Comments on: Four ‘Vook’ titles from S&S: Videos mixed in with text http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/four-vook-titles-from-ss-videos-mixed-in-with-text/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Wed, 15 Feb 2012 08:05:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Joyce http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/four-vook-titles-from-ss-videos-mixed-in-with-text/comment-page-1/#comment-1146111 Joyce Fri, 02 Oct 2009 04:02:12 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/10/01/four-vook-titles-from-ss-videos-mixed-in-with-text/#comment-1146111 I agree about the word "vook" being unpleasant. I think the format will be useful for some types of non-fiction, but I can't really see any use for it in novels. Anything that distracts me from the story is annoying, and I think that would include video. I do see a use for it in cookbooks and other instructional books. I agree about the word “vook” being unpleasant. I think the format will be useful for some types of non-fiction, but I can’t really see any use for it in novels. Anything that distracts me from the story is annoying, and I think that would include video. I do see a use for it in cookbooks and other instructional books.

]]> By: Christine http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/four-vook-titles-from-ss-videos-mixed-in-with-text/comment-page-1/#comment-1146079 Christine Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:41:15 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/10/01/four-vook-titles-from-ss-videos-mixed-in-with-text/#comment-1146079 Is it just me, or is the word "vook" rather unpleasant? Is it just me, or is the word “vook” rather unpleasant?

]]> By: Greg M. http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/four-vook-titles-from-ss-videos-mixed-in-with-text/comment-page-1/#comment-1146077 Greg M. Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:34:05 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/10/01/four-vook-titles-from-ss-videos-mixed-in-with-text/#comment-1146077 As a reader, I don't see much use for integrated video, and would probably find it more distracting than informative. Sure, there may a few cases of instructional or technical books were a short video clip might be used in lieu of illustrations or photographs, but the usefulness would probably be limited, if not entirely superficial. I wouldn't bother reading fiction with supplemental video. Already I dislike authors who write novels as if they were a movies, so extra video isn't going to interest me. As a reader, I don’t see much use for integrated video, and would probably find it more distracting than informative. Sure, there may a few cases of instructional or technical books were a short video clip might be used in lieu of illustrations or photographs, but the usefulness would probably be limited, if not entirely superficial.

I wouldn’t bother reading fiction with supplemental video. Already I dislike authors who write novels as if they were a movies, so extra video isn’t going to interest me.

]]> By: Christine http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/four-vook-titles-from-ss-videos-mixed-in-with-text/comment-page-1/#comment-1146076 Christine Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:48:53 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/10/01/four-vook-titles-from-ss-videos-mixed-in-with-text/#comment-1146076 "For some types of works — the exercise genre, for example — this hybrid is a perfect match." Nonsense. My money would be much better spent on an exercise video which gives me a full workout, probably more than one, and lets me use it anywhere. There's no space in front of my computer to exercise, and why be tied to this spot? Plus, several two minutes videos is not a workout, it's several brief demonstrations. Videos are nice, but they're not books. They're videos. Watching a video is a DIFFERENT ACTIVITY than reading a book. We already have video books, they're called M-O-V-I-E-S. Very popular, you've probably heard of them. There are also plenty of cooking shows and other instructional videos. There are lots of devices that will display videos too. Some portable, some not so much. I think this is all an effort to get a person who hasn't got the attention span necessary to read a book, to "read a book". But watching videos isn't reading, not even if you call it reading. Oh, and it's an effort to get our money. The day I spend $7 to see a web page will be the day someone I care about's life depends on getting that information RIGHT NOW. Otherwise, forget it. There are plenty of websites where I can learn exercises for free. “For some types of works — the exercise genre, for example — this hybrid is a perfect match.”

Nonsense. My money would be much better spent on an exercise video which gives me a full workout, probably more than one, and lets me use it anywhere. There’s no space in front of my computer to exercise, and why be tied to this spot? Plus, several two minutes videos is not a workout, it’s several brief demonstrations.

Videos are nice, but they’re not books. They’re videos. Watching a video is a DIFFERENT ACTIVITY than reading a book. We already have video books, they’re called M-O-V-I-E-S. Very popular, you’ve probably heard of them. There are also plenty of cooking shows and other instructional videos. There are lots of devices that will display videos too. Some portable, some not so much.

I think this is all an effort to get a person who hasn’t got the attention span necessary to read a book, to “read a book”. But watching videos isn’t reading, not even if you call it reading.

Oh, and it’s an effort to get our money. The day I spend $7 to see a web page will be the day someone I care about’s life depends on getting that information RIGHT NOW. Otherwise, forget it. There are plenty of websites where I can learn exercises for free.

]]> By: Steve Jordan http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/four-vook-titles-from-ss-videos-mixed-in-with-text/comment-page-1/#comment-1146075 Steve Jordan Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:38:16 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/10/01/four-vook-titles-from-ss-videos-mixed-in-with-text/#comment-1146075 I see nothing wrong with mixing text and videos. But when you do, you have a <i>Multimedia Presentation</i>... not a book, or "vook," or whatever odd-catchy name you want to throw at it. I see nothing wrong with mixing text and videos. But when you do, you have a Multimedia Presentation… not a book, or “vook,” or whatever odd-catchy name you want to throw at it.

