Nick Hornby is not an e-book fan

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by Simon_Drake

eBook readers vs iPoders. Every generation has a split, (ie jocks vs nerds, gothics vs homeboys) a reason for feuding and teenage punch ups and girls pulling out eachother's hair. For the digital generation, eBook readers vs iPoders could just be that.

Don't see it myself. I own both devices ... love them both ... use them both a lot. My iPod comes with me when I have to cut firebreaks into the tall brush, when I am driving, when I take the dogs out for walks, and is great to have when my eyes are too tired to read.

When I want to read, however, there is nothing that beats my Kindle (or perhaps I should say "ebook reader" since I'm sure that owners of other devices feel the same about theirs). Certainly not my iPod.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

Voices require me to pay attention to them.

I'll not only second that, I'll point out that it is hard-wired into our species to concentrate on communication (even when it is not directed at us)... and that the spoken word tends to take over conscious concentration, including above the written word, because more of the brain is utilized to speak and understand spoken language than written language.

(You know why most people are annoyed at others' cellphone conversations? Because they cannot hear the other end of the conversation, and their minds become incredibly distracted trying to fill in the blanks on their own. As Benny Hill used to say, "No' a lo' a people know that!")

I listen to music when I read, but most of it is instrumental jazz. When I hear vocal jazz, or a primarily vocal R&B or rock tune, my reading attention falters, because my mind wants to listen to the lyrics more than it wants to read.

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by Simon_Drake

eBook readers vs iPoders. Every generation has a split, (ie jocks vs nerds, gothics vs homeboys) a reason for feuding and teenage punch ups and girls pulling out eachother's hair. For the digital generation, eBook readers vs iPoders could just be that.

I doubt it. iPods and ebook readers appeal to different primary demographics. The folks young enough to see this as reason for teenage feuding aren't likely to be buying ebook readers in the first place. They are more likely to be concerned over who has the cooler cell phone.
______
Dennis

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

I'll not only second that, I'll point out that it is hard-wired into our species to concentrate on communication (even when it is not directed at us)... and that the spoken word tends to take over conscious concentration, including above the written word, because more of the brain is utilized to speak and understand spoken language than written language.

(You know why most people are annoyed at others' cellphone conversations? Because they cannot hear the other end of the conversation, and their minds become incredibly distracted trying to fill in the blanks on their own. As Benny Hill used to say, "No' a lo' a people know that!")

A former co worker used to drive me nuts. He'd put all of his conversations on speaker so he could have both hands free, including the personal ones. ("What up, homeboy?") Since I was normally doing something that required some concentration, ignoring the stuff from the next cubicle was a problem.

I listen to music when I read, but most of it is instrumental jazz. When I hear vocal jazz, or a primarily vocal R&B or rock tune, my reading attention falters, because my mind wants to listen to the lyrics more than it wants to read.

I can listen to stuff with lyrics if it's familiar, but agreed, instrumental only is preferable. And a lot of pop music makes me wish for karaoke versions with only the instrumental tracks, because the folks making the music can play like anything, but can't write lyrics to save their lives...
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Dennis

[Elsi]

Originally Posted by Krystian Galaj

Personally, I can't listen to music as background activity. It interferes with anything I do as foreground activity, so I need to have silence. I listen to music maybe once a month, and then only songs who have some interesting text, authors like Suzanne Vega, or Weird Al... else it bores me.

But I'm probably not typical

You're not typical, but there are plenty of people in the same situation. I'm a trained musician. If there is music playing, it *demands* my attention. I cannot shuffle it to background and focus on the current task.

Interestingly, talking doesn't demand the same level of attention. I can more easily ignore the TV or a radio talk show than I can music. So if I'm jumpy and need some noise to fill the background, I turn on the TV -- usually to a show with a plot instead of the news.

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by Elsi

You're not typical, but there are plenty of people in the same situation. I'm a trained musician. If there is music playing, it *demands* my attention. I cannot shuffle it to background and focus on the current task.

Interestingly, talking doesn't demand the same level of attention. I can more easily ignore the TV or a radio talk show than I can music. So if I'm jumpy and need some noise to fill the background, I turn on the TV -- usually to a show with a plot instead of the news.

I'm sort of the same way. I suppose it's because, if I'm listening to music, then I'm listening to music that I love. I can ignore the radio if it's music that I do not like (most country ... most rap). Then, I can tune it out just like I do the TV or idle conversations around me.

I suppose we all have different types of white noise ...

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by axel77

Also I wonder, why do people always tend to compare eReaders to the iPod. Both fullfill so very different needs, I don't see the comparison valid. You can compare eReaders with same reasons as well with vacuum cleaners, not?

On eReader, this comes directly from the wiki....

eReader is the new name for Palm Reader. It is a viewer for electronic documents on PalmOS and other platforms and devices. If you were really looking for hardware Readers try E-book devices.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

Ebook reader vs iPod is a specious argument for two basic reasons:

1) Everybody listens to music. Everybody doesn't read.

2) Music is often a background activity, done while also doing something else. Reading is (and must be) a foreground activity.

Ebook readers will never achieve iPod like numbers. The market isn't big enough, and the price is unlikely to get low enough.

Of course, pointing this out to the folks who make such comparisons is likely a lost cause.
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Dennis

Never say never. Remember, iPods and their ilk can be very expensive. The iPod Touch with 32GB costs more then a Sony Reader PRS-505 (for example). Also, we don't know what people will purchase in the future or what the eBook devices will be like. I think what is holding back eBook devices at the moment is the tower of eBable, DRM, and wildly inaccurate pricing. Once these issues are solved, I think it will pick up big time.

