All the author said is true. However, the essence of a book to me is its content. Providing that content more easily and cheaply is what it all should be about. A few common formats with different yet complementary set of simple features, a simple uncomplicated and uncluttered low-cost reader, and low priced or free downloadable content on a website where I can e-browse the books is my ideal situation.

The article is too dismissive. Books will always be important for all the qualities they have – ease of use, the pleasure of handling them etc. But I carry piles of books when travelling and holidaying, the ebook reader may help me out here. I have handled the iLiad. I was impressed but it is too expensive. I look forward to the release through Waterstones. If it is as good as the iLead reader I will be buying

The concept is fairly similar paintings vs digital photographs. Who would pay loads of money for a snapshot of a painting?

The eBook is practical for many. Conserving paper, it may be the only feasible solution in the long term. However, I would imagine that there might be some malicious programs for such devices. It would not be particularly nice for your book to crash!

I can see a great market for these devices in education – my daughter (age has to carry a heavy bag of school books to/from school each day. To be able to replace many of the textbooks with a single, lightweight device would be fantastic – though it needs to have a larger screen…A4 or better. Whatever am I thinking – the device she will use already exists…a notebook has far more flexibility. Only if/when the readers are far cheaper will they become more popular. Last week I purchased a portable DVD player for her at €75 (approx £50) – an E Book reader at that price might be an option.

Good points all round. I can see that eBooks will have their place, once price comes down, etc., but I can’t see myself ever purchasing a reader.
This blog does touch on some of the points of the experience of buying a physical book but for me the blurb, random sentences, etc. are important but there are other qualities which make a book for me. I love looking at the cover artwork, taking in the intricacies of the painting or photography. I love seeing how the book has been bound – the use of UV spot lamination on more modern books or the materials used in a quarter bound volume. The quality of the paper – especially with older books where the paper is yellowing and has that distinctive feel. Oh, and how could I forget the smell? There is something incredible about the smell of an old book when you open its pages. Or that wonderful smell of the glue of a new book which somebody has bought you for Christmas.
Yup, I shall still be buying printed books for a long time to come, both new books and wonderfully aged old books!

Although I partly agree that the tactile format of a paper book is missing from an e-book, you cannot for example search for text in a paper book. I find my most pressing need is to carry large amounts of technical data around with me. An e-book reader that is ergonomic, has good power usage, and enables me to load whatever information on it that I want would be a godsend.

The downloading of digital books that cannot be shared is another matter altogether. This is particularly a problem where you may already have the book, but have to pay again for a digital copy. What I think should happen is that all books should be made available to purchase in digital format by the publisher. If you already own the hard copy of a book, then you should be able to download the book (although, I admit, I have no idea where from or who would provide thie service) by typing in the ISBN number (or similar) of the book and it’s issue, then be asked to supply e.g. the last word on page 47 to verify that you actually have the book. When this has been completed satisfactorily, you should be able to download the book (maybe for a much reduced rate)

Have you looked at the Sony PRS-505 ? It was on the Gadget show last week, and allows you to read pdf’s word document and web content on the device itself. It seems very ergonomic.

As to power usage, since most e-books seem to use technology whereby the device does not use any power when you’re actually reading a page, why not bung a little solar panel on them to recharge the battery ?

I see huge potential for students and the like. A lot of textbooks I have run in to 1000 pages or so, being able to have a these on an ebook reader would be really advantageous.

I also potential for musicians so that they don’t have to lug around sheet music books. Instead a foot operated pedal could be used to flick the pages back and forth.

The same could also go for technical manuals for, say car mechanics rather than having to look up stuff in those large workshop manuals.

I have the Microsoft Reader on my smartphone. It’s not perfect in any way, but it’s meant that I’ve always had an “emergency” book (or 12) available when I’ve been stuck places. This is especially useful when they’re books that haven’t been published in paper form in the UK.

Think back, though. Great wails went up from the audiophile community when CDs came along. “They’re not the same, they have no soul” was the oft-heard cry. However, most people now buy CDs or downloaded music. There’s still a market for records (although diminishing), so the two have coexisted for twenty years without problems.

I believe that printed-on-paper books will remain for some time, but reserved for smaller and smaller markets. As publishers cotton on to the fact that they can keep the prices high, but reduce their material costs, more and more ebooks will appear. We need to demand better readers, though. eInk and LEPs will move the market forward, increasing battery time and reducing thickness. Given that so many companies can now produce a laptop with larger screens, hard drives, etc for under £200, why do we not have the same leap forward for ebook readers?

Lamination Sheet…

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Thanks buddy ..the post is just awesome .. i like to read books not tried e books .