Who Will Buy An eReader?

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by Kris777

many 50-60 years old people (mostly women) don't use computers but they have time and they read a lot. This is a huge market.

Being someone in that age range, I think most women in that range do know how to use computers. Heck, I was in my 20's when I started using them (can you say WordPerfect and Word for DOS). Sent my first email in 1984. If you ever worked in an office, it's very likely you had access to a computer. You may want to bump that range up 20-30 years.

[Kris777]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

Being someone in that age range, I think most women in that range do know how to use computers. Heck, I was in my 20's when I started using them (can you say WordPerfect and Word for DOS). Sent my first email in 1984. If you ever worked in an office, it's very likely you had access to a computer. You may want to bump that range up 20-30 years.

Well, not all people worked in an office...

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by Kris777

Well, not all people worked in an office...

I did say "if".

[Kris777]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

I did say "if".

. I remember that my first e-mail was "Hello world" and hard drive of my first computer was 10MB...

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by Kris777

. I remember that my first e-mail was "Hello world" and hard drive of my first computer was 10MB...

My first email was while working for the 1984 Olympics here in L.A. We could send emails to the athletes and they could respond. You would type the email on a computer and send it but the emails didn't arrive at another computer... they went to big dot matrix printers (with the green and white stripped paper) in the Village or Venue where the recipient was based. We had pagers that gave different beep patterns to tell you if you had to call in or pick up a printed email message.

My first personal computer was and Epson Equity LT that I bought as a close-out in 1993.

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by Kris777

There are many cell phones on the market with camera but it doesn't make it a good camera...

Actually, mine's comparable...but I digress. Yes, Kris, I agree with you, however, I only mentioned the trend I'm seeing, not whether it's the best direction to go or not. I personally think an Archos 9 would make a killer ebook reader, but again, that's only my opinion.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

I don't know about that. Amazon makes it so freaking easy to buy books with the Kindle that once you try it (and you will out of curiosity if nothing else), you're likely to stick with downloading from the Kindle store.

I think it not only means the easy to buy books, but also, the fact that you can only buy books at one source (Amazon) unless you can find DRM-less books. The key phrase is, "multiple sources". And the less tech-savvy people won't remove the DRM from books.

Also, it is starting to look that ePub is going to take over from Mobipocket. And as far as I know, the Kindle doesn't read ePub. And lastly, I saw a map of Whispernet availability. And a lot of the US is still white.

So, if Amazon doesn't want to lose its edge (it does have one, the idea of Whispernet is still good and the fact that you can buy a lot of books from Amazon), it will have to adopt ePub as well. And allow non-kindle users to buy ebooks from their site. They are now missing out on income because of that.

[doreenjoy]

Originally Posted by Kris777

many 50-60 years old people (mostly women) don't use computers but they have time and they read a lot. This is a huge market.

I think this is a huge misconception. Personal computers have been around since women who are now 50-60 were teenagers in school. Every woman I know under age 75 can use a computer. Why do you think Harlequin was one of the first major publishers to embrace e-books?

Sony Readers being carried in Target is going to have a huge impact on the number of female readers. Target's primary customers are women. I've seen marketing estimates that more than 70% of Target shoppers are female.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by doreenjoy

Sony Readers being carried in Target is going to have a huge impact on the number of female readers. Target's primary customers are women. I've seen marketing estimates that more than 70% of Target shoppers are female.

And that's why I think Kindle will get much more competition. People are often more inclined to buy an unknown thing in a brick-and-mortar shop. If you don't know what it is, would you buy it over the internet without having seen it first?

[Abecedary]

Hmmm. Interesting. Here's hoping my office purchases this report, too. They bought the first one in the series, and it was definitely an interesting read. Nothing that you couldn't get from following the market closely, but to have it all distilled into a single report, along with estimates for future trends is definitely handy.

And yes, selling these devices in B&M stores is an absolute must, especially if they want to spill over into the "casual reader" demographic from the "hardcore reader" one.

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I think it not only means the easy to buy books, but also, the fact that you can only buy books at one source (Amazon) unless you can find DRM-less books. The key phrase is, "multiple sources". And the less tech-savvy people won't remove the DRM from books.

Less tech savvy people don;t know about DRM and don't care. There are thousands of Kindle and Sony owners blissfully downloading books from their respective stores and reading happily.

