E-Books?

[Proud Liberal Dem]

I just recently found out that you can now buy books in "E-Book" format for computer viewing and was just wondering what everybody's thoughts/opinions are on them. What are some of the advantages/disadvantages of such a format? Are they worthwhile? I have started thinking about possibly buying a few. Normally, I don't buy a lot of books but I would like to be able to preserve whatever I buy and what better way to preserve them than in a digital format? Of course, the downside is that I could only view them on my home computer (although I do generally spend a lot of time on the computer anyway) and the selection of available titles, while decent, still seems somewhat limited at this time (from what I have seen anyway). Has anybody here ever purchased any and enjoy them?

[Book Lover]

1. One of my favorite subject for discussion!

Books in electronic format have advantages and disadvantages over paper books.

Books on paper, properly maintained (neutral pH paper and glues, low humidity and light storage conditions), will last for hundreds of years before disintegrating. There simply is no comparable electronic storage technology (not that there might not be one someday, but there is none now). I would not buy an e-book with the idea that that is the best way to preserve your purchase.

What types of books are you reading? If you want to purchase a reference book, e-books allow for excessively easy updating of facts, with no concern needed for the old copy. Paper books - well, you need to buy another copy, and then you have an outdated copy that needs recycling.

E-books need electricity. Someday we will have a solar-powered e-book reader with batteries to store excess sun-converted energy, but even so, paper books need nothing more than your eyes and a natural light source. And if you are sight-impaired, all you need is your hand to read the braille.

[MANative]

2. Another tangent on e-books is using

the digital text on an e-book reader. Being a total fan of both books and technology, I bought one of the very first e-readers to hit the market about 5 or 6 years ago. I'm now on my 3rd one - kept upgrading for models with larger capacity and better screen resolution. (Info available at ebookwise.com)

Since then, I've used ebooks for about 90% of my reading, and only bought paper books that were unavailable in e-formats. The great advantages of using the e-reader over reading on a computer screen, even a notebook, are portability and battery life. When I commuted into Manhattan every day, it was a fabulous way to always have reading material available on the train. In the early days, you could get some newspapers downloaded daily - NYT, WaPo, etc. Sadly, most have discontinued that service because early reaction was slow.

Another great advantage is the ability to create your own reading materials and download them into your e-reader. You can markup, annotate, edit, highlight, etc. on the device, too. There are thousands of books, essays, etc., available free or at very low cost ont eh web - all you need is quick conversion software at the very most - some formats will download directly (via USB connection to the device.)

My favorite thing is having literally dozens of books available at any time. I can pick what I want to read in the moment. The capacity can also be expanded using memory cards, like the ones used in digital cameras. I have about 80 books on my e-reader right now. Battery life is pretty good too - I get about 15 hours of reading off of a 45 minute charge cycle.

This long post to say... if you're thinking of going digital with your reading, go all the way to the device.

[Book Lover]

3. May I ask what reader you are using?

And thank you for reminding me of the greatest advantage of an e-reader: dozens if not hundreds of books in one tidy, portable, package.

[MANative]

4. Absolutely - I'm currently

using the Ebookwise 1150. Used to be manufatured by Sony, I believe, but was bought out by eBook Technologies, Inc. a couple of years ago. Check out ebookwise.com for more info. They currently sell for about $125 - I think that may include an extra memory card. If it doesn't currently, they often run specials where they throw one in. There are several websites and message boards that have more info - including a couple on Yahoo. Another website, which is affiliated, is fictionwise.com.

[Book Lover]

18. It's a cute li'l device

Do you find the weight bothers you ever? (If I'm sounding a little too much like a focus group coordinator, please stop me! I work in publishing and so am intensely curious as to why people like or dislike e-readers.)

[MANative]

19. It's really not that heavy - only 1.1 lbs

Very comparable to a good-size hardcover book in weight, but with a smaller footprint. Just slightly larger than a paperback at about 7" by 5.5". Ask anything you like - you'd be stunned at how many nice people I've met on trains and planes who just wanted to know "what's that thing you have?" :)

[Book Lover]

22. Well, you asked for it...

When reading fiction, do you find that not having a tactile sense of where you are in the book affects the pacing of your own reading? That is, are you surprised when you get to the end of a book?

