Comments on: So what do I think of the Nook? Great for getting the ebook word out there http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/so-what-do-i-think-of-the-nook-great-for-getting-the-ebook-word-out-there/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:02:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Robert Nagle http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/so-what-do-i-think-of-the-nook-great-for-getting-the-ebook-word-out-there/comment-page-1/#comment-1147472 Robert Nagle Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:54:11 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=30853#comment-1147472 Is it really so cumbersome to sideload ebooks via SD card? As long as there are adequate instructions for how to do so safely, I can't imagine this being that great an obstacle to acceptance? Is it really so cumbersome to sideload ebooks via SD card?

As long as there are adequate instructions for how to do so safely, I can’t imagine this being that great an obstacle to acceptance?

]]> By: Ben http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/so-what-do-i-think-of-the-nook-great-for-getting-the-ebook-word-out-there/comment-page-1/#comment-1147446 Ben Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:19:44 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=30853#comment-1147446 I agree with Spider and McHale; you're underestimating the consumer. Sure, there are many stupid folks out there, but I'd bet the vast majority of them can figure out plugging something into their computer and running some software, just like with their ipod and camera. Again, it's the software that matters in that case, and sony's software sucks. Also, among the stupid folks, most of them probably don't read enough to buy a ereader. And, i think format does matter, in a way. Sure, the average consumer doesn't care about epub or whatever, but they WILL care when they find out they can't move their files to some other new shiny device. I agree with Spider and McHale; you’re underestimating the consumer. Sure, there are many stupid folks out there, but I’d bet the vast majority of them can figure out plugging something into their computer and running some software, just like with their ipod and camera. Again, it’s the software that matters in that case, and sony’s software sucks. Also, among the stupid folks, most of them probably don’t read enough to buy a ereader.

And, i think format does matter, in a way. Sure, the average consumer doesn’t care about epub or whatever, but they WILL care when they find out they can’t move their files to some other new shiny device.

]]> By: Spider Mattheson http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/so-what-do-i-think-of-the-nook-great-for-getting-the-ebook-word-out-there/comment-page-1/#comment-1147371 Spider Mattheson Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:27:10 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=30853#comment-1147371 I agree with McHale. I don't know how you come to the conclusion that most consumers are still mostly clueless about their computers. That's kind of a ridiculous assessment. How many jobs are left in the world that don't involve computers? Word processing, archiving, data sheets, and probably specialized programs are all part of a large part of the job market today. Programs like TurboTax have made doing taxes easy and popular among so many. Just email and web surfing? Hardly. Lots of devices that require the use of a computer are popular. How many people have digital cameras? How do they get their photos off? SD cards are so popular now that it's kind of insulting to say the average consumer wouldn't understand it. And that's all it should take to get books on and off the nook. Use an SD card or plug the device in via USB then drag and drop. My parents are using my original Kindle right now and I email them material from time to time. I've yet to hear my dad complain about not knowing how to get an ebook from computer to the Kindle. User friendliness is essential, of course, for commercial success but, as seen with the iPod, that doesn't necessarily require a device be divorced from the computer. I agree with McHale. I don’t know how you come to the conclusion that most consumers are still mostly clueless about their computers. That’s kind of a ridiculous assessment. How many jobs are left in the world that don’t involve computers? Word processing, archiving, data sheets, and probably specialized programs are all part of a large part of the job market today. Programs like TurboTax have made doing taxes easy and popular among so many. Just email and web surfing? Hardly. Lots of devices that require the use of a computer are popular. How many people have digital cameras? How do they get their photos off? SD cards are so popular now that it’s kind of insulting to say the average consumer wouldn’t understand it. And that’s all it should take to get books on and off the nook. Use an SD card or plug the device in via USB then drag and drop. My parents are using my original Kindle right now and I email them material from time to time. I’ve yet to hear my dad complain about not knowing how to get an ebook from computer to the Kindle.

User friendliness is essential, of course, for commercial success but, as seen with the iPod, that doesn’t necessarily require a device be divorced from the computer.

