Posted: January 1st, 2009 | Author: Editor | Filed under: Industry | Tags: ebook market, Ebook Readers, ebooks, Ebooks (content) | 1 Comment »
By Chris Andrews
Gutenberg.com
According to a California State Board of Education study, the average weight of a high school student’s backpack is 20 pounds and contains about 6 textbooks. In comparison, the average weight of an ebook reader, capable of holding hundreds of books and instantly accessing hundreds of thousands more, is less than a pound.
It doesn’t take a genius to see where this is all going.
Backpacks are not going to disappear in 2009, that may take a couple years because of the unique aspects of educational textbooks and the school system. However, this is one concrete example of why the book is on the way out, and the ebook is on the way in.
Ebooks are new, with some old roots
What is an ebook? Is there an accepted definition of what we are talking about when we say or write “ebook?”
The term ”ebook” has generally been associated with two things. First, there is the actual book (i.e. content) that one is reading in a digital form, that is the ebook. Second, the device built specifically to read an ebook, using a handheld computer with screen, is called the ebook reader. The Amazon Kindle and Sony Reader Digital Book are the two best-known examples of ebook readers. For years (decades actually), there has been a movement to read ebooks from computers, laptops, or other existing devices, but that business never really matured.
This ebook industry we are talking about here, which will grow significantly over the coming year, has been emerging for the last 1-2 years. It includes a whole new generation of technology specifically designed to enhance the experience of reading an ebook. 2009 will birth this dynamic new industry, which includes ebook readers, ebooks, and associated products and services to support the publishing, distribution, and reading of ebooks using versatile, mobile, eye-friendly ebook readers.
2009 is the “Year of the Ebook.” Here, in no particular order, is why:
1. NEW EBOOK READERS WILL MAKE LAPTOPS AND IPHONES LOOK OLD
In 2009, we will see a merging of digital technologies and plastics, that will bring us lighter, more durable and versatile, and more attractive devices for reading ebooks. These ebook readers will be a significant aesthetic leap over the existing laptops or cell phones we use. They will not only be mobile, they will be office-friendly, home-friendly, and best of all, café-friendly.
2. CRITICAL MASS HAS BEEN ACHIEVED, NOW ITS ABOUT GROWTH
The ebook reader is on a similar sales path as the iPod was during its first couple years on the market. It took the iPod about two years to reach a million users. The ebook is roughly now at half a million users who have bought ebook readers in the last year, and another half a million users who are using existing devices, primarily the iPod/iPhone.
3. MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WILL EXPERIENCE DIGITAL INK FOR THE FIRST TIME AND THEY WILL LOVE IT
Less than 1% of the people who use the Internet have personally experienced the new digital ink technologies, which make reading significantly more pleasant. The primary supplier of the new technology behind the ebook readers is a company named E Ink. Watch for a sea-change in opinion about ebook readers once more people have used E Ink based products.
4. IF THERE’S ONE THING EVERYONE WANTS NOW, IT’S COMFORT
Books and ebooks, in all their forms, are comfort food for the mind. Books allow you to pause for a moment, think, remember, and reflect, at your own pace. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: December 15th, 2008 | Author: Editor | Filed under: Uncategorized | No Comments »
If you are interested in discussing the topics of ebooks etc. that you see here on Gutenberg.com, please join us on Facebook. The discussion group is called GUTENBERG and right now I am the only member! (Chris Andrews). So come keep me company! This is the correct ID, URL
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=55671000785
Posted: December 9th, 2008 | Author: Editor | Filed under: Ebooks (content) | Tags: Ebooks (content) | No Comments »
There is no definitive list for bestselling ebooks, but Gutenberg.com did a survey of the bestselling ebooks from various ebook publishers and sellers - and here they are. The very popular Twilight series is everywhere. Under each site, we list the first 5 ebooks on that company’s bestselling list - click on the company name to see more bestsellers. Please let us know if you are aware of other ebook bestseller lists, we hope to build this into a regular feature on Gutenberg.com.