And do you read in single-page mode, or view the pages as if on a spread?

How many books do you keep on it at once?

Would you consider upgrading to a color version when those are available, even if you are still mainly reading text-only books?

[MANative]

24. Let's take these in order...

Not really, because there is a "progress bar" and page # indicator at the bottom of the page, so I do have a very good sense of where I am.

You use the buttons on the side of the device as a page turner, so it's just like a paper book in that you read what's on the screen, then click the button to advance to the next page.

I generally have at least 50 books at a time, and probably a max of about 120. I've never hit more than 40% of the device's capacity, even with some monster volumes (1000+ pages)

There are color versions available, and I decided not to go that way, as the vast majority of what I read is pretty simple text. It will translate pictures into grayscale images, and the resolution is pretty good. The color devices are significantly more expensive - usually start around $400 compared to the $100 I paid for this one when I bought it.

Keep askin' if you got 'em ;)

[Kutjara]

5. Other posters on this thread have made excellent points in favor of ebooks.

I'll just add a contrarian perspective. The major advantages of paper books are portability, legibility and damage tolerance. Until recently, ebook readers were fairly hard on the eye, becoming tiring after long sessions. The latest Sony reader, however, is much better, with a legibility approaching that of paper - under the right lighting conditions. Try to use one on the beach or in sunlight, however, and you run into the Achilles' heel of modern display technologies: they offer lousy contrast in bright light. Again, the Sony model is better than most, but the one I demoed in my local Borders was unreadable near the window. Paper books have excellent contrast under a wide range of lighting conditions.

Another problem with some ebook readers also stems from the LCD technology used for their displays. LCDs work by polarizing light to produce an image. This is fine under normal conditions, but put on a pair of polarizing sunglasses, and you'll be staring at a blank screen. The polarizing filters of sunglasses are (generally) at right angles to the filters used in LCDs, which effectively filters out 100% of the light coming from the screen.

Moving onto portability, while the batteries in the latest models of ebook readers are fairly longlasting (up to 20 hours in some cases), you still need regular access to a power socket to charge them up. Also, the batteries will wear out over time, requiring replacement. You are therefore at the mercy of the manufacturer of the reader to keep making compatible battery packs (most of the readers on the market use non-standard, proprietary batteries). Once they stop making the batery packs, you'll only be able to use the reader when it's plugged into the wall. The rigid form-factor and often larger-than-paperback size makes eBooks less casually portable: you can't cram one into a hip pocket, for example.

Paper books are also damage tolerant in ways that eBook readers aren't. You can throw a paper book into a suitcase or handbag and go. eBook readers need more careful handling if the screen is to be kept free of scratches and cracks.

Finally, I don't know of any ebook reader that's waterproof. If you use it in the bath or beside the pool, you run the risk of fritzing your expensive investment if it gets wet.

eBook readers are a great technology with excellent potential, and are very useful for reference works and any materials that change regularly, but I wouldn't yet use them for leisure reading, except possibly within the confines of my home or office.

[MANative]

6. You're right about the contrast difficulties...

and my latest e-reader is vastly better than the previous two. The biggest problem, as you noted, is in very bright sunlight. I'm not much of an outdoors person, so it tends not to be an issue for me. I'm much more likely to use it in low-light situations, such as in bed. Never disturbs DH with the lamp by the bed - he's most grateful for that. :)

I've had my current reader for about 3 years, and the battery still charges fully. If I have it set at the lowest light levels, it will go for about 20 hours before needing a recharge. I typically have it set for a little more contrast and brightness, so I get between 15 and 16 hours of power.

Another problem is that there are still a limited number of publishers who offer selections in both print and digital formats. I've found that lately, there have been a few more joining the bandwagon. when you can get a title in e-formats, it's usually about 15 to 20% less expensive than full-price hardcover. There are a few authors who are very committed to publishing in e-formats. One is Dan Brown of "daVinci Code" fame. I bought the e-format of that book the very day it was released, along with the hardcover.

Depending on where and when you plan to use them, the readers can be fabulous or a flop!

