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Community weekly poll: Would you buy an e-book reader?
- 11/28/07 3:30 PM
E-Book reader?
by sandy claws - 11/30/07 5:29 AM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I wouldn't buy an ebook reader. I have a little piece of plastic in my wallet that lets me go into this building filled with books and take them home and read them for free. That doesn't mean that we don't have our own library. There are several drawbacks to books. It seemed as our books took up 1/3 of the moving van and they are heavy. They take up a lot of room in a house and require lots of expensive storage solutions.
On the other hand, I like to hold a book. But let's get practical. Chances are that libraries could be reduced to the size of a little hole in the wall if books were on say, a CD or DVD, rather than huge warehouses of books. Books and magazines are made of paper, one of the most poluting of industries on earth. Books require the destruction of trees which are needed to keep global warming in check.
I am not that computer savvy, but if they put books on DVDs, You could read them on your TV which would be good for older folks with bad vision. Maybe you could even have a changable font size to aid the vision impared. Maybe you could have a highlighting feature and maybe a search feature for technical books. Maybe even a feature that allows it to also be an audio book for people for vision impaired folks. I think the savings if books were on DVDs instead of paper would be many. I don't think that people need to carry a bunch of books around with them like in that reader. We already have millions and maybe billions of books made of paper. Let's slow down our use of paper, but I don't think the reader is the answer. It's just another piece of consumer electronics!
No
by prince10bee - 11/30/07 5:23 PM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I hardly ever read books.
E-Book
by ssratt - 11/30/07 8:48 PM In reply to: No by prince10beeNothing in the market right now has me wanting to change immediately.
Right now I run Ubook/Acrobat/MSlit on my ipaq, and that covers %95+ of the formats out there.
As soon as there is a reader that can do THAT, has an optional BACKLIGHT, I LIKE reading at night (an array of leds could do it)
and can take LESS that 1-1.5 to switch pages without being distracting about it, I would become very interested.
Oh Price point.. no MORE than $200 TOPS
Interestingly the "$100" laptop can do all that and more (well Linux so needs LIT converter)
If someone was to redesign the guts of THAT machine (make it smaller,get rid of the camera, the mesh,the pullcord-KEEP the power handle) THAT could be the ultimate reader. especially considering the screen rotates/full keyboard etc.
Change the keyboard to a "flat" board using the inside cover, and I think it could be done to scale with your average paperback dimensions
As for E-books/Tree books, If I had kept just my sci-fi collection it would take up two walls, and weigh approx 200lbs, as it is it takes up less than ONE DVD, which is just a TAD easier to take with me when ever I move.
Another thing about e-books is that EVERY book can be scanned and stored around the world so books that "fall out of favor" in one country tomorrow will never be gone.
In the same way that publishers have no room for copies of old books that while considered great, would never bring back the cost of producing the amount of copies it would actually sell.
I do like the feel/smell of books but considering the tradeoff, I can take it (though they could be imitated-little "puffer"at the top)
Not another "dedicated device"
by OsborneJo - 12/1/07 1:00 PM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I've owned an ebook reader for years, and really like it. But it's a Palm T/X with eReader software installed, not a separate device - it also does lots more services for me, including PDA, dictionary, password vault, games, photo display, net access, and so on.
I find ebooks are actually easier to read with eReader than the physical book - there is less eye movement and eye strain, because the "pages" are narrow and short, but scroling through them is very easy - easier than page turning. It's also nice that I can read in any lighting situation and that eReader never loses my place in a book. Plus the 20+ books on the Palm add nothing to its weight.
The only downsides are battery life on the Palm requires being diligent about charging the battery, and pictures and diagrams translate poorly to the reader display/
e-book reader
by brucemh - 12/1/07 3:02 PM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I use a palm pda to read e-books. It's always with me and whenever I have time I can read. The e-books are resonably priced and several sites to buy from.
On the downside the battery drains quicker as you have the unit on for longer periods of time
I still love to read "real" books but the pda is very portable.
