Apr 25
Jorgen popped by with a link to an interesting PCWorld story about Color E Ink Readers on the none-too distant horizon.
Liquavista is working on high efficiency color E Ink displays that show text, still photos and animation. The process is called electrowetting and it may offer some interesting options for eBook Reader designers who want to give iPad-like functions without the eyestrain.
Apr 24
Our friend Jorgen commented on yesterday’s post with a link to an article at EbookWeek.com that delves into the environmental impact of eBooks and compares it to ‘paper’ book greenness with much more depth than The Washington Post story.
It seems that there is a clear environmental benefit to going digital.
Apr 23
Yesterday’s Earth Day celebrations included this article in The Washington Post by Political Bookworm Steven Levingston that begins to compare the environmental cost of switching to eBook Readers from paperback and hard cover books. The eBook publishers tout the move to digital as more environmentally friendly, sidestepping the need to harvest the millions of trees required to feed the world’s appetite for paperbacks. However, as the article points out, the use of technology in eBook Readers raises the specter of toxic waste.
As I said, the article ‘begins’ the comparison. eBook Readers need time on the market for their environmental impact to be accurately calculated.
Apr 22
Many thanks to Jorgen for digging up this contentious and detailed article by BNET’s Erik Sherman where he takes The New Yorker’s Ken Auletta’s book-pricing arithmetic to task.
I found it an interesting investigation of the number crunching, though it hardly settles the debate regarding the public perception that low-maintenance eBooks should be low-priced.
Missing from Sherman’s piece is any mention of the publishers’ sometimes dodgy mathematics and their unwillingness to change their business models to suit the eBook Revolution. All that overhead may be difficult to justify in the shift to digital.
Apr 21
You can bet all the hype around iPad has not fallen on deaf ears over at Amazon.com, makers of the Kindle and leader in the eBook Reader market. That while they were trying to find a way to compete across the digital divide between the online and bricks and mortar world. With Sony and Barnes and Noble landing their respective readers on store shelves, how does an online giant like Amazon compete?
Today in Tech: The Working Guy over at Yahoo News Blog has a story here about Amazon’s plans to put Kindles on the ground, with rumored distribution deals at Target and Best Buy.
I’m glad they’re staying focused on an exploding E Ink market that already has lots of opportunity and competition. While they must have been tempted to dive into color displays to compete with iPad, it’s likely Amazon’s long experience with books, eBooks and readers gives them a better understanding of the hardcore reading market’s needs, yah?
Apr 20
Thanks Jorgen for a link to a Galleycat post about Jack Daniels series author J.A. Konrath who claims to be making a living on royalties earned from the sale of his eBooks. It’s an interesting article that points out the flaws in the traditional print system and sings the praises of the digital age. Also some interesting sales stats and promotional ideas. It’s worth a read.
Apr 19
Here’s a link to a post at eBookmagazine that talks about the future of dedicated eBook Readers (like Kindle, Sony Reader, nook etc.) in a world of multi-function iPads and tablets.
In the article, author Martin Hoscik predicts that despite their practical natures, the sole purpose devices have a difficult future in a multi-tasking world.
I think the key is price. Rather than compete with iPad and turn eBook readers into more expensive televisions and music players, make them CHEAPER and sell them everywhere. The high price of (most) E Ink Readers is the greatest threat to their existence.
Apr 18
The National Post offers a review of Kobo’s new $150 eBook Reader due out this summer. I’ve called this machine a ‘game changer’ and I’m sticking to it.
It’s great for the first adopter or curious and it’s priced for the mainstream.
Apr 17
Starting to see these popping up all over the net, and I expect it’s just the beginning. People have had their iPads long enough to start making some knowledgeable comments. Here’s a link to an iPad Review at Tech with Tom at The City Wire.
Pretty thorough. Well worth the read.
(I’m still not sure about the logic behind Apple’s Flash shut out. You know, they offer all the bells and whistles in a full color web experience but disable about 90% of the web sites out there. It makes no sense.)
Apr 16
Many thanks to our friend Jorgen for digging up this link to an interesting post at Global SMT & Packaging about the explosive state of sales in the E Ink display market where they’re reporting a 417% increase in sales from 950 thousand units in 2008 to a whopping 5 million electronic display shipments in 2009. With the ongoing shift to digital publishing, this trend is expected to continue into 2010.
This sudden explosion in sales was first driven by the Amazon Kindle’s popularity, but has since branched out to cover devices from several competing technology companies. Check out the article here. It’s a fantastic read that is very exciting news for the eBook Revolution. (Great find Jorgen! Have you been over to Jorgen’s World, yet? Beautiful photography!)
