pBooks, eBooks... What's next?

Over · 08-18-2008, 03:38 PM

The ebook technology is still young and has a lot to improve, but I'm already wondering...

What will come after ebooks? What kind of inovation can it still be done, to take book reading to another level? I'm not talking about improving ebook technology, I'm talking about what will come next, what will really change book reading.

Can you imagine what other format, medium or whatever?

I confess that the first thing that crossed my mind is that idea from the Matrix movie. A book/manual plugged into the brain, uploading the information for instant knowledge. Now that would be really cool (and would force schools to test inteligence instead of the memory of their students

).

zelda_pinwheel · 08-18-2008, 03:41 PM

do you mean different ways of presenting a book ? something like this maybe ?

Sparrow · 08-18-2008, 03:49 PM

“... someone who would be there simply to give us a bad conscience.”

Isn't that what marriage is for?

kovidgoyal · 08-18-2008, 03:49 PM

Brain computer interfaces?

zelda_pinwheel · 08-18-2008, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparrow

“... someone who would be there simply to give us a bad conscience.”

Isn't that what marriage is for?

good god, i hope not !!!

Steven Lyle Jordan · 08-18-2008, 03:56 PM

G-books... books in glasses. They will use display technology to project the book in the air before your eyes, at a comfortable reading distance. Sensors will detect the position of the eye at the bottom of the page, and use that to scroll pages along.

Why do you ask? Looking to secure a patent?

pshrynk · 08-18-2008, 03:58 PM

I think it's going to be c-books. Contact lenses that allow you to interface with your computer or whatever. After that, probably some sort of prefrontal lobe interface that allows bypass of physical input.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 08-18-2008, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pshrynk

I think it's going to be c-books. Contact lenses that allow you to interface with your computer or whatever. After that, probably some sort of prefrontal lobe interface that allows bypass of physical input.

Everyone knows it's better to start on glasses before contacts.

DixieGal · 08-18-2008, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Brain computer interfaces?

No no no! That would ruin everything! Who would want a book dumped into their heads? Well, maybe it if was something like downloaded to a brain, but then you could just close your eyes and read it. So you still get the entertainment of reading, just don't have to worry about hardware. I dunno, then there is the problem of sorting out the different formats, and would our brains be able to use PDFs, and what would happen if you had traumatic head injury....

pshrynk · 08-18-2008, 04:12 PM

And how would TSA confiscate illegal downloads?

zelda_pinwheel · 08-18-2008, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pshrynk

And how would TSA confiscate illegal downloads?

scary !!

DixieGal · 08-18-2008, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pshrynk

And how would TSA confiscate illegal downloads?

They'd run that handheld jiggy over your head and "Format C:" your mind!

kovidgoyal · 08-18-2008, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DixieGal

No no no! That would ruin everything! Who would want a book dumped into their heads? Well, maybe it if was something like downloaded to a brain, but then you could just close your eyes and read it. So you still get the entertainment of reading, just don't have to worry about hardware. I dunno, then there is the problem of sorting out the different formats, and would our brains be able to use PDFs, and what would happen if you had traumatic head injury....

I for one would love to be able to close my eyes and drift off while reading a book, think of all the serendipituous exploring you could do while browsing a mental book collection.

And the format problems will all be sorted out by calibre when the time comes

DixieGal · 08-18-2008, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

I for one would love to be able to close my eyes and drift off while reading a book, think of all the serendipituous exploring you could do while browsing a mental book collection.

And the format problems will all be sorted out by calibre when the time comes

Okey dokey, seems all sorted out now. I'm on board - Bring it on!

pshrynk · 08-18-2008, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Okey dokey, seems all sorted out now. I'm on board - Bring it on!

First, we have this little ceremony you have to go through...

08-18-2008, 03:38 PM	#1
Over Wizard Posts: 1,462 Karma: 6061516 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cascais, Portugal Device: Kindle PW, Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2", OnePlus 6	pBooks, eBooks... What's next? The ebook technology is still young and has a lot to improve, but I'm already wondering... What will come after ebooks? What kind of inovation can it still be done, to take book reading to another level? I'm not talking about improving ebook technology, I'm talking about what will come next, what will really change book reading. Can you imagine what other format, medium or whatever? I confess that the first thing that crossed my mind is that idea from the Matrix movie. A book/manual plugged into the brain, uploading the information for instant knowledge. Now that would be really cool (and would force schools to test inteligence instead of the memory of their students ). Last edited by Over; 08-18-2008 at 03:52 PM.

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08-18-2008, 03:41 PM	#2
zelda_pinwheel zeldinha zippy zeldissima Posts: 27,827 Karma: 921169 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Paris, France Device: eb1150 & is that a nook in her pocket, or she just happy to see you?	do you mean different ways of presenting a book ? something like this maybe ?

08-18-2008, 03:49 PM	#3
Sparrow Wizard Posts: 4,395 Karma: 1358132 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: Palm TX, CyBook Gen3	“... someone who would be there simply to give us a bad conscience.” Isn't that what marriage is for?

08-18-2008, 03:49 PM	#4
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,618 Karma: 28549044 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Brain computer interfaces?

08-18-2008, 03:56 PM	#6
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	G-books... books in glasses. They will use display technology to project the book in the air before your eyes, at a comfortable reading distance. Sensors will detect the position of the eye at the bottom of the page, and use that to scroll pages along. Why do you ask? Looking to secure a patent?

08-18-2008, 03:58 PM	#7
pshrynk Beepbeep n beebeep, yeah! Posts: 11,726 Karma: 8255450 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin, aka America's IceBox Device: iThingie, KmkII, I miss Zelda!	I think it's going to be c-books. Contact lenses that allow you to interface with your computer or whatever. After that, probably some sort of prefrontal lobe interface that allows bypass of physical input.

08-18-2008, 04:12 PM	#10
pshrynk Beepbeep n beebeep, yeah! Posts: 11,726 Karma: 8255450 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin, aka America's IceBox Device: iThingie, KmkII, I miss Zelda!	And how would TSA confiscate illegal downloads?