Tuesday, February 12, 2008

eBooks: what are your criteria?

So here's an article summing up what people want from an e-reader. It makes for interesting reading. I particularly sympathise with the view that "the technology has to be BETTER than paper, not just nearly as good." Totally.

Some promise is shown in the comments from a publisher who says "We have a definite need for an e-book reader that is very similar to a book, with large reading screens, but which allows bookmarking, note taking, and email…It should be thin, lightweight, open like a book with a screen on each side."

And I have a totally self-interested reason for applauding the view that "it should be comfortable to support with one hand and read from it in the traditional reading position." In 20 years of marriage, the standard question when my husband brings a book to bed is "Is that a one-handed book?" A book that can be handled with one hand leaves the other free to tickle my back as I drift off to blissful sleep, you see. There is no way I'm going to let him near a gadget that takes two hands to operate!

Oh - the "Kayrun" quoted is nothing to do with me (although I have seen my name erroneously spelt like that from time to time).

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