ePublish

Like it, hate it, despise it, but electronic publishing is here. It may not swallow up traditional publishing, but eventually will dominate certain niches such as the paperback trade - at least. It is even more likely to take over the technical reference and text book trade where a book that is referenced twice a year may cost over a hundred dollars in traditional print, and with the rapid pace of technology, may well be obsolete in just a few years. More and more publications are available as ebooks for immediate download. What does all this eBook hoopla mean to you?

As an author? There has never been a better time to publish. How you can get your book to the reading public is outlined in  the Author's View.

As a reader? More and more titles, less expensive and more easily accessible than before are available as explained on the Reader's View.  Open an EBook is one forum designed to provide information on eBooks, with additional sources of free eBooks to hook you. Many works are available as eBooks, in many formats, giving the reader a vast selection to choose from. As happened with the entire Internet business world. the many entries are shaking out. An old article by Chrisopher Dryer entitled "Why do Books cost so Much" provides additional insight into the issue, and a strong rationale for the increasing popularity of eBooks among readers. Everyday new retail eBook storefronts come and go on the Internet, but one - FictionWise.com - has remained a consistent and growing player, second only to eReader.com, the successor to Peanut Press, the first big player in eBook distribution.

As new and improved Personal Digital Assistants - PDA's - arrive on the market, eBooks look even more promising. The small type was not so easy to read on the first generation PDAs, but the latest models really look good. And they all have adjustable type sizes. The design issue is fundamental - we all want a PDA that fits in a pocket, but with a large, easy to read screen...and color...and sound...and things I haven't even thought about coming soon. I have my doubts about the future of dedicated readers, such as the Hiebook and original Rocket Reader (note - to the dismay of the many dedicated users, the current owners have withdrawn the Rocket Reader from the market), but there are many users who swear by them. Tablet PC's - defined by lighter weight than a laptop but larger than a PDA, ability to write/draw on the screen with acceptable handwriting recognition - you know, like the tech manuals and logs on the Enterprise, may be the wave of the sci-fi future, but are not quite here yet.

Several hybrids have been on the market, and at least one one has recently upgraded. See Hybrid Readers for examples ranging from the very inexpensive to the DeVilles of the market.

Here's the general direction I think we are going -

Something LIKE the Sony EBR-1000 LIBRIė eBook reader, a thin paperback sized combination of the E Ink high resolution display, audio and long-lasting batteries - AAA's for the moment - an issue that I have with my new Palm Tungsten which replaced the old Palm III AAA's with short-lived rechargeable - not replaceable batteries! (Photo from a detailed article at yowbooks.com)

Display Technology - E-Ink and the Organic LED and Polymer LED displays are in development that will knock the socks off current PDA and dedicated readers. The "Killer Device" that eBooks need for that big break-through is on the horizon (if the sun will ever rise).

Downside - Yes there is one... Many book sellers (read - the major publishers who are finally realizing what a lucrative market ePublishing presents, but are skittish about the "bootleg downloads" represented by the MP3 music fiasco) require their works be encrypted using a DRM (digital rights management) scheme. Many in the industry see the current DRM techniques as an added cost with minimal security added. (Once again - see Orwell, George) My suggestion: buy from a retailer that offers "multiformat" unencrypted books.

Sony introduced its new EBR-1000 LIBRIė eBook reader for the Japanese market. The Linux-based reader is not slated to appear in the USA for another two years, which is understandable given the mixed initial reviews of the $375 reader. The down side - the reader is restricted to Sony's proprietary BBeB (Broad Band eBook) format. This will either have to dominate the market, or - more likely - become another Sony Beta format fiasco.

Ebook readers for PCs - desktop and portable - are easier on the eyes if carrying the device in your pocket isn't the issue. While most of us don't want to sit in front of a computer screen to read a book - even though the readers are extremely good - there are advantages over traditional books. Shared with the PDA characteristics, the PC ebooks are often cheaper and certainly are easier to store, plus they can be quickly downloaded from online retailers. And if you are a traveling laptop user, you may prefer to carry your books on the computer rather than in a briefcase, especially if they are non-fiction technical references or catalogs that you may want to share with a client, either on screen or by projection. Several of the formats can be read on dedicated readers, PDAs and PCs, so your choices are virtually limitless - and often confusing. But try an eBook sample on your computer or PDA. I think you will be impressed - one way or the other.