Books are Doomed

Books are Doomed, doomed I say!

Ok, maybe not completely doomed, but they are about to get a run for their money. I recently purchased a Sony e-reader (@ Target). At first, I was a little apprehensive about spending over $200 on a gadget, but my apprehension was short lived once I got to know my new device. I downloaded a few books from various sources, some free, some not. The ones that were not free included DRM software, which was not any big deal for me to use. There is a version of Adobe Acrobat with DRM (Digital Rights Management) built right in. The books first downloaded to my PC, then transferred over to my Sony reader. I read all of them (over 1200 pages worth), and it was a pleasure! I LOVE my reader!

I would like to clarify a misconceptions about these devices....

1) They are hard to read. The text is too small and blurry and it strains your eyes.
The 'digital ink' these devices use is actually crystal clear! Clearer then most printed type! Yes, really. With the possible exception of glossy paper type, the digital ink does not have the bleed that print on cheap paper exhibits. Furthermore, any book that you download comes with a LP (large print) version right at your fingertips. Actually, it comes with several LP versions of varying print sizes. Just tap the zoom button and the text enlarges incrementally based on how many times you touch the zoom button.

Additionally, there is no 'back-light' on the screens, so you have no more eyestrain than you would have with a wooden book. Less, actually, since there is no bleed.

2) You cannot curl up in bed with them.
Yes, you can. And I did. These are as portable as a regular book. More so, if you are using multiple books.

3)The Screen is too tiny
This was a valid argument for older e-book with tiny 3 inch screens. But, as you can see from the picture, these new e-books have huge screens. No longer an issue.

4) They are complicated and hard to use.
If you are reading this blog, you will not have a problem with the complexity these devices present. Granted, your grandma who has never used a computer is not an ideal candidate for one of these,,, but those that do own computers and have used Acrobat Reader in the past should be good to go. Oh, and did I mention the batter lasts days? You can read an entire book on one charge! ...or two... or three.

Here are some other good factors that make these e-books viable alternatives to wooden format books.

1) You can put 200 books into one reader.
If you are tight on space or would like to take large numbers of books with you, this device is perfect for you.

2) The e-versions of the books are far cheaper then the wooden format version.
You can save 1/3 to 1/2 off the cover price on books if you go with the electronic version. This just makes sense as just about all the middle men and materials are cut out of the process. The e-book reader pays for itself in under 70 books.

I have only 3 complaints about the device...

1) Not all books are available for the device.
Not all publishers are on board with the format,,, yet. This is the largest and most crippling complaint I have about the product. Amazon offer the Kindle (Sony reader competitor), with has a larger selection of books to choose from, but there are still tons of titles not yet available for either reader.

2) Only Black and White.
This is a cheesy complaint tho, since most books in the library are also black and white. Still, would be nice to have it all.

3) Cannot read them in the dark.
Because they lack an eye-straining backlight, you cannot read them in the dark. But, you cannot read a book in the dark either. You can use the same little book-lights that you would use on books on this device. The new 700 series Sony will have one of these lights built in.

Once titles become readily available I predict these devices will really take off. Until then, we will bide our time and wait for the publishers to pull their heads out of their hineys and step into the 21st century. When this happens, prepare to see the way books are bought and sold changing significantly.

Job Security for librarians? That is another matter. =P

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