"Friction" is why e-books adoption is slow

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

So what are the compelling reasons to buy an ebook reader and ebooks?

For me, it's space. I live in a small house, and don't have the physical space to keep thousands of paper books. I can, however - and do - keep over 10,000 eBooks on an external USB disk the size of a pack of playing cards, and can back it up onto 3 DVDs.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

So what are the compelling reasons to buy an ebook reader and ebooks?

As HarryT mentioned, space is the biggest. Even people in small apartments like books, and with en e-book, they can keep as many as they'd like. Easy to store electronically, and to back up, because they're not large.

You can buy an e-book online, from the comfort of your own home. You don't have to wait to have it shipped.

A standardized e-book file format could be converted to whatever e-reader you own. Even Macs.

If you travel with books, being able to carry multiple books as easily as you'd carry a single book is great.

For students, being able to ditch the 100 lbs of textbooks you have to carry back and forth would be a godsend. (Mind you, the chiropractors won't be happy.)

For older readers, having a device that allows you to select text size and color makes reading a lot easier on those eyes.

An e-reader could include PIM functions, play MP3s, and games, for when you're (gasp!) tired of reading.

You will look sooo rad cool to your friends, especially if you get the reader with the (insert cool finishes and logos here)!

How'm I doin? (For the record, everything I've mentioned here has been mentioned somewhere on this site, by many people, some of them many, many times.)

[wyldkit]

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

So what are the compelling reasons to buy an ebook reader and ebooks?

For me, the most compelling reason is environmental. I own close to 1000 p-books. That's a lot of dead trees. And I've probably read only half of these books. I like to acquire books that I might want to read, and I often re-discover something on my bookshelf when I'm deciding what to read next. I can do that just as easily on a virtual bookshelf. Or, since I can download an e-book much more quickly than I can go to the bookstore or library to get the p-book, I could just wait until I am actually going to read the book to purchase it. I've been trying to switch over the e-books for a long time for environmental reasons, but my eyes just cannot focus on backlit LCD screen text for very long. Thus, a dedicated e-ink reading device is the best solution for me.

I really wish people like Al Gore were pushing people to buy their books about global warming in e-format! And I hate that the newest Harry Potter book was touted as being so environmentally-friendly but wasn't offered as an e-book!

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by wyldkit

For me, the most compelling reason is environmental.

And after we just discussed environmental issues, I can't believe I left it off!

No tree harvesting for paper. No chemicals or dyes expended making paper, and dumped into our streams. No landfilled pulp. No physical shipping, saving on fuel costs.

I never thought about buying Al Gore's book (I saw the movie!)... is it available on e-book? I never looked for it.

[wyldkit]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

And after we just discussed environmental issues, I can't believe I left it off!

No tree harvesting for paper. No chemicals or dyes expended making paper, and dumped into our streams. No landfilled pulp. No physical shipping, saving on fuel costs.

I never thought about buying Al Gore's book (I saw the movie!)... is it available on e-book? I never looked for it.

I don't think An Inconvenient Truth is available as an ebook, but Gore's new book, The Assault on Reason is available in many different ebook formats.

[jasonkchapman]

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

So what are the compelling reasons to buy an ebook reader and ebooks?

I live in NYC, so space is one of the biggest reasons. I have more than thirty boxes of books in storage, because I have no place else to put them. Still, books are overflowing the bookshelves and stacking up around the place.

Convenience. I want it now. I don't want to have to go to the bookstore or wait for the mail. For the e-magazines, I really don't want to have to deal with either B&N's mag racks or the thousands of mailed renewal notices from subs.

Size and weight. No matter what I want to read, it's still smaller than a paperback. In a walking city like this, that's a blessing. With something the size of HP7, I'll only read it at home. I'm just not willing to drag it through the subway with me.

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by wyldkit

For me, the most compelling reason is environmental. I own close to 1000 p-books.

I sometimes wish I owned that few.

That's a lot of dead trees. And I've probably read only half of these books.

Same here, but a good bit of my library are references on one thing or another you don't exactly sit down and read cover to cover.

I like to acquire books that I might want to read, and I often re-discover something on my bookshelf when I'm deciding what to read next. I can do that just as easily on a virtual bookshelf. Or, since I can download an e-book much more quickly than I can go to the bookstore or library to get the p-book, I could just wait until I am actually going to read the book to purchase it. I've been trying to switch over the e-books for a long time for environmental reasons, but my eyes just cannot focus on backlit LCD screen text for very long. Thus, a dedicated e-ink reading device is the best solution for me.

I long ago came to the conclusion that buying books and reading them were two seperate and distinct pleasures, and I needn't feel guilty about buying more books than I get around to reading.

I understand the attraction of things like eInk, but it will need to be in color, and devices using it will need to do other things besides display ebooks before I'm a customer.
______
Dennis

[jasonkchapman]

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

I long ago came to the conclusion that buying books and reading them were two seperate and distinct pleasures, and I needn't feel guilty about buying more books than I get around to reading.

