E-book readers suddenly became all the rage during 2009. The launch of Amazon's Kindle 2.0 and Kindle DX readers created a good deal of publicity for these devices. Other manufacturers responded with their own readers - Sony with its Daily Edition and Barnes and Noble with the Nook reader. Other companies - such as Microsoft and Apple - made it known that they had devices of their own in development and scheduled for release in the near future.
It is very easy, and perfectly understandable, when dealing with what are essentially consumer electronics devices, to focus on the technical aspects of the hardware involved. The Amazon Kindle has wireless connectivity, the Nook has a color screen, Sony's Daily Edition lets you lend books to your friends - and so on.
However, it's just possible that e-book readers could represent the biggest change in our reading habits since Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1440. This innovation allowed books to be mass produced using paper instead of expensive parchment or vellum. The cost of book publishing fell dramatically and books were, literally, placed in the hands of the common man.
There have been very few changes in the way that we read books since then. Of course, there have been advances in printing technology, computers and word processing have made the already existing process more efficient. Nevertheless, the end result has been pretty consistent - we read books which consist of paper bound between retaining covers with text printed upon it.
Publishers have been operating within certain confines as a result of the constant nature of their end product for centuries. They have produced a physical product, with print run costs and delivery fees associated with it.
The key thing to note about e-book readers is that they do not simply represent a more efficient way of carrying out the same process - they change all the rules, for publishers and readers alike. No physical product means that fewer materials are consumed - delivery charges are also very much reduced.
E-books are not only cheaper to publish and distribute, they are also - even after offsetting the materials that are required for the manufacture of the e-book reader hardware - better for the environment.
Publishers now have more possibilities for marketing both books and authors. If a publisher wished to highlight a particular author for example, then they could offer samples of their work either at very low prices or completely free. Another technique, which is rapidly growing in popularity, is to offer the first volume in a series free, in the expectation that the reader may go on to buy subsequent books in the series or other books by the same author.
On the Amazon website there are a large number of free Kindle books on offer. Other Kindle books on the site generally have the first chapter available as a free download. Prospective readers can try before they buy. This may well encourage readers to experiment a little and try new authors that they might otherwise have overlooked.
The strong focus on the new, sexy, hardware is perfectly understandable. However, in the longer term it will be the increased marketing opportunities and the ease of access afforded to readers that will make the difference in the way books are both published and read in the not too distant future.
It is very easy, and perfectly understandable, when dealing with what are essentially consumer electronics devices, to focus on the technical aspects of the hardware involved. The Amazon Kindle has wireless connectivity, the Nook has a color screen, Sony's Daily Edition lets you lend books to your friends - and so on.
However, it's just possible that e-book readers could represent the biggest change in our reading habits since Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1440. This innovation allowed books to be mass produced using paper instead of expensive parchment or vellum. The cost of book publishing fell dramatically and books were, literally, placed in the hands of the common man.
There have been very few changes in the way that we read books since then. Of course, there have been advances in printing technology, computers and word processing have made the already existing process more efficient. Nevertheless, the end result has been pretty consistent - we read books which consist of paper bound between retaining covers with text printed upon it.
Publishers have been operating within certain confines as a result of the constant nature of their end product for centuries. They have produced a physical product, with print run costs and delivery fees associated with it.
The key thing to note about e-book readers is that they do not simply represent a more efficient way of carrying out the same process - they change all the rules, for publishers and readers alike. No physical product means that fewer materials are consumed - delivery charges are also very much reduced.
E-books are not only cheaper to publish and distribute, they are also - even after offsetting the materials that are required for the manufacture of the e-book reader hardware - better for the environment.
Publishers now have more possibilities for marketing both books and authors. If a publisher wished to highlight a particular author for example, then they could offer samples of their work either at very low prices or completely free. Another technique, which is rapidly growing in popularity, is to offer the first volume in a series free, in the expectation that the reader may go on to buy subsequent books in the series or other books by the same author.
On the Amazon website there are a large number of free Kindle books on offer. Other Kindle books on the site generally have the first chapter available as a free download. Prospective readers can try before they buy. This may well encourage readers to experiment a little and try new authors that they might otherwise have overlooked.
The strong focus on the new, sexy, hardware is perfectly understandable. However, in the longer term it will be the increased marketing opportunities and the ease of access afforded to readers that will make the difference in the way books are both published and read in the not too distant future.
About the Author:
Find out more about Amazon's Kindle reader and see how you can save money by downloading free Kindle books direct from Amazon's Kindle store.
No comments:
Post a Comment