Can't say I expected this, but Google will now be selling books... http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1937529,00.asp
So let me see if I understand this. I pay for a book and I can't actually have a copy to read in bed or when the power is off and my computer is down? What if I can't afford to be online, so I decide to read? This is not selling books and is probably another app that you sign away your rights to use it and allow it to search you hard drive for illegal digital media. This is not like amazon or any book store I've been in or shopped online at. I'll go to the library before I buy a book I can't take to the park and read. Maybe I wouldn't rant if they called it what it is, a digital media subscription. They will not be selling "books".
Yes. Many magazines or journals and even newspapers these days offer "electronic subscriptions". I'm simply not interested. As noppid suggested, I read most books and subscription publications either as reference materials (so I want the hard copy near me when I'm working) or in bed or in transit - an online copy wouldn't be any good to me and doesn't interest me in the slightest.
isnt there an ebook reader where you can download a book into digital format and read offline? I thought my mom had one a few years ago.
I think it's smart. It should drive the cost down, as you wouldn't be paying for printing. You could always print off sections you need to, the others leave them in digital format. I don't think this will fly for night-time novels. But for programming references and such it's a great idea. People already pirate these things in digital format like crazy
OK, what about the cost of the reader, the batteries for it, and the fact it is so fragile. It creates a new digital media niche to pay licensing to and buy equipment from. Nope, it's not cheaper or more convienient then a paper book. Sorry.
I actually like the concept of eBooks and the like. The only thing that's exremely limiting is the lack of a good affordable physical reader. I'd much rather have an digital collection that takes almost no space, and which I can carry with me wherever I go than lugging around heavy physical books... but then I want a reader that's worth it. With the "books" Google sells being online only I see a huge problem. Especially for people without broadband access. That simply won't be feasible.
I can see the advantage of both ways. However, I am still old fashioned to a point and would rather have my hands on the book or newspaper itself. I have tried digital subscriptions to the Wall Street Journal and others and just never could come to really like them.
it's really hard to read a screen as well. and you know what? i like books because when you read them you wear them out as well, they get dog eared, etc.........a piece of metal has no emotional value.
And I call that character. I enjoy having my collection of books. Also book appreciate in value if you have the right ones and they are kept in great shape. Try that with an e-novel.
Though I'm also a fan of traditional books (don't get me wrong), I really like the potential of the whole ebook thing. As I stated earlier the whole problem is with the reader aspect. There are some nice new readers coming to market, but they still remain too expensive to be of much use to the majority of people.
Well like all new products they eventually will come down in price as competition increases and the technology becomes more effecient. I will of course get one because I am a tech freak, but still will always prefer the old books and papers.
I love e-books personally. But this will be interesting to watch. Looking forward to the day where you can have a sheet of something similar to soft plastic, which is actually a flexible viewing pad. Could make reading e-books much easier
I think the way this turns out could be really interesting. Amazon has some real entrepreneurial spirit, look at their response to ebay. I think amazon is one of the companies who actually has a chance to resist and match google on innovation.
Well, Sony's new "E-ink" based reader looks like an excellent option, at least it's as close as the ideal I can think of.
Too true! In any case the reader is extremely expensive and it remains to be seen if it will allow you to use any content or only those dl from the Connect store. Apparently it Adobe® PDFs, personal documents, blogs, newsfeeds, and JPEGs. (Black and White). I'm sure other manufacturers will soon have similar if not much better, products available that's not propriety. Just check out the reader to see the clarity of the e-ink implementation: Sony Reader. Very cool.