PCs are best for e-reading, Microsoft's Ballmer says

[rlauzon]

"We have a device for reading. It's the most popular device in the world. It's the PC," Ballmer said on Thursday on the sidelines of television show recording at Erasmus University in the Netherlands.

Remember that this is from a company that completely missed the Internet.

[hal_9000]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

As your wording suggests, that's fundamental for you... not necessarily for everyone else. Lots of people see computers as devices for recreation, not just work, and therefore don't have trouble reading from them after working with them for hours.

I understand how you can feel that way, plenty of other people do as well, and there's nothing wrong with that opinion. We just have to understand that it isn't everybody's opinion... and apparently, it isn't even the majority opinion. Yet.

agreed. good points.

[igorsk]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

A recent survey by O'Reilly seems to bear this out, as it indicates that PDF is still the dominant e-book format. It is considered to be flexible, but best read on computers and laptops, suggesting that the combination of PDFs on full computers and laptops ably dominate the industry.

(Interesting, though, as I've never sold a single novel in PDF, and when I removed PDF from my selections, I was never asked to put them back in. But they could be creating their own from RTF files...)

Jow Wickert of O'Reilly says ePub is a distant second, but as more devices and apps add the format to their list, this may change quickly...

You need to remember that O'Reilly publishes only technical books, so their surveys are going to be heavily biased in that direction.

[phenomshel]

And having to be tied to my desk chair is why I bought my EZ reader in the first place. Our office is nice, and my desk chair comfy enough, but I prefer reading snuggled on the couch with a blanket and a couple of cats, or in bed. Wonder if Steve Ballmer has tried taking his PC to bed with him to read on? Or whether he just doesn't read for pleasure?
That being said - I love the portability, but I want the whole enchilada...color, all the software, etc. which is why I'm probably buying an Archos 9 in February/March. Yes, it's overkill for just an ebook reader; but I'm sure I can find a use for everything else it does.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by phenomshel

Wonder if Steve's tried taking his PC to bed with him to read on? Or whether he just doesn't read for pleasure?

I read on a PDA, and yes, mostly for pleasure. I never said I read e-books on PC, just that a lot of other people do, and they shouldn't be marginalized or ignored.

And for the record, when I'm in bed, I generally spend my time doing two things. Neither of those involve reading...

[AnemicOak]

I believe not to long ago Harlequin said PDF was their best selling format too. One would assume the great majority of those sales are being read on Win/Mac PC's.


Personally I never read ebooks on a PC (well almost never, I have once or twice in the past), but a lot of people seem to at this point.

[brecklundin]

Put a PixelQi display in one of these devices and you have a great ebook/reading device:

http://tabletkiosk.com/products/sahara/i400s_pp.asp

Yeah, the price is waaaay too much for a "reader" but they have been making them for a few years now, they are super devices, offer everything a full PC does, well since they are actually PC's that is a given I suppose. Add a lower energy display make some basic changes to the onboard data storage (as in using an SSD which a 32GB 2nd gen drive is pretty cheap these days and more than enough as a casual device) and viola you have a device you can use for a full day of work/reading...

The evolution of the display tech but also storage of data and batteries will merge these Slate PC's with the current reading devices in less than a couple years, and at a price point near what readers are today.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by phenomshel

Wonder if Steve's tried taking his PC to bed with him to read on? Or whether he just doesn't read for pleasure?
That being said - I love the portability, but I want the whole enchilada...color, all the software, etc. which is why I'm probably buying an Archos 9 in February/March. Yes, it's overkill for just an ebook reader; but I'm sure I can find a use for everything else it does.

Don't know about Steve, but I use my laptop in bed all the time, mostly for browsing forums and tech blogs. Before I got an iPhone and found FLAG, I used to read fanfiction until the wee hours on my laptop. Prior to acquiring a Viliv X70, I also did most of my manga reading on the laptop. Surprisingly, I've only dropped the laptop around 3 or 4 times when I fell asleep while reading. Aside from the potential eyestrain and heat issues if it's sitting directly on your lap, I don't see how reading on a laptop can be any less comfy than reading on an e-ink device.

[Idoine]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

...Aside from the potential eyestrain and heat issues if it's sitting directly on your lap, I don't see how reading on a laptop can be any less comfy than reading on an e-ink device.