[Solon]

7. This is going to sound funny...

But I use the Nintendo DS, usually in conjunction with a shell, like DSOrganize to read E-Books. Advantages of this is that it is a cheap solution, the Game System is only a little over 100 bucks, and is flexible enough to use.

Advantages are that the E-Books are usually DRM free, and you can edit them directly using a touchscreen keyboard. Disadvantages are that you are usually limited to HTML or Text files, and can't use PDF. Though, I'm thinking of writing a plugin to read PDF for DSOrganize. One other disadvantage is that you need to get a third party flash reader/writer for the game systems. The advantage of using these is that they usually use standard SD/Compact Flash carts, upwards of several Gigabytes of memory. Most of the E-Books I get are from the Gutenburg library, which is a free E-Book service, for books whose copyright has LONG expired or never existed, classics like Huckleberry Finn, Arabian Nights, and many others are available.

I also like the fact that the DS Lite is tough, I can fit it in a pocket, and because it folds up, both of its screens are protected. Also it has a variable back-light display, so reading in sunlight, unless the screen is directly in sunlight, isn't that much of a problem. Also its battery life is rather long, up to 20 hours when not using it for anything more than E-Book reading. There is even a DS E-Book reader that is set sideways, so you can see two "pages" on both screens.

Not to mention, and this probably adds to the value, but the system is multi-purpose when used in this manner, its not just an E-Book reader, its a Media Player, Game System, and, with DSLinux, I can network to my computer and browse my much larger collection of E-Books on the computer, or go on the Internet and read books or anything else on there, including E-mail and even some Instant messaging, at no extra charge.

[Kutjara]

8. That's a really interesting setup.

I'd never thought of using the DS in that way. It's a great little machine, but I had no idea it was so flexible. Not that it matters much, given I can't get one for love or money. They always seem to be sold out. Trust me to have bought a Sony PSP. There are PLENTY of those on the shelves. Doh!

[Solon]

15. The only problem is that it isn't built in...

The PSP was intended as a multi-purpose device, the DS wasn't, but that doesn't stop some intrepid people from making the right hardware for the DS to expand its capability. The DS has two slots, one for GBA cartridges, called Slot 2, and one for DS cards, called Slot 1. Since the DS was released, you could buy third party GBA type catridges Slot2 devices with Compact Flash or SD slots, to expand capability of the system. Some are designed for the DS Phat system, so if used on a DS lite, they would stick out of the system a little bit, however, now some are for the DS lite(won't work with the first model) that use Mini or MicroSD cards. The software used on Slot 2 devices are usually limited to GBA compatible software only, however, you can "trick" the DS into using DS software from the Slot 2 by using a "Pass thru" card on the DS using slot 1.

Now you can buy Slot one cards that are "all in one" with a MicroSD slot built into them, so the previously complicated setup is simpler. The main advantage is less hardware to buy, the main disadvantage is that Slot 2 can be used to expand the RAM of the DS, allowing things like DSLinux to run on the system, but Slot 1 can't be used like that. Nintendo themselves are releasing the Opera Web browser for the Nintendo DS, the software will be a Slot 1 card, and extra RAM will be on a slot 2 cartridge. In Japan, Nintendo released an "official" media player for the GBA that is compatible with the DS called the Play-Yan, and in the U.S. there is the Nintendo MP3 player. I prefer homebrew software for this type of stuff, usually, while some is amaturish in design, it works well enough and also uses standard, rather than proprietary, formats, and allows you to tweak the system yourself, so it'll work the way you want, rather than what some other company wants it to work.

You can even use the DS as a WiFi MythTV remote control, with a lighted display of all things!

The only difficulty in getting stuff like this to work is that most of the third party hardware you have to buy online, even Amazon sells some of it, most of the hardware, besides the flash cards themselves, are less than 50 bucks, and you can of course buy the flash cards, in whatever format, where convenient. The only exception is the Media Max player for the Nintendo DS, I found it, for retail, at Best Buy, but it seems overpriced, oversized, and isn't compatible with most homebrew software. Personally, I use Supercard Lite MicroSD, I love it because it doesn't change the form factor of my DS Lite, the thing is small, and the MicroSD cards are the size of your fingernail!

