Nice start, but paper’s not dead yet.
According to C|Net News, Borders, Sony Style Stores, and SonyStyle.com will begin selling Sony Reader devices and gift cards to Connect.com, but not the downloadable eBooks themselves. eBook content for the Sony Reader will be available via Connect.com, Sony’s downloadable content store that has been struggling against the popularity of Apple Computer’s iTunes. In addition to eBooks, Connect.com will also offer content from blogs, news feeds and online magazines for use with the Sony Reader.
The high-resolution (SVGA 800×600) electronic-paper display screen supports BBeB Book, PDF and MP3 formats and can also display JPEG images. The device measures 6.9 inches by 4.9 inches by 0.5 inches and weighs in at just more than half a pound. The Sony Reader takes Memory Sticks or SD flash memory cards to augment 64MB of internal memory, creating the potential to travel with hundreds of books.
At least it takes more than one kind of memory. I don’t know about the lack of available downloads at Borders, though.
Looks like a palmful. Not exactly pocket friendly.
“Looks like a palmful. Not exactly pocket friendly.”
That’s one of the reasons why they always fail. If you make them book sized, they’re too big. If you make them phone/PDA size they’re too small.
Go back try again, Fools! Sony would rather be actually making this than getting the new Minolta Digital SLRs or the PS3 on the market?
Is there some law that these companies can’t keep this stuff to theirselves in R&D? Sony is going to lose on this big time– surely it would be worth their while to keep this in the lab till they get it thinner, lighter and some formfactor that makes more sense.
I like the idea of these e-books- and while I cannot tell you how I would make it- I can say every one I have seen is still pretty far off.
But I am sure Patrick Norton is thrilled no end.
I love ebooks. bitme.org anyone? I’m either going to buy this or that linux based media player that can do ebooks.
I’ve made the transition to reading most of my disposable reading on my Palm Pilot, mainly in Mobipocket format, but some with eReader. I can carry reference works, junk fiction, as well as Word, Excel and PowerPoint. The text is about the same size as a newspaper and once you’ve used if for a day or two the page turns are completely unnoticable because the buttons are right by where you are holding the thing anyway.
Why on earth would I want to go back to a form factor this large?
Like the idea, size is fine, hate the price and wouldn’t buy one as a result. Won’t sell until under $50. Why? Unless you’re a book hound, it just isn’t worth that much to most people vs buying the book.
That thing is just ugly. I predict this to be a failure.
I bought one of the early readers 8 years ago, remember the Rocket ebook?. The thing had a modem to connect to the subscription service. What I could never get over was it cost as much, sometimes more to buy an electronic version as a hard copy. Battery life was about 4 hours, with an 8 hour recharge for internal batteries. If they solve these problems I would try another device.
i think its GREAT! It’s been long due, and this version is really not bad at all… Now for my points:
1. The size is perfect. Bottom line, PDA size is too small, not enough words on the screen at one time (for most people). Sure, I would love it to fit in a pocket (foldable?), but, for an ebook, you shouldn’t compromise on screen size.
2. I think the price is OK, but to make it palatable, Sony has to do the razor / razorblade, or cellphone type subsidation approach. like:
* Go to the book clubs and publishers and work out a deal to price the reader at 1/2 off, with the subscription. Money is saved on printing and delivery costs, everybody wins (except the actual paper printers). This could also be extended to newspaper and magazine subscriptions.
* Go to some big state or educational system, and get them to mandate that all textbooks must be ebook ready. The students will love it, updates can be done easily, and once again, everybody should save money.
And if Sony were smart, in their next iteration the would:
* allow some kind of text input or markup to be done
and most importantly:
* MAKE IT PROGRAMMABLE AND PUBLISH THE SPEC
The ability to increase font size is a big plus for us aging boomers, but the price is way out of line and it doesn’t look that comfortable to hold (or lay on my face when I’m tired of reading and want to take a nap).
My kids have to drag a hideously large and excessively heavy book back to and from school every day. If we could replace 90% of that bulk with an eBook reader, I’d buy one in a New York second.
Personally, I rather listen to audiobooks on my iPod. I can do that in the dark, while driving or walking. However these eBooks are pretty interesting. The display only uses energy when it changes, so it is very energy efficient. Instead of taking about battery life in hours they talk about pages viewed (in the thousands on one charge).
In defense of dedicated devices, PCs, laptops and PDAs can all be used to display eBooks but they are not very good at it. I rather buy a paper book than read a whole book on my computer or PDA. These devices are not very comfortable for reading. These eBook readers have a display that approximates paper and uses very little energy and are as convenient to carry around as a book. These readers are not trying to compete with computers and PDAs, they are competing with paper books.
