Why Ereader Companies Shouldn't be Worried

[Teyrnon]

Originally Posted by LDBoblo

I might get one, depending on the cover that comes with it. I don't want to be seen in public with an Apple product, but this unfortunately for me seems better for my purposes than E-Ink devices.

I've seen this sentiment in a few places where the iPad has been talked about and I'm curious. What exactly is wrong with being seen with an Apple product? Is there some sort of social stigma attached to it or something?

[MovieBird]

Originally Posted by Teyrnon

I've seen this sentiment in a few places where the iPad has been talked about and I'm curious. What exactly is wrong with being seen with an Apple product? Is there some sort of social stigma attached to it or something?

A friend of mine in Hollywood refuses to take his MacBook outside his home, or sit in a Starbucks. He doesn't want to be associated with "those" people.

Think of every airhead, concerned with flash over substance, stereotype you can think of in Hollywood. For better or worse, that's also the Apple stereotype.

[Kit Coda]

The difference between Apple and the rest of the market is that it, as a company, has been able to define the space in which it plays. I see many of the other competing devices taking a hit for no other reason then sheer mass of adoption from the front and back end. While Apple can get major media to sign up and developers to write for IPad specific uses the rest of the market will struggle for recognition. As in any new generation of product there is always the onslaught of many competing products in the beginning that later get shaken out to just a few.

[surrealmind]

Yes, e-reader companies should be very afraid. Here's why. Christmas season 2010--new $300-$400 cheapy knockoff tablet with stylus running Windows 7 comes out. Student ABC at college XYZ figures out (s)he can plop down on the couch, lie in bed, head to the coffeeshop, basically go wherever one normally goes to get cozy with an e-reader, and easily annotate a PDF with XChange Viewer or markup an ebook with reading software of choice. When done, (s)he instantly syncs via Dropbox for easy reference when ready to type papers on the "big" computer. It's a dream. I don't see how every student and business professional dealing with a lot of documents would not want this. E-ink is great, but it will become nitch. And not everyone gets fatigued by LCDs. Take us eBookwise folks, for example . . .

[Sonist]

Originally Posted by MovieBird

A friend of mine in Hollywood refuses to take his MacBook outside his home, or sit in a Starbucks. He doesn't want to be associated with "those" people.

Think of every airhead, concerned with flash over substance, stereotype you can think of in Hollywood. For better or worse, that's also the Apple stereotype.

I have to say, this is one of the weirder stories I've read. Hard to generalize about Hollywood, but from what I've seen, your friend might be blowing smoke, or has bigger problems....

Anyway, I do think e-ink needs to worry. The iPad doesn't compete with cheap tablets - it focuses on a few core things, and from initial reports, it does them well.

One of these core things is reading. It will do both books and magazines. It is capable of presenting them as the publishers intend, both in terms of design and color. And it appears, that reading on the iPad will be as intuitive as on a dedicated e-reader, except that it will offer better navigation.

Add to this all the other things it does well (movies, music, games and web), and iRex and the Kindle will have a hard time competing.

I will reserve judgment on the screen, but IPS plus LED is pretty damned good. LED eliminates the slight flickering potential of fluorescent backlighting, and improves the color gamut, providing greater detail. IPS significantly improves viewing angles, with virtually no color shift as you change viewing position. I stare at one of these screens (yep, built by Apple all day long, so I can attest that there is no eye strain.

I was a huge proponent of e-ink, but I am afraid, I've become increasing disillusioned with it. In 3 months, I'll have a couple Kindles for sale.

[eGeezer]

Originally Posted by charleski

It's going to be obvious to anyone who studies the various options that a dedicated eInk-based ereader is a superior device for reading books.

But the market is full of people who don't spend time learning about the technology before making a purchase. I think this will have a significant impact on the ereader market simply because of the number of consumers who may have been considering a Kindle or a nook and will be beguiled into buying an iPad instead because of its multifunctionality (and the Apple shinies). At least the screen won't be flickering at them, but I suspect most will never realise that an eInk device would have freed them from arranging shade so they can read it in the garden, remembering to recharge it every day, etc.

It's certainly going to exert a downward price-pressure on eInk devices, though (tough for all those Asian companies with new readers at CES ). If manufacturers are able to respond to that then we may see eInk grabbing a number of new consumers who wouldn't dream of paying $500 anyway. But the large, expensive eInk readers (Que, Skiff etc) are going to find life a lot tougher now.

I think you hit the nail on the head, Charleski.

The iPad appears to be an excellent netbook device. It will be much better for eReading than any other backlit device, and therefore may well attract casual use from those totally unaware of the current e-ink technology.

These folks are used to charging their e-toys every day or so, and the short battery life will not be a factor. If it will get them from home to office on the bus, or has an optional car-adaptor for long trips, it will serve their purposes.

