There's been a lot of fuss made about the recent ebook reader launches this past year. Amazon's Kindle made the biggest waves a few months ago - despite being uglier than the back end of a bus and only shipping in the US, and Sony's new eReader device also made headlines.
Something that's a more important milestone than any individual product, though, is the fact that WHSmith has started listing ebook readers in its online store. It doesn't offer either Amazon's or Sony's product - instead, it shows (as of early October) the Cybook Gen3 eBook Reader and the iRex iLiad eBook Reader Book Edition. Like a number of others the iRex is still an eye-wateringly expensive device; 1 penny short of £400, but the CyBook Gen3 is £220 cheaper and uses the same 'e-ink' screen technology. Still expensive, but much more reasonable.
These devices don't spell the death of books, but they do signal one way that publishing is evolving. And now that they are sold by a well-known high street name and are edging towards being actually affordable - we're approaching the point where forward-thinking publishers should start evaluating this potential new market.
For those that do, a few words of advice...
First, pass on at least some of the savings involved with going all-digital; don't offer a cursory 10% off the RRP of the printed equivalent.
Second, don't fall into the 'proprietary format' trap; use open standards.
And third, consider the differences, don't just replicate current thinking. The car was not a horseless carriage, and the ebook reader is not a book.
Which begs the question: What new approaches to content and publishing does the ebook allow?
First, pass on at least some of the savings involved with going all-digital; don't offer a cursory 10% off the RRP of the printed equivalent.
Second, don't fall into the 'proprietary format' trap; use open standards.
And third, consider the differences, don't just replicate current thinking. The car was not a horseless carriage, and the ebook reader is not a book.
Which begs the question: What new approaches to content and publishing does the ebook allow?
