| Would you say that reading was one of your | | | | thumbing through the pages, marking your place with |
| hobbies? If the answer is yes, then how would you | | | | old bus tickets - or even dog-earing the pages. You |
| describe your pass-time? Do you have a passion for | | | | can find many online reviews that will tell you how |
| reading or a passion for books? This isn't an exercise | | | | the Kindle measures up with the Sony Daily Edition |
| in semantics - the question is prompted by recent | | | | reader - or how the new Apple iPad compares to |
| developments in reading and publishing technology. | | | | Barnes & Noble's Nook reader. But how well do |
| E-book readers really took off in a big way during | | | | e-book readers such as the Kindle measure up |
| 2009 - greatly helped by the release of the Amazon | | | | against a good old fashioned book? |
| Kindle 2.0 and, later in the year, the larger Kindle DX | | | | A recent survey of American e-book reader owners |
| model. E-book readers had been around for quite | | | | discovered that 4 out of 5 of them actually |
| some time before that - the Franklin eBookman | | | | preferred using an e-book reader to reading a |
| launched in 1999, over a decade ago - but it wasn't | | | | traditional book. Perhaps they may be a little biased - |
| until 2009 that these devices really took off. | | | | but e-book readers certainly offer some advantages |
| Whatever the reason, during 2009, they were very | | | | in comparison with conventional books. |
| much an idea whose time had come. | | | | E-books are considerably cheaper than traditional |
| As stated previously, the launch of the Kindle 2.0 was | | | | books. This makes sense - after all they don't use |
| a significant factor - but not the only factor in this. | | | | paper or ink and, since they are a digital product |
| The original Kindle hit the market in November 2007, | | | | rather than a physical one, there are no freight fees. |
| well after the eBookman and also behind the Sony | | | | For precisely the same reasons, e-books are better |
| PRS reader which launched in 2006. Although there | | | | for the environment than traditional paper volumes. |
| was a fairly good reaction to the original Kindle's | | | | E-book readers are easy to operate with one hand - |
| launch - Oprah Winfrey even called it her "favourite | | | | so on a crowded bus or train they are easier to |
| new gadget" - it wasn't until the launch of the Kindle | | | | handle than a conventional book. They also have the |
| 2.0 that e-book readers really went mainstream. | | | | capacity to store hundreds of books in their memory |
| Amazon had certainly listened to their customer | | | | - so you can take a small library with you wherever |
| feedback and the enhanced Kindle 2.0 was a | | | | you go. |
| significantly enhanced piece of hardware when | | | | For many bibliophiles the display could be a potential |
| compared with the original. As well as improvements | | | | problem. Modern e-book readers use special e-ink |
| to the hardware, the choice of books on offer for | | | | technology. This is very different to reading on a |
| the Kindle had increased enormously. At the time of | | | | back-lit computer screen and produces a reading |
| the Kindle 2.0 release there just over 200,000 Kindle | | | | experience which is astonishingly similar to reading |
| books to choose from. This number has continued to | | | | standard text printed on paper. Page turns are much |
| grow at an average rate of around 500 new titles a | | | | quicker than they were even as little as a year ago. |
| day. At the moment there are over 500,000 titles | | | | After a couple of hours using an e-book reader you |
| available for Kindle users to choose from. | | | | won't even be aware that you're using an electronic |
| Needless to say, Amazon made a very good job of | | | | gadget rather than thumbing through the pages of a |
| marketing the Kindle. They had already picked up an | | | | traditional book - as long as you're reading a good |
| endorsement from Oprah - and when Stephen King | | | | book at least. |
| produced a special novella to mark the release of the | | | | E-book readers really do have a lot to offer book |
| Kindle 2.0 it certainly generated plenty of publicity for | | | | lovers. They have come a long way in a relatively |
| Amazon's new device. The release of the large | | | | short time and there will doubtless be further |
| display DX edition made sure that the Kindle would | | | | developments in both the reader hardware and the |
| stay in the spotlight into the last six months of the | | | | e-books themselves in the short to mid-term future. |
| year. This was marketed as being ideal for readers | | | | The Amazon Kindle is currently the clear market |
| of newspapers, magazines and academic textbooks - | | | | leader but is facing very stiff competition from |
| and the academic publishing community produced | | | | competitors such as Sony, Barnes and Noble and the |
| even more publicity for Amazon as they entered into | | | | new Apple iPad. The increased competition will be |
| agreements with universities and colleges nationwide. | | | | good news for consumers as it will tend to produce |
| Of course,people who read a lot of books are the | | | | a downward pressure on prices resulting in cheaper |
| target demographic for e-book readers. It wouldn't | | | | e-book readers and e-books. It does seem likely that |
| make a lot of sense to buy one if you only read a | | | | e-books will play an important role in the future of |
| book a month - would it? A lot of avid readers will be | | | | reading and - given Amazon's strong association with |
| every bit as fond of physical books as they are of | | | | (love for?) books, it's hard to imagine that they won't |
| reading. It's only natural to wonder if you will miss the | | | | continue to play a key role in the future of reading. |
| feel of a "real" book in your hand, the pleasure of | | | | |