A quick definition: 'ebook' (electronic book) is commonly used to mean a literary work that is published and stored in digital form and designed to be read on computers or hand-held devices.
The makers of Star Trek predicted them back in the 1970s (along with hypospray and matter transporters) but despite ebook technology being available since the 1990s, it’s only recently that demand has really taken off. All the major publishers now launch hundreds of ebook titles every month. And despite resistance from traditional book lovers, ebooks are set to become a firm feature in our reading (near) future. Not convinced? Keep reading …
Still reading? That’s right. So many of us today are used to reading on screen in some form or another. Most of us are broadband connected, get info from websites (how else would I know about Star Trek technology? I'm no Trekkie, I didn't even watch Buffy), download our music and watch iPlayer repeats, so why not books?
Don’t get me wrong, I love papery books and have often argued that traditional books are good technology in themselves. They are cheap, light, smell lovely whether old or new, you can scribble in them, turn the corners down (I do). I also love to look at people reading books. I've passed many a contented half hour on the tube counting how many people were reading the latest bestseller (I have very fond memories of the 'Memoirs of a Geisha' phase).
So what’s going for the ebook? Well, the three main things are portability, searchability and immediacy. A holidaymaker can carry the equivalent of a whole bookshelf in one handheld device. Business travellers can take all their documents neatly compressed. Ebooks reach markets that printed books cannot – an ex-pat geologist in Azerbaijan is unlikely to pick up the latest must-read except as an ebook. And a student swotting at 3am for an exam can buy and access en ebook at any hour. It makes sense.
Then there’s the environmental issue. What happens to all the books that have been read and are no longer required? Charity shop? Recycling bin? Both good, but it’s worth noting that it takes a fraction of the energy to download a book than it does to print one (if I'm wrong here, do correct me).
You might think e-readers are expensive, but they won't be for long. Companies are investing in the technology, and – like most things electronic – prices should drop as more devices enter the market.
So maybe it’s a case of don’t knock it till you try it. Considering that billions of us carry laptops, iPods and mobile phones every day, ebook readers might just be a natural progression.
Warm wishes, Jo
It looks like that lovely smell of old books can even help libraries and museums preserve precious books, according to this article from the BBC called Sniff Test to Preserve Old Books. Not sure I can sense grassy notes, a tang of acids and a hint of vanilla as well as the mustiness though!
Just because I use a e reader it doesn't mean that I don't read paperbacks! However, for portability the e reader cannot be beaten. I travel quite a lot and have never felt that anybody is likely to grab my e reader, perhaps the average mugger can't see a market for it! By the way I do read it in the bath...
Hi jlmw, it's really good to hear from someone who uses and loves their e-reader. Like I said in my blog, those against shouldn't knock them till they've tried them! Happy (e)reading. All best, Jo