Who Really Reads Ebooks

ThePinkCage

Hi

My book's come out on ebook and paperback - it's on Amazon. Keen to prmote the ebook - I went for my publisher, Book Republic, because they're very proactive in that sphere and I want to be where the action is.

But I'm curious. Have any of you read ebooks? How do you find the experience? What reader do you use? And would you pick an ebook over a paperback?

dory

Irish people haven't caught on to the wonder of the Kindle yet.

I laughed at ebooks a year ago. Spent time with some USAese people and I am completely hooked. I'm a faster reader with ebooks. I never knew how the page turning was holding me back. With the free 3G I download books all over the place that I would never normally buy. I find myself getting angry with people who don't bring their books out in digital format.

So in short....ME!

pickarooney

Who really reads ebooks? Statistically men, although the balance is shifting.
I was initially very resistant to the idea but I've read a couple and found it to be very similar to reading a normal book. Once the story is engaging the medium becomes less relevant. I've used a few different readers and find Aldiko to be the best for my needs, although Amazon requires that you use their Kindle software for downloads from their site.

EileenG

I do. Now, if I have the same book in paperback and in e-book, I'll read the e-book form of it. I didn't think I would like them, and only started because there were books I wanted only available as e-books. Now I'm hooked.

As many books as I want in my phone, ready to read, right where I left off. Read standing up on the bus, or be bed without turning on the light. Take dozens of books when I go on holiday, and still travel with hand luggage only.

I'm a convert. And now I snigger when I see those Star Treks where Picard insists on carrying round paper books with him. Is the man an idiot?

Antilles

I've read maybe twenty books this year, and all but two of them have been ebooks.

I'd buy a paperback over an ebook if a) the book I desperately want wasn't available online, b) the paperback was up to 95% cheaper or c) it's a graphic novel where the colour and artwork are vital to the story.

Ebooks should be far cheaper than paperbacks. Because of publishers' outdated business models that's not usually the case, but the truth is I'd pay more for an ebook anyway because they are so much more convenient.

And for the record, I was one of those people who thought I'd never leave paperbacks for ebooks, who valued the physical weight of the book and the feel and smell of the thing. Turns out those count for far less than you think when you've got great stories at your fingertips wherever you go.

The Mad Hatter

I read ebooks on my iPad and paper books on my...er...lap. I prefer paper books, generally, but knowing that if I'm stuck I have dozens of books with me at all times is a comfort.

Kinski

I'm a bit resistant to the whole trend, but I've begun to think about getting a Kindle. However, I'm a little put-off by the stories of Amazon remotely deleting titles from people's devices; also, I want the larger DX model, but still consider that one to be too expensive. The lack of any ebook reader large enough to handle PDFs properly is annoying too - damn it, if someone would release one with an A4-sized e-ink display I'd buy it straight away; I want to read JSTOR articles on there! Even if I do start reading some ebooks though, I imagine I'll still primarily purchase the paper variety.

EileenG wrote: »

And now I snigger when I see those Star Treks where Picard insists on carrying round paper books with him. Is the man an idiot?

Picard's an old-fashioned kinda guy; his books are probably all rare collector's editions or something. If anything makes me think he was an idiot, it's the fact that he didn't just ban the use of the Holodeck - that thing was a deathtrap.

Oh, has anyone seen these? Big in Holland apparently. I doubt very much they'll take off in a big way - there are only about a dozen titles at the moment - but I might buy one just for the novelty value.

pickarooney

Kinski wrote: »

I'm a bit resistant to the whole trend, but I've begun to think about getting a Kindle. However, I'm a little put-off by the stories of Amazon remotely deleting titles from people's devices;

Tell us more...

Kinski

pickarooney wrote: »

Tell us more...

See here. In this case the copies were illegal, but the fact that they can do it at all bothers me.

EileenG

Once you've downloaded the book to your device, Amazon can't delete it, any more than they can delete a cd that you've bought and taken out of the shop.

I like most people, tend to have about a dozen books on my phone for immediate reading and just allow the stuff I've read or am not interested in now, to stay on my Amazon account, to be downloaded when I want them. I suppose Amazon could delete those ones.

