Why eBook readers need a few more years yet

Wednesday, October 1st, 2008

I’m reviewing the BeBook eBook reader at the moment, and it’s already wound me up – after just an hour’s use. That’s not good; reading is supposed to be fun.

Unlike a traditional book, where I can turn a page with a quick, well-practiced swish of the thumb and forefinger, I instead need to press a plasticky little button and wait two seconds while the screen panics for a second or two, before finally delivering the next few hundred words. It’s not a pleasant experience, and I’ve already learned to hit the next-page button at the start of the final sentence, so as to minimise plot-destroying gaps in flow. (more…)