How popular are ereaders? Not very I would say.

[MrsJoseph]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

I live in Chapel Hill, NC, which is the oldest college town in the United States. For every 5 people I see with a book, I'd guess 2 of them are using an e-reader. New Nooks sold out in both our Barnes and Noble locations in less than a week. I've seen Kindles, Sony's and Nooks regularly and the stray Kobo here or there that was bought on the cheap when our Borders went out of business.

I'm from that area!!! Franklin street is an old friend...

[MrsJoseph]

Originally Posted by Pinecone

In the two years I have had an eReader, they have gone from people wanting to ask me about it, to being everywhere.

I would say maybe 1/3 of the people I see reading are on an eReader now.

Washington DC.

I don't take public transportation (here in DC) so I almost never see book readers in the wild (other than my own).

My mom has one (that I maintain) and she never takes it outside (except to doctor appts).

I saw my first kindle (since the K1)in the wild last week! A very nice old lade who had to be pushing 80. She had the font set extra large and was enjoying a nice read while eating lunch.

[Donnageddon]

Heck, I just want to know why ficbot only gets "less than ten minutes on the boss". Sounds like a hostile work environment.

[Poppaea]

Originally Posted by Donnageddon

Heck, I just want to know why ficbot only gets "less than ten minutes on the boss". Sounds like a hostile work environment.

Because he is finished after a couple of minutes, I guess.

[ucfgrad93]

I was at a fitness club yesterday and saw the following devices in addition to my Kindle 2:

a classic Nook
a white Kindle DX
a Kindle 3

[Namekuseijin]

I don't see many people with laptops or netbooks either. These, like ereaders, take up considerable space and are not cheap, so I can see people afraid of being stolen their precious goods in such public spaces. At least in places like where I live. Indeed 2 of the very issues I reasoned about before getting myself a smartphone: much more portable and doesn't look particularly unlike a regular cell phone everyone owns already.

That said, here most people indeed don't read, they obsessively handle their phones zapping through myriads of useless trash music, sending mindlessly void SMS to friends and eventually watching some youtube numbness or soap opera via digital TV. It's a true model of a culture.

[Poppaea]

Originally Posted by Namekuseijin

I don't see many people with laptops or netbooks either. These, like ereaders, take up considerable space and are not cheap, so I can see people afraid of being stolen their precious goods in such public spaces. At least in places like where I live. Indeed 2 of the very issues I reasoned about before getting myself a smartphone: much more portable and doesn't look particularly unlike a regular cell phone everyone owns already.

That said, here most people indeed don't read, they obsessively handle their phones zapping through myriads of useless trash music, sending mindlessly void SMS to friends and eventually watching some youtube numbness or soap opera via digital TV. It's a true model of a culture.

A now they will think the same of you when you read on your smartphone Life is very just!

[Namekuseijin]

I'm counting on it!

[captkjaneway]

Originally Posted by lestatar

Ereaders, the dedicated ones, are extremely rare in Hong Kong. Impossible to find even a Sony device, though some computer malls do have a few Chinese brands [e.g. Hanvon] and I found 1 shop that had a Kindle.

I was told by shopkeepers that most folks in HK who like to read usually do so on their iPhones, iPads, Tabs, whatever.

Usually, the only folks sporting dedicated ereader devices in HK are western ex-pats like me.

Folk here don't really read when they are out and about - they are glued to their phone texting/facebooking or jostling for the freebie papers at the MTR stations.

[Ransom]

Originally Posted by Fbone

I've yet to see a dedicated ereader in public. Most people are talking, texting or listening to music.

I don't think I ever have either, but I'm 52 and don't get around as many young people as I used to. I suspect that if I went to places where the college kids hung out I would start seeing some.

I generally take mine to the barber shop and also to Walmart where I know I'll be waiting a good 45 minutes on an oil change.

[ficbot]

Oops, I fixed the typo

As for airports, the last time I flew was Christmas, and it stunned me a little to notice that every single person on the airplane without exception had their own personal entertainment gadget of some kind. Everyone. Of course, they were not all ebook readers (although many iPads and iPod Touches could function as such if their owner wished it) but still, it was quite shocking to a not-often traveler like me to see so many gadgets out there en masse. And...I was not the only person who had more than one with me either. I used my Ipad (to watch video) and my Kindle (to read) and someone sitting near me asked about the Kindle, commenting that they are so cheap now, many people can have more than one device.

[lestatar]

Originally Posted by captkjaneway

Folk here don't really read when they are out and about - they are glued to their phone texting/facebooking or jostling for the freebie papers at the MTR stations.

Yeah, kinda figured, though I occasionally [very occasionally] notice someone reading on smartphones.

But for sure you are 100% - it seems either FB, SMS or AngyBirds/Bejeweled.

You a local/native HK person?

[ebusinesstutor]

When I go to coffee shops, I rarely see a dedicated ereader, but I see lots of smartphones and tablets. While some people may be playing games, texting, "sexting" or checking email, many (like me) are reading news or ebooks.

I see more people on these in a coffee shop than with a dead tree book or newspaper. So I think the popularity is there - but it includes ereaders + smartphones + tablets - all the devices you can read on. Dedicated ereaders are only one way people can read.

[captkjaneway]

Originally Posted by lestatar

Yeah, kinda figured, though I occasionally [very occasionally] notice someone reading on smartphones.

But for sure you are 100% - it seems either FB, SMS or AngyBirds/Bejeweled.

You a local/native HK person?

Nope a native Londoner - been here since Nov 10

[lestatar]

^ Sweet. Drinks? LKF?