ebook

Why e-book readers don't stand a chance

Although some people see a reason to buy a device just to read a book, I don't. Some have said that Amazon's Kindle is the savior of the e-book market. I don't believe it. Others say that e-book readers will kill the book publishing industry and bring it into the 21st century. I think that's rubbish. The fact of the matter is e-book readers will never have commercial relevance.

So I know what you're probably thinking -- "But, didn't the AP release a story yesterday that said Amazon's Kindle may have 'revolutionized the e-book market'?". Yep. But if you read between the lines a bit, you'll find that an important piece of the pie is missing -- no one is willing to say how strong sales are and so far, the tiny e-book market is still extremely small.

And although the market may be growing at an extremely slow pace as some have claimed, there's no indication that anyone wants these toys. For years, the book has been a vessel of knowledge and entertainment for people and I simply don't see how a small piece of plastic can change the connection people have to holding a book, flipping the pages and marking notes on the paper.

Simply put, the idea of an e-book reader is fundamentally flawed.… Read more

E-book readers already turning to next page

It seems as if the hype over the "Kindle" has barely subsided, and already we're getting a glimpse into the next generation of e-book readers from overseas.

The EB-100 from Taiwan-based Netronix is an e-ink reader that features a touch screen and Wi-Fi networking, according to Gizmodo. Other specs seem fairly standard, including a 6-inch display that's the same size as Amazon's version, though GizmoWatch and some other blogs have mentioned a model with a 9.7-inch screen.

We welcome any and all advances in these devices as long as stop short of reading minds.… Read more

The eBook takes a page from Harlequin

Sony is really trying to outdo itself this Valentine's Day. Not only is it pushing its "Red Collection," but it's gone back to the well with its eBook promotion from last year. Fortunately since that campaign, which was decidedly unromantic, Sony seems to have gotten a little clearer on the concept. Instead of the stodgy leather-bound Dooney & Bourke version, this time it's going with a SkinIt "Cross Your Heart" cover--in pink, of course. But the real kicker is 14 free downloads of Harlequin romance novels. Now all it needs is some Fabio … Read more

Scoop up e-books on the cheap

I love e-books. For years I've read them on whatever PDA or smartphone I happened to be carrying at the time. (Currently it's a Palm Centro.)

Sure, the screens are small, but you get used to that pretty quickly. For me, nothing beats the convenience of having a good book in your pocket (or clipped to your belt) everywhere you go.

eReader, one of the oldest e-booksellers, was recently acquired by another e-book veteran, Fictionwise. To celebrate, the company just dropped the prices on over 8,000 titles: Every book over $10 has been discounted up to 20 … Read more

The 10 best downloads of 2007

The editors here at CNET Download.com have bashed our heads together trying to sort through the bloody mess that was the past 12 months in software. The rise of webware sure changed the playing field, but we think we've found 10 Windows applications that are either new to the world or had such a major upgrade that they might as well be. We present these in no particular order, but please feel free to add your favorites in the comments below.

Auctioneers ask for double Kindle's retail price

Auctioneers at eBay were asking for more than double the retail price of Amazon's Kindle e-Reader on Friday.

A check of eBay at 2:45 p.m. PST showed prices for the e-Book reader went as high as $930. TechCrunch reported that a Kindle, which retails for $399, was bid up to $1,500 earlier in the week.

Has Amazon really discovered untapped consumer demand for digital-book readers?

The e-tailer, dabbling in electronics manufacturing for the first time, sold out of Kindles soon after introducing them last month. The device connects to the Web to download books--a feature that … Read more

The Gizmo Report: Amazon's Kindle ebook reader (part 1)

I wrote about Kindle when it was announced, and again when it arrived, but all of that was just warmup. Today I'll be providing a genuine review.

I've had my Kindle for eight days now. I've bought eight books for it (well, seven plus a short story) and read three of them, installed over 90 other free ebooks, spent time browsing the Web, and... I actually read the manual. On the Kindle, naturally.

It's a good thing I ordered mine so quickly, Amazon's web page for Kindle says they're sold out and they don'… Read more

Read free magazines on the iPhone or Touch

I've always loved e-books (I read 'em on my Palm), so I had more than a passing interest in Amazon's new Kindle gizmo (unboxed over at Crave). But $400?! Come on. And then I got to thinking: Man, Apple should really, really get into the e-book game. How cool would it be to flip pages by swiping a finger on the iPhone/iPod touch screen?

Until that glorious day arrives, Zinio Labs is offering free (for now) magazines for iPhone and iPod Touch users. The Zinio Mobile Newsstand includes titles like Car & Driver, Men's Health, and … Read more

Amazon's Kindle vs. Sony's Reader

Amazon has released Kindle, its new e-book reader.

[Later update: my Kindle review is online now.]

Newsweek has published a lengthy article about it. CNET's coverage includes a review, a photo gallery, a Crave blog, and a News.com blog. That's plenty of factual coverage.

I won't rehash the basic features of Kindle, but I will try to compare it with the Sony Reader--now in its second generation and Kindle's primary competition. I will also talk about what I see as the strong and weak points of the Kindle design.

Disclaimer: This is all based on … Read more

Amazon Kindle: Wait for the sequel?

Amazon has announced its entry into the eBook reader category with Kindle.

It's not in many people's hands yet or mine (CNET's reviewers have some first impressions), so these will have to be preliminary remarks. But I can say that I find it a schizophrenic device and hard to understand what it is trying to accomplish in its current form. It's easy enough to see where it's going, but ambition seems to have got ahead of what Amazon could actually deliver in the near term, and the ambition was not updated for reality. As a … Read more