Community weekly poll: Would you buy an e-book reader?
- 11/28/07 3:30 PM
You can't read if you're blind
by csmith75 - 12/4/07 2:56 PM In reply to: E-Book? Never unless I go blind by mjd420novaI don't really think the question is referencing purchasing a laptop. It's referring to an ebook reader (i.e. the Kindle, Sony Reader, Ebookwise, Cybook). These devices are not laptop and they're the size of a paperback. If you read a book a week that's 52 books a year and that's a lot of paper and space wasted if you purchase them. Not so if you have 52 ebooks.
Cost
by ndabunka - 11/28/07 7:39 PM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Let's face it, money drives EVERYTHING and the MAJORITY of the cost of a regular book is buried deeply in the production costs. IMHO, an eBook should be CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP becuase the ONLY thing you are REALLY paying for is the intellectual property (and even then it's only temporary ... until you've read the book). IMHO, there needs to be some type of self-expiration timer you get with these things.... You want it "forever, OK, that is 50% of the regular priced book. You want it for 1 day (assuming your a fast reader), it's 10% of the actual book. Using THAT EXACT model, EVERYBODY would make a mint. Using ANYTHING else (greedy ********) and you won't see the appropraite proliferation (IMHO of course).
Good college tool
by guapodcole - 11/28/07 7:43 PM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
It would be a good idea to have one for college students instead of buying books. It would give the publishers an opportunity to keep their material updated. Other than that, I wouldn't buy one.
Yeah
by Canuck1988 - 11/28/07 7:45 PM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
As soon as they start publishing textbooks in e-book format anyway.
Why?
by shanedr - 11/28/07 7:50 PM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Why should I want an e-book reader? Provide e-books in either PDF, RTF or some other format that would allow them to be read on a computer. We don't need anymore one use products.
Indeed I already own one: my laptop!
by FixMySadMac - 11/28/07 7:54 PM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I am the eBook seller's best friend... I far prefer eBooks to physical copies. Crazy as it is, I've even scanned in physical books, just so that I could have a digital copy, freeing me from having to carry around the physical book with me.
The Kindle would have to grow a LOT of new features to make it worth even half a look for me. At $400, that is just way too expensive for a device with such incredibly limited capabilities. I feel that the Kindle is large enough that if I was going to bring it around with me, I may as well bring my laptop. And if I've got my laptop, the only argument I see for a Kindle would be battery life. It just so happens that the "One Laptop Per Child" laptop, costing just about $400 as well (in the US, as part of the give-one-get-one promotion), seems a LOT more capable than the Kindle, with tremendous battery life and bright-sun readability to boot. Plus, it's resistant to drops, spills, dirt, and so on.
I love the eBook, and I hope for it's long-term success. The Kindle, however, looks like a product from the mid-90s, and has 'Destined For Failure' written all over it without some very serious upgrades to its feature set and no upgrade to the price.
Laptop is still too big
by csmith75 - 12/4/07 2:59 PM In reply to: Indeed I already own one: my laptop! by FixMySadMacMy ebook reader easily fits in my purse, my Macbook does not. Not to mention, my laptop also weighs a whole lot more and the battery life is a lot worse.
Would you buy an e-book reader?
by edbrady - 11/28/07 8:02 PM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Why buy one? It's ridiculous!
OK. I'm an old fart. But, I'll read from the actual paper, thank you.
$499? $399? $99? $.99? HAH. Keep it!
I can buy the book new for under $10. And, I can get it used (frequently) for $.99. If it's something I want to keep, I have it. For good. (Well, at least as long as I'm alive.)
Nope. Don't want any part of that particular whiz-bang, thank you.
Finally, no more having to wait for the paperback ...
by Ken Jr. - 11/28/07 8:03 PM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Scenario: Charlie Rose's interviewee has impressed me with his new book. It costs $28. With Kindle I get it for $10 (downloaded during the interview - no PC involved). Same story when I see a really good book review from anywhere. And .. There are lots of older books I haven't even read yet. These can be internet downloaded and transferred to my Kindle at no cost at all. In other words, you can't say an object is priced too high when it's capable of paying for itself over a reasonable period of time. Some might say the Kindle is pricy, I disagree. And, think about it .. There will never be any monthly fees for airtime use.
