1 post tagged “cybook gen 3”

A post at MobileRead.com pointed me to an article by Lee Gomes in the Wall Street Journal about reading e-books on a BlackBerry. It's kind of shockingly positive about e-books for an article in a major newspaper.

Reading on digital devices -- real, sustained, novel-style reading, not just flipping through emails -- has been a topic in this column before. We recently looked favorably on the Sony Reader, which is the size of a paperback and uses a high-resolution display technology that, because it reflects room light rather than blasting light at you, is easier on the eyes than are LCD screens. Amazon's Kindle reader uses the same screen technology, and adds a keyboard and wireless access.

So does my Cybook Gen 3--he's talking about the eInk screen.

These readers make up with convenience what they might lack in tradition, and have proved to be acceptable book substitutes. (Though not exactly screaming best sellers; while neither Sony nor Amazon discloses sales figures, and while Amazon reports a shortage of Kindles, one doesn't see a lot of either on trains or planes.)

I read mine on the train nearly every day! But I've never seen another Kindle on the train--there's one woman I see from time to time who has a Sony Reader. But there are an awful lot of people staring vapidly at a video, on an iPod or laptop or video player. I guess I shouldn't say anything, I've been known to watch videos on my Treo from time to time. I'm surprised that I haven't seen more Kindles, they are a pretty slick package. I think they'll be like iPods, though--when the price comes down, everyone will have one. Second gen FTW.

Until a few weeks ago, my assumption had been that a useable electronic book would need to resemble a Gutenberg book as much as possible, with, for example, pages of screen text about the same size as pages of print. I had heard reports that Japanese commuters were using cellphones to read books. But I figured that was sort of the thing only Japanese commuters would ever see fit to do.

The Sony Reader, however, turned out to be a gateway device.

For me, reading e-books on the Treo was my gateway device. I loved the portability of it--reading Cecilia on my Treo,  which I carry around every day anyway, sure beat carrying a 1000-page book with me. But I can only take reading on a backlit screen for so long, especially since I spend so much time on the computer between work and blogging and everything else I do. The eInk screen has been a great advantage for reading e-books. And I do love reading e-books. I especially love NOT HAVING TO FIND A PLACE TO STORE THEM. Except on the SD card in my Cybook, that is. :-)

Once you've experienced its great rush of convenience, choice and portability, you just have to have more. It's then that you cross the line and start downloading British novels onto a BlackBerry.

Heh. So true. Come into the light, Lee! ;-)