![]() |
#16 | |
Resident Curmudgeon
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 79,785
Karma: 146391129
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts
Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3
|
Quote:
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#17 |
Has got to the black veil
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 542
Karma: 2144168
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania
Device: Kobo Aura One, Kindle Paperwhite 2
|
It would, but then they would have to plan ahead to acquire a library of e-books, and keep the reader with them. You can't run into the nearest Walgreens and pick up an e-book reader loaded with books when you know you'll be waiting somewhere.
Maybe I'm thinking more of magazine readers, here. Certainly there is a place for them with e-book readers, but again, they have to buy the device and have it with them. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#18 |
Has got to the black veil
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 542
Karma: 2144168
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania
Device: Kobo Aura One, Kindle Paperwhite 2
|
Maybe it's just me, then...I like the portability of reading on a PDA/smartphone but my eyes can't take it. I am waiting on the Cybook Gen3 and the Kindle to choose an eink reader (might end up with the Sony, who knows?). I can see that becoming my everyday device, though I'll keep books on my Treo as backup.
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#19 | ||
eBook Enthusiast
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 85,545
Karma: 93383099
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
|
Quote:
Quote:
|
||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#20 | ||
Grand Sorcerer
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 8,478
Karma: 5171130
Join Date: Jan 2006
Device: none
|
Quote:
Quote:
|
||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#21 |
Groupie
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 193
Karma: 1107
Join Date: Oct 2007
Device: Infinite Kindles, Occasional Sony's
|
re: 'Trouble is, though, the companies making the devices are (with the single exception of Sony) not the ones selling the books'
True, but take a look at Amazon. They now own MobiPocket, and there are more links to ebooks on their site every day. If they made a deal with Bookeen to market their reader, it would be a match made in heaven...and frankly I believe that's why the Kindle has not been released yet, because Bookeen reads MobiPocket books...so Amazon has no need to develop their own reader. I have a Sony reader (the new 505) and I love it. It goes everywhere with me, the same way I used to carry around a book or two. Sadly, it doesn't read MobiPocket books (sigh) so we've got to live thru another format war just like we did with video players. When it settles down, though, I firmly believe we'll be able to order books from Amazon and download them to our devices immediately. This is good news and bad news, really. The ease in publishing ebooks means it's a lot easier to publish a BAD book (meaning, poorly written). The good news is, it's easier to publish GOOD books in less popular genres, and nothing ever goes out of print. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#22 | |
Groupie
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 193
Karma: 1107
Join Date: Oct 2007
Device: Infinite Kindles, Occasional Sony's
|
Quote:
It might be a function of our ages. I became an avid reader long before there was any such thing as a PC (much less a PDA) and I'm most comfortable with something that 'feels' like a printed book to my poor old eyes. The new readers (I just bought a 505) are the first ones I've seen that do that. I never could read on a PDA, my eyes just can't handle that tiny screen. And the idea of booting up my computer to read the latest bestseller... hmmm, that just feels perverse to me for some reason. |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#23 |
Grand Sorcerer
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 8,478
Karma: 5171130
Join Date: Jan 2006
Device: none
|
As is being discussed in this thread, I think the publishers may be forced into providing e-books based on public demand, given the right circumstances.
For instance, if an e-book (not released in print) turns out to be incredibly popular, garnering praise and discussion in traditional book circles, reviews publications, Oprah, etc, increased public demand for e-books could force publishers to respond to the market. They could even be pushed from behind by their authors, wanting in on the new market, when it becomes painfully apparent that there is one. In another example, the afore-mentioned prospective color reader for magazines and/or textbooks could become a very popular item, then drive the demand for more material to be bought for it, putting similar pressure on publishers. I've predicted elsewhere that a good reader, and a single popular magazine optimized for it, could draw many other magazines in, as well as more people buying readers to take advantage of the new form factor (imagine being a teenaged girl able to carry around your entire collection of People magazines! <teenage squeal>Eeeeeee!</teenage squeal>). Anyway... you see my point: Publishers may be dragged kicking and screaming into the e-book market, given the right e-product, and/or the right reader. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#24 | |
Bookaholic
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 14,391
Karma: 54969924
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Minnesota
Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +
|
Quote:
![]() Last edited by AnemicOak; 10-16-2007 at 12:36 PM. |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#25 | |
Grand Sorcerer
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 8,478
Karma: 5171130
Join Date: Jan 2006
Device: none
|
Quote:
I'm in my forties, with glasses, and I can read on my Toshiba PDA all day long... it's all in what you get used to, which is a component of what you're willing to try. And as for the medium, when I'm reading, I never think about it. It's not important what the book is being read on... it's what you're reading that's important. |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#26 |
Has got to the black veil
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 542
Karma: 2144168
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania
Device: Kobo Aura One, Kindle Paperwhite 2
|
After working on a computer all day, doing some web surfing, blogging, writing, etc., then sitting down to read for an hour or two, everything goes swimmy after a bit, my eyes start watering and I literally can't read anymore on a backlit device. I hope to buy some kind of eink device with my Christmas bonus, so I have a little time to decide, but Amazon needs to get its act together.