But even more importantly, being an individual who refuses to pay $28 for the hardcover, what I've unfortunately done in the past is deny myself some good reads (let's face it, I'm a cheapskate). No more. Now I can buy it while it's still timely.
How many times am I away from the house buried in a good book and am forced to assume the definition of an unknown word. I hate that. With Kindle I can go right to the dictionary or to Wikipedia. And .. Take easy to access notes as I read.
And I really like the idea of Nownow .. Being able to ask just about any question that comes to mind while reading and have it answered within not too many minutes by multiple individuals.
I'm Aging. Larger font is becoming important to me. I envy those at the gym who read while on the treadmill. Hah .. Now I'll be able to do that too (I think there are six font choices on the Kindle).
Reading from computer or pocket device strains my eyes after a time. I just don't like doing it. This display, both Sony's and Kindle's, doesn't do that (Thank you MIT).
Oh, one important point .. I did buy a thin easy to attach proximity detector for those times when I'll inadvertently walk off from the restaurant without my Kindle (the alarm in my shirt pocket will go off when I'm 15 to 30 feet away). Unfortunately, we older folks need gadgets like this.
I'm buying this as a book reader, occasional newspaper or magazine downloads too. There's other stuff. I'll leave those for others to talk (or gripe) about.
e-book readers
by Spiritboxer - 11/28/07 8:11 PM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I love to read but I'm fine with paperbacks ect. so I don't see any reason to change right now. Not that I wouldn't but there'd have to be some sort of advantage for me to do so.
no
by briadea - 11/28/07 8:25 PM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The advantage of paper books is that you can exchange them with friends and read their books. Unless everyone owns an ebook this is impossible. That is why I will stick to paper.
e-book reader
by rosie82 - 11/28/07 8:27 PM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
No, I would not buy an e-book reader. I could buy a good number of paper books for 400 bucks! So why spend that kind of money, and miss out on all that reading. Plus, I like the looks of books on my book shelves. That being said, however, if the e-book readers where, say 50 bucks or less, I would buy one.
Not a chance!
by microbabydad - 11/28/07 8:33 PM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Eyes work much better reading a paper page in proper lighting than being bombarded by the light from a computer screen. I can't read more than a few pages on the computer screen without taking a break to rest my eyes, while I could easily read a novel in print.
eBooks
by comicus - 11/28/07 8:35 PM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The manufacturers of eBooks always miss the core market that would BUY eBooks. -The nerds.
Every time someone comes out with a Marching Band and says 'We're going to change the way you READ! INTRODUCING eBook!' Then markets all the latest 'Trash' novels and whatever garbage is selling this week on the front table at the bookstore. And then the Manufacturer wonders why they aren't selling any eBooks. HEY, WAKE UP! The dimwits buying the above mentioned do not even know how to SPELL e-B-o-o-k, let alone want one.
You want to sell eBooks? Make the right literature available on eBooks. IE...Science books. Physics, Astronomy, Medical, Electronics, et all...
Why do they not get it? Nerds buy gadgets, nerds buy books on nerdy subjects.
Hellooooo! Anybody home?
e-Books? I think not!
by Magic_Puzzle - 11/28/07 8:36 PM In reply to: Would you buy an e-book reader? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Once upon a time I would have rushed to purchase e-books, but no longer. It seems to me that e-books are a step backwards with respect to having a large library in your hand. I own an iPod (80Gig) with well over a hundred books on it and tons of memory as yet untapped. Why would I want to carry around an e-book reader when I can sit back and have a professional read me the book? I can "read" in my car during rush hour, on an airplane, during lunch, etc. with my hands free and and without scrolling a screen. In addition, if I want to take a break from "reading" I can stop the book and listen to MP3 music. No, an e-book is an old technology I think and I am surprised that Sony introduced another attempt to market it.
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