Would, did, will again in the future
by kirkfengel - 12/1/07 4:12 PM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have MSReader on my desktop, laptop and PocketPC PDA computers, and having spent under $50 and over 100 hours aquiring books, I now have over 15,000 books in my library, counting the 100 or so paper books I own. Someday my faculties will leave me, and if we're not all dwelling in the Matrix (Second Life or some such) by then, I will be able to have that Reader read to me the books I can no longer read to myself.
Books are the encapsulation of information created by the author, not the media they exist on, in my opinion, and I'm sure that there were those who just wouldn't accept radio, movie or even paperback versions of hardcover classics. Evolution happens with or without unanimous popularity.
Enjoy books in whatever form you can, and what form that is matters not to me.
Would you buy an e-book reader? question
by mmachado - 12/2/07 11:31 AM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I read a lot of books, all of them in paper, but as an attorney I am always looking for an easy (and light) way to carry around the basic legal books (many in Spain). I have even tried to use PDAs, but it is not practical. The e-book readers (with the basic procedural laws in PDF format seems to be the answer. It is also practical for consultation book such as enciclopedias, dictionaries, etc, but not for reading literature books.
M. Machado
e-Books.
by gjgalveza - 12/2/07 2:27 PM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
From the point of view of the author, it sounds very interesting to produce e-books. The author does not need to go through the complex, and costly process of printing. The author can produce and sell directly to the public. Of course production of e-books by well known publishing houses should not be ruled out.
From the point of view of the reader, e-books are a very interesting subject. We need a lot of information. I would say that a lot of people would be very interested in acquiring a lot of books. But “paper books” have become very expensive, and require a bookshelf. It would be very interesting to be able to buy excellent, top of the line, technical, and all kinds of books, at an affordable price.
If I buy a “paper book” that is coming from New York I have to pay the freight that is more expensive than the book itself. If I buy the same book in e-form, downloadable from Internet, I do not need to pay the freight.
After an author has received enough income to compensate for the time he invested in writing an e-book, he or she can lower the price of an e-book. Eventually very good books can become available at a very, very low price.
But these e-books should be readable in any computer. May be a PDF format is enough. Other formats are welcome as far as the software is not expensive.
But a handheld device to read the e-books does not sound as a good idea. In any case a handheld device to read e-books should no cost above US$5.00 (five dollars).The e-books (thousands of them) could be stored in any regular computer and be downloaded to a handheld device if the need arises.
Of course the feeling of a “paper book” in our hands is unique. I do not think the “paper book” will disappear. But if the printers improve, and they are already good enough, they can be used (if the cost of printing becomes affordable) to print the e-books, if the reader so desires.
No would not buy an e-book
by Jimmy The Lip - 12/3/07 4:30 AM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Bar none hard copies are by far a better read, e-books are not new there all kinds of places on the net that they can be found. Talking books are by far much better. You do not have to read you just have listen, when listen you can do other things. I have listened to more books (200) since I started getting into talking books than I would by reading. Most Libraries have collections give it a try?
E-book readers
by wreck50 - 12/3/07 7:43 AM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
E-book readers will never be popular until the price of the downloaded books reflects the much lower cost when compared to the print copy. How do publishers think they can fool the consumer? Today they are asking more for online downloads than the printed book can be purchased from discount houses. We aren't stupid!
Thank you, CNet!!!
by Call_Me - 12/6/07 8:26 AM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I think that I knew, vaguely, about ebooks, I think. Then the weekly CNet email came out with this topic to be discussed. I clicked on all the links, read reviews on Amazon about the two most popular readers: Amazon's and Sony's. After spending hours of time doing research (I love it!) I went ahead and ordered the Sony Reader and it arrived yesterday, the dark blue model.