Dublin141

I haven't read a paperback novel in well over a year. I've had a Sony and a Kindle—I've read more books in the last year than in the previous five. I love the Kindle, and I can't imagine buying a paperback now.

I didn't expect to enjoy ereaders until I actually tried one. The Kindle 3 screen in particular looks amazing. The convenience is pure win for me. Also, my OH doesn't mind me buying books all the time now they aren't taking up valuable storage space.

I'm not a fan of backlit screens, but I've read a couple of books using android apps. I'm another one who gets annoyed if an ebook version isn't available. I'm highly unlikely to read a book that isn't available as an ebook.

Arlecchina

Kinski wrote: »

I want to read JSTOR articles on there!

Yum. Just think of the paper I'd save! I seriously can't wait for e-PDFs to become a viable reality. I'd be in academic bliss.

So, I'm another one of those book-as-a-physical-object snobs, but the boyfriend gave me a Kindle 3 for my birthday, and I have to say ... I haven't read a physical paperback in a couple of months now. I'm a fan of whacking great C19th doorstoppers, and the combination of Project Gutenberg (kid in a candy store!) and my slim, light Kindle is just glorious. I definitely read much quicker on the Kindle, too.

For anyone worried about backing up their Kindle store purchases, I recommend Calibre. I have my whole library backed up and managed on my hard drive and I just sync to the Kindle. Calibre can also convert ebooks/documents/HTML pages to any format you fancy.

Monkeybonkers

EileenG wrote: »

Once you've downloaded the book to your device, Amazon can't delete it, any more than they can delete a cd that you've bought and taken out of the shop.

I like most people, tend to have about a dozen books on my phone for immediate reading and just allow the stuff I've read or am not interested in now, to stay on my Amazon account, to be downloaded when I want them. I suppose Amazon could delete those ones.

I also like most people

Sorry Eileen, I just couldn't resist

CD.

I have a kindle, but I don't use it as much as I wish I could, mainly due to charging issues (I forget to charge it and it sits there, glaring at me) I have a large amount of books on it that I want to read (the entire wizard of Oz series for one, thank you gutenberg project!)
and a few other books on it too.

My only major problem is the cover I have makes it awkward to hold sometimes, but that really is just a case of removing it, but the cover has a light so it has to be left on sometimes.

Six of One

EileenG wrote: »

Read standing up on the bus, or be bed without turning on the light.

I would NEVER sleep if I wasn't eventually forced to turn off the light, I'd read all night! No Kindle for me :P

EileenG

Monkeybonkers wrote: »

I also like most people

Really? I can't stand them!

kelator

EileenG wrote: »

Once you've downloaded the book to your device, Amazon can't delete it,

They have done before.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/jul/22/kindle-amazon-digital-rights

George Orwell always had a fine ear for hypocrisy. Even so, quite what he would have made of last week's Kindle debacle, in which Amazon was accused of tactics reminiscent of Big Brother, is unclear. When it emerged that the company had secretly deleted copies of Orwell's novels from people's Kindle ebook readers because of a legal issue,

pickarooney

Technically they didn't. As a Kindle user, if you, even tacitly, agree to synchronise the contents of your kindle with your account and then connect your device to the account, that's not the same as them physically accessing your hardware and removing something from it.

padraig_f

Bought a Kindle recently, first e-book reader. In a lot of ways I prefer reading it now to actual books...

- Easier to hold, don't need to hold the book open.
- Can set up font-size, spacing etc. so every book is formatted as you like it.
- Built in dictionary makes me more likely to look up words.
- Ability to highlight favourite sections/quotes etc. and then go back to them.
- More convenient when you have a few books on the go, they don't stack up or leave you looking for bookmarks to put in them.
- Find the preview facility has broadened my reading, books I wouldn't previously have been sure enough to buy, I've bought after reading the preview chapter.

So yeah I'm a total convert.

pickarooney

It's also really handy for those moments when you can't remember exactly who a minor character is and you just search for the name.

