Comments on: E-Books Have The Fame, But No Fortune Yet http://gigaom.com/2008/12/18/the-future-of-books-in-a-digital-world/ Trusted Insights and Conversations on the Next Wave of Technology Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:47:41 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: E-Books Are Hot, So Why Did E-Ink Sell for So Little? http://gigaom.com/2008/12/18/the-future-of-books-in-a-digital-world/#comment-949132 E-Books Are Hot, So Why Did E-Ink Sell for So Little? Mon, 01 Jun 2009 19:19:36 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=32592#comment-949132 <p>[...] e-books are now gaining mindshare, the overall sales of devices and books on such gadgets are still miniscule compared with those printed on dead trees. If E-Ink’s exit through this acquisition is a sign of what’s to come, that may bode [...]</p> [...] e-books are now gaining mindshare, the overall sales of devices and books on such gadgets are still miniscule compared with those printed on dead trees. If E-Ink’s exit through this acquisition is a sign of what’s to come, that may bode [...]

]]> By: Why the Kindle HD Can’t Save Newspapers http://gigaom.com/2008/12/18/the-future-of-books-in-a-digital-world/#comment-941955 Why the Kindle HD Can’t Save Newspapers Mon, 04 May 2009 16:03:35 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=32592#comment-941955 <p>[...] E-Books Have the Fame, But No Fortune GA_googleFillSlot("gigaom_ros_post_footer"); [...]</p> [...] E-Books Have the Fame, But No Fortune GA_googleFillSlot(“gigaom_ros_post_footer”); [...]

]]> By: Verizon’s Open Network Starts Slow But There’s Hope http://gigaom.com/2008/12/18/the-future-of-books-in-a-digital-world/#comment-920788 Verizon’s Open Network Starts Slow But There’s Hope Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:46:48 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=32592#comment-920788 <p>[...] from my own e-reader dreams, the news is welcome for those who have been curious as to how accessible Verizon’s open [...]</p> [...] from my own e-reader dreams, the news is welcome for those who have been curious as to how accessible Verizon’s open [...]

]]> By: Kindle Link Love - 26 December 2008 | Kindleist.com - Amazon Kindle News Blog http://gigaom.com/2008/12/18/the-future-of-books-in-a-digital-world/#comment-919286 Kindle Link Love - 26 December 2008 | Kindleist.com - Amazon Kindle News Blog Fri, 26 Dec 2008 09:15:08 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=32592#comment-919286 <p>[...] E-Books Have The Fame, But No Fortune Yet - GigOM [...]</p> [...] E-Books Have The Fame, But No Fortune Yet – GigOM [...]

]]> By: Alice http://gigaom.com/2008/12/18/the-future-of-books-in-a-digital-world/#comment-918799 Alice Sun, 21 Dec 2008 12:10:15 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=32592#comment-918799 <p>It is only a matter of time before e-book sales outperforms book sales, as the industry's own statistics show, e-book sales are profitable and growing at a phenomenal pace:</p> <p>http://www.idpf.org/doc_library/industrystats.htm</p> <p>With traditional print book sales declining at 20% per year, and e-book sales growing at 75% per year, I think we might get there before 2018.</p> <p>Alice -<a href="http://www.kindleist.com" rel="nofollow">kindleist.com</a></p> It is only a matter of time before e-book sales outperforms book sales, as the industry’s own statistics show, e-book sales are profitable and growing at a phenomenal pace:

http://www.idpf.org/doc_library/industrystats.htm

With traditional print book sales declining at 20% per year, and e-book sales growing at 75% per year, I think we might get there before 2018.