I have to agree it's a lost cause to compare eBook devices to an iPod. Totally different devices bought for different reasons. Yes, I know my 505 and others can play mp3/aac. But I don't use it for that. I use to to read electronic content to which it works quite well. I've tried my wife's Touch with one of the sample eReader format eBooks and while it is readable, the screen is quite small for that.

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Never say never. Remember, iPods and their ilk can be very expensive. The iPod Touch with 32GB costs more then a Sony Reader PRS-505 (for example). Also, we don't know what people will purchase in the future or what the eBook devices will be like. I think what is holding back eBook devices at the moment is the tower of eBable, DRM, and wildly inaccurate pricing. Once these issues are solved, I think it will pick up big time.

I largely agree. I simply think the overall market for dedicated ereader devices is simply smaller by a good margin than the one for MP3 players, for the reasons mentioned.

An ereader won't get iPod numbers. I can't. It should be able to get numbers that will make the manufacturer quite happy, but knocking it because it doesn't sell as many as the iPod is a fallacious argument..

I have to agree it's a lost cause to compare eBook devices to an iPod. Totally different devices bought for different reasons.

Precisely.

Yes, I know my 505 and others can play mp3/aac. But I don't use it for that. I use to to read electronic content to which it works quite well. I've tried my wife's Touch with one of the sample eReader format eBooks and while it is readable, the screen is quite small for that.

<shrug>

I've read happily on Palm OS devices, ranging from 160x160 gray scale to 320x320 color to my current 320x480 color with no issues. I have diddled the settings to use smaller than default fonts, but I read comfortably before I did so.

I wouldn't mind a device with a larger screen, but I need color, and I need a device that does more than view ebooks, so a dedicated reader isn't on my wish list.
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Dennis

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I have to agree it's a lost cause to compare eBook devices to an iPod. Totally different devices bought for different reasons. Yes, I know my 505 and others can play mp3/aac. But I don't use it for that. I use to to read electronic content to which it works quite well. I've tried my wife's Touch with one of the sample eReader format eBooks and while it is readable, the screen is quite small for that.

They are very different devices but they have some common appeal. They both allow you to store and access a large collection of their medium on a portable device. I think there is a natural comparison to be drawn. My reasons for buying my Kindle are very similar to the reasons I purchased a digital audio player. I want my books/music with me when I'm not at home and I don't want the clutter or the hassle of storing and moving all the discs/paper. I don't think you can treat the markets the same, however. What's more interesting is how they're different.

[axel77]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Never say never. Remember, iPods and their ilk can be very expensive. The iPod Touch with 32GB costs more then a Sony Reader PRS-505 (for example). Also, we don't know what people will purchase in the future or what the eBook devices will be like. I think what is holding back eBook devices at the moment is the tower of eBable, DRM, and wildly inaccurate pricing. Once these issues are solved, I think it will pick up big time.

I disagree here, IMHO one reason why eReader don't take of, is because they are not yet satisfactory working. There is none that can I browse through pages quickly, while having a decent resolution and a passive display. There is none I can scribble upon without having this redicolous writing gap the iLiad has. There is none that is sustainable, so you don't have to fear break easily your screen.

I have to agree it's a lost cause to compare eBook devices to an iPod. Totally different devices bought for different reasons.

I agree there! However with different implication. I think industry orienting eReader to be like iPods is actually one of the main stumble stones why they don't succeed. I mean just imagine what if some eReader generation would become quasi-standard for school kids in the western world? Then it sales numbers could easily rocket over iPods.

Also for example that One-Laptop-For-A-Child, I mean I have to respect them for their idealism and so, but I cannot fully understand why they target this device only to use for kids in the so called "3rd world". Aren't our kids good enough to be targeted for a similar device as well? I mean the XO2 could already be something so far different than a classic "Laptop" is..

[radiohead]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

Nick Hornby, i love your work, but you disappoint me here.

I couldn't agree more

I love his work but he should take a leaf out of King's ebook.

Does he realise people in the US and Uk are calling it Kindlemass?

s

[DiapDealer]

I like Hornby's work, but I find it hilarious that he obviously isn't willing to "put his money where his mouth is."

"I don't think ebooks will take off, but let's make sure all of my titles are available in e-version anyway... OK?"

[MV64]

I guess I don't understand why critics think if you read an e-book, you're shunning paperback books and will never buy another one. They're not mutually exclusive.

[abookreader]

Well, personally I wouldn't say that I will never buy another paperbook - but I frequently pass up buying books that are available only in paper in favor of other books which are available digitally. I bought 2 paper books in 2010 and one of those I bought because the author is a personal friend but doesn't "do" eBooks.

As far as Nick Hornby. Ah - whatever. Some of his points I actually agree with but I feel he is totally off the mark in his interpretation. Readers ARE late adopters. eBooks have been around for a long time and we are just NOW gaining steam. And if he truly believes digital publishing isn't going to completely rock his literary world, then he isn't listening very well to his Agent and Publishing house. That's fine, maybe he doesn't have to. Maybe he just needs to write the books and let them earn their money by understanding the business end of it.

edit to add: whoa! Just noticed this thread is from 2008. Wonder if he'd like to update his viewpoint now?