Steve Jobs on the "iPod of reading"

[rmeister0]

A few things I feel compelled to comment on.

Blanket Jobs/Apple bashing is both old hat and ill informed. They make missteps just like every other company; the curious thing is just how few big ones they've made over the past five years.

The iPhone is not trash. I own one. It is the first smartphone device I've owned that is consistently reliable. Mail reception works. Sync works. Gasp, it can actually place and receive phone calls. The battery life is excellent. Please don't spread FUD.

I've also upgraded several Macs in my lifetime, including a 2007 rev iMac and a 2006 rev MacBook Pro. It can be done. The Mac Pro tower is one of the easiest boxes to work in. Please don't spread FUD.

Now if you want to say that Jobs is an a**hole, go right ahead. He has that reputation, and he's a lightning rod for making comments like this. What you have to understand is that Jobs is not speaking his personal opinion here; he is speaking the official Apple stance, which will remain true until it changes in a release conference or keynote.

Remember when he said nobody would watch video on a tiny iPod screen?

Remember when he said nobody would rent movies in iTunes?

Remember how he continues to say nobody wants to rent music? If he perceives the market shifting in favor of subscription services, he won't let his past statements get in the way of pursuing that.

His statement that "nobody reads" has already had the desired effect - it got a lot of press attention. What it means in Jobs-speak is that the market for electronic books is too small to be interesting, and it isn't where the money is. Guess what? Apple is a company. They're not evil because they don't pursue the ebook market, and nothing Apple can do will stop others from trying. It's not like he said Bezos should close the company and return the money to the shareholders.

If you can read books on a Palm TX, than you'd do fine reading on an iPhone or iPod touch; all you need is the software, and with the release of the SDK coming in February I would be very surprised if somebody didn't try it.

The fact that eReader devices are backordered doesn't mean they are in high demand. If I build 10 of something and get 20 orders, then I'm backordered, but 20 orders doesn't equate to "high demand". We don't know how many Kindles Amazon manufactured for the first wave, but with JIT inventories and the seemingly constrained supply of the screen I would be very surprised if it was a large number.

The real test is going to be how many Amazon sells over the first year. Do sales trickle off once the early adopters have their fill, or do they continue to grow as word of mouth spreads? The Kindle has a good shot, but success is not guaranteed.

[Adrian_Werner]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

Say, I did'nt know about that simpad before I saw it in your signature. It looks like a good UMPC. How is it for reading?

it has the screen size of a good paperback .Sharp, with good backlit. So far I'm loving it.

It is merely a temporary solution before I buy e-ink device ( I did buy it only for ebook reading, altough I've heard it can also run ScummVM got to try it soon), but so far it's workin great

[sirmaru]

I do almost ALL my reading of eBooks, magazines and newspapers on my 24" LCD Monitor. I use my Sony PRS 505 ONLY for supplementary reading away from my PC such as in waiting rooms. It would never replace my 24" LCD Monitor.

The future of eBooks is in downloads for PC's - NOT eReaders. The Kindle will eventually FLOP in my opinion since it does not allow the user to read its downloaded books on a PC. Its only hope is to come out with an eReader PC program.

The advantages of the 24" LCD Monitor are the following:

1. More flexibility in choice of fonts and their sizes.
2. Color.
3. Links to other Internet material.
4. Links within the eBooks.
5. More massive search capabilities.
6. More massive note and highlight capabilities.
7. It is far heathier to sit in a perfect chair with good posture than use bad posture in beds "curled up."
8. Lighting is far better.
9. Black on white is always crisper than grey on grey.

[Adrian_Werner]

Originally Posted by rmeister0

Blanket Jobs/Apple bashing is both old hat and ill informed.

Well...Apple has extremely arrogant stance, they bash everything else, so it
s natural they also get bashed. I mean...really... their main add campaign is nothing but ill informed silly bashing of PCs and their users.
People bashed MS in 90s, now Apple is turning into MS-like company so it's natural they will get bashed, often they don't deserve it, but being on top tends to attatract negative attention


On lighter note...first Macbooks turn out to be some of the worst laptops around for long typing sessions (the edge...dear God...the edge) and now this. If I didn't knew better I would think Jobs has a vendetta against writers

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by tompe

Trade paperback. The paper quality in a trade paperback is much better than in a mass market paperback. You are paying for reading the book before the mass market paperback is available.

Well I loath that format. It just feels all wrong in my hands. It's not a nice format. It needs to go away forever. All it is is a way for the publishers to bilk us out of more money since we decided not to pay the excess for the hardcover.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by tommy still

Have you got an iPhone ? I have, and its not junk believe me. Its "THE BEST" phone I have ever owned and that's beside the other features.

Have you ever seen the Nokia N95? If you have, you'll wish you never bought an iPhone.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

He's not talking about trade paperback's. He's talking about the new mass market paperbacks that some books are coming out as (at least in the US). They're the same width as a regular mass market, but an inch or two taller. They generally charge $9.99 for these instead of $7.99. It's not a highly used format.

I've seen some go as much as $14.99.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

I do almost ALL my reading of eBooks, magazines and newspapers on my 24" LCD Monitor. I use my Sony PRS 505 ONLY for supplementary reading away from my PC such as in waiting rooms. It would never replace my 24" LCD Monitor.

The future of eBooks is in downloads for PC's - NOT eReaders. The Kindle will eventually FLOP in my opinion since it does not allow the user to read its downloaded books on a PC. Its only hope is to come out with an eReader PC program.

