Books and technology
- This topic has 9 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated Oct 27, 2010 at 1:56 pm by
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What is the current feeling among readers and posters here about the future of books printed on paper v ebooks? Have feelings changed since the ipad was released?
How much is an e-book (I’ve never even seen one let alone bought one)?
Thanks for your perspectives.
Morsie
The Nook and Kindle have come down in price. Though I love books, love turning pages, I’m hoping to get a Kindle soon. The Kindle is much lighter than most hard cover books, and I’m tired to carrying heavy books around. The iPad, however, is twice the weight of a Kindle or a Nook. Also, the screen of the iPad is supposedly so good for reading for long periods of time.
I think ebooks are here to stay, but so are paper books.
Randy
I got my wife a Kindle for Christmas this year. She likes it alot. I read Superfreakonomics on it and like the idea of it. I tried to find some of the fly fishing titles that I like to read and reread and was a little disappointed. First of all, I had low expectations. Secondly as you might have guessed, there was not a large selection. I think that if you read best seller type books and can get used to the format, the Kindle is great. I think that as more books are reprinted, that the selection will increase. With the Kindle and the Nook you are buying the device and the bookstore, so you had better like Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
The ipad is interesting because of the web content. I am a scientist (Geology), and many science articles are published in PDF format. I assume that ipad can read those, because my mac computer can. I like the idea of having my professional library that accessible. The interface looks like my iphone, which is pretty straight forward.
All I know for sure is this a great time to be literate!
Its interesting, I posed this question on a couple of other chat sites and books printed on paper were overwhelmingly favoured. Like Allyn’s comment technical printed matter was more than acceptable on ‘tablets’ as were novels, but not it seems things like fly fishing books.
I ask the question because I have new book coming out later this year and have the option of having it prepped up as an e-book so all responses are very interesting. It is potentially a very exciting medium, especially if you include video of tying sequences in place of a series of still images. I have never seen an e-book let alone set out to read one. Seems there’s an awful lot of talk about it but not a lot happening (at this stage anyway).
Morsie
Here’s a list of fly fishing books available on Kindle:
IMHO, I would publish a book traditionally and electronically.
One thing I like about going electronically is that I can make changes after the book is published.
It will be interesting to see just how well ebooks sell in the future. I don’t think anyone knows.
At first I was against them, and felt I would never want to read off a small screen, but reading from a Kindle for just a few minutes changed all that.
Randy
Reading a book from a Kindle or Ipad doesn’t really appeal to me, unless, as Morsie said, it offers something different like video sequences.
Magazines and newspapers on the other hand look really impressive on these readers and offer something completely different from the original magazine or newspaper format.
I guess from an author’s point of view the ability to sell a book online, instantly, is a real bonus!
Scott
Ebooks are a blessing from a writer’s standpoint. They put us in close contact with our audience. I was, therefore, able to use the feedback I received – from many people instead of one or two – and revise my book. A printed book is locked in stone, more or less.
Maybe the way to go is to publish an ebook first, then revise and publish a print book.
Bought a Sony ereader. I love it.
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