E-book readers solely exist to support and exhibit the concept of E-books. By definition, an E-book is, “an electronic version of a printed book that can be read on a computer, or handheld device designed specifically for this purpose,” (Oxford Dictionary, n.p). Although both work together to bring alive the concept of digital reading, the E-book reader is available through different distributors ranging in price and functionality.
This research paper will present a short history of the e-book/ e-book reader, highlight the features of the Kindle reader produced by Amazon.com, and explore the advantages and disadvantages they present to consumers.
A Short History
Digital books and book readers were first thought of in 1971, but the idea did not catch on to the general public immediately. In Adoption of e-book readers among college students: a survey, Nancy Foasberg notes that, “Although such devices have existed for a long time, only recently have they achieved some degree of popularity,” (2011). In 1998, the first readers on the market, the Rocket eBook and the SoftBook, made it possible for a user to carry about “4,000 pages, or about 10 books' worth of text, in a memory made of silicon,” inside an electronic handheld device. (Judge, 1998). It greatly reduced the bulk of hauling around paper books, and was considered a revolutionary product. Initially, the target market for e-books and readers was not identified amongst the mass population of readers. This new technology was promoted to appeal to professionals, and was intended to be mostly business related. The CEO of SoftBook Press at the time, James Sachs, was quoted in saying, “It's not a consumer business we're aiming for, and it’s a professional information business -- financial services, pharmaceuticals, law firms," (Judge, 1998) Thus, the popularity of digitized books did not soar amongst the average reader and was “unsuccessful in the market,” (Foasberg, 2011). Most people, students especially, maintained tradition in purchasing paper books.
As the century turned, the idea of digitized text became more appealing to the general population, and publishers recognized a new market for e-books. Established publishers RandomHouse Inc., and HarperCollins Publishers first began selling digitized copies of their books in 2002, and from there, the concept of how works of literature could be purchased and read began to show a slow, but promising growth on this new tangent. In 2005, Amazon purchased Mobipocket, a company that developed e-book reader software, and development for a reader began. Sony launched the Sony Reader in 2006, and two years later, in 2007, Amazon.com released The Amazon Kindle in the US. These products, particularly the Kindle, now dominate in the e-book and e-book reader arena (Wikipedia, 2011).
References
DeLorenzo. N. (2010, August 5). The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Tech Talk column: Simplicity drives popularity of Kindle and Nook e-book readers TECH TALK NICK DELORENZO. McClatchy - Tribune Business News, (n.p) Retrieved October 11, 2011, from ABI/INFORM Dateline. (Document ID: 2100755081).
I used this source to learn about features and advantages.
Febvre, L., & Martin, H. J. (1997). The coming of the book: the impact of printing 1450-1800. (pp. 41-44). London: Verso.
I used this source to learn about the history of the printing press
Foasberg, N. (2011). Adoption of E-Book Readers among College Students: A Survey. Information Technology and Libraries, 30(3), 108-128. Retrieved October 11, 2011, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 2426594461). Primary source, used information obtained in research and survey to support statements about usage.
Herther, N. (2011, September). 21st-Century Lending Libraries: Books in a Cloud? Searcher, 19(7), 12-15,48-51. Retrieved October 11, 2011, from Sciences Module. (Document ID: 2453459191).
I used this source to read about advantages and disadvantages.
Judge, P. C. (1998, November 16). E-books: a library in your lap. Businessweek, Retrieved fromhttp://web.archive.org/web/20000208053039/http://www.businessweek.com/1998/46/b3604010.htm
I used this source to gain further knowledge on earlier reception of E-book readers.
Wikipedia contributors. (2011). Amazon kindle. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved fromhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_kindle
I used this source to learn specifically about the Amazon Kindle. This source also provided paths to other sources.
