News - Prices tumble for Kindle and Nook e-readers

[HEXUS]

Amazon and Barnes & Noble jostle for post-iPad sales.

Read more.

[neonplanet40]

Am I bothered? Seriously what is the point of these things? Can't believe people are shelling so much out for the iPad either. Its amazing what marketing can achieve I guess for the ignorant masses.

[jim]

It makes sense to me, personally.

If I could get a newspaper on an e-reader every day, and have thirty or so of my favourite books stored on it permanently, along with 3-4 more that I was interested in having a look at, all crammed into a device that could fit in a coat pocket, I reckon I would use it a lot.

Obviously it would be dependent on price (device and books) and DRM restrictions, but I think the concept's a good one.

[mikerr]

Zinio.com (magazines like PC Pro, etc)
and Pressdisplay.com (all newspapers)
both have ipad apps which replace the paper versions very well.


Now they just have to wake up to pricing - I aint paying £4 an issue for the electronic version!

But for books, I actually use the kindle reader app on the ipad...

[Saracen]

It makes sense to me, personally.

If I could get a newspaper on an e-reader every day, and have thirty or so of my favourite books stored on it permanently, along with 3-4 more that I was interested in having a look at, all crammed into a device that could fit in a coat pocket, I reckon I would use it a lot.

Obviously it would be dependent on price (device and books) and DRM restrictions, but I think the concept's a good one.

I entirely agree with that, apart from the newspapers bit.

Unlike neon, I can see the point of e-readers, if the price (and availability) of both content and the devices is right, and if any DRM doesn't hinder me, as a legit purchaser, too much.

Price? Under £100, or for me, it's a non-starter. Will it get to that level? Dunno.

Content pricing Here's my biggest problem. Given a choice between book and e-book, I will go for the printed one every time. And I'm not forking over any significant part of that, again, for an e-version, let alone paying more for the e-version than the printed one as some vendors currently charge. That is just taking the p.... p.... proverbial.

What I expect is that if I buy the printed one, I get access to the e-version either included, or at best for a nominal charge. Will it happem? Dunno, but I'm not holding my breath.

Next, DRM. Once I've bought an e-version, I expect to be able to use it when and where I want. And I absolutely want to be able to move it, device to device. If one device packs up, I expect to be able to reload content to it's replacement, and the same applies if I upgrade the hardware. I will not buy into any device that uses a proprietary format where transfers to other devices aren't possible. I've been through that before, when you buy something on LP and they want you to buy it again on CD, or you buy it on DVD and they want you to buy it again on DVD. I'm not playing that game any more. In those examples, you've got physical media involved, so there's half a case for it, but when it's a case of deliberate DRM preventing you moving the content, well if the providers want to play that game they can, but they can play it without me, or with a lot of people that think like me.

So as for these price drops, it's a move in the right direction, but it's not enough, and it's not the only issue. I like the idea of e-readers and will go that route, but only when, and indeed if, these concerns are resolved.

[mikerr]

Its a speed / convenience issue, but the price could be less.

E.g. the other night someone mentioned the book "Heroes" by Robert Cormier, and I was able to read it later that night with a few clicks on my ipad (cost £3)

I've done similar with quite a few books, and am reading more than ever,

Yes, I probably could have gone to the library the next day and got it there,
but that's an hour out of my day (and libraries aren't open 24hr !).

[neonplanet40]

Dont get me wrong I like the idea of them but its the price of the ebooks that really does my head in. Most of the times it costs the same OR MORE than the paper version which I just dont understand at all and until that is fixed then I dont see the use of these devices.

[cheesemp]

Am I bothered? Seriously what is the point of these things? Can't believe people are shelling so much out for the iPad either. Its amazing what marketing can achieve I guess for the ignorant masses.

This comic sums it up nicely:

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/apple

[jim]

I agree.

The network transfer costs are negligible, so by buying an eBook we're effectively saying to the publisher

"Tell you what, I'll pay for your IP, and save you the effort of having to print, bind, and ship a physical book."

It saves them a fortune, so that needs to be passed onto the end-user - and currently it isn't.

[this_is_gav]

I don't see how an iPad can be put in the bracket as one of these. These can be used as eReaders. The iPad has a standard, reflective LCD, making it completely useless for reading out in the sun. You might as well stay in the library.

[jim]

Apple are doing their utmost to position it there though

[kingpotnoodle]

I don't see how an iPad can be put in the bracket as one of these. These can be used as eReaders. The iPad has a standard, reflective LCD, making it completely useless for reading out in the sun. You might as well stay in the library.

Not just out in the sun (park etc) but I know how much my phone and DS suffer even on the train when it's sunny, I couldn't read a book on it... eurgh!