Amen to that!

(Now if I could just do something about my compulsion for office supplies and kitchen gadgets.)

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by jasonkchapman

I live in NYC, so space is one of the biggest reasons. I have more than thirty boxes of books in storage, because I have no place else to put them. Still, books are overflowing the bookshelves and stacking up around the place.

Same here, on location and having stuff in storage.

Convenience. I want it now. I don't want to have to go to the bookstore or wait for the mail. For the e-magazines, I really don't want to have to deal with either B&N's mag racks or the thousands of mailed renewal notices from subs.

Since there is a Borders a few of blocks from me, a B&N superstore a bit farther, and The Strand in roughly the same distance at the B&N, going to the bookstore isn't an issue for me. I happen to like browsing for physical books, and I have good opportunities to do so.

Size and weight. No matter what I want to read, it's still smaller than a paperback. In a walking city like this, that's a blessing. With something the size of HP7, I'll only read it at home. I'm just not willing to drag it through the subway with me.

And something to do while traveling is one of the big reasons I have a couple of thousand ebooks on my PDA.
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Dennis

[Kilarney]

Here are some thoughts from a person who is just an average Joe and not a computer whiz. These are thoughts that I went through when I bought my Sony Reader (today!).

In rough order of concern:

1) In order to purchase an e-ink device, you need to be into books. And therein lies the problem... there aren't many e-books available. I have about 20 books on my Amazon wish-list. I think a grand total of 1 is available as an e-book. If the content isn't there, then what's the point?

2) The competing formats are a real turn off. Even if I can find a book that I'm interested in, there is a good chance that it might be in format other than LRF. I don't relish the idea of using cmd line programs to read something. An E-Reader should make life easier, not harder. I've already decided that PDF files are a total waste of time with the Sony Reader. That's too bad, since there is a ton of content in PDF format.

3) Price. The IPod is great because carrying around a CD player sucks. People are willing to pay extra in order to store a ton of songs on a device that's better than a CD player. Carrying around a book is easy. So an E-Reader can't command the extra price. (The Sony Card offer put me over the edge.)

I really like the idea of selling a physical medium that can be popped into an e-book reader. Why? Because I know that I own it. It's tangible. It's mine. I don't have to worry about servers, etc. These could also be sold at bookstores, so they wouldn't grumble too much to the publishers. How expensive could a 1mb SD card be? People like things that are tangible. It's much easier to get their mind around.

I also think that the marketing ploy that has the best chance of success is the environmental argument. Well educated people tend to read. These are people that are likely to be aware of environmental concerns. Imagine having a small media storage device next to a hard-cover with a sign that says: "Save a tree - but me." It think a lot of people would be swayed. Admittedly, the production of a media device has an environmental impact and doesn't use renewable resources, but who said that advertisers had to point that out. ;-)

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by jasonkchapman

Amen to that!

It's a sophistry, but it serves the purpose...

(Now if I could just do something about my compulsion for office supplies and kitchen gadgets.)

I've managed to avoid those. I have enough issues with a tropism for books, and a large collection of old fashioned LP records (about 1,500, give or take).

I'm trying to confine my collection to virtual things these days, so it's just as well I have multiple hard drives and hundreds of gigs of free space on my desktop.
______
Dennis

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by Kilarney

Here are some thoughts from a person who is just an average Joe and not a computer whiz. These are thoughts that I went through when I bought my Sony Reader (today!).

In rough order of concern:

1) In order to purchase an e-ink device, you need to be into books. And therein lies the problem... there aren't many e-books available. I have about 20 books on my Amazon wish-list. I think a grand total of 1 is available as an e-book. If the content isn't there, then what's the point?

There are many ebooks available. They just aren't all that convenient to find and purchase.

I know an author who has work available in electronic editions, and estimated a few years back he'd gotten a couple of hundred dollars in royalties. His publisher was one of those who made it a challenge to discover he had electronic editions, let alone purchase them.

What titles are you looking for? There are other outlets besides Amazon.

2) The competing formats are a real turn off. Even if I can find a book that I'm interested in, there is a good chance that it might be in format other than LRF. I don't relish the idea of using cmd line programs to read something. An E-Reader should make life easier, not harder. I've already decided that PDF files are a total waste of time with the Sony Reader. That's too bad, since there is a ton of content in PDF format.

They are my single biggest complaint. I want to download content once, and read it on whatever device I happen to have.

I sidestep the issue by getting stuff in HTML format, and converting to a form used by an offline HTML viewer on my PDA.

It means I'm limited to what I can get in HTML format, and can't get DRM protected copy, but I don't care. I have more stuff I want to read that can get in that format than I have time to read now, so I'm not missing a lot.

If I could teach myself to read a book with each eye, I might someday be caught up...

3) Price. The IPod is great because carrying around a CD player sucks. People are willing to pay extra in order to store a ton of songs on a device that's better than a CD player. Carrying around a book is easy. So an E-Reader can't command the extra price. (The Sony Card offer put me over the edge.)

