Many people have told me over the years that eBooks do not interest them because they prefer to read paper books and I have always understood this notion. You can sit at a screen all day in your job and the thought of then staring at another one in your leisure time will leave these people cold.
I have always understood it to be that the screen can never achieve the same level of clarity that printed paper can, but the iPhone 4 proves that wrong. Take a look at the two pictures below and you can see what I mean. If you ignore the reflection from the iPhone screen, it is arguably better than the newspaper which is also photographed.
Paper
Screen
There is little doubt in my mind that the iPhone 4 screen offers a similar, if better, experience than reading on paper. The imperfections are removed and of course so is the hassle of carrying around half of a tree, at least in the case of the Sunday Times. When / if this technology is ported to bigger devices like the iPad then the experience will take on a whole new meaning. It will offer the reader near perfect presentation of text and images and potentially this clarity will beat paper every single time. It will be like reading a normal newspaper or book, but better in every logical way. And it will not matter at all…
The fact is that people who do not want to read digital media care little for the quality of the text or the photographs reproduced within. They do not care that it is an advance of technology that deserves praise from every quarter. They just will not read for leisure on a screen.
This innovation is great for those of us who are more than happy to read digitally, but we are in the minority and will continue to be so for some time to come. I’m just glad that the technology was invented before the inventors realised this as well.
I went back to paper as I look at lit screens all day and a book is easier on my eyes. Resolution doesn’t matter much at all, not being backlit does.
The other problems is on new release or preorder I can often get hard covers cheaper and easier than ebooks.
For me the turning point was the Clie TH55, this had sufficient resolution for me for reading ebooks.
Latest release of real book £9.99. For the ebook £12.99 plus cost of iPhone or ereader device means total cost of book £612.99. Bargain eh?
Add to that gavin if you preorder real books (ebooks don’t have that) you get a little more off.. Then you can also lend it to others to read (I do that at work and with some family members).
Unlike ebooks you can also recoup some minor costs selling them off.. Actually can recoup a decent amount if you bought the intial release hardcovers..
Ebooks just seem way overpriced to me considering the additional limitations, I got suckered in for a short time years ago, but am well over them now.
You are forgetting e-ink devices like the kindle, sony reader or iliad. It’s perfectly possible to read those for hours in the same way as it is for books. As Joel says, it’s not so much resolution thats the problem, as the extra strain from a backlit screen. Of course I’m expecting e-ink technology to just quietly die in favour of devices like the iPad which is a real shame.
The other thing about a book is that there’s no extra distractions – you can’t just flick a page to check the latest news whilst reading it.
The cost of ebooks and the limiting DRM is probably an article in itself!
I saw my first Kindle the other day and what struck me is that the print appears to be on the top surface of the device. It looks far more natural. If I look at any of phone / pads / laptops, it’s always through glass, as it were.
Andrew
I have tried reading ebooks but always give up. Can’t pin down why that is. I just prefer paper. Also I would be a bit nervous using an iPad in the bath!
Can’t see myself moving to ebooks any time soon, for most of the reasons mentioned already. I can read it on the beach without worrying about sand getting in the book, I can read in the bath and on an underground train without feeling like it might be stolen. I do not need to buy an expensive phone or ereader, nor do I need to worry about charging it or storing it safely. I can buy a book new or second hand for a fraction of the price on a ebook from outlets all over the world. I can leave the book on my shelf at home when I’m done and it can become a talking point when friends visit. I can also lend the book out or give it to charity to make a little money for a good cause.
And last but not least I like the touch and smell of a paper book, especially a good one!
I find it more difficult to read a regular book. Having to hold your place while reading? If I set it down it closes and I have to search for my spot. Plus the smell. I’ll give you the new books smell ok but old ones? Please! I borrow books a lot and I can only imagine where these books have been. (where do most people read?) And the fact that they are probably full of bacteria and other germs. ewwwww Give me my germ free, anti-bacterial ebooks.
And an ebook is not read on the loo?
A few germs will do you some good
I am still reading eBooks on my Palm Tungsten T2 with eReader and MobiPocket Reader. I also read on PRS-505 when reading outdoors. For the past 10 years, I read more than 100 books, only 3 in paper. The main issue is, paper books are too heavy to carry, and I am perfectly satisfied with backlit screen, even T2 is good enough.
I started my eBook reading on a Palm 3, but that’s just too difficult. I managed to read 5-10 book with the dim green Palm 3. T2 is much better, I am still using it.
The recent drop in Kindle prices got me interested, but you can get an Archos 5 android device for £160 and a Kindle 2 for £130 so to me it still makes more sense to get the multi-use device and install the free Kindle app on it, however better the reading experience on e-ink might be (never tried it so can’t say).
I’ve been using my netbook in bed to read ebooks in pdf format. In the evening I turn the backlight right down and I lie back and tap the space bar when I turn the page. I have surprised myself with how great it has been. I could see myself using an iPad in the same way… but more comfortable and with a better screen.
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