Apple entrance into ebook market rumors

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Mr. Jobs has publically stated that "people don't read any more", so why would sell books to a non-existant market?

Originally Posted by KindleDude

He also said something like "no one wants to watch video on a tiny screen" a few months before the Touch came out. Jobs likes to surprise the market.

Originally Posted by Phogg

I don't think Apple will aim for a dedicated reader ever. I think they will shoot for a 5 or 7 inch screen device that is thin, plays music, displays books, surfs online, and shows video with a five to seven hour battery life.

That would be more in line with the trajectory they are already following.

You are all right in your statements.

So far iPple has always thrived to create under cover. This way no one has any precise expectation of what should be about to come out, only obscure inklings. Why? Showboating. They need impact, big presentations, the WOW factor. iPple loves to show off.

[axel77]

One thing you have to admin, apple really manages to keep secret things secret (the same about the upcoming new iMac mini...) most other private business are permeable as swiss cheese regarding information deployed by some employee anonymously on the internets. But apple really knows some way to keep shut up...

[snipenekkid]

"Newton the Rebirth" might make a fun marketing scheme? Loved the Newton when I had one in my before-time.

Maybe if Apple does develop an Newton iPADD (I like that one) would they have to use eink necessarily. I am thinking about the displays for the comapany spun off from the OLPC program. As I recall the name of the company is Pixel something. The displays are said to be color and readable in daylight, lghtweight and best of all cheap. Have those been made commercially yet? It is one of the reasons I am holding off on a reader, I want color. I would be very happy to exchange batterlife for color as long as I could get a day or two reading time from one charge. I looked at Sony Readers at Costco and was surprised how grey the displays are in real life.

To the person who talked about Apple being about color. Do not forget it was not always like that. The original Mac was grey scale not color. And stayed that way for a long time. I loved my old Mac. Of course today it would probably make more sense to see a color device that doubles as a web access device and can run something like OpenOffice or even Abiword.

[dmaul1114]

I'd definitely be interested to see what they could come up with. I've been debating between the Sony 505 and the Kindle as I want something with an attached store for convenience. But I decided to wait as the Sony store has less selection and higher prices and no wireless access, but the Kindle 2 is too expensive and the design is ugly compared to the Sony.

iTunes is great for music and the design of their devices is usually great so maybe their device (if one really comes out) could be the best of both worlds in terms of design, functionality and selection in their store.

[thibaulthalpern]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

I'd definitely be interested to see what they could come up with. I've been debating between the Sony 505 and the Kindle as I want something with an attached store for convenience. But I decided to wait as the Sony store has less selection and higher prices and no wireless access, but the Kindle 2 is too expensive and the design is ugly compared to the Sony.

Oh...is the Kindle and Kindle 2 ugly...my it IS ugly. I find it truly amazing that Amazon could not come up with a better design. Sony's 505 and 700 and miles ahead in terms of design. Indeed, the one attractive feature, for me, for the Kindle and Kindle 2 is the access to newspapers.

[Penforhire]

Apple does do a good job of secrecy. I think it has a lot to do with who they hire and their clear penalty for leaks. An employee who leaks is no longer an employee. A partner company who leaks (such as a case maker for a new iPhone form) will NEVER get Apple's business again.

My brother-in-law works for Apple marketing. We're friendly as can be. But he won't spill the beans, not at all. He appreciates both the ethics and business advantage of their 'big splash' releases.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by snipenekkid

"Newton the Rebirth" might make a fun marketing scheme? Loved the Newton when I had one in my before-time.

If I were Apple, I'd avoid any reference to the Newton. As ground-breaking as it might have been, it was primarily remembered as a PR laughing-stock, and therefore wouldn't provide anything positive to a marketing program.

[petermillard]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

If I were Apple, I'd avoid any reference to the Newton.

'Egg freckles' anyone..?

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

From much earlier in this thread....

"...making everyone convert to their way after Kindle has taken the market."

With the greatest respect to Steve (Jordan) let's not forget that the Kindle is not available outside the U.S., and whilst the U.S. sales may be critical for publishers and authors, it does not constitute the whole book market. Even if the Kindle were available worldwide (and for the record I'd buy one tomorrow if I could) I very much doubt you could say it had 'taken' the market - a toe-hold certainly, but no more than that.

Cheers, Pete.

[Kosst Amojan]

I like the iPADD idea!



According to Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki) the PADD (Personal Access Display Device) is used for:

logging manifests, compiling duty rosters or diagnostic reports, entering personal data, and/or accessing library computer systems, display schematics, or transmissions and were capable of wireless computer networking as well as playing movies, recording logs and audio playback.

Basically the same things it could be used for now and it's all within our current capabilities.

Of course, as a side effect we could still end up with PADD clutter

[snipenekkid]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

If I were Apple, I'd avoid any reference to the Newton. As ground-breaking as it might have been, it was primarily remembered as a PR laughing-stock, and therefore wouldn't provide anything positive to a marketing program.

you are probably right about that. but maybe since a part of their demographic was either too young to even be aware of the fiasco or not even born yet. many other potential buyers would never even make the association with the original device. then again if apple does use the newton name apply would probably play up they are re-inventing the past. a back in time ad theme?

for the record i was joking about using the newton moniker. it's not apple's style anyway.

[yvanleterrible]

iPple will never make a one medium device again.

If Iwere to wish it would be for a cross between a tOuch and a tAblet.

[snipenekkid]

probably correct.

[fugazied]

Basically I just want an ipod touch which is twice or three times the size. Then BAM you have a VERY good ebook reader which also does internet, music, applications, email, games etc.

I think there is a huge market for these tablets, microsoft always feature them in 'whats coming up' advertisments. Complex tablets that do everything. Apple can implement it, but there may be some kind of technological hurdle? Battery life perhaps?

[etherspin]

until recently you knew what apple was doing a month or too in advance .. think secret and mac rumours .. its lately anything has been kept hidden isnt it ??
I find it funny that they already used the device name "ibook" !!!! wooooops !
maybe they'll add mobi or epub books to itunes store when they enable reader software on more of their devices.. dont know if they would create something with e-ink...

[Leep]

It's hard to imagine that Amazon would have gone ahead with iPhone iTouch application that syncs with Kindle book account if Apple would shortly have a ereader in competition

I'd sure not switch now that I have the best of both worlds

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