Alice -kindleist.com

]]> By: Coupon Center http://gigaom.com/2008/12/18/the-future-of-books-in-a-digital-world/#comment-918696 Coupon Center Sat, 20 Dec 2008 03:04:54 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=32592#comment-918696 <p>Great article! Your are right, I agree the demand for ebooks will be growing in the next years. But it will not replace books. There is nothing greater to have a book that you can read anywhere without using a piece of technology. I love my laptop but need to get away from it sometimes.<br /> Pascale</p> Great article! Your are right, I agree the demand for ebooks will be growing in the next years. But it will not replace books. There is nothing greater to have a book that you can read anywhere without using a piece of technology. I love my laptop but need to get away from it sometimes.
Pascale

]]> By: Rich Apps Consulting http://gigaom.com/2008/12/18/the-future-of-books-in-a-digital-world/#comment-918685 Rich Apps Consulting Fri, 19 Dec 2008 22:20:12 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=32592#comment-918685 <p>I believe, It is only matter of time, Soon ebooks will be able to make their place in the market</p> I believe, It is only matter of time, Soon ebooks will be able to make their place in the market

]]> By: Steve G. http://gigaom.com/2008/12/18/the-future-of-books-in-a-digital-world/#comment-918660 Steve G. Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:30:09 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=32592#comment-918660 <p>@Kevin: I've heard of Zinio before, just never took the plunge.</p> <p>@Stacey: Sadly, B&W is the current limitation of the eInk technology. Samsung had an interesting ad in Fortune a few issues ago, showing a rollable color screen. No timetable on that though. [sigh]</p> @Kevin: I’ve heard of Zinio before, just never took the plunge.

@Stacey: Sadly, B&W is the current limitation of the eInk technology. Samsung had an interesting ad in Fortune a few issues ago, showing a rollable color screen. No timetable on that though. [sigh]

]]> By: Gadget Sleuth http://gigaom.com/2008/12/18/the-future-of-books-in-a-digital-world/#comment-918653 Gadget Sleuth Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:57:23 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=32592#comment-918653 <p>Yep, there really isn't much money in them, so therefore no big market. A real DRM scheme needs to be come up with (by a major company) for e-books to really take off.</p> Yep, there really isn’t much money in them, so therefore no big market. A real DRM scheme needs to be come up with (by a major company) for e-books to really take off.

]]> By: tomlopy http://gigaom.com/2008/12/18/the-future-of-books-in-a-digital-world/#comment-918652 tomlopy Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:54:42 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=32592#comment-918652 <p>There's another technology called isoaps. Its audio books that are more like the old radio play. It uses a group of voice actors. NewFiction.com is one of the websites in this new field that may replace ebooks.</p> There’s another technology called isoaps. Its audio books that are more like the old radio play. It uses a group of voice actors. NewFiction.com is one of the websites in this new field that may replace ebooks.

]]> By: Chuck http://gigaom.com/2008/12/18/the-future-of-books-in-a-digital-world/#comment-918649 Chuck Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:15:03 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=32592#comment-918649 <p>Stacey - you subscribe to periodicals. You buy books. It depends on the time value of the information. Both mdels are needed. The DRM issue is real for books. What happens when the DRM vendor goes out of business or stops supporting the algorithm? Like Kevin, I've been reading ebooks since 2000. I've been burned.</p> Stacey – you subscribe to periodicals. You buy books. It depends on the time value of the information. Both mdels are needed. The DRM issue is real for books. What happens when the DRM vendor goes out of business or stops supporting the algorithm? Like Kevin, I’ve been reading ebooks since 2000. I’ve been burned.

]]> By: E-knygos populiarėja, bet… : nežinau.lt http://gigaom.com/2008/12/18/the-future-of-books-in-a-digital-world/#comment-918647 E-knygos populiarėja, bet… : nežinau.lt Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:07:15 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=32592#comment-918647 <p>[...] Amazon Kindle, Sony Reader ir Stanza programos iPhone telefonams elektroninės knygos jau pasiekė 2% visų parduodamų JAV knygų, bet… bet tie du procentai ekonomiškai dar yra labai nereikšmingi. Pagrindinėa kliūtys – [...]</p> [...] Amazon Kindle, Sony Reader ir Stanza programos iPhone telefonams elektroninės knygos jau pasiekė 2% visų parduodamų JAV knygų, bet… bet tie du procentai ekonomiškai dar yra labai nereikšmingi. Pagrindinėa kliūtys – [...]

