Business Week - Cell Phones take on e-Readers

=X= · 12-30-2008, 07:42 PM

Interesting article, just as interesting this made the top story for BusinessWeek.

Business Week - Cell Phones take on e-Readers

=X=

lilac_jive · 12-30-2008, 07:52 PM

I think for sometimes-readers this will work, but for big readers I don't think it'll cut it enough.

zelda_pinwheel · 12-30-2008, 07:57 PM

i have some books in my phone (from the aptly-named site "booksinmyphone.com"

) which is an lg viewty, not an iphone or smartphone. they are convenient for short métro trips or similar circumstances when i have no other reading material, but i would never read in those conditions at home. i am glad to have it though ; sometimes it comes in handy.

i found it interesting that although the article talks a lot about ebooks being cheaper they gloss over all the sources for completely free books ; i think they mentioned that once in passing. they even mention all the pd books available for only $1, so much cheaper than the paper versions... whereas using stanza (which they do talk about) you can get any book from feedbooks for 0$, including a lot of classics.

sabredog · 12-30-2008, 07:59 PM

When I was looking at a new mobile phone, I decided a big screen was the way to go. Settled on the Samsung i900 Omnia with a 3.25" screen. The Omnia runs WinMo 6.1, so Mobipocket works a treat.

My lovely bride has given me the nod to look at a "proper" ebook reader sometime next year. I currently use my HP Ipaq PDA for book reading and find it excellent, but a bigger screen for my main reading device is something to look forward to.

Cheers

SD

mjh215 · 12-30-2008, 08:03 PM

You know, I am perfectly happy for people that enjoy reading ebooks on their phones or notebooks or pda's. That being said, have any of these writers truly ever used an ebook reader? Especially an eInk one? It's like comparing apples to aardvarks. Before the Sony hit the market there were alot of articles like this from the junior know-it-all bloggers association about how pointless they were. Later a similar stream of useless banter for the Kindle. I guess I just find it annoying when sources like Business Week go that route and probably harm what is still an emerging market.

What an article like this does is get a reader that might have taken a look at a dedicated reader and made him think, "Oh, I can read the books on my phone". At which point he'll buy a couple books, read one or two and then decide the next time he might as well grab the paperback. When anyone brings up the topic of ebooks again he'll think of that experience and dismiss it as novelty and nothing more...

-MJ

zelda_pinwheel · 12-30-2008, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjh215

It's like comparing apples to aardvarks.

to be fair, they *are* both crunchy...

mjh215 · 12-30-2008, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

to be fair, they *are* both crunchy...

-MJ

rhadin · 12-31-2008, 11:46 AM

What I find interesting is that reading 20 books a year makes one an avid reader. What are those of us who read significantly more than that called?

Also, I would find it frustrating to read 3 lines and then have to change the "page" for the next 3 lines. But then I don't text message or twitter so just call me neanderthal.

mjh215 · 12-31-2008, 11:50 AM

rhadin, it's listed right under your username on the post..

-MJ

French · 12-31-2008, 12:00 PM

Actually, I'm a Blackberry Mobi reader and considering upgrading to an ebook reader. For me, I like the idea of having my books with me all the time for unexpected down time (Blackberry), and having the ereader for reading at home, or vacations, etc. Having used my Blackberry exclusively for ereading I can tell you that it doesn't bother me. Maybe I'm weird. It DOES, however, take about a chapter to "adjust". I read strictly for entertainment so don't need to be able to annotate and rarely read books that have footnotes, etc.

The attraction to having a reader on the phone is simply having a book when you have down time, especially unplanned down time. Or when you don't want to haul several different paperback books (vacation). I've read entire books on my Blackberry and enjoyed them just fine. I hit my space bar when it's time to scroll down further and I get a good flow going. One thing about downpaging on a Blackberry...it's a smooth scroll. The page doesn't "turn" or blank out. You simply read to the bottom, hit the space bar, then move back to the top for the next page. I'm a fast reader, too.

I definitely think the majority of posters on this site are in a group that maybe isn't named yet. I go through phases where I'll check out 13 books from the library and read them all in the 3 week period of time, but then go weeks without reading anything significant. I'm not sure if I'm considered avid (that seems overkill), but I think that makes me a little bit more than casual. However there are some here that when I read how many books they have, carry with them at any given time, etc...avid doesn't quite seem adequate.

So those are my thoughts. I am waiting for the ebook industry to come just a little bit further (I think) before I jump in. For example, more stuff available via "libraries" for checking out. I'm close to ready though, and reading on my cell phone got me here. I say I'm holding out, but don't be surprised if you start seeing me around here more.

lilac_jive · 12-31-2008, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhadin

What I find interesting is that reading 20 books a year makes one an avid reader. What are those of us who read significantly more than that called?

Also, I would find it frustrating to read 3 lines and then have to change the "page" for the next 3 lines. But then I don't text message or twitter so just call me neanderthal.

rabid?