Also, it is starting to look that ePub is going to take over from Mobipocket. And as far as I know, the Kindle doesn't read ePub. And lastly, I saw a map of Whispernet availability. And a lot of the US is still white.

Those white areas are more likely lower population areas. I have found the map is not that accurate. My mother lives in the country in Texas where the map says there is no Whispernet coverage but I have been able to download at her house. The front of the house has a stronger signal than the back but it does work. Of course the opposite could be true as well, the map says you should have a signal but it's weak or non existent.

So, if Amazon doesn't want to lose its edge (it does have one, the idea of Whispernet is still good and the fact that you can buy a lot of books from Amazon), it will have to adopt ePub as well. And allow non-kindle users to buy ebooks from their site. They are now missing out on income because of that.

They may well adopt ePub in the future... who knows. This could end up being a 2 format world. I agree that they should open the Kindle store to more devices. If they did it before B&N opens would really open their lead.

[Greg Anos]

Originally Posted by phenomshel

Actually, mine's comparable...but I digress. Yes, Kris, I agree with you, however, I only mentioned the trend I'm seeing, not whether it's the best direction to go or not. I personally think an Archos 9 would make a killer ebook reader, but again, that's only my opinion.

And it plays music, shows videos and lets you surf the 'net. Throw in a folding keyboard and you have a complete computer. But battery life....and LCD solar washout...and device heat...

[Kali Yuga]

Well, I can see how if you've got a demographic that isn't buying from Amazon, but buys books at Target or Walmart, then putting an e-book reader at that point of sale can be an advantage. I also have a hard time picturing Amazon selling the Kindle anywhere other than on their site, since that means giving up a big chunk of revenue.

But....

Can someone explain to me how a group that reads a lot, but apparently does not spend a lot of money on books and are not tech-savvy, is:

a) likely to drop $200 - 300 on an e-book reader
b) going to prefer using intermediary software, rather than getting delivery right from the point of purchase and/or buying the books right on the device
c) likely to be a big source of revenue for books

It can be good to have a lot of market share, and I do hope that e-books will serve a market like this. But in many ways it's better to dominate the segment of the market that drives most of the revenues -- as you get more profit with lower overhead. You'd think a professional analyst would be able to figure that one out.

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

Can someone explain to me how a group that reads a lot, but apparently does not spend a lot of money on books and are not tech-savvy, is:

a) likely to drop $200 - 300 on an e-book reader
b) going to prefer using intermediary software, rather than getting delivery right from the point of purchase and/or buying the books right on the device
c) likely to be a big source of revenue for books

That group is students. And the first ebook reader that figures out how to allow annotation & other markups, and easy *effective* bookmarking, will own the academic market.

There's another market in business, that's also being overlooked, but that's a harder market to break into--students are generally willing to learn to use new software; businesses often aren't.

The first 8.5" or larger ebook reader (for relatively easy letter/A4 PDF viewing) that can connect to local wireless & have books uploaded automatically will make major sales in businesses. Companies will buy them for training purposes and seminars, and keep a stack of them as loaner devices.

The first full-letter/A4-size PDF viewer with a hard-to-break screen and memory card ability, and an interface that can be taught in less than 30 seconds, will explode its way into courtrooms.

The problem with all those markets? They don't tie well to ebook stores. The company that figures out what features will get them into every Fortune 500 office will sell thousands of devices overnight... but they won't get any residual sales from books; the companies will be putting their own documents on the readers.

No ebook readers are currently targeted at users who want to put their own docs on them. Some are marketed for "our preferred ebook store + others," with an understanding that they can be used for user docs, but none are optimized for end-user document reading.

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

And it plays music, shows videos and lets you surf the 'net. Throw in a folding keyboard and you have a complete computer. But battery life....and LCD solar washout...and device heat...

Yep, RSE, all those are disadvantages. Or advantages, depending...I very seldom read outdoors, so LCD washout is ..well...*grin*...a washout for me. Battery life, same. As long as I can use it while it charges and I'm not stuck in my desk chair, I'm all good. (There's an outlet right by my bed, and another near the couch). Device heat...well, ok, in 90 plus degree heat in a *normal* Midwest summer, I can see that being a problem, however, in winter....bring it on!!!! I don't even need the folding keyboard.

But, as you point out, everyone's wants/needs/must haves are different, which is why there will never be any single device that's right for everyone.