08-26-2008, 12:02 PM | #16 | |
Gizmologist
Posts: 11,615
Karma: 929550
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN
Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3
|
This seems relevant
This article from the Chronicle of Higher Education would seem to be relevant to the current discussion.
An excerpt: Quote:
|
|
08-26-2008, 12:15 PM | #17 |
Hi There!
Posts: 7,473
Karma: 2930523
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Ft Lauderdale
Device: iPad
|
Well, that doesn't seem like a very fair way to play, does it. So, since the gloves are coming off....
Plan B: The tech savvy kids in Comp Sci will begin to format pbooks for e-reading, and then sell the pirated books for a fraction of the cost to the art and lit majors. |
08-26-2008, 12:33 PM | #18 | |
zeldinha zippy zeldissima
Posts: 27,827
Karma: 921169
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Paris, France
Device: eb1150 & is that a nook in her pocket, or she just happy to see you?
|
Quote:
|
|
08-26-2008, 01:01 PM | #19 |
Actively passive.
Posts: 2,042
Karma: 478376
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: US
Device: Sony PRS-505/LC
|
Meanwhile, I dress exactly like the dude in the picture. Hat and all. Except no hair. Uncanny.
|
08-26-2008, 01:08 PM | #20 | |
I'm Super Kindle-icious
Posts: 6,734
Karma: 2434103
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Long Drive, Calinadia Candafornia
Device: KDXG, KT, Oasis
|
Quote:
As far as TechCrunch, I don't doubt there are other Kindle versions being designed. Bezos himself has said there will be a Kindle 10.0. I don't know if one of the new versions will be out in October as TC reported. That for sure I'll concede is rumor. There are so many posts daily on the Amazon boards from students who want textbooks on the Kindle and we have confirmation that Amazon actually reads the boards (an employee posted in a thread about the publisher's link problem and they've moved a FAQ started by and added to by board participants to the top of the boards to replace their own). I believe Amazon wants the student market and is going for it. They are listening. |
|
08-26-2008, 01:26 PM | #21 |
fruminous edugeek
Posts: 6,745
Karma: 551260
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Northeast US
Device: iPad, eBw 1150
|
Of the 6 books required for my graduate classes this semester, one was available to read online for free or download the PDF for a reduced price compared to the paper version, and one was available in Kindle format (but I don't have a Kindle, so I couldn't buy it, even though I could have arranged to read it subsequently). The rest only exist as dead-tree versions. One of my professors has not made the booklist available prior to the start of the semester, insisting that we go to the local college bookstore to find out what is needed. The bookstore doesn't let you check the aisles, but fetches the books for you. I paid $153.90, walked back to my office, and discovered that one was the wrong edition (the bookstore had 3d edition, the professor has specified second edition), two were provided in hardcover when paperback versions were available, and all were significantly higher-priced than I could find online, even taking shipping into account. I've re-ordered the books online (new cost: $102.81) and I'm returning the books I bought tonight.
That $50 covers the cost of my lunches for about two months, plus some. But many faculty at this university seem to think that they have to "support" the local textbook store (not owned by the university) and are highly resistant to giving out their textbook lists in advance of classes, despite numerous formal requests by the student senate. Somehow, I don't think those professors would be interested in helping students get ebook versions instead, either. |
08-26-2008, 03:07 PM | #22 |
Publishers are evil!
Posts: 2,418
Karma: 36205264
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Rhode Island
Device: Various Kindles
|
I have to say that my experience is similar to Nekokami. It also seems to me that the textbook publishers are continually publishing new versions of textbooks. They are not doing this because a course has changed, but only to insure that students will have to buy the new textbook and not a used copy. Why on earth do we need an 11th edition of first year calculus? Why does it cost $175? Why do the professors and universities support the practices of the textbook publishers?
