	You guys are hilarious. I laughed my butt off reading this thread. I wonder if the author of the article has ever used a reading device except for the one time that he read an article on one for "research" on this article? I've been using different reading devices for years now, and the one bad electronic reading experience that I have had was when I tried to read a book on a laptop. That almost put me off the whole concept. I can't imagine a netbook will be an improvement.

Advert

Advert