mobile devices

There is a whole raft of new ebook-capable mobile devices including of course the new Apple iphone. There are some which are dedicated entirely to ebooks. However we have to get our heads round this new concept.

For example, when I first saw the amazing Amazon Kindle wireless reading device advertised I didn't give it a second look as I completely missed the point of it.

It is incredibly versatile, not least because it comes with wireless Sprint connectivity¹

...more about the Amazon Kindle here

I'm not going to list all the features of all the devices here, as my main focus is on publishing electronic books. The important issue is to be aware of the increasing range of possible options people will have to view those publications. The true advantage of digital files - easy data transfer, manipulation and storage! The term 'pocket book' used to be a bit of a misnomer (unless you had very large pockets), but now, 'pocket library' is probably much more appropriate!

Paperless life?

There used to be a lot of talk about the paperless office, and it has always seemed a rather utopian concept. If anything computers seem to churn out huge quantities of unnecessary paper prints. Nowadays we are realising the true value of trees - the source of much of our paper, and with the rise of digital technology we can certainly dramatically cut down on the wastage. As hard copy books demand the best quality paper, anything that reduces our requirement for them must surely be a good thing. Also, have you noticed how heavy books are? Having lugged around so many books during my studies over the years, I have developed an aversion to carrying anything these days. The thought of a small digital device in my pocket with 200 titles is a very attractive one.

If this is the future, which surely it must be.
think of the market for ebooks!

Mobile devices have amazing advantages. Smaller, lighter and easier to read² than a laptop, you can have in one hand up to 200 titles. Plus web browsing and email and the ability to create and view Word or graphic files too. Besides the Amazon Kindle there are dedicated mobile devices from Sony, Hanlin, Willcom, Bookeen and iRex Technologies, (no, me neither), and enhanced capability for new Palm, Symbian, Blackberry, Windows Mobile, Apple iphone, Nokia etc. To view ebooks on these you may need to download the Free 'Mobipocket ebook Reader' software.

¹The wireless it uses is the Sprint high-speed data network (EVDO) so it's even independent of hotspots.

²They use a new technology called 'e-ink' specially developed for reading onscreen, with paper-like resolution which is much easier on the eye than normal computer screens.