First, let me thank CNet for once again, opening my eyes to technology that I normally would have looked right past. After reading so many comments and reading actual users reviews, I realized that an ebook was EXACTLY what my life needed! I travel extensively, sometimes not going home for 6-8 weeks and living out of a backpack and my computer case when I'm at the job site. With the help of my MP3 players, I now have 100% of my music collection to listen to while on the road and now with the help of the Sony Reader, I can have a book with me...always. I must read, to live, and was so desperate at times that when staying at a hotel I'd read Home Ads or whatever was available in their lobby. Many times, in small towns, there are only the crappy "best" sellers at the grocery or gas stations and they didn't hold my interest. With the Reader, I can download so many books that I had wanted to read but would either lose or abandon for lack of space when I travel.
Plus, for a limited time, Sony gifts you 100 !FREE! books from their Classic Library, the kind that Barnes & Noble charge an arm and a leg for buying! So, I have my Dickens, my Whitman, my Jane Austen books...all for FREE...now on my Reader.
The newer model of the Reader improves upon all the negative things that I read about the original model. The page turning feature is as fast as paper pages, it's super lightweight, the dark blue color is subtle, and the installation process was so simple that even a dinosaur of technology like myself could understand it.
If it weren't for CNet making me aware of this technology, I'd still be reading home ads for Kenosha, Wisconsin! And trust me, that's not something that you'd want to read!
Would I buy an eBook reader? Yes, I absolutely would.
by davidgadol - 12/7/07 11:11 AM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Yes, I would absolutely buy an eBook reader as naturally as one buys an iPod, PDA, VOIP/SIP phone or any other ubiquitous tech-gadget. Gadgets are specifically made for specific uses and applications. It depends on the end-users wants, needs and tastes
It seems that folks are still as pessimistic as ever. There's a die-hard to be found everywhere; a natural component (quite abstract & varying per individual) in our psyche which helps us discern or be dissonant. Perhaps it's a natural transition for one to view new gadgets as a hindrance due to their shallow pocketbooks & feeble minds, but that's another topic within a topic.
Lastly, there's lots of work to do within our sophisticated lives today with the most paramount concerns surrounding licensing, standards and having an open platforms with copy writes, etc. Ultimately, we have to understand and change our laws and policies regarding our global, socio-economic and technologic standards and inter-relations to copyrights, free-ware and specific markets - particularly education.
Again, I say BRAVO! to the EBook Reader, the manufacturers (designers, programmers, business), advertising/marketing folks, critics, and future end-users.
We're way beyond the beta-max vs. VHS, or Xerox copying days...
e-Books
by gjgalveza - 12/7/07 2:40 PM In reply to: Would I buy an eBook reader? Yes, I absolutely would. by davidgadolYou render us saying, "am I mentally retarded or what?"
Would you buy an ebook reader
by jdl2004jdl - 12/7/07 9:12 PM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
No, I would not buy an ebook reader. I have a Palm Treo 650 that works great - I can read an ebook and listen to music at the same time on it. It's also a cell phone, camera, camcorder, I can get on the internet (slowly), and organize myself with it. The only thing is that I can only use 2 ebook formats on it -adobe(pdf) and the ereader from ereader.com. I usually buy from ereader.com because my phone has a touch screen and all you have to do is touch the bottom of the screen to turn the page. You can also buy a software package from them that can change the color for the background and letters, really useful when in different light.
I love to read but sometimes the bigger than usual books and the hardbacks are heavy and hurt my wrist after a while. It's nice to be able to have such a small device as my cell phone to read books as it doesn't matter what size the book is. I also love the fact that I can shop for ebooks any time of the day or night. And also that I can load up on a bunch of books at once and always have something to read. And never get done reading a book at the start of my lunch break and have nothing to do for the rest of lunch and the bus ride home. (avid readers will understand)
I just wish that the prices of the ebooks were lower - you can get paperbacks cheaper in some of the superstores, even new titles.
eBook Readers
by hlhenry - 12/8/07 5:15 PM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I plan to buy one for reference. I can have book that I like to keep on hand with me for instant reference. Cheaper and easier to lug around than a laptop, I'd be much more likely to keep one with me. I would like to see Encarta or some other encyclopedia release for e-book readers.
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