Sorry you are having difficulty finding the Nintendo DS, its almost as hard to find as the Wii, which I'm trying to buy now, my ENTIRE area is sold out at least till Sunday, I called EVERY retailer and couldn't find it at all. It sucks. Sometimes I wish these things weren't so damned popular. :( Even then, the Wii will be sold out in a half hour, I guess I'll have to stand in line in the "Wii" hours of the morning to get the damned thing. (ha! made a Wii pun without it being a penis joke! :)) My Brother in Law bought one about 2 weeks ago, had to stand in line for 3 stinking hours waiting for Best Buy to open, how messed up is that?

[Kutjara]

21. Thanks for the great info! To me, the real difference between the DS and....

...the PSP is that the DS has built up a community of modders and enthusiasts, which, in turn, has motivated manufacturers to produce tons of accessories. Nintendo have stood back and let an ecosystem develop around their product, which fuels a large and growing market for the DS.

Sony's closed-shop approach to the PSP (and ongoing attempts to thwart modders by continually "updating" the software to make the latest and greatest tweaks unworkable) has created a sterile platform that does little more than play games. In my case, after the initial glow had worn off, I put it aside for about six months until I got my PS3. At least now I can download some classic PS1 games to my PS3 and play them on the PSP, but that's more of a nostalgia gimmick than a compelling feature. Sony are promising in future that you'll be able to use the PSP as a remote media player for the PS3 (sort of like a handheld Slingbox setup), but Sony's "one day" usually turns out to be "never."

Nintendo, after a couple of dud generations of console, appear to have knocked two out of the park with the DS and the Wii. PS3s and PSPs are stacked to the rafters in my local Best Buy and Fry's, while my enquiries about availability of a DS or Wii are met with laughter. Oh well...

[Book Lover]

12. Small point about waterproofing

You can use something like a Panasonic Toughbook, which is waterproof (and hinged in such a way that you can hold it in "tablet" mode). But then you get into the large form factor...

[Kutjara]

14. Good point. There are certainly ruggedized laptops and PDAs...

...that can do the job, but problems like size, battery life and portability become more acute as size increases. Also, I'd be a little miffed if I left my $7.95 paperback on the bus, but I'd be a lot more miffed if I forgot my $1,500 laptop.

[Book Lover]

16. Very true

Heck, I'd be torqued if I left my $200 PDA on the train! (That's what I use as my e-book reader - a Sony Clie).

[jpgray]

9. Books are better. Unless I wanted to read Tract Home Chippie or summat I wouldn't want on my shelf

On second thought I do want that on my shelf.

[EFerrari]

10. I thought I would like it but didn't. It was too hard to arrange

my pillows and my laptop at the same time. :shrug:

[Pacifist Patriot]

11. I'm an old fuddy duddy. I even print Monday's Top-10

to read it. There is just something about having printed material in my hand. Reading is as much a tactile as mental activity to me. I'm also interactive with my books. I make notes, highlight, tag, etc. I realize there are purists that cringe when they see that, but I have virtual dialogues with my books sometimes. Can't do it with an e-book. I hate the thought of what I'm doing to so many trees, but then again, I can read by candlelight.

[MANative]

13. Actually, you can do virtually everything

you mentioned on an e-reader. You can highlight, edit, annotate, bookmark right on the device - it's like using a PDA with a stylus. And because of the backlighting, you can read in zero light, if you so choose. The only thing you can't do is feel the paper. :) I do still love my paper books, but when I'm traveling, it's a lot easier to pack a 1.1 pound device that contains 100+ books than to pack even 3 or 4 hardcovers.

[Pacifist Patriot]

17. My nod to technology is my MP3 player.

I wish more books were recorded for audio. I know that doesn't give me the opportunity to mark it up, but I also thoroughly enjoy listening to books.

[MANative]

20. When I traveled by car a lot from CT to NJ for work

I listened to books on tape. While I found them enjoyable, they tended to make me drowsy if the reader was too mellow. Not a good thing on the NJ Turnpike!!!

[Redstone]

23. No fucking way. I'll keep reading the kind of books that don't need batteries.

Redstone

[Babel_17]

25. My favorite (and free) software e-book reader is yBook

http://www.spacejock.com/yBook.html?yBook