E-Book the Sequel (2006)
While SONY got our attention most recently, because of their Digital Rights Management approaches and the resulting backlash, let us look at them in a more positive light. This time, its e-book the sequel. Sony demonstrated their latest attempt at the e-book at the recent International CES trade show for the electronic gadget industry in Las Vegas.
Rumors are floating all over the web. After scouring through several web sites, I have put together this probable list of features: This new device is reportedly to be priced in the range of an iPod – $300-500 USD. It will use E Ink (from E Ink Corp, Cambridge Mass) which uses black dots on a white background to create an experience similar to reading black type on paper. It builds on the Sony Librie e-book; which was released in Japan, but failed to gain wide market acceptance. It is expected that this technology will allow users to read approximately 15 books before having to recharge the device. This device will not deal with proprietary or restrictive formats; problems that appear to have stymied acceptance of the Librie. It is expected to read multiple document formats including PDFs. It should be about 9 ounces and the size of a thick magazine. It will be readable in bright light situations; including sunlight. It is expected to hold about 80 ‘averaged sized’ books.
The business model appears to learn from SONY’s market losses to Apple in the music market; after having dominated this market with the Walkman for a number of years. Deals are reported to be in place with various publishers to provide content.
For any of you who thinks we should give up the fight and stop trying — I remind you of the many devices that preceded the Palm before its roaring success — including the Apple Newton, Sharpe Wizard, PSION, etc. In many cases, we iterate forward until we create a device which finds traction.
While all of the buzz is about consumer use of this device, imagine the resources a lawyer could carry on one of these devices and its possible use for reference purposes.
Want to learn more? try this Business Week article as a start.
Hi Joel:
Thanks for this item. I saw a news release on the new Sony e-book.
As an avid Pocket PC user, I laugh a little bit at these sorts of products and at iPods since Pocket PC’s can do both of these tasks (read books and play music) in addition to also being a word processor, spreadsheet, database, game player, etc.
Now I am no fan of Microsoft per se, and their eReader for the Pocket PC comes with DRM, but it is not that onerous and there are plenty of public domain books available. I don’t want to sound like a sell out here since I have problems with a lot of DRM but I find my Pocket PC (a Toshiba e-800, by the way) a useful tool (albeit primarily an organizer and a toy on which to play Scrabble and Sudoku while riding the subway).
I assume the same could be said of Palm-based PDA’s but I like the Pocket PC because of its ability to sync with Microsoft Outlook on my desktop.
The perennial e-book. Always just around the corner. But you’re right, Joel: the vendors will keep whacking away at it until something clicks and the planets are aligned. Then it’ll take off. My own thought is that it’ll take e-paper to make it happen. Didn’t McLuhan have stuff to say about the difference between rear projection and projection from the front? Computer screens are rear projection things and maybe that’s part of why people don’t like reading on them.