Discussion

By Mike on Jun 18, 2007

Apple has already made iBooks. I'm writing this comment on one.

By Eric Vessels on Jun 18, 2007

Call me crazy, but doesn't this look about as big and bulky as what the author wants to replace? Apple already has audiobooks available, so the model makes sense. I'm not so sure about the player. If I'm scaling the ipod correctly it would be huge!

By Robert Ivan on Jun 18, 2007

I don't see mainstream acceptance of an EBook reader for quite some time. There are just too many reasons for people NOT to buy it. Mp3 made great sense because people were carrying more and more CD’s on them by the month. Remember those huge CD binders? I had about five that held something like 80 CD's each and these were always in my car. Then there were the other few hundred in my apartment and all those useless jewel cases they all came in. It was so inconvenient that I NEEDED an mp3 player. Now who owns a digital music player? Practically every kid from elementary school to graduate school as well as the growing number of adults own one. EBook reader? Yeah, they are neat. Tell me why I need it.

By Dave Mainwaring on Jun 20, 2007

Neat, It will make the great gift to give someone who already has everything :)

By Gerald Everett Jones on Jun 20, 2007

Every new platform needs a killer app, which derives from some basic need that is not being fulfilled, or fulfilled well.

I sell some of my eBooks on Mobipocket.com. A cursory inspection of their catalog leads me to suspect that among their bestsellers are Cliffs Notes and texbook excerpts.

Think about the convenience and economy of carrying this around instead of a knapsack full of $100 textbooks.

It may not be about what the general reader wants or is willing to embrace, at this point. All it takes is an entire generation of e-plugged students who want to travel light!

By John O'Brien on Jun 21, 2007

You're doubling the most expensive component (the display), while not really increasing the functionality much (people generally only read one display at a time. So, you'd expect that this would cost twice as much, but not offer twice the benefit. Seems like a bad idea to me.

By Pieter Ardinois on Jun 21, 2007

Dave, you got it right. It doesn't add any value to what already exists. We're perhaps too connected with the feel of a book, to let loose that paper thing. Individual music consumption is something new, compared to literature consumption. The power of such gadget is also the ability to quick consuming, easily sharing, and fast recalling to reconsume the content (video, photo, music). Perhaps those Ipods (or just portable ipod alike) should be equipped with newsfeeds and customisable info feeds.