TwoShedsJackson

Amazon's 3G coverage for downloading books straight to the Kindle works in Ireland right? I am assuming anyway, as it says it covers 100 countries worldwide but their coverage map won't load for me.

Wife looking to get a Kindle, just want to check this before buying.

Hrududu

Yup the 3G coverage works here. My tech-phobic mother has one and has no bother downloading books.

I have a Sony e-reader. Its very handy. The best thing about it is the ability to have a rake of books on you at any given time.

EileenG

And I do it on the cheap. I've got a little €59 Vodafone smartphone, and a Kindle ap, and I download like crazy onto that.

pickarooney

Does it not hurt your eyes to read on a little screen?

EileenG

No, I adjust the text size to suit me, I just have to turn the page more frequently. A bigger screen might be nice, but this works for me.

GaryMunster

pickarooney wrote: »

Does it not hurt your eyes to read on a little screen?

No it doesnt, It doesnt have a backlight and there is also no sun glare off of the screen so it does not strain the eyes. I worked for Amazon and I was a kindle specialist so fire away with questions!;)

meg3178

TwoShedsJackson wrote: »

Amazon's 3G coverage for downloading books straight to the Kindle works in Ireland right? I am assuming anyway, as it says it covers 100 countries worldwide but their coverage map won't load for me.

Wife looking to get a Kindle, just want to check this before buying.

I have a 3G wireless kindle with a lighted cover....The best thing I've ever bought myself. The 3G works everywhere. Took it to spain and had put audio books, music files, novels and travel guides onto it; it was light, easy to use and was asked by many people to show them how to use it.
I had bought my daughter one for christmas and when I saw she could upload files to it, answer her google mail, read, listen to music, upload her dictation notes to it, I had to get one, especially as I travel for work.

The lighted cover works off the kindle, so no extra batteries are needed.
I usually charge the kindle once every three weeks and let the battery get low, then fully charge it. I only switch on the wifi when I need it, as it uses more battery power and it doesn't need to be on most of the time.

It uses a micro usb charger, which can be bought cheaper over here, than on Amazon. You can put a password on the kindle and the free and very cheap books on Amazon change titles every couple of weeks.
hope this helps.:D

Happyzebra

Love having books on my phone. Love having access to new books 24/7. Found reading ebooks at little odd at first but would never go back. No more books cluttering up my house.:)

FewFew

The note making function is very very handy. I have a Kindle app on my ipod, but it's oh so handy.

Bob Z

So what's the best The kindle or Sony e-book reader? Or something else?

Dublin141

Bob Z wrote: »

So what's the best The kindle or Sony e-book reader? Or something else?

Kindle is far better than the Sony. Screen quality, battery life, price... Kindle wins against Sony imo.

EileenG

Everyone I know who has a Kindle loves it. I know people with Sony e-readers and they complain about having to hook it up to the computer to download books.

However, I'm told that in a competition between Kindle and Nook, the Nook wins hands down.

Bob Z

EileenG wrote: »

However, I'm told that in a competition between Kindle and Nook, the Nook wins hands down.

But the nook seems more like an ipad though

FewFew

I think cost plays a major role here.

Kindle is under €200 and is great at what it does.

Other eReaders have more capabilities, but generally they cost more and more until you're in tablet territory, in which case I might as well just get a tablet.

Antilles

I was without my Kindle for a few days last week and couldn't bring myself to go back to reading from paper. Turning pages is so much wasted energy.

Bob Z

Fewcifur wrote: »

I think cost plays a major role here.

Kindle is under €200 and is great at what it does.

Other eReaders have more capabilities, but generally they cost more and more until you're in tablet territory, in which case I might as well just get a tablet.

but arent ebook readers better than tablets for reading?

FewFew

Bob Z wrote: »

but arent ebook readers better than tablets for reading?

Yup, which is why I'd grab a Kindle if I wanted a reader. Cheapish and do the trick.

CD.

my ebooks are currently free in america, in the past 3 days or so they have over 5000 downloads between the two of them.