]]> By: Zealot http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/so-what-do-i-think-of-the-nook-great-for-getting-the-ebook-word-out-there/comment-page-1/#comment-1147334 Zealot Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:55:22 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=30853#comment-1147334 I absolutely agree that the Nook raises the bar, much as the iPhone did for Smartphones. Consumers will now expect more from their Readers and demand to get it. I would expect to see a Kindle 3 sometime in the first half of 2010 that will mirror many of the advances of the Nook, and likely go a step further. Also, if Amazon has the nerve they will open up the formats on the Kindle and accept EPUB. Once ebooks have a strong single format, things will become even simpler from the consumer side. I wonder what sort of product meetings are happening at Asus right now, regarding their promised dual screen Ebook readers. We were supposed to see them by the end of the year...time is running out and I would bet that the Nook has caused them to rethink some things a bit. Z I absolutely agree that the Nook raises the bar, much as the iPhone did for Smartphones. Consumers will now expect more from their Readers and demand to get it.

I would expect to see a Kindle 3 sometime in the first half of 2010 that will mirror many of the advances of the Nook, and likely go a step further. Also, if Amazon has the nerve they will open up the formats on the Kindle and accept EPUB. Once ebooks have a strong single format, things will become even simpler from the consumer side.

I wonder what sort of product meetings are happening at Asus right now, regarding their promised dual screen Ebook readers. We were supposed to see them by the end of the year…time is running out and I would bet that the Nook has caused them to rethink some things a bit.

Z

]]> By: Duke http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/so-what-do-i-think-of-the-nook-great-for-getting-the-ebook-word-out-there/comment-page-1/#comment-1147332 Duke Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:41:06 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=30853#comment-1147332 I agree with Devini, Canadians and other countries are always left out. Sony ereader at least is available in other countries so we too can buy ebooks. I agree with Devini, Canadians and other countries are always left out. Sony ereader at least is available in other countries so we too can buy ebooks.

]]> By: Devini http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/so-what-do-i-think-of-the-nook-great-for-getting-the-ebook-word-out-there/comment-page-1/#comment-1147329 Devini Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:46:27 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=30853#comment-1147329 I'm disappointed that as a Canadian resident we are once again left out of the loop in terms of buying and using these devices. I sure would like to know who's responsible for putting the geographical restrictions on them. I’m disappointed that as a Canadian resident we are once again left out of the loop in terms of buying and using these devices. I sure would like to know who’s responsible for putting the geographical restrictions on them.

]]> By: Bill McHale http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/so-what-do-i-think-of-the-nook-great-for-getting-the-ebook-word-out-there/comment-page-1/#comment-1147328 Bill McHale Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:46:15 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=30853#comment-1147328 I must say, I think you have dramatically underestimated the willingness of consumers to connect devices to their computers. By your logic, ipods (and other mp3 players) and digital cameras should still be niche products since the vast majority of them require the user to connect them to a computer to either transfer music to them or to download the pictures off of them. I personally believe it has less to do with the connection to the computer and more to do with having really good software on the computer for managing the device. This is, unfortunately, not the strong suit of Sony's reader (Fortunately, there is Calibre, but you need to know about that for it to do you any good). Ideally, the best library software should allow the user to manage their book collections, categorize books by the genre (or genres) that they belong to, etc. In many respects, it should look like itunes. The reader should then be able to synch their device to their library software or, if they have more books than space on their device, to select which books they want on their device at a given time. I must say, I think you have dramatically underestimated the willingness of consumers to connect devices to their computers. By your logic, ipods (and other mp3 players) and digital cameras should still be niche products since the vast majority of them require the user to connect them to a computer to either transfer music to them or to download the pictures off of them.

I personally believe it has less to do with the connection to the computer and more to do with having really good software on the computer for managing the device. This is, unfortunately, not the strong suit of Sony’s reader (Fortunately, there is Calibre, but you need to know about that for it to do you any good).

Ideally, the best library software should allow the user to manage their book collections, categorize books by the genre (or genres) that they belong to, etc. In many respects, it should look like itunes. The reader should then be able to synch their device to their library software or, if they have more books than space on their device, to select which books they want on their device at a given time.

]]> By: HeavyG http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/so-what-do-i-think-of-the-nook-great-for-getting-the-ebook-word-out-there/comment-page-1/#comment-1147324 HeavyG Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:24:55 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=30853#comment-1147324 The last sentence of your post is the key. Given the infancy of these devices and the ebook market it is going to be a game of hopscotch for years to come as different generations/iterations of ereaders come and go. The last sentence of your post is the key. Given the infancy of these devices and the ebook market it is going to be a game of hopscotch for years to come as different generations/iterations of ereaders come and go.

]]>