Re: Re: "The Elusive E-book"

On May 8, 2008, at 7:32 PM, Aaron Walker wrote:

> The iPod and Apple iTunes had DRM upon release.
>
> I don't have an iPod or use iTunes but it hasn't been until recently  
> that Steve Jobs starting trumpeting the no DRM call.

Just for the record, Jobs was always against DRM, but the music  
companies insisted on it. Jobs called for an end to DRM long before  
the music companies gave anyone the go to sell music without DRM.

> The Franklin eBookman failed because it was a horribly designed  
> device that used a proprietary OS that ran on 3 AAA batteries. When  
> the batteries died, everything on the device was wiped, including  
> the OS! Who, in their right mind, would want a device like that even  
> back then?

Yeah, especially when flash RAM was still pretty cheap.

> And I still contend, Average Joe Consumer doesn't lose any sleep at  
> night over DRM. Once Average Joe Reader can get his hands on a cheap  
> reading device that will let him read for pleasure away from a  
> computer screen, we'll all see an upswing in our sales.

Not until they can't read what they like where they like and they lose  
a whole library because they change devices. THEN they are PISSED. Mot  
people don't understand what's the big deal over DRM until you explain  
that it means you have to buy everything, all over again, every time  
you change devices. THEN they understand.

> Apple needs to release an iReader, then all the hipsters will  
> "discover" reading again. This will force innovation in the field  
> where current makers will have to justify their prices and other  
> entrepreneurs will come in to make cheaper versions.

The iPod Video and iPhone are the perfect e-readers (except for the  
expense). But don't expect an ereader to come from Steve Jobs. He's  
openly ridiculed ebooks--and pbooks iirc. But with third party  
software becoming available for the iPhone/iPod, it's possible someone  
else might write one. heck, if the iPhone's Safari could access local  
documents, THAT would be a viable ereader.

> And it will probably be something very much like the eBookman:  
> smaller screen (maybe even 4 inch E ink), rechargeable battery, a  
> number of ways to read (PDF, txt, .doc, maybe even MobiPocket, PDB),  
> a few text size options and a simple way to transfer content,  
> perhaps hosted "in the clouds" on some server somewhere.

Let's wait and see. It sounds like a natural progression to the Google  
Books strategy.

dej

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