In a message dated 10/1/2006 11:28:09 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
writes:
But the
fact that I've been hearing about the e-book for so> long makes me
wonder if it's like the flying car, or the pill that> provides complete
nutrition for 24 hours: the reason they're not here is> because we
don't really want them.
Actually, I think the explanation is simpler -- and more complex --
than that. Book readers tend to be more traditional media consumers -- older and
less inclined to adopt new technologies. So big media companies have no
confidence that developing an ebook reader will produce any profit. Younger
media consumers will see it as a futile attempt to adapt old school media to new
technologies and the older readers who might liek it most would be resistant to
the technology.
I think we'll see ebook or newspaper readers as an adjunct to technology
with a different purpose altogether. For example, I could see Apple developing
multimedia presentations of literary works that might include clips from movies
made of the story, interviews with he author and other relevant sources, an
audio reading of the book and a ext version for those who wish to do the old
fashioned thing and actually read it.
The masses won't buy a machine expressly for the purpose of delivering
an ebook. But I think they would use the features if they were included in
another device they do want to buy...
Submitted by Media Giraffe on Mon, 2006-10-02 00:30.
Cross-posted for Eric Deggans, who submitted from -- bill
densmore
On Sun, 1 Oct 2006 wrote:
>
>
> In a message dated 10/1/2006 11:28:09 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> writes:
>
> But the fact that I've been hearing about the e-book for so
>> long makes me wonder if it's like the flying car, or the pill that
>> provides complete nutrition for 24 hours: the reason they're not here is
>> because we don't really want them.
>
>
ERIC DEGGANS COMMENTS:>
>
> Actually, I think the explanation is simpler -- and more complex -- than
> that. Book readers tend to be more traditional media consumers -- older and less
> inclined to adopt new technologies. So big media companies have no
> confidence that developing an ebook reader will produce any profit. Younger media
> consumers will see it as a futile attempt to adapt old school media to new
> technologies and the older readers who might liek it most would be resistant to the
> technology.
>
> I think we'll see ebook or newspaper readers as an adjunct to technology wit
> h a different purpose altogether. For example, I could see Apple developing
> multimedia presentations of literary works that might include clips from movies
> made of the story, interviews with he author and other relevant sources, an
> audio reading of the book and a ext version for those who wish to do the old
> fashioned thing and actually read it.
>
> The masses won't buy a machine expressly for the purpose of delivering an
> ebook. But I think they would use the features if they were included in another
> device they do want to buy...
>
> Eric Deggans
> TV/Media Critic
> St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times
> (727) 893-8521
> _http://www.sptimes.com/columns/deggans.shtml_
> (http://www.sptimes.com/columns/deggans.shtml)
> _http://blogs.tampabay.com/media/_ (http://www.sptimes.com/blogs/media/)
>
> "Karl Marx (was) wrong, Television is the opiate of the masses." - Tony
> Follari
>
--
-------------------------------------
Bill Densmore, director/editor
The Media Giraffe Project
Journalism Program / 108 Bartlett Hall
Univ. of Massachusetts
Amherst MA 01003
OFF: 413-577-4370 / CELL: 413-458-8001
DID YOU MISS: "Democracy and Independence:
Sharing News and Politics in a Connected World"?
June 29-July 1, 2006
Sony starts selling the Sony eBookreader:$349.00
Submitted by Media Giraffe on Mon, 2006-10-02 00:30.Cross-posted for Eric Deggans, who submitted from -- bill
densmore
On Sun, 1 Oct 2006 wrote:
>
>
> In a message dated 10/1/2006 11:28:09 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> writes:
>
> But the fact that I've been hearing about the e-book for so
>> long makes me wonder if it's like the flying car, or the pill that
>> provides complete nutrition for 24 hours: the reason they're not here is
>> because we don't really want them.
>
>
ERIC DEGGANS COMMENTS:>
>
> Actually, I think the explanation is simpler -- and more complex -- than
> that. Book readers tend to be more traditional media consumers -- older and less
> inclined to adopt new technologies. So big media companies have no
> confidence that developing an ebook reader will produce any profit. Younger media
> consumers will see it as a futile attempt to adapt old school media to new
> technologies and the older readers who might liek it most would be resistant to the
> technology.
>
> I think we'll see ebook or newspaper readers as an adjunct to technology wit
> h a different purpose altogether. For example, I could see Apple developing
> multimedia presentations of literary works that might include clips from movies
> made of the story, interviews with he author and other relevant sources, an
> audio reading of the book and a ext version for those who wish to do the old
> fashioned thing and actually read it.
>
> The masses won't buy a machine expressly for the purpose of delivering an
> ebook. But I think they would use the features if they were included in another
> device they do want to buy...
>
> Eric Deggans
> TV/Media Critic
> St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times
> (727) 893-8521
> _http://www.sptimes.com/columns/deggans.shtml_
> (http://www.sptimes.com/columns/deggans.shtml)
> _http://blogs.tampabay.com/media/_ (http://www.sptimes.com/blogs/media/)
>
> "Karl Marx (was) wrong, Television is the opiate of the masses." - Tony
> Follari
>
--
-------------------------------------
Bill Densmore, director/editor
The Media Giraffe Project
Journalism Program / 108 Bartlett Hall
Univ. of Massachusetts
Amherst MA 01003
OFF: 413-577-4370 / CELL: 413-458-8001
DID YOU MISS: "Democracy and Independence:
Sharing News and Politics in a Connected World"?
June 29-July 1, 2006
WHAT WAS IT?
http://www.mediagiraffe.org/conference/
WHO WAS THERE:
http://www.mediagiraffe.org/wiki/index.php/Participants
VIDEO OF MANY SESSIONS:
http://www.mediagiraffe.org/wiki/index.php/Live
WHAT BLOGGERS ARE SAYING:
http://www.mediagiraffe.org/wiki/index.php/Bloggers
THE PROGRAM: http://www.mediagiraffe.org/program.pdf