I do not, however, think it spells the death of e-ink all by itself.

We will see what other, future, technologies pop their heads out of the gopher holes to perhaps make e-ink a forgotten technology in 5 years. I certainly hope not, cuz I love my eraeading device. If my ereader dies by then, I will replace it accordingly because no matter what the technology, ereading is here to stay.

[Drezin]

Originally Posted by MovieBird

A friend of mine in Hollywood refuses to take his MacBook outside his home, or sit in a Starbucks. He doesn't want to be associated with "those" people.

Think of every airhead, concerned with flash over substance, stereotype you can think of in Hollywood. For better or worse, that's also the Apple stereotype.

Well, all the most intelligent professors at the university I go to also advocate for Apple products and display them proudly, as do several of my friends.

Anyone who is that hung up with appearances needs to get a life.

[LDBoblo]

Originally Posted by Teyrnon

I've seen this sentiment in a few places where the iPad has been talked about and I'm curious. What exactly is wrong with being seen with an Apple product? Is there some sort of social stigma attached to it or something?

As MovieBird said, there's a bit of a stereotype that I don't like to be associated with too much. The fanboyism is pretty easy to laugh at though, and there are enough reasonable people out there to somewhat dilute the stereotype.

However, even general passive association is tolerable. What irritates me is the occasional Apple user who feels compelled to make conversation with me whenever I use a MacBook or similar device in public. I'd feel the same irritation if some Kindle or Sony Reader owner came to me and was like "hey cool ebook reader, I got one too, aren't they awesome?"

I had so much experience with that while living in the USA that even here in Taiwan, I generally avoid carrying Apple products in public. Cover it in duct tape and it should be alright though.

[kjk]

Originally Posted by Teyrnon

I've seen this sentiment in a few places where the iPad has been talked about and I'm curious. What exactly is wrong with being seen with an Apple product? Is there some sort of social stigma attached to it or something?

Not here in SF. I see people from all walks of life using iPods, iPhones, Macs, alongside Kindles, Dells and a lot of Blackberrys. I'm always amazed at the negative reactions I see online.

[Sonist]

Originally Posted by LDBoblo

As MovieBird said, there's a bit of a stereotype that I don't like to be associated with too much. ...

I had so much experience with that while living in the USA that even here in Taiwan, I generally avoid carrying Apple products in public. Cover it in duct tape and it should be alright though.

You guys live in some really, really weird universe....
***

[eGeezer]

Oh, I forgot to mention (I add it here, because I know so many of you hang on my every word and wait to follow whatever lead I may provide).

Now that everyone is done saying "who IS this guy?" "What the H--- is he talking about?" "Do they really allow egos as big as that into the forum?"

What I meant to add to my previous observation is that if I were in the market for a netbook, I would be in line right now waiting to buy an iPad. As a netbook, it appears to meet all my needs without just being just another small notebook (which I already have).

However, unless I were trying to read technical publications requiring "full size page" viewing, it would not see much use in the way of ereading.

Personally, I think the majority of folks buying an iPad will be folks who wouldn't have purchased a dedicated ereader (and will have purchased it -- the iPad -- for other reasons), anyway, and will get into ereading because Apple will be pushing (hyping) the ability.

Eventually, those who would have gotten into ereading to replace paperbacks sometime in the future will realize the limitations of the iPad for ereading and will end up buying an e-inker, or whatever unforseen technology that may replace it in the next 10 years, anyway.

While e-ink manufacturers don't need to worry about the impact of the iPad, I think they also shouldn't sit on their hands thinking they have reached the best they can be. But that was true, even before the iPad came along.

Its nice, however, that the iPad is no longer a nebulous cloud and we can get on with our lives.

[SCION]

Originally Posted by eGeezer

Its nice, however, that the iPad is no longer a nebulous cloud and we can get on with our lives.

[oggelbe2007]

This thing has a nice tight APPLE fence around it. Anyone considering purchasing an iPad should take into account that it has NO open ports and is NOT upgradable. It's locked down and DRMed up the spout. Apple will be in your wallet every time you turn this thing on. Sure looks nice though...

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by Sonist

You guys live in some really, really weird universe....

Yeah, I've never owned an apple product as none have suited my needs/budget etc. thus far.

But the stereotype of apple owners has nothing to do with it. I buy devices that fit my needs. I couldn't give a crap less what others think of those items. I'm the one using it. If it was the best device for what I needed, that's all that matters.

[kjk]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

Yeah, I've never owned an apple product as none have suited my needs/budget etc. thus far.

But the stereotype of apple owners has nothing to do with it. I buy devices that fit my needs. I couldn't give a crap less what others think of those items. I'm the one using it. If it was the best device for what I needed, that's all that matters.