Of course, being that they are free they will be different numbers compared to priced stuff, but it gives you an idea of the scale of people who download ebooks.
Those numbers have gotten me into the top 100 free listings, (the second book made it to #68, the first book got to #118) the first book was free and sales were fast but slower than the second book which has 2500 downloads in less than 48 hours.

It might not seem like a large market or anything, but really it is a great one, after all, there is no physical product to store and there is no limit to how long you can leave it there.

I havn't reached those numbers on the UK site, which isn't suprising really, as america is a large market my fasted downloads per day on the UK site was 110 compared to over 1000 on the american site and with that I was highish in the top 100 free (as far as I can recall, not 100% sure think I was around the 60's, but I did get to number one in genre specific charts)

pickarooney

A little OT, but I've read a few of your stories, CD, and while there's some good stuff in there I can't help feeling that you'd be better off writing fewer stories but spending more time on refining and editing them. It sometimes seems as if you're in a mad panic to get a story done by a deadline and it even comes across in the punctuation with sentences all run together with commas.

On the other hand it's good to keep writing and writing while you have the motivation and it gives you lots to work with when you go to make your first book for sale.

BostonB

I used to read ebooks on my windows pocket pc when I used to get the train. very handly for reading on the go and reading in snatches. Its always where you last were , when you turn it on. Haven't sprung for a new eReader yet, as they are still a bit pricey. I still like books though.

CD.

pickarooney wrote: »

A little OT, but I've read a few of your stories, CD, and while there's some good stuff in there I can't help feeling that you'd be better off writing fewer stories but spending more time on refining and editing them. It sometimes seems as if you're in a mad panic to get a story done by a deadline and it even comes across in the punctuation with sentences all run together with commas.

On the other hand it's good to keep writing and writing while you have the motivation and it gives you lots to work with when you go to make your first book for sale.

Yeah I have felt that myself sometimes with commas, problem is theres no place to put a full stop or an and, so I'll probably do some research into similar kinds of punctuation or try to find ways to break them up. Generally, most if not all of the stories are written on the same day, I keep meaning to make a buffer and will have to now that college is coming. I was thinking that what I'll do is write a load then I can leave most of them for a while before I edit rather than Write-edit-post that I usually do.

I'll probably have a week or two where I read over old posts to see if I can see any problems/typos, I was glancing over a few of them a while a few days ago and noticed a few typos jumping out that when your reading properly, your eye just skims over.

As you said, I've been super productive with it, I've probably written more short stories this last summer than in my entire life! so really pleased with that, even if not all of them are amazing, the idea is there and I can polish/lenghthen them

Thanks it really helps to have someone say something that I wouldn't see or notice because I'm so close to it if that makes sense?

Jimoslimos

I think a similar (not exactly the same, mind) parallel could have been alluded to with the early beginnings of mp3 and digital music. The question back then might have been "who listens to mp3s? or who downloads music?" And the answers - "not a lot, but its growing......prices are still too high.....i'll always prefer to have a physical copy of my music......can't find the stuff I want - I don't want to but I download illegally." See any resonance here?

Amazon have pretty much mirrored Apple's early approach to digital music sales. Own propietary(sp) software (AZW) vs industry standard (ePub) + a rather nifty gadget (IMO the best on the market).

As for publishers, they're understandably cautious. For starters they can foresee a time when Amazon (or whichever major player emerges) can wield enormous sway on ebook pricing. Second I reckon ebooks will overtake printed in the next 5-10 years (don't quote me on that though yet!) and with it will diminish one of the main roles of a publisher - that is, to print and distribute books. What happens when major authors (no longer requiring publicity generated from publishers) decides to release a 'special' electronic only novel? WHAT IF (assuming out of contract) they bypass the publisher and go straight to Amazon - given that Amazon are acting more akin to a publisher and less like a distributor when it comes to ebooks? What happens when everyone starts doing this and printed copies are only reserved for when the author is super successful?

Perhaps (and I really sincerely hope not!) publishers will take an approach akin to current record companies where young, promising artists have vast amounts of marketing thrown at them in the hope of creating a global megastar. A literary X-factor of sorts:eek:

Alot of what ifs here and maybe not all will come to pass but things are changing.

