Electronic Books

Y'all know of my deep love of books. Today, I wish to address a few thoughts on new reading technology I am watching closely.

Seth Godin has written a wonderful blog about the new Kindle available though Amazon (who appear to be running for their life these days just like Borders.) Frankly, I could have stopped with “Seth Godin has written a wonderful blog” as his blog is worth the effort each and every day. (By-the-way, his thoughts Wednesday about "Little Miss Matched" were exceptional.) You can read this blog here: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/06/random-thoughts.html

Seth’s comments on the Kindle are, as always, very constructive. He hit home for me with a number of his insights because I read books from my Palm and have done for several years and they ring true. In fact, as I find my phone beginning to do almost all the things my Palm used to do, I still keep my out-dated Palm for the library of books I have amassed.

But I’ve been a bit ambivalent on the replacement of books with electronic equivalents because I like the feel of a book in my hand – especially the fine leather classics I love so much. I've done it, but I am not ready to give up my library. It is convenient. I can take my Palm out of my pocket or briefcase anywhere when I'm stuck (or completely bored) and read something worthwhile.

The screen of my Palm, back-lit as it is, allows me to read much smaller print than I can read on a paper page without excellent lighting and/or my reading glasses. However, the size also means that it is not all that comfortable or convenient to hold. It's plastic not leather. And when we talk about lighting, please note that I cannot read my Palm screen outdoors very well, and this precludes my reading on the beach, even though I have waterproof protection for my Palm that would allow me to dive with it.

You also miss all the cool graphics on the cover when you read from a Palm. And let's face it, so many people purchase a book because of it's cover graphics. As reasoned as I would like to think I am when I shop, I do it too. I read the inside cover, page through and read here and there to determine I will enjoy not only the story line or topic but also the factual content and the writing style of the author. But most often when I am in a bookstore, I have found two books I'd like and should only purchase one, (or three and should only buy two) it is often the cover that pushes me over the edge. (How very humanly emotional of me! But then, that is why I think cover art is there - to make us pick it up and "break ties.")

My first explorations into the Kindle led me to believe that they are headed in the right direction. Let me tell you why.

Several weeks ago, I had dinner with my boss and a colleague from New York at Spencer’s in the Salt Lake Hilton. The steaks were excellent. WOW! were they expensive though! I’d forgotten since I last visited there several years ago that you need to have a credit rating in excess of 700 to eat there. Since my Ad days at the City Weekly, I’ve heard people say that Spencer’s was over-rated. I disagree. It just isn’t a good value. When you can get a steak at Ruby River of similar quality and flavor for $10 - $15 less, well, the better value is to be had there. My boss was paying so I am not really complaining, but when I pay we will go elsewhere.

I tell you this only as an aside. The real point is that while we were dining, my colleague mentioned that she had recently moved from Houston to New York and had to throw or give away tons of stuff - including most of her library, in order to fit in their new housing. In Manhattan, 800 square feet is pretty expensive and you’ve got to have more than just a low six-figure income to purchase much more. A few of my New York colleagues pay as much each month to house a car as I pay for my 4,000 square foot Rambler in South Jordan, Utah sitting on slightly more than a third of an acre.

I remember thinking, at that moment, if I ever moved to New York I would need something like a Kindle because my books are over-flowing my current space. No, over-flowing isn't right - they are bursting my downstairs office at the very seams! Seth sums up why I continue to wait to make the whole-hearted switch to electronic reading. The Kindle is fairly new technology. It is priced poorly right now. It is not yet customer or author friendly. As Seth put it, "My bet is that this is just round one. Round five could be/should be powerful indeed."

Someone will figure it all out, and soon the books loaded on them will be priced more for readers and authors. We'll be able to see the cool cover art when we buy the books. (You can already read the dust cover summary and book excerpts on-line, but you just can't see the art - it's effectiveness as a "tie-breaker" is killed by those little thumbnails.)

When they have all that handled and there are several competitors, I’ll be looking to move from fine leather in my hand to plastic? No, why not fine leather around my electronic reader? And you product geniuses, don’t forget I love to read at the beach as well as in the bed or office. Ensure it feels good in my hand, is well-priced, and I can read at home without a light and on the beach without glare and you have a customer.

But until then, The Illiad just reads better in leather.