Replacing Cheap And Useful With Expensive And Limited Can Be A Difficult Sell
from the bio-optic-organized-knowledge-devices dept
For about as long as we've been writing this blog, we've pointed to stories about ebook readers, always along the lines of "does anyone care this time?" The earlier devices were expensive and crappy -- which isn't a great selling point. The latest versions, though, are getting some attention for actually correcting some of the faults from earlier versions. However, there is still a big hurdle. For most people, there's nothing wrong with the traditional book. Ebooks don't seem to actually solve a problem. There are some people who need to carry around a lot of books at a time -- and it can definitely be useful to them. Or if you don't have room for a large library, there may be some benefits. But, for the vast majority of people, the book works just fine and is cheap. With ebooks, you're talking about a big upfront expense, without much benefit. They don't really let you do anything new or different that couldn't be done in a book (that people really value at least), and so it seems like it's going to remain a tough sell for quite some time.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Law Students
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
eBooks
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Most people would say that the 'traditional' method of buying a dvd at the store works just fine. Yet we've seen over the years a dramatic increase in movies being downloaded instead of being bought in a brick and mortar store.
Just because an Ebook reader doesn't seem to solve a problem you have doesn't mean it isn't a useful and worthwhile product.
I've already ordered 16 of them for my family members (all of whom are avid book readers). Personally I think it'll be one of the best things that has happened for books in a good many years.
Maybe, just maybe, if we're very lucky it'll get a few more people interesting in reading rather than watching horrible, mind-numbing, reality television.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
you're saying that because you've never used one
My trusty ebook has also served as a makeshift flashlight during several power outtages.
Don't get me wrong. I have a MLS, and I love books. But there is a place for ebook readers. Hell, I thought iPods were pretty stupid when they came out, and now I wouldn't trade mine for the world.
I'm hoping Santa brings me one of the new Sony ebook readers this year. I don't think I've ever had tech lust quite this bad.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
It sure is easier carrying a laptop to lectures instead of several books, but in the case of long novels I find books better. I'm likely to sit still reading for hours at a time, and books are less straining on the eyes.
But for textbooks and reference books, they're a brilliant invention.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
I want one
I have a bunch of pdf technical manuals that I have collected over the years. Some put together by me, some downloaded when I buy a new gadget or software, which would be very useful to carry around.
I can see Sony mucking up a perfectly good idea though. A little too much DRM, some buggy unstable Windows only program that HAS to be used to get new locked in content on the reader, and an "exclusive" pricing structure for books and reader to retain the high end view Sony's executives think their company still projects.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
ebooks - what can they do a PDA can't?
Then there is the issue of a rationale for a dedicated ebook. Is there sufficient demand? I'm ignorant of the statistics.
So I ask, why develop a standalone piece of kit no one (IMHO) will buy? With the new UMPC, Smartphone and PDA offerings, who is going to buy a standalone ebook?
Perhaps I'm missing some key concept that makes the ebook a saleable idea. Maybe not?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: ebooks - what can they do a PDA can't?
I have used various PDA's as EBook readers for years. The latest one is lighter than most books. It can be read in the dark and it is always available (while I'm standing in line for something, in a waiting room or driving -- just kidding).
I cannot understand the appeal of a dedicated EBook reader but I can see it as a useful function of an existing device.
For example, a video IPod could likely double as an EBook reader. Also, I'm sure some folks already load those "spoken" books (like books on tape) into their IPods.
In short, I don't think you (or I) am missing anything but I can see why a dedicated EBook reader is unlikely to hit the "big time".
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
flora
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
eBook will slowly take over traditional
None of us expected the online/electronic medium to succeed in big way in news/communication/entertainment/content generation.
I had privilege to see a prototype of an eBook from a renowned research organization about 2 years ago. They had pretty good features in that (I carry only one book at a time in my bag, but I was fascinated to ask about their time of product launch. The lab said, they were waiting to get few more things/features right before hurrying for product launch.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Copy and Paste
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
The Sony reader looks tempting, but at the moment it's far too expensive. I'll wait for Franklin to come out with a cheap knock-off... As long as it can load and display PDFs I'll be happy. :-)
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Music e-books
For about $80, I replaced about 75% of the $5000 sheetmusic library that I collected over the last 50 years, and obtained several volumes that I didn't already have. I still have to print out whatever I'm going to use, but I only print out what I currently need.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Come On...
