[LINK] The once and future e-book: on reading in the digital age

[Michael Skeggs mike@bystander.net]

On 05/02/2009, Ivan Trundle <ivan at itrundle.com> wrote:
>
>
> one that is as enjoyable as a real book. As much as I try, there isn't
> enough contextual information for me to absorb the details of the story.
>
>

I'm not sure I understand what context a printed page gives that a screen
displaying the same text doesn't. Maybe an indication of how far you have
progressed? My reader has a % bar at the bottom that shows this.
For the record, I've read countless novels on various Palm devices,
including the Harry Potter books, and Neal Stephenson's books, to the
benefit of my back and arms from not having to lug the giant tomes around.
I do prefer a physical book, in the same way people prefer the cinema to the
TV, or a surround sound audio system to an iPod. But like those examples,
suggesting that preference will slow down ebook adoption is as valid as
saying people won't listen to iPods if they already have a nice stereo.
The advantages ebooks bring make them similarly superior in certain
circumstances. If I was backpacking across Asia for three months and I had
the option of one paperback or a palm device with 600 novels on it, there is
no comparison.
And while I do tend to commute with a real book, I have a stock of others
available if it turns out the new Dan Browne novel is as bad as the previous
ones.
The only things that have prevented widespread adoption of ebooks is the
cost of a reader and support from publishers. When an ebook reader is
launched that is as easy to use as an iPod, with with models in the range
under $100, we'll see them become more common.
What I actually think will happen, however, is that iPhones and their
successors will end up with slightly larger, higher contrast displays and
they will be used increasingly for book reading. Probably about that time
Apple will cut a deal with Amazon to offer Kindle titles through iTunes and
overnight the ebook readership market will multiply a 100x.
Regards,
Michael Skeggs