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By hook or by book31 January 2008 The latest Nielsen Global Online Survey indicates that 85% of the world’s population has used the Internet to make a purchase, with books being the most purchased product. Considering the recent emergence of ‘e-books’ – such as Amazon’s hugely successful ‘Kindle’ device – this news appears rather surprising. With Panel & System Building recently placing more emphasis on multimedia services, the latest statistics make me question just where the future of book (and magazine) reading is headed.
On a global scale, book sales account for 43% of ALL purchases made online. With so much emphasis placed on electronic gadgets by the media (not least the recent 'format wars', which we discussed last week), it seems as though books are continuing to quietly soldier on in spite of the more outwardly-glamorous technology developments. But then, a book stands still. It can’t be upgraded in the same way as it’s electronic counterparts, and there’s very little manoeuvrability in terms of enhancements and additional features being added. Or so we thought, until Amazon changed the concept of a book as we know it by entering their ‘Kindle’ into the fray back in November 2007.
Claimed to be a “revolutionary wireless reading device”, this e-book reader offers the user the opportunity to read (and store) up to 200 books on a true-to-life screen size in an attempt to both replicate and enhance the true book-reading spirit. Independent of any computer-based program, the device stacks up at a rather costly $399, but this doesn’t seem to have deterred gadget fans, whose feisty purchases have led to the product selling out completely. Seemingly the iPod of e-book reading, the device enables over 90,000 titles to be downloaded at a fraction of the cost your local store is charging, and can even accommodate your requirements for daily newspapers. It is also lighter than a book (weighing in at 10.3 ounces), saves both space and paper (which the environmentally-inclined amongst you will surely appreciate), and allows the user to order a title at anytime, in any place. Dubbed as “the future of book reading” by popular author Michael Lewis, it almost seems too good to be true.
And at the moment, it is. Like any new piece of technology entering the field, it has its share of glitches. It’s impossible at this early stage to determine how severe and impactful these will turn out to be, but if they overcome problems such as lengthy page loading times and the lack of on-screen duration information, there’s no reason why the platform shouldn’t continue to expand over the coming years. The traditionalists will always have a soft spot for the printed page, as it makes a worthy addition to the living room décor, and offers a sense of permanence that otherwise doesn’t exist (in an e-book). Time will tell, but at this stage, there’s no reason why both could not potentially thrive in the marketplace. As for us here at Panel & System Building; we’re going to cover our bases and continue with both the print version and the online medium for the foreseeable future. The choice is yours!
- Simon Rowley Contact Details and Archive...Most Viewed Articles... |
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