LEXINGTON, KY -- WhatTheyThink, the leading news and information site for the graphic communications industry, announces the immediate availability of E-Books and E-Publishing Primer: A WhatTheyThink Overview of Electronic Publishing Formats, Their Impact on Traditional Publishing, and the Opportunities They Offer to Graphic Communications Professionals.

This 79-page report provides an easy-to-read overview of the current state of e-book hardware readers such as the Amazon Kindle; the myriad software-based e-book readers and formats available including e-book apps for the iPhone and other portable devices; a discussion of “e-zines” and digital periodicals; a brief technological overview of “electronic paper”; and where the market for e-books and other types of e-content stands today, as well as where it is likely to go in the near future.

Purchase E-Books and E-Publishing Primer 

What do we define as “e-publishing”? For the purposes of this primer report, it is “content created in electronic form and which remains in electronic form and is portable even after delivery.” The report looks at the following categories:

• Electronic content read on a special e-book device, such as the Amazon Kindle or Sony Reader.
• Electronic content read on a desktop or laptop computer via special reader software, such as the e-zines produced by Texterity or Zinio.
• Electronic content read on a PDA or smartphone such as an iPhone or BlackBerry.

This primer report sorts out the major players and technologies, and provides an extensive discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of e-books and e-zines. What is driving interest in e-books, and what are the common complaints about them? The company also quantifies—to the extent possible—the current market. For example:

• According to the Association of American Publishers, in February 2009, e-book sales increased 177% over January—even as book sales in general declined 2.1% during the same period.
• In February, e-books accounted for 1.5% of all book sales, up from 1.1% in January; for all of 2008, e-books accounted for 0.5% of all book sales.

The report also provides our outlook of the future market for e-books and e-zines, as well as general advice, cautions, and caveats for companies and individuals looking to get involved in e-books and other types of e-publishing either as a user or as a producer. We also discuss the potential impact of new electronic publishing technologies on traditional publishing.

E-Books and E-Publishing Primer is available for online purchase at the WhatTheyThink eStore.

Researcher's Comments

“After a mass market for e-books failed to materialize circa 2000/2001, many wrote the technology off as a failed experiment. However, in the years since, a market has been steadily growing, driven largely by the Amazon Kindle and by e-book apps for the iPhone. E-books are still in their infancy, but are growing, and a combination of technological evolution and generational trends in media preference will help it grow further. Too often, the e-book discussion is framed in the context of print vs. electronic, as if it were an either/or proposition. But people want to access content in a variety of ways, whether it be a printed book or other publication. At the end of the day, content is content, and it’s words and ideas that matter, not the physical form in which it’s delivered which always has been, is now, and always will be a case of personal preference.”

Availability

The WhatTheyThink special report, E-Books and E-Publishing Primer: A WhatTheyThink Overview of Electronic Publishing Formats, Their Impact on Traditional Publishing, and the Opportunities They Offer to Graphic Communications Professionals is available for immediate purchase and download by visiting the secure WhatTheyThink eStore online.

Editor’s Note

Additional information pertaining to each report is available for editorial purposes. Please make inquiries directly to Cary Sherburne at 603-430-5463 or [email protected],  or visit www.whattheythink.com).

About WhatTheyThink

WhatTheyThink is the printing and publishing industry's leading media organization; offering a wide range of publications delivering unbiased, real-time market intelligence, industry news, economic and trend analysis, peer-to-peer communication, and special reports on emerging technology and critical events. WhatTheyThink also hosts webinars and live events that are timely and relevant o today's busy industry executives along with consulting and speaker services that leverage a talented pool of writers and industry analysts.

WhatTheyThink consists of flagship site WhatTheyThink.com, discussion forum site PrintPlanet.com, and industry blog PrintCEO.com.