Two new electronic book products (the SoftBook and the PocketBook) have gathered extensive press coverage, including articles in ABC News, the New York Times, San Jose Mercury News, and WIRED.
Two
new
electronic
book
products
(
the
SoftBook
and
the
PocketBook
)
have
gathered
extensive
press
coverage
,
including
articles
in
ABC
News
,
the
New
York
Times
,
San
Jose
Mercury
News
,
and
WIRED
.
An electronic book (e-book) is a book-length publication in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, and produced on, published through, and readable on computers or other electronic devices.
An
electronic
book
(
e-book
)
is
a
book-length
publication
in
digital
form
,
consisting
of
text
,
images
,
or
both
,
and
produced
on
,
published
through
,
and
readable
on
computers
or
other
electronic
devices
.
Different from a traditional printed book, e-books are born digital.
Different
from
a
traditional
printed
book
,
e-books
are
born
digital
.
Being a firm believer in tablet computers for many tasks not involving heavy data entry, I applaud these new designs of the products.
Being
a
firm
believer
in
tablet
computers
for
many
tasks
not
involving
heavy
data
entry
,
I
applaud
these
new
designs
of
the
products
.
In particular, the SoftBook has nice leather binding, going far beyond the traditional (and boring) industrial design used for other portable computers.
In
particular
,
the
SoftBook
has
nice
leather
binding
,
going
far
beyond
the
traditional
(
and
boring
)
industrial
design
used
for
other
portable
computers
.
The PocketBook has a more traditional industrial design, typical of leading electronic gadgets.
The
PocketBook
has
a
more
traditional
industrial
design
,
typical
of
leading
electronic
gadgets
.
Unfortunately, neither company mentions their product's screen resolution.
Unfortunately
,
neither
company
mentions
their
product
's
screen
resolution
.
Low-resolution monitors (including all computer screens until now) have poor readability: people read about 25% slower from computer screens than from printed paper.
Low-resolution
monitors
(
including
all
computer
screens
until
now
)
have
poor
readability
:
people
read
about
25
%
slower
from
computer
screens
than
from
printed
paper
.
Scientists believe that only the screen with 300 dpi displays has the same reading speed as print.
Scientists
believe
that
only
the
screen
with
300
dpi
displays
has
the
same
reading
speed
as
print
.
So unless they have much better screens, electronic books will have a problem.
So
unless
they
have
much
better
screens
,
electronic
books
will
have
a
problem
.
A project called "the last book" is getting much attention, which aims at producing a computer in the form of a folio: a set of pages using "digital ink".
A
project
called
``
the
last
book
''
is
getting
much
attention
,
which
aims
at
producing
a
computer
in
the
form
of
a
folio
:
a
set
of
pages
using
``
digital
ink
''
.
Users would move forward in the information by turning pages just as they do in a printed book.
Users
would
move
forward
in
the
information
by
turning
pages
just
as
they
do
in
a
printed
book
.
Hopefully, the scientists will eventually invent a way to make the "digital ink" display characters at a high enough resolution to gain the same reading speed as print.
Hopefully
,
the
scientists
will
eventually
invent
a
way
to
make
the
``
digital
ink
''
display
characters
at
a
high
enough
resolution
to
gain
the
same
reading
speed
as
print
.
Even when e-books gain the same reading speed as print, they will still be a bad idea.
Even
when
e-books
gain
the
same
reading
speed
as
print
,
they
will
still
be
a
bad
idea
.
Page turning remains a bad interface, even when it can be done more conveniently than by clicking the mouse on a "next page" button.
Page
turning
remains
a
bad
interface
,
even
when
it
can
be
done
more
conveniently
than
by
clicking
the
mouse
on
a
``
next
page
''
button
.
Another problem is that most e-book publishers do not warn their customers about the real meaning of the digital rights management (DRM) tied to their products.
Another
problem
is
that
most
e-book
publishers
do
not
warn
their
customers
about
the
real
meaning
of
the
digital
rights
management
(
DRM
)
tied
to
their
products
.
Generally they claim that it is meant to prevent copying of the e-book.
Generally
they
claim
that
it
is
meant
to
prevent
copying
of
the
e-book
.
However, in many cases it is also possible that it will result in the complete denial of access by the purchaser to the e-book.
However
,
in
many
cases
it
is
also
possible
that
it
will
result
in
the
complete
denial
of
access
by
the
purchaser
to
the
e-book
.
The e-book is tied to a specific computer or device.
The
e-book
is
tied
to
a
specific
computer
or
device
.
In these cases, the DRM will usually let the purchaser move the book a limited number of times after which they cannot use it on any additional devices.
In
these
cases
,
the
DRM
will
usually
let
the
purchaser
move
the
book
a
limited
number
of
times
after
which
they
can
not
use
it
on
any
additional
devices
.
If the purchaser upgrades or replaces their devices, they may lose access to their purchase.
If
the
purchaser
upgrades
or
replaces
their
devices
,
they
may
lose
access
to
their
purchase
.
Some forms of the DRM depend on the existence of online services to authenticate the purchasers.
Some
forms
of
the
DRM
depend
on
the
existence
of
online
services
to
authenticate
the
purchasers
.
When the company that provides the service goes out of business or decides to stop providing the service, the purchaser will no longer be able to access the e-book.
When
the
company
that
provides
the
service
goes
out
of
business
or
decides
to
stop
providing
the
service
,
the
purchaser
will
no
longer
be
able
to
access
the
e-book
.
Two new electronic book products (the SoftBook and the PocketBook) have gathered extensive press coverage, including articles in ABC News, the New York Times, San Jose Mercury News, and WIRED.  An electronic book (e-book) is a book-length publication in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, and produced on, published through, and readable on computers or other electronic devices. Different from a traditional printed book, e-books are born digital.  Being a firm believer in tablet computers for many tasks not involving heavy data entry, I applaud these new designs of the products. In particular, the SoftBook has nice leather binding, going far beyond the traditional (and boring) industrial design used for other portable computers. The PocketBook has a more traditional industrial design, typical of leading electronic gadgets.  Unfortunately, neither company mentions their product's screen resolution. Low-resolution monitors (including all computer screens until now) have poor readability: people read about 25% slower from computer screens than from printed paper. Scientists believe that only the screen with 300 dpi displays has the same reading speed as print. So unless they have much better screens, electronic books will have a problem.  A project called "the last book" is getting much attention, which aims at producing a computer in the form of a folio: a set of pages using "digital ink". Users would move forward in the information by turning pages just as they do in a printed book. Hopefully, the scientists will eventually invent a way to make the "digital ink" display characters at a high enough resolution to gain the same reading speed as print.  Even when e-books gain the same reading speed as print, they will still be a bad idea. Page turning remains a bad interface, even when it can be done more conveniently than by clicking the mouse on a "next page" button.  Another problem is that most e-book publishers do not warn their customers about the real meaning of the digital rights management (DRM) tied to their products. Generally they claim that it is meant to prevent copying of the e-book. However, in many cases it is also possible that it will result in the complete denial of access by the purchaser to the e-book. The e-book is tied to a specific computer or device. In these cases, the DRM will usually let the purchaser move the book a limited number of times after which they cannot use it on any additional devices. If the purchaser upgrades or replaces their devices, they may lose access to their purchase. Some forms of the DRM depend on the existence of online services to authenticate the purchasers. When the company that provides the service goes out of business or decides to stop providing the service, the purchaser will no longer be able to access the e-book.