If you can try a e-ink device, you'll see...
Before mine, I read on a laptop, too, and on a PocketPC.
I can say that it was a lot more straining for my eyes (due to the backlighting) than with my Cybook !
The e-ink screen is no more eye-wearing than a paperbook, for me...

[brecklundin]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

I read on a PDA, and yes, mostly for pleasure. I never said I read e-books on PC, just that a lot of other people do, and they shouldn't be marginalized or ignored.

And for the record, when I'm in bed, I generally spend my time doing two things. Neither of those involve reading...

Steve,

As much as those of us who prefer a PDA or even a portable internet tablet style LCD based reader explain how e-ink type displays are not for everyone anymore than LCD's provide that nominal reading experience for everyone, many will never come to grips with it...I tag them the "Nancy Reagans" of the world who feel it is their place to tell everyone else what is best and just refuse to consider another's preference equally valid...

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by brecklundin

The evolution of the display tech but also storage of data and batteries will merge these Slate PC's with the current reading devices in less than a couple years, and at a price point near what readers are today.

I agree. I think dealing with power will be key. That tablet is 1.62 kg (3.57 lbs.). That's around what an 800 page hardback weighs. You can attribute a lot of that to the 6 cell battery it needs. It probably gets really hot in your hands, too. Even getting the battery down to half the size wouldn't make it comfortable to hold for hours on end. For me to ditch my reader, I want something that's more like 1 pound and that will get at least an entire day on the battery with normal usage. PixelQi was talking about getting 20 hours on a charge but that's still with a netbook battery. Those things are a couple pounds. Amazon lists the Kindle battery as weighing 1.6 oz. That makes a huge difference in your hand.

[kennyc]

Sorry, but fiction - novels in particular just doesn't work for me on a computer screen.

Mostly for the reasons that have already been mentioned.

I don't even like reading technical docs on it...

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

A recent survey by O'Reilly seems to bear this out, as it indicates that PDF is still the dominant e-book format. It is considered to be flexible, but best read on computers and laptops, suggesting that the combination of PDFs on full computers and laptops ably dominate the industry.

(Interesting, though, as I've never sold a single novel in PDF, and when I removed PDF from my selections, I was never asked to put them back in. But they could be creating their own from RTF files...)

Jow Wickert of O'Reilly says ePub is a distant second, but as more devices and apps add the format to their list, this may change quickly...

Consider what O'Reilly publishes: computer tech manuals. Their books are typically read on a workstation in a window or screen while a developer is working on what is covered in the book in another window/screen. They aren't the sort of books you normally sit down and read cover to cover.

For that usage, PDF is just the thing. We dislike PDFs for ebook readers because they generally don't reflow to fit smaller screen sizes, but in the O'Reilly usage, you neither need nor want them to.

You publish fiction, with completely different reading patterns and usages, so no surprise your results differ.
______
Dennis

[BillSmithBooks]

It makes me cringe to have to admit that I kind of, sort of, almost...gack...agree with Ballmer on this (being a proud Linux user and all).

I really believe the dominant ebook reading platform will ultimately be tablets (including slightly larger IPhone-ish/media player devices) and netbooks that handle a huge number of ordinary computing tasks and HAPPEN to read ebooks, too.

I really believe the dedicated ebook reader is a short-term fad just because the devices are rather large but limited in their capabilities.

The combination of multi-functionality and the ever decreasing costs which will lead to $100 netbooks only a year or so down the road suggest to me that netbooks and media players will rule the marketplace not too far in the future.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by BillSmithBooks

I really believe the dominant ebook reading platform will ultimately be tablets (including slightly larger IPhone-ish/media player devices) and netbooks that handle a huge number of ordinary computing tasks and HAPPEN to read ebooks, too.

I really believe the dedicated ebook reader is a short-term fad just because the devices are rather large but limited in their capabilities.

I agree with you in that I think eBook readers will get more like tablets and tablets will get more like ebook readers. Eventually there will be a convergence where weight, power, screen, battery life are optimal for general purpose PC use cases and dedicated ebook reading use case.

That said, I think we are at least 5 years away, probably as much as 10 years away.

BOb