

The Future of Reading (a play in 6 acts) - karthikv
http://diveintomark.org/archives/2007/11/19/the-future-of-reading

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henning
Just because something is evil and shitty doesn't mean it will fail. Examples:
SUVs, Windows.

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downer
The difference is, while Americans love cars, most of 'em don't read books.

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lsb
Amazon already has a partnership with Borders. Why not have Borders install
Espresso Book Machines?

On-demand publishing at a bookstore/music store/cafe? Just imagine some
dreamy-eyed teenager, who writes bad poetry (oh noetry) all day and can make a
book out of it in the evening! And publishing your work is an even better
conversation starter than a dog.

Espresso Book Machine: [http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/21/new-york-public-
library-g...](http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/21/new-york-public-library-gets-
first-espresso-book-machine/)

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comatose_kid
I doubt a good reader can ever be created by an entity that profits from the
content.

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ctkrohn
Why not? I don't see what makes books so much different from the iPod in this
sense. Apple's certainly profiting from the content on many iPods...

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run4yourlives
Big difference being Apple was providing content for their platform, and
Amazon is providing a platform for their content.

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Tichy
Do we really have to go through the same mess as with music once again?
Hopefully not - in any case, the outcome will most likely be the same... ("We
were wrong, we should not have treated our customers like dirt etc...").

I would really like to create the iTunes equivalent for books...

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sammyo
Look at the Sony reader sometime. I remember seeing a single letter on a
breadboard E-ink display years ago, and since then I've wanted a reader with
that surface. It seems like everyone that handles one wants it. The ideal is
an entire library of books in your back pocket, that 'feels/reads' like a
regular book. It is getting closer, but the Kindle does seem like a baby step
back from the Sony reader.

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ctkrohn
I saw a Sony reader on the Subway the other day. I had to do a double take --
at a 5ft distance, it looks _exactly_ like paper. I didn't get a chance for a
closer look, unfortunately.

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edw519
Kindle: $400. Asus eee: $400. Duh.

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daniel-cussen
Like I'm buying a kindle now.