]]> By: Stacey Higginbotham http://gigaom.com/2008/12/18/the-future-of-books-in-a-digital-world/#comment-918621 Stacey Higginbotham Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:27:12 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=32592#comment-918621 <p>Steve, just so you don't get your hopes too high, the PlasticLogic reader is monochromatic so far. It is cool, though.</p> Steve, just so you don’t get your hopes too high, the PlasticLogic reader is monochromatic so far. It is cool, though.

]]> By: Kevin C. Tofel http://gigaom.com/2008/12/18/the-future-of-books-in-a-digital-world/#comment-918614 Kevin C. Tofel Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:54:42 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=32592#comment-918614 <p>Steve G.: I highly recommend you look at Zinio (http://www.zinio.com) while you're waiting for a specific device. I've used them to subscribe to digital magazines for a few years and they provide a great solution. You can demo / view some magazines before signing up.</p> Steve G.: I highly recommend you look at Zinio (http://www.zinio.com) while you’re waiting for a specific device. I’ve used them to subscribe to digital magazines for a few years and they provide a great solution. You can demo / view some magazines before signing up.

]]> By: Steve G. http://gigaom.com/2008/12/18/the-future-of-books-in-a-digital-world/#comment-918609 Steve G. Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:42:22 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=32592#comment-918609 <p>The subscription model would be a bad idea. If I buy a book, I can sell it, give it away, etc. Plus, it often takes me months (if not longer) before I get around to reading a book I buy. As you might guess, I buy a lot of books (still haven't figured out why).</p> <p>I'm tantalized by the <a href="http://www.plasticlogic.com" rel="nofollow">Plastic Logic</a> reader. Thinner and sexier than the Kindle. (I have no connection with them.)</p> <p>Personally, I'm going to hold out for a device with a color screen where I can subscribe to and download magazines. Which seems like a viable way to continue some magazines, since you can eliminate the printing and mailing costs while maintaining subscribers. While I understand you can access some of the content online, I wouldn't want to open a laptop while I ride the bus or subway to work.</p> The subscription model would be a bad idea. If I buy a book, I can sell it, give it away, etc. Plus, it often takes me months (if not longer) before I get around to reading a book I buy. As you might guess, I buy a lot of books (still haven’t figured out why).

I’m tantalized by the Plastic Logic reader. Thinner and sexier than the Kindle. (I have no connection with them.)

Personally, I’m going to hold out for a device with a color screen where I can subscribe to and download magazines. Which seems like a viable way to continue some magazines, since you can eliminate the printing and mailing costs while maintaining subscribers. While I understand you can access some of the content online, I wouldn’t want to open a laptop while I ride the bus or subway to work.

]]> By: Stacey Higginbotham http://gigaom.com/2008/12/18/the-future-of-books-in-a-digital-world/#comment-918606 Stacey Higginbotham Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:48:47 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=32592#comment-918606 <p>Kevin, great point. As a heavy reader I like the subscription model for e-books, so I could access them on different devices for a monthly fee.</p> <p>pwb, I'm torn on DRM. It's so easy to copy books and I don't think people will pay for them if they don't have to. That being said, the inability to move content around on devices does punish the consumer who buys the current e-books. And in the real world, there's piracy and plagiarism for paper formats.</p> Kevin, great point. As a heavy reader I like the subscription model for e-books, so I could access them on different devices for a monthly fee.

pwb, I’m torn on DRM. It’s so easy to copy books and I don’t think people will pay for them if they don’t have to. That being said, the inability to move content around on devices does punish the consumer who buys the current e-books. And in the real world, there’s piracy and plagiarism for paper formats.

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