Steven Lyle Jordan · 01-05-2009, 11:27 PM

As an e-book writer, e-book reader, and an iPaq user, I do not have a problem reading everything on my PDA. I have seen the Sony, Kindle and Iliad readers, and I have nothing bad to say about them (other than, perhaps, the cost). But for me, as the article suggested, being able to read without another device suits me fine. I already have the iPaq with me all the time, and I'm comfortable using its screen all day long... why not read on it?

I wouldn't say articles like this harm the e-book industry. They may manage to put a dent in sales of dedicated readers... on the other hand, they may be getting new people to read on their PDAs and phones, where they did not before, because the article lets them know it's do-able (and, incidentally, usually cheaper than the Sony or Kindle package).

giedre · 01-06-2009, 01:16 AM

For a couple of years I read on my pda phone and it was nice, but nothing compares to an e-reader. Another thing...battery life on a pda style phone! While I think it's great that phones can do all these different things nowadays, by the time you're done reading your book, or playing several games, etc...your battery is gone! Then how does one make phone calls??

=X= · 01-06-2009, 05:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

As an e-book writer, e-book reader, and an iPaq user, I do not have a problem reading everything on my PDA. I have seen the Sony, Kindle and Iliad readers, and I have nothing bad to say about them (other than, perhaps, the cost). But for me, as the article suggested, being able to read without another device suits me fine. I already have the iPaq with me all the time, and I'm comfortable using its screen all day long... why not read on it?

I wouldn't say articles like this harm the e-book industry. They may manage to put a dent in sales of dedicated readers... on the other hand, they may be getting new people to read on their PDAs and phones, where they did not before, because the article lets them know it's do-able (and, incidentally, usually cheaper than the Sony or Kindle package).

Well if I may quote the inventor of the internet -- "I Agree."

Thought the article was a direct attack on dedicated eBook readers, like you I don't see it as a negative. Folks that like their eBook Readers will continue to own them and folks that want a multi device will use their phone/PDA as such.

What I do see is with the increase of mobilephone readers, the demand for eBooks will increase which will also benefit the eBook Reader industry as publishers will start delivering more content in electronic format.

I think however when more phones like the Readius come out THEN there will be a dent in the eBook industry.

Quote:

Originally Posted by giedre

For a couple of years I read on my pda phone and it was nice, but nothing compares to an e-reader. Another thing...battery life on a pda style phone! While I think it's great that phones can do all these different things nowadays, by the time you're done reading your book, or playing several games, etc...your battery is gone! Then how does one make phone calls??

Yep I agree here too... kind of. I had(have) a Samsung i730 Windows Moible (WM) phone. The form factor on that phone was bar none the best experience in electronic reading. Mostly because MobiPocket did such a fantastic job of optimizing their reader for the WM OS.
The only drawbacks and they where big was the screen quality in broad daylight and the batter life.

I have a BlackBerry Storm now and those issues are no more the BB Storm screen is brilliant in broad daylight. And after using it heavily throughout the day I still had 1/2 the battery life.

=X=

shighfield · 01-06-2009, 11:51 AM

I read ebooks for years on my PDA / Smartphone's. Started in 1999 with the Palm IIIe, and even have ereader installed on my HTC Touch.

I switched to ereaders for the screen size, and the fact that my Palm Treo755p was only 8 months old and I wore out some buttons reading on it.

The e-ink is beautiful and I could never go back to just reading on my phone / pda.

12-30-2008, 07:42 PM	#1
=X= Wizard Posts: 3,671 Karma: 12205348 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Galaxy S, Nook w/CM7	Business Week - Cell Phones take on e-Readers Interesting article, just as interesting this made the top story for BusinessWeek. Business Week - Cell Phones take on e-Readers =X=

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12-30-2008, 07:52 PM	#2
lilac_jive Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,870 Karma: 27376 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Device: PRS-505	I think for sometimes-readers this will work, but for big readers I don't think it'll cut it enough.

12-30-2008, 07:57 PM	#3
zelda_pinwheel zeldinha zippy zeldissima Posts: 27,827 Karma: 921169 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Paris, France Device: eb1150 & is that a nook in her pocket, or she just happy to see you?	i have some books in my phone (from the aptly-named site "booksinmyphone.com" ) which is an lg viewty, not an iphone or smartphone. they are convenient for short métro trips or similar circumstances when i have no other reading material, but i would never read in those conditions at home. i am glad to have it though ; sometimes it comes in handy. i found it interesting that although the article talks a lot about ebooks being cheaper they gloss over all the sources for completely free books ; i think they mentioned that once in passing. they even mention all the pd books available for only $1, so much cheaper than the paper versions... whereas using stanza (which they do talk about) you can get any book from feedbooks for 0$, including a lot of classics.

