e-reading on the subway. not?
Thursday, February 19th, 2009 at 8:35 pm by Andreas Wuerfel
What’s going on?
Of the ten or so people sitting immediately around me on the New York subway from 14th to Wall Street, an impressive seven riders actually read a book!
Yes, actually reading hard and soft cover books, one page at a time, without the help of an iPod, or Kindle, or any other digital hand-held device.
Although completely anectodal (and statistically irrelevant, I know), behind my impromptu mini sample of “analog” readership, is there more than meets the eye?
Hey, it’s probably just a push back by a few, against the omnipresent popularity of overly slick and shinny digital rich media players packaged in 21st century form factor and UI.
Or maybe it is a case of “it’s the economy, stupid”.
People reading relatively inexpensive physical books today may be an indicator that previously released Zunes and iPods are now considered way to pricy.
My money, though, is on a different point: My seven fellow straphanges have either re-discovered the age-old value proposition of printed paper, or never actually abandoned their love for it.
To them I guess, when reading a real book, the tactile experience is unqiue and remains unmatched compared to any digital e-reader counterparts.
There’s also a certain emotional bind to turning pages manually, one by one.
Oh, and if you are into dog-ears, try that with an Amazon Kindle – can’t be done.
Long story short, companies have long started working on e-paper and e-readers to recreate similar effects, but none seemed to have cracked the code on sufficiently simulating the organic experience of holding and reading an actual book.
Until there is a similarly satisfying “touch and feel” reading experience with e-reading devices, I’d like to assume my seven subway mates probably are the equivalent of vinyl record fans amidst a sea of DVD owners.
Nothing major. Nothing to be concerned about. It’s interesting though, as the e-reader industry seems to still have ways to go.
PS: For those of you interested in “the latest and greatest” innovation in e-books, e-reading, and the like, check out these items:
In case you missed the first one, Amazon Kindle II is coming out
Amazon to offer e-books on Apple devices
Sony going next-gen with its own e-Reader, too
The bookworm project now supported by O’Reilly
Stanza, a prominent e-reader iPhone app
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