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From e-books to Borders: Trends and the Future of Publishing
January 12, 2011
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by Katie Steigman
Whether it's the upward trend of e-book sales, the growth of indie publishers, or the changes surrounding brick-and-mortar retailers, one thing is for certain--times they are a-changin'. Our very own Clint Greenleaf speaks to WritersCast.com about the current conditions and how things may change in the future. Read the article or listen to the broadcast here.
Are e-book trends sustainable? Will you ever part with your print books? Are authors starting to favor alternative publishing options over the traditional deal? Let us know what you think!
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Is Sony's Reader the Beginning of the End for Paper Books?
October 13, 2006
by Aaron Hierholzer
The reviews for Sony's Reader came out this week in the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal and while the reviews are favorable the end of paper books is not close at hand. The New York Times review of the Reader made several great points on the pros and cons of the e-book reader:
Pros:
1) Size: At slightly smaller than 5 inches by 7 inches and weighing in at 9 ounces, it can easily be taken with you on vacations and business trips.
2) Technology: "The Reader employs a remarkable new display technology from a company called E Ink. Sandwiched between layers of plastic film are millions of transparent, nearly microscopic liquid-filled spheres. White and black particles float inside them, as though inside the world’s tiniest snow globes. Depending on how the electrical charge is applied to the plastic film, either the black or white particles rise to the top of the little spheres, forming crisp patterns of black and white. The result looks like ink on light gray paper. The “ink” is so close to the surface of the screen, it looks as if it’s been printed there. The reading experience is pleasant, natural and nothing like reading a computer screen."
3) Power: You never have to turn the Reader off. The only time the Reader uses electricity is when you turn the page. And with one charge good for 7,500 page turns, you can read almost 16 books before having to charge the Reader back up.
Cons:
1) Lighting: Unlike a laptop where you can view the screen in bed with the lights out, Sony's Reader needs ambient light.
2) Search: Sony's Reader does not offer a search function, video or clickable links.
3) Price: Coming in at $350 and the price of the e-book you would like to read, which can run you anywhere from $8 and up, it might be an expensive gadget to buy when you can spend about 2% of that on a paper book at your local bookstore.
We all love gadgets, but there's something to be said about curling up in your favorite chair, reading a great book and turning those paper pages to see what is going to happen next.
To read the New York Times review on the Sony Reader go to http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/12/technology/12pogue.html.
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