There have been many attempts by companies to create methods of distributing books electronically. Ultimately, it seems that the old fashioned paperback wins out every time. Are there some areas where advancements in technology are simply not needed? http://www.livesimplicity.com/topics/electronic-books 2006-12-15T04:54:44Z idesign http://www.livesimplicity.com/users/idesign http://www.livesimplicity.com/topics/electronic-books#comment1 2006-10-01T13:08:11Z Simpler http://www.livesimplicity.com/users/simpler If the e-book device didnt have all the usual eletronic illnesses, such as clunky adapters, pc drivers, incompatible file formats, low battery life and poor contrast then yes. In theory this would be great. Lets see how many generations of products it will take before we are there. I will not be buying the first generations but waitings for most books to be available for the e-book and a device that works wirelessly and without any setup from my side. Hopefully I dont even have to buy it but can wait for my book club to lend me one. Oh, and I also need to be able to drop it on the floor without breaking it... http://www.livesimplicity.com/topics/electronic-books#comment2 2006-10-01T13:44:56Z moderator http://www.livesimplicity.com/users/moderator Books are the one form of media that don't transfer well to the digital word. Music and films are great, print not so. This is why people still pay to read newspapers each morning, even when the content is readily available free online. There's just something special about your personal relationship with a book. http://www.livesimplicity.com/topics/electronic-books#comment3 2006-10-01T21:23:45Z JBonnin http://www.livesimplicity.com/users/jbonnin Once again... why only one of them? I love the smell of old paper of a book I desired for long and that I end by finding! This doesn´t mean I don´t download loads of e-books. Ideally, I would have them all in beautiful old editions. But the e-books save me time and, very often, money. http://www.livesimplicity.com/topics/electronic-books#comment4 2006-10-02T02:34:32Z jesshd123 http://www.livesimplicity.com/users/jesshd123 Look - it's quite simple. Can you read an e-book in the bath? No? Well then - the choice is clear. I'm not going to give up one of life's greatest pleasures just to appease the Gods of Silicon :-) http://www.livesimplicity.com/topics/electronic-books#comment5 2006-10-02T02:50:46Z Roadmeister http://www.livesimplicity.com/users/roadmeister Have to agree with JBonnin. I cannot see (and do not want) books to dissapear but there are times and places where an e-book would probably be more suitable and cost-effective. I remember thinking that audio books were stupid until I discovered that they were great for long car journeys. http://www.livesimplicity.com/topics/electronic-books#comment6 2006-10-02T03:02:58Z jtstobbs http://www.livesimplicity.com/users/jtstobbs Books are my comfort zone, when the world kicks you in the teeth, the best thing i find is to disappear into the world of books. So you need to hold them find a comfortable spot and shut everything else out - even just for a while http://www.livesimplicity.com/topics/electronic-books#comment7 2006-10-02T04:14:09Z dhama http://www.livesimplicity.com/users/dhama Making things easier doesn't always make things better, however there are times when either electronic form or paper printed form are very useful for the job in hand. The point of new technology is not always to replace old technolgy, but to enhance the user experience or usefulness of it for any given purpose. http://www.livesimplicity.com/topics/electronic-books#comment8 2006-10-02T08:46:42Z anna http://www.livesimplicity.com/users/anna I agree with the ecological points of B. My Ideal would be to have a code with it so I can fit a microphone/s to my mobile telephone and listen to the contents hands free---i.e. on the beach! http://www.livesimplicity.com/topics/electronic-books#comment9 2006-10-02T08:54:29Z ssp http://www.livesimplicity.com/users/ssp I only buy books or novels in paper form because: 1) I don't have to worry about the battery running out 2) I don't have yet another proprietary charger/adapter to carry 3) If I lost my book I lose only $10 or so compared to a $300 piece of kit. However, when I was at university I used to spend hundreds of dollars per year on books which were only used a few times. This is a waste of money and paper resources. The university library only had a certain number of text books and I could never get hold of the books I wanted during assignment time at the end of term. e-books would be the absolutely perfect choice here and I would happily pay for an e-reader for academic purposes. http://www.livesimplicity.com/topics/electronic-books#comment10 2006-10-02T08:56:02Z anna http://www.livesimplicity.com/users/anna Yes, They are invaluble for those with physical handicaps,hospital patients who do not have any real choice other than whatever their visitor brings, sometimes none at all. Who wants to carry in their weight allowance on flights a pile of books? Great for subliminal studying, better still insert a brain chip! We do need to top up all aspects of information to provide a considered opinion, maybe we would be better at negotions if we read/listened to cultural and religious backgrounds? http://www.livesimplicity.com/topics/electronic-books#expert-conclusion 2006-12-15T04:54:44Z In the modern technology age, there is one instance where people feel very comfortable and even attaced to the old-fashioned ways, and that is when it comes to books. Books provide an escape. It's an experience that many cherish, from browsing through a bookstore, to flipping through the pages, to the smell of the paper, many regard the act of reading as a vital and relaxing part of their lives. Although, many feel the old-fashioned book is the prefered method of reading, e-books are becoming more and more popular. E-books are preferred many times in instances where books are needed for academic studies or in situations where the number of pages are low. This form of media also provides a low cost, flexible way to carry large volumes of information. For many disabled individuals, this is the only way in which they can enjoy a good book. As technology advances, we may find that e-books become more and more common. In the meantime, most people prefer standard books, however e-books definitely have a place in the academic world and in instances where cost or convenience area a major concern. Ultimately, e-books have a long way to go before the technology is advanced enough to deliver media to the masses.