Now, when we think of a comparable breakthrough moment for the reading experience, many wonder if it happened 7 months ago with the release of the Kindle, but I would argue it really happened just under 700 years ago with our friend, Mr. Movable Type, Gutenberg, himself.
Think about it. Since then, the experience of reading has changed very little. They come in all shapes and sizes. Mobility isn’t much of a problem. And as those traditionalists always say, I like books because you can curl up with them in bed, or read them in the bath.
So, I guess the point I’m trying to make is, unlike the music business the relationship customers have with the printed book is still quite strong and have been meeting the experience expectation for hundreds of years. And I don’t say this because I’m overly sentimental traditionalist. But I do think it’s an important time to remind ourselves that the printed book still provides an excellent user experience. And this is a real strength that only enhances our position in a digital age.
Oh dear god.
Bezos is right: You're All Doomed!
If the best you can come up with is tradition, "mobility" (wtf?), and that refuge of dinosaur reactionaries, "you can curl up with them in bed," then yes, baby, You Are Doomed.
Traditions change. Ask anyone who has the Torah, Bible, or Koran in e form if they'd like to give it up to go back to p.
Mobility. Are you serious?! I can carry a library in a pocket. A full freakin library. Let me see you do that with print. And if you happen to live in a flood zone, or brush fire zone, or earthquake zone, good luck grabbing that ginormous library of print and fleeing! Even if I happen to lose an e-reader, chances are the books are waiting in the Cloud ready to reincarnate themselves with a simple re-download. Your wet, burnt, or crushed tomes? Sayonara, baby!
You can curl up with them in bed. What stops you from doing that with e? Or do you actually read until you pass out and awake in the morning to find you've crumpled all the pages of your precious p edition? And, hey, guess what? There's an entire generation already curling up with e -- their cellphones, txting thru the nite!
You are doomed on your current course. Get that through your dull Suit heads! Iceberg Apple is going to gut your industry just like that fatal collection of hard water did to that "unsinkable" ship once called Titanic!
These oblivious pep-talk cheerleaders for a doomed industry always crack me up.
Previously here: -- due to a posting anomaly I have not yet fixed here, these links will go to the Wordpress blog.
Sometimes Free Doesn’t Even Tempt Me
Reference: Twenty Free eBook Sites
Book Screening: All Book Trailers!
Limited-Time Free iPhone eBook
This Made Me Snort
First-Time Author Article Is Suspect
The Last Gasps Of Dying Print
More About That ECTACO jetBook eBook Reader
Sony Fumbles Its eBook Reader
First-Time Writer Winner (And Loser!)
Writer 2.0 Notes: Blog Book Tours
Do NOT Waste Someone’s Attention!
Japanese Manga Comes To The iPhone
Micro Fondle: ECTACO jetBook eBook Reader
Reference: ePub Reader Software
Comic Books (Almost) Come To iPhone
The Dark Future Of The Print Publishers
Another Great Post About Publishing
Sony Tries To Do Right To Reader Pioneers
The e In eBooks = Everywhere
Reference: Book Publishing Contracts
Two Excellent Posts For Writers
Sony Still Shoots Itself In Foot
Print Is Dead. So Is Print Culture.
Twitter Truth
Print IS Dead (Well, To Some Of Us. OK: Me!)
eBook Signings: The Postcard Solution?
Reference: Creating ePub Files For eBooks
Writer John Scalzi Gives An E Vs. P Lesson
Quote: Seth Godin
The Kindle Revolution Ain’t Happening
Sony Reader Gets Some Love
Suit Bastard Print Publishers NAILED!
Sony To Kindle: Up Yours!
Reference: 100 Book/eBook Sites
What A Major FAIL In eBooks Looks Like
Reading Books Plummets In Japan Too
Apple iTunes (Store) Trademark Evolution
The Reasons Why eBooks Are Next For Apple
And So The iPod Air Is Coming After All!
eBook On An iPhone: One Example
iPhone Wireless Printing?
Reference: iPhone/iPod Touch Screen Size
iPhone eBook Reader Stanza Available
Memo To Steve Jobs: iPhone Owners READ!
eReader On iPhone: What It Looks Like
Sony’s Strange Strategy
Video: eBooks On iPhone/iPod Touch
What Apple Better Not Miss About eBooks
For God’s Sake, Get eBooks Going, Steve Jobs!
iPod Air: See You In September?
A Gadget Too Far
No iPod Air Next Week
It’s Now All Down To Apple Vs. Google
Sony, The New Titanic?
Apple: You’ll Get It When You Can Sync It?
What eChanges Will High Oil Prices Bring?
The iPod Air Will Be Better …
I Said Apple Sync Was Important: Here’s Proof
eInk eBook Readers: They’re All Dead, Jim!
What’s This? iPod Air Next Month?
iPhone Continues To Swallow The Internet
Apple’s Sync Strategy Finally Arriving?
Now We Know Why Apple Bought A Chipmaker
Amazon: Already Toast
Future iPods: Piper Jaffray’s Blind Spot
Writers Don’t Fear The Future: Publishers Do!
More Bad For Sony Reader: Kindles Coming
Borders Catches Cold, Sony Reader Gets Pneumonia?
The Lesson Of Apple Isn’t New, But It Works
The Three Companies Apple Should Acquire
Apple Has Magic The Others Don’t
Apple And eBooks: Why The Delay
What’s Up With That Awful Kindle?
For The Record: Apple and eBooks
I’m No Fan Of The Kindle. Nor Is He.
Sony Reader Can Be Bought In Spain!
Memo To Steve Jobs: People DO Still Read!
Oprah, Get A Sony Reader!
Sony’s In Worse Shape Than I Thought
Ken Kutaragi: Your Vindication Nears!
The Three Big As: Apple, Amazon, Adobe
Sony Has Big eBook News Today
Oh, NOW He Believes Me!
Peak iPod: Has Apple Reached Its End?
One More Time: Apple And Ebooks
Is Apple’s Tablet The iPod Air?
Why Apple’s Design Is Excellent
Steve Jobs Is Up To Something. Probably Big.
Does Borders Know The Sony Reader Exists?
iRiver Ebook Reader?
Sony: I’m Not Alone
Does Apple Want To Be King Of Ebooks?
Sony BMG Music: DRM-Free And IQ-Free
What’s Going On With Sony And Its Reader?
Sony’s Got Something Big For Their Reader
Will New eBook Readers Finally Change The World?
Has Sony Just Lost Its eBook Battle?
At the old blog:
Will Apple Steal The eBook Limelight From Sony And Create Another Mass Market?
Sony Reader Is Gaining Ground
Sony Reader Meets Inking
Purraise Da Lohrd!
Memos To Sony (Part 2 in a Series)
Memos To Sony (Part 1 in a Series)
Sony Reader: Gizmodo’s Hands All Over
Wikipedia on Sony Reader?
Sony Reader Multi-Part Report Index
Sony Reader: Part 4 (of 4)
Sony Reader: Part 3 (of 4)
Sony Reader: Part 2 (of 4)
Sony Reader: Part 1 (of 4)
i, Reader
Digital Life: What I Saw
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