Can you honestly say, Mike, that you wouldn't buy an e-book reader if the device was decently priced and offered a reading experrience (contrast, page turn speed , picture quality etc) similar to an ordinary book? For sure, the book will never be replaced - if it has been around for thousands of years it will certainly stick around for a thousand more. But trust me, so will the e-book reader.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
blog?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
I will buy one as soon as they're reasonably priced.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
nobody mentioned my hurdle
I refuse to pay the same price (or higher) for an electronic book they charge for its paper equivilant. I don't know why this doesn't get more attention. If they charged a couple bucks per book, I would have bought one of the early versions. But why should I pay for printing and distribution costs that don't exist?
Consider where the money goes when you buy a paper book. Consider how much goes into a per book cost. There is the obvious cost of paper and press. Then add in the cost of tranporting the relatively heavy book, and don't forget the amount of space it occupies. On a $20 book, the author probably gets less then $2. So in my opnion, that same book should perhaps cost $5 in electronic form. Lowering prices is a much better way to fight privacy then raising prices.
If a book doesn't cost much to download, then I would be much less likely to allow others to share that book. The argument to pay the author stand much better when the author is who is collecting the money.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
eReaders can have a good purpose
http://ahusbandsview.com/blog1/2006/10/13/ereaders-should-be-our-childrens-future/
I think there are some definite merits to the eReaders to come.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Reading in the Dark
1) It fits in my pocket, and goes everywhere I go. I am never without a "book."
2) It lights up, making reading possible, even in dark conditions.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
EBooks: a problem they COULD solve
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
however, selling standalones aren't that great. first it's a waste. you'd waste as much resources as you would in a normal book. next, the point of digital is to reduce space, not increase it. i can have close to 150 books in the space of one or two. what would be nice is a single reader, and all it has was some cardridge system. not smart media or compactflash, or something that anyone could read, something more like the old NES games, but smaller. that way, you buy that, and transfer. it'd be a bit harder to copy and redistribute. but with no HD or anything, you'd have to buy the cardridges. get the drift?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
A niche market, maybe....
The current ergonomics of the physical book have evolved over millennia; e-books are still mostly a fad, or of use in some niche markets. For them to make a serious dent, they have to offer compelling advantages while still providing the same cheap convenience of regular books. I think the technology for that is still a few decades off. ..bruce..
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
#1 post
Due to this I actively search out ebooks of books I already own so I can minimize the wear on my library and increase the speed at which I can find information.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Ebooks are a good idea for certain circumstances, depending on how accomodating they are designed to be. For example, when college students could buy their textbooks, the books could include a disc that has the book in ebook format. That way the student could load all his textbooks into a handheld device for quick, portable reference. However, this would not replace the textbooks, because who could really be comfortable starting at a single tiny little screen while studying, especially when they could have several books opened up and spread around them. This is the concept that's pushing for multiple monitors or widescreen monitors, being able to view lots of data at once.
Electronics are nice tools, but that's all they are, tools that enhance our existing lifestyle. I don't think they will ever replace ordinary, tangible goods, if for no other reason than the fact that they are too limiting and too expensive. If we reach a point where the Earth becomes a utopia where there is no money and everybody works for the betterment of mankind (i.e. the world in Star Trek), then maybe it will be a different story. For now, I trust ink and paper over a battery and LCD screen any day of the week.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
If the book reader was free (I mean, a good book reader, like the latest Sony), and all books were available for sale online, 24/7, would you go to the book store.
Razor/razorblade model. Game console/game model. The hardware is irrelevant, it's the content that carries the profit.
I could use a free ebook reader myself, so I could enjoy (more practically) the free eboogs @ gutenberg.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
replace large books
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Problems ... solved
... remember the last time you moved? Those books are heavy aren't they?
... have a look at how much space all your books are taking up. How many times have you thrown out perfectly good books, just to make space?
... ever tried to search a p-book?
... imagine an ebook you can loan out ... one that returns itself to you after 3 weeks!
... cut and paste
... order book via web, start reading in 2 minutes
...ever brought a book with you on the plane, only to fnd out it sucked? Now you can bring 5 books along. Or a hundred.
..you can't back up your books, in case the house burns down
Oh, and to Mark, who asked what about writing in your own book ... check out the iRex iLiad!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Books =/= vhs
The big difference is that the dvd improves upon vhs in many aspects, most of them -very important for a video recording medium- like better quality that doesn't degrade, smaller sized discs, etc. and all that for no disadvantages.
Ebooks aren't such a clear cut triumph over the paper book and may even carry more disadvantages than advantages. For example, what if the company that made your reader goes out of business and five years later your reader breaks down? Bye bye, books.
......
More importantly, it may suffer from the same problem as internet access via the television: in peoples' minds, computers are still intended for work applications and are hard to use, while television/books are for leisure and easy to use.
So, maybe people associate a portable screen with movie players or Gameboys instead of books?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
cheap textbooks
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]