Think about it, you could have all sorts of reference books on your eBook which are accessible even while you have your screen full of things you are working on. Instead of switching windows, reading the manual and then going back, you have both available at the same time. That kind of convenience is what could make this reader a success. Also, what would you rather take with you to the toilet, your laptop, or this reader?
The one thing that could easily kill this device is Sony using overzealous DRM. If they do anything nearly as stupid as the rootkit DRM they put on some of their music CDs they will kill the reader.
Oh, yeah, and if borders was smart, they would preload it (or give away a memory card) with tons of public domain stuff. Twain, shakespeare, etc. CIA maps, etc. etc. I think people, especially the non-computer folk will eat it up.
And yes, they should have a user friendly kiosk at each store where people can load the stuff up, so NO COMPUTER needed.
So, put together a package, for $200 or so dollars, customer gets preloaded Bible, Twain, Shakespear, etc. etc., and 25% (or whatever) off of any paper book in store (that has ebook equivalent).
Let people demo it with security deposit or credit card. It its good, people will buy it.
Gizmodo has a review of Sony’s eBook reader:
As I expected Sony’s DRM is going to kill the device. Sony can only manage to shoot itself in the foot these days. Someone please give them a clue!
ZDNet has more up to date info on the Librie.
Nothing will ever beat the paperpack book. No batteries, no glare, and no worries if you drop it.
Looks like an expensive paperweight. I see no demand for this product and hope only for failure to Sony.
Paperbacks are made so they fall apart after a few readings. Unless you are completely anal and don’t open them all the way to read them, the spine breaks and the pages start falling off. That doesn’t sound hard to beat. Give me a hardcover book instead. 1,000 years from now books will still be legible when the media that the ebooks were in has fallen apart and the devices that could read the software no longer work.
The big media companies would just love it if somehow books would simply go away. I know there are digital media execs that are absolutely appalled at the concept of someone picking up a book, reading it when and where they desire, then casually loaning it to a friend, without paying or asking permission.
I’d buy one… I use my Palm as an eBook reader anyway.
Pricing philosophy. has been my problem with eBooks so far.
The publishers seem to think eBooks should be a PREMIUM item (probably because of the “gee wiz” factor).
I think eBooks should be a DISCOUNTED item because I’m paying for part of the media costs by buying the hardware.
For, me, the right price is around half of what the print version would be. I’ve noticed, this is about the price point Audible has setlled on. $15 or an audio book that would cost you $30 if you bought the CDs at a retail store.
I can get the books and the TXT, but the price, is what kills me…
THIs is OLD tech…and could have been done years ago..
For those who think e-ink / ebook readers are doomed to failure etcetc
i would just like to say that i have been an ebook fan for years wnd own the rocket ebook /reb1100 and the ebookwise and have read hundreds of books on these fantastic devices
i would never go back to paper books after the pure reading pleasure
i have experienced.
i easily convert everything from virtually any format and voila its on my reader and its oh so easy on the eyes
i travel with a few cheap cards and carry a virtual library with me
i suggest the new tech ebook reading devices will be even better !!!
i also suggest that those who put ebook readers down simply
havent experienced how fun and enjoyable they can be not to mention
the obscene waste of paper that newspapers and computer print outs generate and the potential of this technology to reduce this
i have also saved a small fortune personaly and have found ebooks to be considerably cheaper if not free ie project guttenburg ,blackmask etc so please keep an open mind and support these devices
cheers all
i for one am excited. still too expensive, given that i can get a palm or smartphone that does a lot more for a lot less $. but the e-ink tech is going to be big in the future since it is reflective and consumes so little power. i am sure color is only a year away.
but the best part is that with this, i would not have to carry around 5 textbooks and 10 scientifc papers. i am a phd student, and lugging texts to and from school gets old fast.
my next wish is that one could annotate the documents i read. but once that feature is added, then this will look more like a crippled laptop or ultraportable device. perhaps what i really want is a lightweight laptop that consumes no power….
This is the beginning of the revolution…
This is the very first workable ebook and they will only get better….
Naysay all you want, no one will remember when everyone has one.
Techies’ likes and dislikes are not a good predictor of the mass market. They tend to think too critically and inside their own boxes.
The market for this is soooo huge and the potential for cost reduction is sooo great that it is a no-brainer. Memory cards provide essential persistence and backup capability. DRM is an issue as it remains to be seen how it is handled but If Sony doesn’t do it in a palatible way then someone else will and soon.
This may just be one of the most exciting develpments since TV.
I have read more books on my PDA than I can remember. It fits in my pocket, I have books to suit my every reading mood. My GF, her sister and another friend have all since purchased PDA’s to be able to read books too.
That sony thing is too big.