TL;DR: Books = LPs / eBooks = MP3s / Publishers = Record companies

EileenG

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Second I reckon ebooks will overtake printed in the next 5-10 years (don't quote me on that though yet!) and with it will diminish one of the main roles of a publisher - that is, to print and distribute books. What happens when major authors (no longer requiring publicity generated from publishers) decides to release a 'special' electronic only novel? WHAT IF (assuming out of contract) they bypass the publisher and go straight to Amazon - given that Amazon are acting more akin to a publisher and less like a distributor when it comes to ebooks? What happens when everyone starts doing this and printed copies are only reserved for when the author is super successful?

Perhaps (and I really sincerely hope not!) publishers will take an approach akin to current record companies where young, promising artists have vast amounts of marketing thrown at them in the hope of creating a global megastar. A literary X-factor of sorts:eek:

Alot of what ifs here and maybe not all will come to pass but things are changing.

TL;DR: Books = LPs / eBooks = MP3s / Publishers = Record companies

I think this has already happened. I'm pretty sure I read recently that Amazon are selling more e-books than paper books. I know e-books overtook hardbacks a year or so back, but I think they have recently overtaken paperbacks as well.

And Amazon have recently signed up a 16 year old author and are acting as her publisher.

As for the competitions, there are a lot of competitions out there where people compete to get the attention of an editor or agent, and some big ones where they compete for the big prizes.

Bob Z

So has anyone here tried the nook?

pickarooney

I don't think I'll ever come around to reading bedtime stories from a tablet, and I'm definitely not letting the kids use it to learn to read. I also can't see my family and friends offering e-Books as presents so there's at least one part of the physical book market which I think (hope) is safe.

The Nook sounds like a Dr. Seuss book.

chicken fingers

What about when your kids really want you to read them the latest and greatest book, which you don't already have?
If you were an ebook user you could download the illustrated, full colour book on your nook for example.
And you could do it in less time than it takes the kids to get into their PJs.
I've seen on boards from a couple of years ago, those who are against the ebook, one they actually try it, get hooked, and those who have never tried it will swear that they will definitely never, ever prefer ebooks to normal books.

Your point about the presents is valid, you can clearly see what happened to the concept of giving CDs as gifts.
But it died out, rather than being the one remaining way that people obtained CDs.

We're talking about ebook readers, not tablets, there is a difference, do you own a kindle or nook?

BostonB

A kid ripping a book, or spilling milk on it, is one thing, breaking a kindle another. Not sure I read a kindle in the bath, like I would a book. Or on a beach etc.

Someone in the family has a iPad, I couldn't imagine reading on it. Its just too heavy and bulky. Whereas I see people on the bus with Kindle's. They just slip them in their jacket pocket. A kindle is practical, tablets often aren't. At least not yet.

pickarooney

chicken fingers wrote: »

What about when your kids really want you to read them the latest and greatest book, which you don't already have?

By the time they understand the concept of fashion in literature they'll be well able to read themselves and probably have their own e-readers.

We're talking about ebook readers, not tablets, there is a difference, do you own a kindle or nook?

I don't really see the difference, apart from the versatility of the tablet and the weight, which is about 600g compared to 300g for the Kindle. I don't have a kindle or a nook, mostly because my tablet does the same job.

chicken fingers

pickarooney wrote: »

By the time they understand the concept of fashion in literature they'll be well able to read themselves and probably have their own e-readers.

I don't really see the difference, apart from the versatility of the tablet and the weight, which is about 600g compared to 300g for the Kindle. I don't have a kindle or a nook, mostly because my tablet does the same job.

1) Its just an example, their friends in school might be talking about a specific book and they might want it.
I did this the other day with my niece who was sick and wanted a specific book for bed and she was delighted.

2) If you don't really see the difference where there are huge differences, fair enough, thanks for posting and sharing your ignorance of the topic at hand.

pickarooney

And thanks for reminding us what a pleasant individual you are to discuss with.

BostonB

I think the extra weight is a major issue, not something significant.