I would like to thank everyone who has responded and contributed to our conversation about E-books. I’ve received such a great amount of emails, that I’m overwhelmed (in a good way!). I will continue to post your responses in my blog, and I encourage more people to get involved.
Many of you have made great points about E-books. They bring convenience, allowing people to get information quick and fast, much like how we use the Internet. We want immediate gratification when it comes to news, information, photographs, technology, etc. E-books provide that. They also allow people to hold on to content without the physical weight of books. And of course, you save trees.
I agree with all of that. I also feel, however, that holding onto a book, feeling the pages, placing a bookmark to hold my spot, and carrying that book with me to read as I wait for a meeting or want to relax on the couch, cannot be replaced. I wouldn’t have to wait to get to my computer to read that book, I can take it where ever I please. Call me old fashioned…because I know I am.
Okay, so with saying that, I’d like to share more of what you had to say!
—–
I’ve heard it’s very big in some areas, like Romance and er, romancey-type books, and occasionally in science fiction and fantasy. However other parts of the market aren’t adopting it as widely.
That said, Amazon etc have really started adopting the ebook thing…
Um, so that’s what I’ve heard from e-book publishers.
Here’s my opinion personally – books are great, I prefer books, but I move countries on a yearly basis. I have left libraries in Europe, in Oceania, all around the world… so from hereon, I’m going straight for e-books. At least that way I can keep my library with me. I think a lot more people these days do heaps of traveling and it might be that group that begins to seriously adopt ebook technology.
RJ Astruc
Wellington, New Zealand
http://www.rachelastruc.com
—–
Kelly,
I don’t like e-books myself, but I do think they are the majority of the future. They are so comparatively inexpensive, portable, offer access to thousands of titles; the screens are being built so as to use very little battery power; they weigh less than books, can be magnified automatically for older folks; there are just too many advantages.
There will always be some people (I’ll be one of them) who enjoy the tactile feel of a book. Yet…I have to admit, I do nearly as much newspaper reading on the ‘net now as I read hard copy papers; I watch TV shows on the ‘net; so maybe there is hope for me to be a customer of the e-book or Kindle. It’s a little sad, but the writing, so to speak, is on the wall.
Josh Chernin
Boston, MA
—–
Ebooks might capture a new market, but I don’t think the format will make serious inroads with those of us who regularly buy traditional books. The publishing industry is bolstered by a small population of voracious readers who annually buy a high volume of books. As others have mentioned, books appeal to our tactile senses and are simply easier to curl up with at the end of the day or on the train/bus home. For those who choose to “unplug” at times throughout the day, books are ideal. I think the traditional book is a beautiful, simple design that will be difficult to overtake.
One user mentioned the demise of newspapers in favour of blogs, web sites, and other electronic means of creating and consuming news. Of course, the user is correct but only because the news hinges on being delivered in a timely fashion. Obviously, newspaper editors, reporters and their printers can not compete with real-time online publishing. This scenario does not apply to hard copy books, because speed is not at stake. Some readers might opt for ebooks, but there will always be a segment of the market who prefers thumbing through the leaves of a real book. And annotating passages with a pen or pencil instead of tapping away at a keyboard. Sharing dog-eared copies of personal favourites with friends and family. There’s an intangible quality about books that ebooks may never achieve.
Also, I recently heard that reading on-screen activates a different part of your brain than when you read a hard copy. This explains why you may miss errors when you proofread on-screen that you later catch when you print out the same piece of text. If this is true, then I wonder if ebooks will ever be able to satisfy us in the same way as traditional books.
Tracy Bains
Vancouver, BC
http://www.linkedin.com/in/tbains
—–
“I would love to see e-books stay around and not just be fad. My bookshelves are STUFFED to capacity. I am asking for the Amazon Kindle for Christmas but also hoping more and more publishers will make their books available. Just think about how much money publishers would be saving not having to PRINT so many books. Also the impact of paper production would be a savings to the trees.”
Tanya Peila
Tacoma, Wa
www.tanyapeila.blogspot.com
—–
“eBooks will become more prevalent as people want instant access to information. They will never replace hard copy books, at least in the short term but they are the way of the future. They are convenient, easily downloaded and don’t take up any storage in your home. I published my first eBook 3 months ago. It is called, “Get a Date Today, How to Market Yourself for Love.” The type of people who want the information in the book are the type of people who are comfortable with the Internet. I have read dozens of eBooks and find it a lot faster to read and can store the file in a folder with similar material.”
Vicki Wagner
West Hollywood, CA
http://www.getadatetoday.com
—–
More to follow…..