12-30-2008, 07:59 PM	#4
sabredog Geographically Restricted Posts: 2,629 Karma: 14933353 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Perth, Australia Device: Sony PRS-T3, Kindle Voyage, iPad Air2, Nexus7v2	When I was looking at a new mobile phone, I decided a big screen was the way to go. Settled on the Samsung i900 Omnia with a 3.25" screen. The Omnia runs WinMo 6.1, so Mobipocket works a treat. My lovely bride has given me the nod to look at a "proper" ebook reader sometime next year. I currently use my HP Ipaq PDA for book reading and find it excellent, but a bigger screen for my main reading device is something to look forward to. Cheers SD

12-30-2008, 08:03 PM	#5
mjh215 Guru Posts: 988 Karma: 12653 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: None of your business	You know, I am perfectly happy for people that enjoy reading ebooks on their phones or notebooks or pda's. That being said, have any of these writers truly ever used an ebook reader? Especially an eInk one? It's like comparing apples to aardvarks. Before the Sony hit the market there were alot of articles like this from the junior know-it-all bloggers association about how pointless they were. Later a similar stream of useless banter for the Kindle. I guess I just find it annoying when sources like Business Week go that route and probably harm what is still an emerging market. What an article like this does is get a reader that might have taken a look at a dedicated reader and made him think, "Oh, I can read the books on my phone". At which point he'll buy a couple books, read one or two and then decide the next time he might as well grab the paperback. When anyone brings up the topic of ebooks again he'll think of that experience and dismiss it as novelty and nothing more... -MJ

12-31-2008, 11:46 AM	#8
rhadin Literacy = Understanding Posts: 4,833 Karma: 59674358 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: The World of Books Device: Nook, Nook Tablet	What I find interesting is that reading 20 books a year makes one an avid reader. What are those of us who read significantly more than that called? Also, I would find it frustrating to read 3 lines and then have to change the "page" for the next 3 lines. But then I don't text message or twitter so just call me neanderthal.

12-31-2008, 11:50 AM	#9
mjh215 Guru Posts: 988 Karma: 12653 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: None of your business	rhadin, it's listed right under your username on the post.. -MJ

12-31-2008, 12:00 PM	#10
French Groupie Posts: 151 Karma: 1002968 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: none	Actually, I'm a Blackberry Mobi reader and considering upgrading to an ebook reader. For me, I like the idea of having my books with me all the time for unexpected down time (Blackberry), and having the ereader for reading at home, or vacations, etc. Having used my Blackberry exclusively for ereading I can tell you that it doesn't bother me. Maybe I'm weird. It DOES, however, take about a chapter to "adjust". I read strictly for entertainment so don't need to be able to annotate and rarely read books that have footnotes, etc. The attraction to having a reader on the phone is simply having a book when you have down time, especially unplanned down time. Or when you don't want to haul several different paperback books (vacation). I've read entire books on my Blackberry and enjoyed them just fine. I hit my space bar when it's time to scroll down further and I get a good flow going. One thing about downpaging on a Blackberry...it's a smooth scroll. The page doesn't "turn" or blank out. You simply read to the bottom, hit the space bar, then move back to the top for the next page. I'm a fast reader, too. I definitely think the majority of posters on this site are in a group that maybe isn't named yet. I go through phases where I'll check out 13 books from the library and read them all in the 3 week period of time, but then go weeks without reading anything significant. I'm not sure if I'm considered avid (that seems overkill), but I think that makes me a little bit more than casual. However there are some here that when I read how many books they have, carry with them at any given time, etc...avid doesn't quite seem adequate. So those are my thoughts. I am waiting for the ebook industry to come just a little bit further (I think) before I jump in. For example, more stuff available via "libraries" for checking out. I'm close to ready though, and reading on my cell phone got me here. I say I'm holding out, but don't be surprised if you start seeing me around here more.

01-05-2009, 11:27 PM	#12
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	As an e-book writer, e-book reader, and an iPaq user, I do not have a problem reading everything on my PDA. I have seen the Sony, Kindle and Iliad readers, and I have nothing bad to say about them (other than, perhaps, the cost). But for me, as the article suggested, being able to read without another device suits me fine. I already have the iPaq with me all the time, and I'm comfortable using its screen all day long... why not read on it? I wouldn't say articles like this harm the e-book industry. They may manage to put a dent in sales of dedicated readers... on the other hand, they may be getting new people to read on their PDAs and phones, where they did not before, because the article lets them know it's do-able (and, incidentally, usually cheaper than the Sony or Kindle package).

01-06-2009, 01:16 AM	#13
giedre Connoisseur Posts: 84 Karma: 4850 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: North Carolina Device: Sony 500,505, Kindle, 1150	For a couple of years I read on my pda phone and it was nice, but nothing compares to an e-reader. Another thing...battery life on a pda style phone! While I think it's great that phones can do all these different things nowadays, by the time you're done reading your book, or playing several games, etc...your battery is gone! Then how does one make phone calls??

01-06-2009, 11:51 AM	#15
shighfield Groupie!? GROUPIE!?!? Posts: 319 Karma: 649 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: The Dirty Shwa Device: EBW 1150, Libra Color	I read ebooks for years on my PDA / Smartphone's. Started in 1999 with the Palm IIIe, and even have ereader installed on my HTC Touch. I switched to ereaders for the screen size, and the fact that my Palm Treo755p was only 8 months old and I wore out some buttons reading on it. The e-ink is beautiful and I could never go back to just reading on my phone / pda.

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