The advantages of the 24" LCD Monitor are the following:

1. More flexibility in choice of fonts and their sizes.
2. Color.
3. Links to other Internet material.
4. Links within the eBooks.
5. More massive search capabilities.
6. More massive note and highlight capabilities.
7. It is far heathier to sit in a perfect chair with good posture than use bad posture in beds "curled up."
8. Lighting is far better.
9. Black on white is always crisper than grey on grey.

Not all your listed advantages are advantages.

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. iLiad and Kindle have internet accessibility
4. eBooks can have links within the eBooks. This is not specific to the computer.
5. The iLiad can search and possible the Kindle (not sure on that one).
6. The ILiad has annotation functionality.
7. You can read from an eBook reader while sitting in your computer chair. But really, why?
8. Not if you get a good light for your eBook reader such as the bug light or have a good light source in the room or outside.
9. Crisper does not always mean better. But I do see for some this can be an advantage.

[Adrian_Werner]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Have you ever seen the Nokia N95? If you have, you'll wish you never bought an iPhone.

I personaly wish Nokia would add phone capabilities to their internet tablet series. Nokia N810 with phone included would be the ultimate handheld device

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Adrian_Werner

I personally wish Nokia would add phone capabilities to their internet tablet series. Nokia 810 with phone included would be the ultimate handheld device

I've never had the opportunity to see the 810 in action so I cannot say how it compares to the N95. But I can say having seen the iPhone/iPod Touch vs. the N95, I'd get an N95 hands down if those where my choices.

[Adrian_Werner]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I've never had the opportunity to see the 810 in action so I cannot say how it compares to the N95. But I can say having seen the iPhone/iPod Touch vs. the N95, I'd get an N95 hands down if those where my choices.

I think that for all the hype with iphone N95 is actualy selling more. Just not in US( where Nokia always struggled), but un UK alone Nokia has sold over 1mln units in five months while iphone in UK stuggles (despite the hype proclaiming "huge lines" in reality stores were empty on launch day)

[radleyp]

Three points:
A) you can search on the Kindle and in fact when you do conduct a search, you are asked whether you want to search 1) on the Kindle itself, 2) in Wikipedia, or 3) on the web.

B) the Kindle (and the Sony, the Cybook and the Iliad too) is easy to carry around and even fits in a coat pocket (try that with a 24" monitor)

C) a lit screen is harder to take over a long period of time and also greatly shortens battery life.

I don't think many ereaders have been produced, so that they are sold out proves very little.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Adrian_Werner

I think that for all the hype with iphone N95 is actualy selling more. Just not in US( where Nokia always struggled), but un UK alone Nokia has sold over 1mln units in five months while iphone in UK stuggles (despite the hype proclaiming "huge lines" in reality stores were empty on launch day)

I don't recall who the provider is, but my stepson lives in the UK in Scotland and he managed to get a free N95 with his cell phone plan.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

I do almost ALL my reading of eBooks, magazines and newspapers on my 24" LCD Monitor. I use my Sony PRS 505 ONLY for supplementary reading away from my PC such as in waiting rooms. It would never replace my 24" LCD Monitor.

The future of eBooks is in downloads for PC's - NOT eReaders. The Kindle will eventually FLOP in my opinion since it does not allow the user to read its downloaded books on a PC. Its only hope is to come out with an eReader PC program.

The advantages of the 24" LCD Monitor are the following:

1. More flexibility in choice of fonts and their sizes.
2. Color.
3. Links to other Internet material.
4. Links within the eBooks.
5. More massive search capabilities.
6. More massive note and highlight capabilities.
7. It is far heathier to sit in a perfect chair with good posture than use bad posture in beds "curled up."
8. Lighting is far better.
9. Black on white is always crisper than grey on grey.

And the disadvantages are:

1. Weight! (Kinda hard on the knees to hold the 24" monitor AND keyboard AND mouse whilst attempting to lounge in one's favorite recliner. And having to lug it and the computer and the keyboard and the mouse and the speakers and the surge-protector everywhere.)
2. Size! (Again, the size and balance of said monitor and supporting equipment is large and awkward for lugging around and using anywhere except one rigidly-defined place.)
3. Convenience! (*Most* people don't want to have to give up going to the bathroom, eating, etc. just to be able to read on a 24" monitor. I do some of my best reading whilst dumping a load. )
4. Backlighting eyestrain. (Yep, far too many people complain that the eyestrain caused by reading on one of those damned monitors can be damn near unbearable.)
5. Price! (For the price of one 24" monitor and the supporting computer hardware to be dedicated to reading - not to forget all the ancillary transport equipment so I can *use* the 'reader' whilst on the go - I can have a half-dozen eInk readers, less if I choose to sneak in a 9" sized model.)

Yep. A 24" monitor is great for doing work, but for pure reading enjoyment I'll pick an eInk ebook reader any day of the week and twice on Sunday! But feel free to tie yourself down to that boat anchor - in a few years your chiropractor will be thanking you for sending his kids through med school.

Derek

[Adrian_Werner]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I don't recall who the provider is, but my stepson lives in the UK in Scotland and he managed to get a free N95 with his cell phone plan.

Nokia is a leader in mobile market, even in smartphones. And it will stay this way. Even if they might not manage to beat iphone with a single phone model, the combined sales of all their smartphones will dwarf Apple