Falling Prices of eBooks

7 August, 2009 - 07:00 AM - 9 Comments

With Sony recently announcing the slashing of eBook prices and reader prices to compete better with Amazon.com you have to wonder, how prevalent are E-Book and E-Book readers? Personally I read PDF files on my computer all the time and I listen to audio books, but I would rather read a physical paper book than read a book on my computer. That being said, if I had a simple portable reader and some ebooks, I might be more inclined to read one I just haven’t yet for some reason.

Due to the price cuts and eBooks now being cheaper in many cases than the physical print book, companies are considering delaying eBook releases until after the physical book has had a good chance to sell copies.Â This is similar to how the Movie Industry delays the Theater movies from reaching Store shelves on DVD, and DVD movies are further delayed from being broadcast on movie channels.Â I don’t agree with this approach which just tries to gouge the customer to buy more than one copy of the material.

So I ask my readers, how many of you use actual eBook readers and do you read Ebooks on your computer, reader or don’t use them at all?

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Written by Justin Germino (1518 Articles Published)

Working in the IT Industry for over 10 years and specializing in web based technologies. Dragon Blogger has unique insights and opinions to how the internet and web technology works. An Avid movie fan, video game fan and fan of trying anything and everything new.

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Crystal P

I want an e-book reader simply because I'm trying clean house of things I don't need around. I do love to read, I just don't have room to have that many paper copies. Not to mention all the trees... I have a bunch of e-books on my computer and I would be more likely to read them if I had a portable device to go outside with on a nice day. I don't really want to sit at my computer all day when I feel like reading. What are your thoughts on the Amazon Kindle vs Sony eReader?
.-= Crystal P´s last blog ..Contests around the Block! =-.

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dragonblogger

I haven't looked at either but you bring up a good point how do ebook reader fare in natural sunlight, this has been the bane of many laptop and iphone screens is not being able to read or see anything in bright daylight, are ebook readers subject to the same problems when trying to read outdoors?

Stephanie

Nope. It's no harder than reading a book. Easier than a paperback in some ways because there's not crease and you can easily change the text size.
.-= Stephanie´s last blog ..Trivia Break: Henry VIII and the Implications =-.

That is all really good to know, right now I enjoy audiobooks because I can listen to them while I drive, blog or do other things, but ebook would be good for passenger commutes or riding trains, bus...etc

Damien

My wife reads books on her iPhone. I have a pocket PC where I have ebooks stored. Sometimes waiting in lines I'll read Steinbeck or Alice in Wonderland. I usually get creative commons license books for free though, hardly ever pay for something. The Gutenberg project has like 60,000 free ebooks, all the classics and then some.
.-= Damien´s last blog ..Awesome Chalk Illustration â€“ And a Life Thought =-.

I got a Sony eReader for Christmas last year and I love it. For one thing, I could get old classic books (my eReader came with 100 that could be chosen from thousands available) for a dollar or two (and now Google has opened up all of their public domain library for the Sony eReader for free). I'm a rereader, reading novels I love over and over - so, if I can get it on an eReader, I'm tickled.

It's easy to read, I can fit dozens (if not more) on it, so traveling with it is FANTASTIC. I can put work .pdfs and .doc files on it which makes it easy to read large documents if I'm at meetings and such. I also can put drafts of my own books-in-work on their and read them to my editor/coauthor to see how they sound. Then, as I edit on the computer, the eReader has the old draft to use as a reference, particularly as page numbers stop meaning anything.

Do I still have regular books? You bet; many of my favorite books are still not available as an eBook. But, if I read a book more than once, if I think it's the kind of book I'll enjoy on a trip, I'm happy to get it on an eReader and even, get two copies. But I think the eBooks were overpriced so, except for my old classics, I've only got a dozen or in-print book.
.-= Stephanie´s last blog ..Trivia Break: Asking You a Question =-.

Do you have any eyestrain reading a book on an e-reader instead of a paper book, clearly you are a big fan of ebooks, and Sony must really appreciate your support of their ebook reader. That is good that Google opened up their library to support the Sony reader.