![]() I agree that the reader can be more expensive *if* the books are affordably priced.* To carry on the iPod comparison that has come up, does there need to be a range of e-reading devices? An ebook Shuffle, a Nano, at reduced prices? Many people have more than one iPod--a large-capacity iPod that acts as a storage device for one's digital music collection, a Shuffle for working out, a Nano for carrying around so the expensive player with the thousands of dollars worth of downloaded music can stay safely at home. As someone has already said in this thread I believe, who wants to take a $300 eink reader to the beach? *Everybody has their own notion of what is affordable; since I hope to use my ereader as a way to cut down on book storage space requirements, I'm perfectly willing to pay the equivalent of a trade paperback price for a new hardback or trade paperback book and the same price as an MMPB for a book available in that format. HOWEVER--for that price I want portability of files between devices. So I don't think we're quite there yet. That's why I think the Kindle has such great potential; the manufacturer (or at least end retailer) of the device is also a bookseller, and it's in their interest to keep their customers happy and able to read their books as they upgrade their devices. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#27 |
Gadget Geek
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 2,324
Karma: 22221
Join Date: Aug 2007
Device: Paperwhite, Kindle 3 (retired), Skindle 1.2 (retired)
|
Being the dork that I am, I just calculated the approximate cost of the book storage space in my small house. This is not even including interest, taxes, insurance, etc. over the years. This is just the number of square feet multiplied by the cost per square foot of the house. $16,000 to store a bunch of dead trees that make me sneeze. Of course it's not like I'm going to be getting rid of these any time soon. The mere thought gives my dear husband a panic attack. He loves books as objects. But I really do not want to give up any more precious space than I already have. If I could wave a wand and have a good reader and all my books in DRM-free electronic format, I'd do it. Next to $16,000 in space and probably a couple thousand in bookshelves, $300 or so for a reader looks cheap.
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#28 |
Gizmologist
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 11,615
Karma: 929550
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN
Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#29 | |
Grand Sorcerer
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 8,478
Karma: 5171130
Join Date: Jan 2006
Device: none
|
Quote:
Depends on what's on it. If it's your favorite magazines... saved articles and pictures of your favorite actors/actresses... pics of your buds, to share with other buds... wireless downloads of fresh magazine content... and a few favorite books... sure, I'd bring it! |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#30 |
haystack experience
![]() Posts: 7
Karma: 10
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Copenhagen
Device: Acrobat/Nokia/Samsung
|
Sell like Cellphone
MaggieScratch Wrote:
--- I agree that the reader can be more expensive *if* the books are affordably priced.* --- Well, I don't think so! The price of a book is not a parametre to the price of a reader...just try to look at your cellphones or smartphones: Did you consider buying your last phone because of the (low) pricing on MMS, SMS , Paging or even the price per call/minute? I think not! You might just needed a device to handle the content and services provided. And actually you do expect any device to be able to handle this. I mean: Who's is buying a mobile phone just to make phonecalls? My conclusion is, that the publishing industri and the manufactorers of the reding devices could learn a lot by looking at the selling processes of the 'mobilephone' industry. One way they do this, is that the Service and Content Providers sell you a fixed subscrition period and at the same time give you an expensive phone for 1 $. Reading is not just reading: It's the expanded features and services provided by the reader device that sells the book. Ruggero |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
![]() |
||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Ebook reader mainstream adoption | tech_au | News | 10 | 10-13-2010 04:54 PM |
Any exclusive ebook publishers? | Tom Wood | General Discussions | 5 | 09-09-2010 07:53 PM |
Academic ebook publishers | TGS | General Discussions | 0 | 05-27-2010 09:20 AM |
Only 53% of publishers have ebook plans | Nate the great | News | 41 | 04-26-2009 01:16 PM |
Ebook Adoption in Schools...will it happen? | brecklundin | News | 18 | 01-20-2008 04:13 PM |