As publishers including Simon & Schuster are delaying e-books to give their new hardback releases a competitive advantage on the market, it’s clear that despite reluctant expansion towards the e-book format, there’s tremendous fear amongst publishers that e-books are the beginning of the end of publishing (much like electronic music downloads for the music industry ). Not to mention, the business has already been reeling from severe contraction due to competition with the internet and the economic recession.
I have yet to use the e-readers hitting the market, so I have no idea whether the new technology will take over my life in the way of cell phones where rotary landline phones remain merely a fond, but distant memory. While I’m compelled by the convenience and space saving attributes of an e-reader (as I am a chronic pack rat with my books), I do love the tactile experience of flipping through books, seeing printed images, and getting pages dog-eared and coffee-stained. I hope that despite the inevitable shift towards toward e-books that print will continue to be accessible to the public and not evolve into an artifact or high-ticket item only available to the wealthy.
What’s your poison – ebooks or print?
I don’t know. I’m torn. I’m tempted to say print, but I, too, am a pack rat.
It’s a time of change, this we know. Only. The forecasts, at this point, re books, mags and newspapers are forecasts. And the weather may change.
We know this — paper costs go up, the price of manufacture and delivery increase. And it takes time. Electronic delivery of info is fast, of course, and offers interesting new ways of social interaction and connection and sharing of ideas. This site is an example.
For nps and mags it will all depend on one thing, ads. Nps and mags are a news business, ads are placed first and news, sports, food and entertainment fits around. This is where the ‘Net lacks punch: most of us hate banners and popups, or pay small attention to ads. We go online for an airline or hotel or rental car booking — travel packages of all three are really an improvement from the old days, in my experience — but ads are a tough view on your screen for most. As long as a newspaper is around for the advertiser who wants an ad on paper, there will be a newspaper. I also like books — just about everyone I know likes books. Real books. I don’t know one person who owns a Kindle.
This may change, but it’s a slow change. Granted I’m on old Boomer, but just about all my friends and fam and coworkers read hard copy, still. Hey, heard vinyl’s coming back. I got lots.
I like the old-fashioned books with pages too but totally open to the new technology.
Have you tried out a Kindle? It’s a game changer, for sure.
All I know is that the consumer will ultimately make the deci. Gone that way for cars, tv, movies, vi vs. cds, computers — well, those mac types, we know about them — beta vs. vhs, hm, there’s another cult thing.
The buyer will decide the market. Advers will too.
I’ve used an ebook. it is quite amazing.
I’m a huge paper book kinda guy. unfortunately for paper, it’s just a matter of time before it’ll be just a novel relic. just like vinyl records, vhs tapes, & actors. : )
Can’t wait till they create a kindle or e-reader that splits open in the middle to reveal a left and a right page.
the thing i find most awkward is having to read off of one static page. if they can have a static page and an option for it to open like a real book, i think may people will be psyched.
normal books are doomed. doomed!
Wait. What’s a book?
Print! I always have some kind of book with me when I go places. Work, doctor’s office, plane rides, etc. No interest in ebooks.
For music and video like vhs, beta, vinyl, it’s just a medium because the song/video didn’t change only the quality but for books, you can’t turn a picture book or a pop up book for kids into an ebook.
I personally choose print because i love books cover art, it was one of the thing that personalize a book.
I work in book business, btw…i’ll be doomed, if normal books doomed.
Here are some things that ebooks have yet to address:
1. Scrolling. The great thing about a book is that you can see the page from top to bottom. Scrolling takes time whereas a real book takes a flick of the eyes.
2. Thickness of the book. I love watching my progression thru a book by seeing how many pages I’ve gone thru.
3. Patience. Real books require time for you to flip back and forth to find a page that you’re searching. That teaches patience. Something of which this society is losing very quickly.
I read a lot of news on my computer for the sheer speed, but for novels I prefer books, or magazines if they contain great graphic design and photography.
@Beverly: they invented bookmarks for that reason.
As for scrolling, there’s a reason why ebooks are popular: they’re portable and contain a lot of data. It’s a small library inside one book. Scrolling down a page is a small sacrifice.
I’m a book guy. For one, they look cool lining my shelves at home. But, I’m print ’til it dies. I still subscribe to magazines and two daily newspapers, all the better to get caught up while doing my morning multitasking (after Sung’s auntie’s suggested glass of hot water.). Try doing that with a laptop.
Print. Collectable print editions.
I have a Kindle and LOVE it. It has completely changed my life. Even though my Kindle is practically fused to my hand, there are still things that cannot replace it: print with pictures and art, the joy of page-flipping through a magazine (although the overwhelming number of ad space nowadays make them suck), the beauty of reading a children’s book and showing the pages to your kid or to a classroom/group of kids. Reference books, novels, etc. may be in danger for now, but until they elevate the technology quite a bit, they’ll never completely kill print.
Hmmm… how about a touch screen with Android OS? That’s a good place to start.