rjmccray
With the latest development of eReaders and tablets many people believe it could spell the end of the paperback book. The most popular “ePaper” technology used today is called electrophoretic – an electric charge is used to arrange titanium dioxide particles – and the Sony Reader, Barnes & Noble’s Nook, and the Kindle all use this version. From what I’ve read online there are more than a dozen other technologies available, but the most popular eBooks I’ve looked at all use this technology.
Some popular facts that about eReaders:
Although it is still a relatively small market a recent Pew Research Center survey found eReaders in 12% of American households in May 2011 (up from 6% in November 2010) with tablets in 8% of homes. This may seem like a small percentage compared to mobile phones and ipods; it is worth noting that both the eReader and tablet markets are still relatively new; the 2nd generation iPad is less than a year old.
While digital will never be suitable for all books, if the “enhanced” bestsellers find success in digital app stores rather than on the shelves of high street booksellers then the repercussions on the publishing world will likely be widespread. With retail print sales being lost to Amazon, and print sales being lost to eBooks, the impact of virtual books could have a lasting financial effect on the local bookstore.
If you find this post interesting please read a previous post written by PJ during the last blog contest titled College Textbooks Going Digital.