Portability, price and function - why the digital book will die
Amazon announced a new product today that they feel will revolutionize reading.
The Kindle is a digital book.
Perhaps it is worth $399 plus the price of books to not have to turn pages. Regular books are so difficult and out dated. They don't take batteries, they don't break down after extended use, they can be heavy and lets not forget the difficulty of turning pages.
The Kindle is a small portable device a little larger than the average smutty paperback and a lot thinner. Users will be able to download any of 88,000 books for $10 each.
Rather than using WiFi, the Kindle will use EVDO broadband service used by cell phones so content will be accessible from anywhere within cities that offer EVDO.
While the display is easy to read - Amazon explains it as, "As easy to read as paper.
In the end, there is really only one real advantage to the Kindle - you don't have to turn pages. Of course it is also lighter than carrying books around with you, but for $400, you could probably buy two copies of almost every book that you plan to buy for a year and keep on at home and one at work.
For true portability, you could buy a Palm Centro.
Digital books don't make any sense to me. Especially if they cost more than $50.
In the end, I think that the digital book will replace books with pages as quickly as the Segway replaced walking.
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More than just another computer gadget -
If you read the link attached you will see that this "computer" that you are afraid of dropping on yourself is only 10 oz. and to the poster who is talking about comparing it to a computer screen or cell phone screen - then go to the linked article and watch the embedded video which has a very good visual which has completely convinced me that it is not to be compared visually at least with any of these existing devices. The price is high, yes, however the ability (for a voracious reader like myself) to download a book in less than 30 seconds for under 10.00 from anywhere that you could get a cell phone signal . . . well, that is a pretty darn good idea in my opinion. I personally do not have the money to purchase one - however it is definitely on my christmas list!
Digital Books - keep it simple
Free (or cheap) & easy is the only way for this technology to survive. I have downloaded & read quite a few books on my smart phone, but I wouldn't buy a specific reader appliance or pay for e-books at this point. Most of the classics can be found online for free because the copyrights have expired.
If I want to read a newer book, I go to Goodwill or a used book store and get modern books for pennies on the dollar...
Digital Books
It is common sense to think that the paper version of books is outdated, far too expensive a form, and, thus, must be replaced by some other medium.
But, until someone figures out how to make it easier, cheaper, and more appealing for reading in bed, the printed book will stay on my bedside table. I cannot imagine falling asleep and letting a computer drop on me! Sue
Digital Books
I feel the same as Sue about the books, Mine will also stay by my bedside. Millie
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