DEMATERIALIZATION OF BOOKS
Books were maybe one of the first plain old media object to be de dematerialized… Startingthe 20th century, new media were appearing (1st half radio, 2nd half tv), and there were the ideal way of broadcasting books… Yes audio-books were created. As mentionned, at the beginning it was as radio broadcast, then as audio-books on tapes, then CD and today podcast and mp3. Audio-Book were (and are still today) successful, never having a wide audience, but always existing in all area ; leisure (all ages), learning (foreign languages, primary language), education.
But now, today, we are in a new step of dematerialization of books ; now we are speaking about EBOOKS, E-INK, EBOOK-READER… We are in the second step of dematerializing the BOOK.
DIGITAL READER
BOOKS were object. Logically the first step of dematerialization is to have a new object for BOOKS.
So we have these EBOOK READERS, a tablet-design, with a special display (an electronical ink), and a user experience which should like reading a book.
The result is most of the time nice, reading is easy. Only the size of the display may be too smal for now.
Lots of companies are now providing their reader, but we will focus on major models, which everyone can find in France for example.
1. Sony Reader(s)
Sony is proving two generations of Readers (around 6 models). The last generation is having touch screen.
Most of them are nice looking, intuitive, and giving acceptable performance.
2. Amazon Kindle(s)
I was not tested thes models. A very good approach ; most recent models are integration a free to use mobile capabilities (for downloading books). These are nice looking models.
Users on internet seem to be satisfied on the quality and capabilities (except the non-support of EPUB format).
3. Cybooks Opus and Gen3
Nice looking, agressive price, good screen. A real challenger for the other models.
4. other
iRex models are no more findable in France. It’s a shame, old prototype were really interesting.
DIGITAL FORMAT
1. EPUB
As you may know EPUB is the digital format which is on the way of being adopted by everyone for publishing digital BOOK. This format created in 2007 by the Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) is an open format successing to Open EBOOK format. EPUB is currently being adopted by all the major Publishing Toolchain (including adobe’s one) and Reader (including Sony, iRex, Booken etc).
Usability : EPUB Books are always very clean, fast and nice to read.
2. AMAZON
Amazon is the only platform which doesn’t support directly EPUB. Some ways aroud are however existing . Currenlty it’s only supporting it’s own propreietary format and mobipocket one. Amazon is the only platform which still relies on closed form (for Publishing Toolchain and Reader).
Usability : Seems that Amazon eBooks are smooth, clean and nice to read (usabili
3. PDF
PDF is supported on most of the Readers.
Usabilty : PDF reading is not really possible on most of the reader. Reader cannot scale in good conditions the pdf book, and in normal size text are not readable (tested on Sony Touch Reader).
DIGITAL MARKET
Publishers and authors were getting 7-15% of the price for physical books. With EBOOKS they get arount 25% for digital books.
Prices of EBOOKS range as physical books and prices are quite the same between digital and physical ones.
MARKET PLACE FOR EBOOKS
Most of the READERS are coming with built-in EBOOKS. Except that EBOOKS are ussually distributed on internet.
1- France special case : la Fnac
In france we have a major company is pushing EBOOKS. FNAC is everywhere in France (major cities) and has a well known website. This website is distributing EBOOKS here http://livreelectronique.fnac.com/.
The price are not really cheap but the offer is very interesting and there is no DRM on the EBOOKS sold. Fnac was selling 40.000 EBOOKS in 2009.
2- Amazon
More than 400.000 ebooks available (only english one) available on the Kindle integrated shopping area. EBOOKS are bought on device and downloaded at a low speed rate with 3G or EDGE.
Very innovative way of distributing the EBOOKS.
3- Internet shops
Some website are proposing EPUB books to download.
Major publisher have also an EPUB strategy and online bookshop project.
AND… THE THIRD STEP ?
As we can see, we are on the way of having an EBOOK READER as a new device in our life.
Other devices like personnal computer, tv set or mobile phone are not ok for reading books.
The personnal computer due to his screen size (16/9) is not a good device for reading. The TV set is not transportable. And the mobile phone has a too small resolution and screen size.
But what about the coming internet tablet ? (Apple, Dell, HP, Microsoft, Android…). Personnaly I thing that these kind of devices running on MacOSX, Windows or Android may be very good READER.
But it will depend on the approach of the manufacturer. Not sur for example that Apple will include an EBOOK READER software on its TABLET… Not sure also that PUBLISHER will also authorise the distribution on other devices than the tablets. The response will come very rapidly and hopefully there will be very good surprise.