Do we really want to enjoy just books and office documents on e-book readers, especially those with wireless capabilities? How about newspapers and magazines, too?
Now, following a demo of a new Plastic Logic screen more than double the size of those on the Kindle and Sony Reader, the multiuse approach could make more sense than ever. Displays as large as copier paper could also do justice to detailed illustration in textbooks. And truly flexible, newspaper-style versions should come in time, even with color and moving images.
Here’s the really exciting news. Plastic Logic’s big-screen tech will be on sale in the first half of ’09, according to the New York Times, although the price isn’t public. Actual wireless included? At any rate, E Ink in the near future will probably be releasing similar display technology for customers.
Many questions will arise beyond those hinted at above. What arrangements will exist with hardware companies? And which newspapers will get the technology first? Any book publishers involved as well? Will newspapers and magazines, or their parent companies, perhaps end up as book distributors in some cases? Will there be any attempts to use the new technology to impose DRM ("take it or else…")? And how interactive, in the many to many sense, will the e-paper newspapers be? Probably not nearly as much as Web sites, at least at the start. Finally, can the new technology save daily newspapers or, as one analyst predicts, just delay their deaths?
Other information: Techmeme roundup and Google news roundup, including Newsweek article. Also see AP item on Esquire’s 75 anniversary edition, which will feature an E Ink cover. The item includes a prediction that wireless will let magazines be updated in real time. Given the wireless capabilities in the PL reader with trimmings added, it looks as that will soon be history, not prophesy.
Some earlier TeleRead items of interest: Here. Some months ago we reported on Hearst’s e-newspaper plans.
Newspapers make a bit more sense then e-books because firstly the market is there, today millions of people get most of their daily news reading from a screen, secondly todays newspapers is worth less then toilet paper so theres not a big issue of postiority if the gizmo breaks you dont loose an importent libary of content.
And most importently the main financial model is subdcription and adds not individual sales this means you can use the leasing model instead of having to put the full prize tag on the gizmo up front.
Size is important, and at A4 this could be a real asset to all forms of non-fiction reading.
Price is the next thing. If it could be held down, of go down in a reasonable period, it could be the first e-ink reader purchased as multiple items. I could use at least three when researching (which is my current job).
It would need the option of using the local computer as a document server. PDF, EPUB, HTML and might I suggest WORD and OpenOffice support — amongst others of course.
It would of course be a real bonus, because of size, for e-magazine and e-newsletter productions.
I have been waiting for a bigger device for a while.
If this screen is both durable and affordable it could be a huge hit. Maintenance manuals, textbooks, repair diagrams, mechanics repair guides and tons of other uses come to mind.