Ebooks.com Bestsellers
Never Romance a Rake
The 4-Hour Work Week
How to Make Anyone Fall in Love with You
Holy Bible
The Shack
Fictionwise Bestsellers
New Moon - Twilight Series Book 2
Twilight - Twilight Series Book 1
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: December 1st, 2008 | Author: Editor | Filed under: Ebook Readers | Tags: ebooks, kids, Nintendo | No Comments »
Student using Nintendo DS
What the iPod and iPhone is doing for grown-ups and teens by becoming a mobile ebook reader, Nintendo is now going to do for kids by turning their Nintendo DS playthings into ebook page turners. Nintendo announced that on Dec. 26, a new product will be available called 100 Classic Book Collection. Now are these books purely “kids books”, it doesn’t look like it, but are these classics? Definitely. Shakespeare. Austen. Doyle. Dickens.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: November 26th, 2008 | Author: Editor | Filed under: Industry | Tags: ebook market | No Comments »
No doubt, ebooks sales are growing rapidly, based on every measurement from reader sales to book downloads. But how do we understand the size and dimension of this fast-moving market? Here are Gutenberg.com’s estimates:
ABOUT A MILLION PEOPLE HAVE MOBILE EBOOK READERS
If you add up the estimates for the Amazon Kindle, the Sony Reader, and applications for the iPhone such as Stanza, you get somewhere around a million people as owners/users. This is supported by estimates from Citigroup (378,000 Kindle shipments in ‘08), Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: November 19th, 2008 | Author: Editor | Filed under: Ebook Readers | Tags: plastic electronics, Plastic Logic | No Comments »
Plastic Logic Reader
How many high technology products have you ever seen that just amazed you? We get bombarded these days with words like “dynamic, gamechanging, revolutionary” and yet, often, a yawn is our response.
Get Ready to be 100% AMAZED by the dynamic, gamechanging, revolutionary Plastic Logic reader.
It defies everything we have been taught about electronic devices, and specifically ebook readers. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: November 19th, 2008 | Author: Editor | Filed under: Ebooks (content) | No Comments »
We have had many requests for information on where to find ebooks. For now here is a (growing) list for you to use. NOTE: We are currently building a comprehensive list, organized by types of ebook readers. Check Back!
All Romance Ebooks - Exactly as the name says!
BookRags - Educational ebooks
Diesel Ebooks - 175,000 titles
Ebooks.com - Over 130,000 ebooks
Sony Ebook Store - For Sony’s ebook reader
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: November 19th, 2008 | Author: Editor | Filed under: Ebook Readers | No Comments »
iRex Iliad
As the market for ebooks expands from reading books, to reading all kind and sizes of documents, magazines, and newspapers, iRex Technologies is the first to offer a suite of ebook readers. From the smaller iRex iLiad Book edition and WiFi enabled document reader, to the 10.2 inch screen on the 1000 series, these readers offer a paper-like display based on E Ink technology.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: November 16th, 2008 | Author: Editor | Filed under: Ebook Readers | No Comments »
Who didn’t notice it? Everywhere, the Amazon Kindle caused reporters, economists, investors, publishers, authors and Oprah watchers to say - is this ebook thing for real? Can it be this simple?
I mean, this little white device that weighs 10 ounces, that’s really all we need to completely change the way we read books?
Amazon Kindle
What is clear is that whether you are a casual reader, university professor, or buyer for a large corporation, the Kindle is something you will be considering - if not now, soon. Once you put one in your hands, and actually READ a book on the screen, whether you say yes or no - you will remember that first moment. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: November 16th, 2008 | Author: Editor | Filed under: Ebook Readers | No Comments »
Sony recently announced plans to move their ebook division from Japan to San Diego, California in response to what they see as a burgeoning U.S. market. Sony has been in the ebook reader business for decades now, if anyone remembers years ago the CD-driven Sony Bookman.
Sony ebook reader
Depth and experience in ebooks are welcome additions, welcome (once again) to the U.S. market Sony.
Very simple to use, being marketed as “The biggest revolution since the printed page,” you can try it in many Borders stores, though you may need to ask where the Sony kiosk is - sometimes its in the front, sometimes the back of the store. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: November 16th, 2008 | Author: Editor | Filed under: Ebook Readers | No Comments »
There may in fact be more people equipped with an ebook reader on their iPod or iPhone than with any other device.
That’s because of a product named Stanza from Lexcycle.
Its a free download to get Stanza, and you immediately get access to over 40,000 books to read on your iPod or iPhone.
What’s not to like? Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: November 16th, 2008 | Author: Editor | Filed under: Technology | No Comments »
We want to keep things simple here at Gutenberg.com, and yet just like other digital environments, there are a variety of formats within the ebook environment. In no particular order…and this is not meant to be an exhaustive list, here are some of the main formats. We will add to this as time goes on…
AZW or Amazon Kindle Format
This is Amazon’s own format used by their Kindle. Kindle users will not need to know anything about this format, except that it exists and is being used in the delivery and reading of the Kindle ebook. Read the rest of this entry »
According to a California State Board of Education study, the average weight of a high school student’s backpack is 20 pounds and contains about 6 textbooks. In comparison, the average weight of an ebook reader, capable of holding hundreds of books and instantly accessing hundreds of thousands more, is less than a pound.
