Web 3.0

Since the 1990s, online newspapers and magazines have in theory been competing with conventional newsprint.  Although many online versions of paper publications have overtaken their predecessors for the sake of convenience, the shift from paper to digital media has taken a long time to materialize.  But the pace of the shift seems to be accelerating, and in one of the most seemingly protected of paper classes – the book.   Three “eBook readers” are in the forefront of this move – the iPad (Apple), the Kindle (Amazon), and the Nook (Barnes and Noble).

The group IDTP reports that in the first two quarters of 2009, sales of eBooks have already exceeded 2009 total sales by 8%; if sales continue on at the same rate, which seems likely to be a conservative guess, 2010 sales will exceed 2009 sales by over 115%.  2009 sales were already an over 200% increase over 2008.

There’s little doubt that this rise has been fueled in part by the three main eBook readers.  But why?  And which one is best?

While newspapers generally seemed to make the jump to the browser (albeit in a piece meal way, sports, stock and weather information “jumping ship” individually), e-books are a different beast, because the book is a different beast. For one thing, a book is not primarily about information or even learning, but part information, part imagination, part education, and part experience.

Apple’s iPad, Amazon’s Kindle, and Barnes & Noble’s Nook, seem to have cracked the code of making it appealing to read an eBook.  At an affordable price, we get a device which much more closely replicates the book experience (all three have specialized screens intended to improve the reading experience, from the Kindle’s “electronic ink” to the Nooks e-Ink or the aiPad’s retinal display), right down to fancy covers which mark us not just as a reader of the latest interesting book, but as a savvy book lover in general.

With gesture-based touch interfaces, we even get to “flip” through a book much as we would with a paper book.

And, of course, we get the immediacy and simplicity of buying a book and having access within seconds of wanting it, courtesy of the powerful internet (all three have internet connectivity).

But at their foundation, these devices, like all internet devices, take advantage of internet scale and economies to provide greater resources with higher efficiency at lower cost.

For example, Kindle 3, the newest e-book model by Amazon (retailing for $189), contains not one, but two dictionaries, one of which is the Oxford Dictionary of English.  To put this into perspective, one must know that the price of the Oxford Dictionary of English is $50.  Not only is this a part of the Kindle, but you also have access to purchase directly from Amazon’s library of books, and to browse the Internet, which is now upgraded to 3G.  Basically, it can become your go-to tool for reading, receiving news, and downloading, etc. for the size is a fraction of a standard laptop.

Key Features - Comes with free WiFi and 3G (no monthly bills), physical keyboard, great battery life.  Downside? It’s pretty much an eBook reader and web browsing device (maybe).

The Nook (retailing for $199 in a similar form to the Kindle 3) is similar in features to the Kindle, but adds a touch screen to choose books and/or access to keyboard via the touch screen.  Moreover, with WiFi service to AT&T hotspots, Nook users can easily surf the web.  And we all know about the iPad and hundreds of new apps that it comes up with every day.  iPad is more than an e-book; it is a computer when you don’t have a room for a computer, not to mention the cool exterior with LCD backlight that is fully touch screen to be able to view at any time of the day.

Key Features - Read Barnes & Noble books FREE in stores, Similar to the Kindle, but sadly, seems to hold just 1,500 books compared to the Kindle’s 3,500 (2G of space).

Apple’s iPad retails for a whopping $499, but is less an eBook reader, and more truly an internet device.  The Kindle and Nook probably won’t stay in kids hands for more than a few minutes – the iPad, with its thousands of apps including games, virtual piano keyboards, and so on, is probably destined to be the most often stolen device in your household.  And you can shop iTunes for music and movies, watch movies, play music.  So the iPad claims the title “entertainment device” which the other can’t.

Key Features - Apps. Tunes, books, movies, email, web surfing, and games.  Maybe even some work in there.  32 GB of space or more.  And everyone will want to talk to you about it.

So which tablet is right for you?  That depends on whether you are a reader, a casual gamer, a web surfer, or all of the above.

A footnote to this story, it has to be said that the eBook trend has other sides. And that not all of them are positive   For example, the public library system will have to adapt, and in some cases is, redefine itself.   Sony’s eBook reader allows you to check out books from libraries, and direct your magazine subscriptions to your device; it is possible that libraries will integrate themselves

But at a more macro level, the true role of the library, and society’s commitment to funding it, is going to be tested.  It is very likely that the demand for books and services from public libraries will be affected, and will probably decline, especially in areas feeling budgetary pressures.

However, even librarians have to admit, more people reading books is a positive thing. So it is also likely that libraries, whose role is not just to “store” books, but also to understand, catalog and navigate information, will remain intact, and even vibrant, with a different model and a different footprint for delivery services.