Here’s a link to a very interesting discussion at Gizmodo.com attempting to explain what is seen as the slow adoption of eBook readers. Their reasons are many and well thought out, but the question remains: Why are the masses not grabbing these things up?
I believe it’s still too early in the process to make the call. Anyone looking around on the web can see that eBooks and their Readers are coming on at full speed. eBook readers like Kindle, Sony’s PRS-700 reader and Slick can take the credit for that. And it seems that anyone who sees one of these devices in action, regardless of physical or technical limitations, can imagine using them to read on. They’re that good.
I think it is a very simple equation. You can complain about battery charges, screens, designs and refresh times all you want but the main thing holding this technology back is the prohibitive pricing for both the machines and the eBooks you read on them.
$400 for the machine plus $9.99 for the eBook makes the adoption ridiculous.
Why do it? Why, when you can purchase an actual book for $7 to $20 and enjoy it with no more technology than reading glasses?
People would embrace the tech if someone produced a machine for $99 and offered eBooks for $1.99. You’d see people reading on them whether they used e-ink technology or flickering LCD’s.
The problem is designers are trying to create “the iPod of books” with no good reason. We’ve already got the iPod of books: the iPod! People are already out there downloading eBooks and reading on them.
What designers seem to be missing is: Books are not phones. Books are not Xboxes. Books are not iPods. They’re not even laptops.
Books are BOOKS. People have a long and comfortable history with them. They’re a very easy and affordable technology. Easy to use, store and purchase. So eBooks and their Readers have to be made to reflect that if designers expect the public to have one or two or three in every home.
Later, if the market evolves where eBook lovers want machines that will handle email, answer phones and tapdance: they’ll ask yah?
