iPad as e-book reader.
A few short weeks ago I posted on this blog that: The iPad is coming to a library near you, and I reported how the iPad is being touted as a ‘Game Changer’ for libraries.Well the library now has an iPad and as you will soon see, it is a very good device on which to search the library catalogue, play videos from youtube, read email, play games, surf the net, do your social networking, view your photos etc, etc, etc.
No doubt it’s a class act which has already sold millions. My problems with it are that its dearer than a good laptop and does a whole lot less and it forces you into the iTunes sphere of influence if you want to put anything on it. But that’s just me.If Santa is going to bring you an iPad, you would be mad to stop him.
No one intended that the iPad would find a role as a dedicated e-book reader. There are lots of other devices such as the Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble’s Nook, Sony’s Reader, etc, which are designed specifically as e-book readers. What’s the difference, I hear you ask, Veronica?
Just like your laptop or desktop computer the iPad has a backlit LED display. Dedicated e-book readers use a screen which does not have its own light source. They use e-ink and ambient light to replicate the experience of reading a paper book. Well it seems that contrary to expectations, a lot of users are choosing to ignore the dedicated e-book readers and have instead taken to reading e-books on the iPad. And because the iPad offers users a variety of e-book reader applications, you may have a choice of how your e-book displays on the iPad. Writing in The Wall Street Journal , Walt Mossberg reviewed e-book apps for the iPad and reported his findings. Mossberg stresses that he is looking at iPad apps, not e-book reading hardware and he makes the very salient point that the price of dedicated e-book readers has dropped substantially whilst an iPad is still at its original, expensive retail price. Makes for interesting reading.
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3 comments :
The author makes some interesting points. It seems like there are more advanced apps in the ipad. I have some concerns about the reflective screen aince reading this article about the ipad unveiling. I'd like to test this out for myself. I had a look at the ipad and it didn't seem too reflective under the ref room lights. I wonder how it would go outdoors.
After my first 10 minutes with the ipad I was stunned by the clarity of graphics. Certainly superior image quality to my Asus 10 inch netbook. And the highly responsive touch screen when reading ebooks is also impressive.
However, if ever had the urge to read Tolstoy on the train, the ipad is too big, too heavy and would not have enough battery charge. And, honestly, I'm not sure I could trust myself not to get distracted from my reading by all the other frivolous apps on there.
I'm not sure yet if e-ink's future is assured, given the wow factor of things like ipad, but my Sony Reader does the job for ultra-portability and battery life (they say you can read War and Peace 7 times before needing to re-charge).
So far, e-readers are not out to re-invent the reading experience, they merely mimic it in a more convenient format. I don't need animated graphics or web links when reading the latest Bill Bryson.
I suspect some kind of switchable backlit / e-ink hybrid tablet is around the corner.
Hi Karen,
Regarding your point about the reflective screen on the ipad, the previous generation of Sony Readers had that problem, but the new models have an almost non-refelctive screen. The only time you get a noticeable reflection is directly under a bright spot light (like in the Sony Central store!).
I am noticing that the Pearl e-ink screen of the Sony Reader is at it's best when in natural light, that is, outdoors (or indoors, near a window). Sunlight is definitely a friend of e-ink.
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