]]> By: Michael Pastore http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/four-vook-titles-from-ss-videos-mixed-in-with-text/comment-page-1/#comment-1146073 Michael Pastore Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:25:08 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/10/01/four-vook-titles-from-ss-videos-mixed-in-with-text/#comment-1146073 For some types of works -- the exercise genre, for example -- this hybrid is a perfect match. My wife frequently does her pilates exercises by watching a video, and stopping the video when needed, to refer to the companion book for details. Having both together would make it easier for her to concentrate on the exercises. For romance novels and erotica, this Frankenstein monster opens up worlds of possibilites. Readers could choose a rating ("PG" or "R" or "X" or whatever) and then get the corresponding photos and videos to match the steamy text. Hollywood is coming to your favorite love stories. First you choose your book title -- say, Michael Pastore's bodice-ripping romance novel: "At A Picnic in Italy I Found Rome-Ants" ... and then you choose your stars for the accompanying photos and video: A) Paris Hilton; B) Britney Spears, C) Meryl Streep. And so on. In her article (see the link in the TeleRead post above), Mokoto Rich hinted at all this, unintentionally of course, when she wrote: <blockquote> "... readers are invited to log on to a Web site to watch brief videos that flesh out the plot." </blockquote> "Flesh out the plot" -- whatever it takes to capture the readers' wandering attention -- is the point of this entire enterprise. I won't complain -- too much -- about this Brave New World of "reading", as long as the publishers do not call these multimedia distractions "books." Michael Pastore 50 Benefits of Ebooks For some types of works — the exercise genre, for example — this hybrid is a perfect match. My wife frequently does her pilates exercises by watching a video, and stopping the video when needed, to refer to the companion book for details. Having both together would make it easier for her to concentrate on the exercises.

For romance novels and erotica, this Frankenstein monster opens up worlds of possibilites. Readers could choose a rating (“PG” or “R” or “X” or whatever) and then get the corresponding photos and videos to match the steamy text.

Hollywood is coming to your favorite love stories. First you choose your book title — say, Michael Pastore’s bodice-ripping romance novel: “At A Picnic in Italy I Found Rome-Ants” … and then you choose your stars for the accompanying photos and video: A) Paris Hilton; B) Britney Spears, C) Meryl Streep. And so on.

In her article (see the link in the TeleRead post above), Mokoto Rich hinted at all this, unintentionally of course, when she wrote:

“… readers are invited to log on to a Web site to watch brief videos that flesh out the plot.”

“Flesh out the plot” — whatever it takes to capture the readers’ wandering attention — is the point of this entire enterprise. I won’t complain — too much — about this Brave New World of “reading”, as long as the publishers do not call these multimedia distractions “books.”

Michael Pastore
50 Benefits of Ebooks

]]> By: Court http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/four-vook-titles-from-ss-videos-mixed-in-with-text/comment-page-1/#comment-1146072 Court Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:08:52 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/10/01/four-vook-titles-from-ss-videos-mixed-in-with-text/#comment-1146072 For workout books, or recipe books, even certain kinds of nonfiction - I could see history books, maybe - these Vooks might work out nicely, though I remain skeptical. For fiction, though, forget about it. They'll merely be slicker versions of <a href="http://www.teleread.com/2009/08/30/if-this-is-the-future-of-the-novel-the-novel-is-finished/" rel="nofollow">Unnatural States</a>. Unreadable and unwatchable messes, in other words. For workout books, or recipe books, even certain kinds of nonfiction – I could see history books, maybe – these Vooks might work out nicely, though I remain skeptical.

For fiction, though, forget about it. They’ll merely be slicker versions of Unnatural States. Unreadable and unwatchable messes, in other words.

]]> By: Christine http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/four-vook-titles-from-ss-videos-mixed-in-with-text/comment-page-1/#comment-1146070 Christine Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:46:40 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/10/01/four-vook-titles-from-ss-videos-mixed-in-with-text/#comment-1146070 What's the difference between a vook and a web page it costs you $7 to look at? What’s the difference between a vook and a web page it costs you $7 to look at?

]]> By: David Rothman http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/four-vook-titles-from-ss-videos-mixed-in-with-text/comment-page-1/#comment-1146069 David Rothman Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:39:52 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/10/01/four-vook-titles-from-ss-videos-mixed-in-with-text/#comment-1146069 Hi, Richard. These are videos mixed in with the books themselves---not to be confused with mere trailers. PW has just published info on the amount of video content, and I've updated the story. If time allows, I'll try one of the vooks, which I was tempted to do anyway. Otherwise I hope to hear from TeleRead community members. Thanks, David Hi, Richard. These are videos mixed in with the books themselves—not to be confused with mere trailers. PW has just published info on the amount of video content, and I’ve updated the story. If time allows, I’ll try one of the vooks, which I was tempted to do anyway. Otherwise I hope to hear from TeleRead community members.

Thanks,
David

]]> By: Richard Askenase http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/four-vook-titles-from-ss-videos-mixed-in-with-text/comment-page-1/#comment-1146067 Richard Askenase Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:54:21 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/10/01/four-vook-titles-from-ss-videos-mixed-in-with-text/#comment-1146067 How much video per book? Are the videos really just ads for the book? I'm sure it isn't a full movie. Can you try one and report please? How much video per book? Are the videos really just ads for the book? I’m sure it isn’t a full movie. Can you try one and report please?

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