I concur. I think we need to see a considerable reduction in the cost of ebook viewers for the practice to really spread.

I really like the idea of selling a physical medium that can be popped into an e-book reader. Why? Because I know that I own it. It's tangible. It's mine. I don't have to worry about servers, etc. These could also be sold at bookstores, so they wouldn't grumble too much to the publishers. How expensive could a 1mb SD card be? People like things that are tangible. It's much easier to get their mind around.

A 1MB SD card would actually be very expensive, as no one currently makes them that small. It would require special production runs, and I can't see anyone doing at.

SD cards are getting steadily larger and cheaper, and you can get 4GB SD cards for under $100, with larger capacities on the way. The cost of the flash media used has dropped steadily, and will drop further, as manufacturers are investing billions in additional fabs to make the stuff, driven by demand from things like iPods and digital cameras.

You can vend single ebooks on SD cards. You'll just have 99% of the space wasted, and it frankly isn't worth the effort to address that. The media is too cheap to care.

I also think that the marketing ploy that has the best chance of success is the environmental argument. Well educated people tend to read. These are people that are likely to be aware of environmental concerns. Imagine having a small media storage device next to a hard-cover with a sign that says: "Save a tree - but me." It think a lot of people would be swayed. Admittedly, the production of a media device has an environmental impact and doesn't use renewable resources, but who said that advertisers had to point that out. ;-)

Bearing in mind that trees are renewable resources, and paper can be recycled...

The trees I want to save are virgin growth. The ones used to make paper are "ranched", so to speak.

And if I really wanted to save trees and was appointed dictator, I'd decree office copiers illegal, and force folks to use only electronic forms of documents.
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Dennis

[radleyp]

The reason that ebooks are not selling well has been noted here: there is nothing wrong with the medium of books as they exist today. So what Sony et. al. must do is convince readers that their devices (at $300+) represent an improvement. I have been part of a book club of 12-13 men for the past three years: we meet once a month for 10 months of the year. That's 30 books (only 6 of which were available as ebooks) and up to last month, I was the only one who read ebooks (first on my Palm T3/TX, now on my MotorolaQ). One member got a Sony reader from his wife but then had to call me to learn how to download and install a book (another problem with ebooks).

I found it convenient to have a book with me all the time, but I could have carried a paperback too (the Sony ads now appearing in magazines keep telling the reader that he/she can now carry 80 books at a time, which is just idiotic, since no one, not even students, needs to, so no wonder this thing does not resonate with a bang).

My thinking goes something like this: when we are on the verge of running out of oil we'll find a synthetic, and when we are on the verge of running out of paper we'll all read ebooks. They're just not a necessity now.

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by radleyp

The reason that ebooks are not selling well has been noted here: there is nothing wrong with the medium of books as they exist today. So what Sony et. al. must do is convince readers that their devices (at $300+) represent an improvement. I have been part of a book club of 12-13 men for the past three years: we meet once a month for 10 months of the year. That's 30 books (only 6 of which were available as ebooks) and up to last month, I was the only one who read ebooks (first on my Palm T3/TX, now on my MotorolaQ). One member got a Sony reader from his wife but then had to call me to learn how to download and install a book (another problem with ebooks).

I think "nothing wrong with the current format" is the key fact. My original question "So what are the compelling reasons to buy ebooks and ebook viewers" got largely the responses I expected. They may be compelling reasons for the folks who hang out here. They are unlikely to be all that compelling to the majority of the book reading public. Until that majority gets a compelling reason. ebooks will remain a niche market.

I found it convenient to have a book with me all the time, but I could have carried a paperback too (the Sony ads now appearing in magazines keep telling the reader that he/she can now carry 80 books at a time, which is just idiotic, since no one, not even students, needs to, so no wonder this thing does not resonate with a bang).

Nobody needs to carry 80 ebooks at a time, but some of us want to. I have several thousand ebooks on my PDA.

My thinking goes something like this: when we are on the verge of running out of oil we'll find a synthetic, and when we are on the verge of running out of paper we'll all read ebooks. They're just not a necessity now.

Since trees are a renewable resource, I don't see that happening.

The most likely motivator I can see for the mass market is price. When you can get a decent ebook viewer for the price of an MP3 player, get content for it at a bookstore or off the web, and when said content is significantly cheaper than corresponding paper editions, we might get some momentum.
______
Dennis

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by radleyp

So what Sony et. al. must do is convince readers that their devices (at $300+) represent an improvement.

I'd offer the very minor quibble that there are a number of improvements that e-readers offer over p-books. I say minor, because the vast majority of folks seem to find those improvements supremely uncompelling. The Sony Reader, in particular, has arguably taken a step back in a couple of aspects there, no search is the most glaring example, but annotation and a number of others are out there too.

In any case, I do very much agree that the advantages need to be expanded, and they need to be highlighted in a way that the average person can see, understand and appreciate.