On one hand e-books would be great for students, but I could see textbook publishers loving them as well. For one thing it would elliminate used copies of textbooks, and the publishers would no longer have to go through the expense of revising their editions every three years or so. Personally, I'd like to see more open-textbook projects, and this could really flourish in an e-book environment. |
08-26-2008, 04:29 PM | #23 |
Groupie
Posts: 156
Karma: 817
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: houston
Device: prs-500
|
if this were letter sized, search able, and you could make notes with a stylus that would be awesome. problem is, it would probably cost $500-1000 and it would be a decade before all text books are available digitally. unfortunately, im not going to pay that much, or wait that long. maybe for grad school ... shoot, ill probably be done with that too buy then. sigh. oh well
|
08-26-2008, 04:34 PM | #24 | |
I'm Super Kindle-icious
Posts: 6,734
Karma: 2434103
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Long Drive, Calinadia Candafornia
Device: KDXG, KT, Oasis
|
Quote:
|
|
08-26-2008, 04:42 PM | #25 |
Resident Curmudgeon
Posts: 74,183
Karma: 129333564
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts
Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3
|
There are no screens in letter size. The biggest we will have will be 9.7 and that's not until next year sometime once it is figured out how to make then stable enough so they don't break. Until then, the largest screen we have that's stable is on the iLiad. So while the rumers say October, don't beive it even if it is true about new models with larger screens. So if you are waiting for a Kindle with a large screen vs getting one now, good luck. You won't get one this year. In fact, it's unknown when the 9.7" screens will be available. All we have to go on is a guess of next year sometime. So if there is a new Kindle out this year, it'll still have a 6" screen.
|
08-26-2008, 05:10 PM | #26 |
Groupie
Posts: 156
Karma: 817
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: houston
Device: prs-500
|
considering what ive seen from the textbook industry and current digital text books, i doubt they would discount the electronic version much. 50% off would be nice, but with a captive market ... sigh. besides, you would lose the ability to resell or gift the text once youre done
|
08-26-2008, 05:31 PM | #27 | |
I'm Super Kindle-icious
Posts: 6,734
Karma: 2434103
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Long Drive, Calinadia Candafornia
Device: KDXG, KT, Oasis
|
Quote:
Thank goodness I don't have to deal with that stuff. |
|
08-26-2008, 05:35 PM | #28 |
fruminous edugeek
Posts: 6,745
Karma: 551260
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Northeast US
Device: iPad, eBw 1150
|
I'd like to see more ability to pick and choose from textbooks, to be honest. Last semester a professor I took a class with had us buy over $100 worth of books, but we only read portions of many of them. It would have been nice to only have to purchase those portions. And I think it could avoid a lot of faculty thinking they need to create a completely new textbook in a field that hasn't changed that much (even some technical fields), if they could select the most appropriate chapters from several existing textbooks.
|
08-26-2008, 06:20 PM | #29 | |
Tech Junkie
Posts: 1,027
Karma: 10080
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Earth
Device: iPad, MotoXStyle, OnePlusOne
|
Quote:
I tend to keep all my textbooks, and often use them for referance or refreshing myself to certain ideas. And even the books I don't want to keep, I can usually resell them for 50% to 60% of the price. And Its up to me as to what I can do with it. I'm afraid that publishers, especially with a captive market would try to gouge their potential market. If however the price was quiet low, or in the form of a subscription that allowed me to access all the books I need, and allow me enough freedom to mark up and print (hard copy or electronicly) the sections I need, I probably wouldn't mind so much. Especially if they then offered a discount for the permanent purchase in Pbook or open eBook format of those book I want to keep. but I come to believe that expecting radical or even not so radical ideas from universities or publishers can be a fools errand. |
|
08-26-2008, 06:23 PM | #30 | |
I'm Super Kindle-icious
Posts: 6,734
Karma: 2434103
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Long Drive, Calinadia Candafornia
Device: KDXG, KT, Oasis
|
Quote:
|
|
Tags |
amazon, college, duck!, kindle, textbooks, university |
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
What was your first e-reading device? | jimhanas | General Discussions | 162 | 09-22-2010 05:04 PM |
Reading device(s) or PC? | Book Depository | News | 2 | 12-02-2009 07:32 AM |
Zinio Reading Device? | greg4168 | Which one should I buy? | 7 | 10-07-2009 06:40 AM |
Anyone worried about reading on such a big screen? (Kindle DX) Iliad users? | Gideon | News | 19 | 06-05-2009 04:21 PM |
Yet Another Device for E-Reading | kilohertz53 | Lounge | 1 | 03-08-2008 10:52 AM |