Sony overnight officially announced two new e-reader models: the Reader Pocket Edition (US$199) and Reader Touch Edition (US$299). They will be avauilable in the US in a few weeks. Sony also announced price cuts for books – dropping from US$11.99 to US$9.99. Once content hits a sweet spot and the devices have functionality consumers want sales will skyrocket and there will be an irreversable shift in medium. Like with the iPod. Business Week has a good perspective on Sony’s announcement.
The challenge for newsagents is the disruption to news and information distribution. We are middlemen. Over time, we become redundant. This is why we have to create our own future. This is why many of us are evolving our business model.
I got a free iPod a few weeks ago and it has wi-fi (I’m a bit dumb with this tech).
So at the coffee shop in out centre I can get on and read papers on the iPod for the cost of a paper approx or read the free paper there.
I’d rather read the real paper for no cost and easier on the eyes (Rods and Cones, Depth perception etc work differently with screens vs print I presume) and less “flicking” of the screen to read the content.
So maybe the digital paper/reader might just be an alternative rather than a replacement of print?
Oops! I was also getting to the eatery next door to me who gets a paper of me for customers to read for free.
After modifying the ex BE router I should be able to provide a Wi Fi service to customers in next door for anyone that wants it and charging a similar small fee.
I’ve just got to perfect the tech side first.
So the point I’m getting at is we can do something now to get a foot in the door, of the future
Michael, a good e-reader is not like reading an LCD screen. It is designed to be more paper like and have less stress on the eyes.
I like it. Lets embrace the change. Maybe like I-tunes, ezi-pass ect we can sell the cards to access the books??
John, thanks. Maybe they’ll get to the stage where they can alter the screen for people who wear glasses? Who knows?
If it takes off, I think I’ll kick out stationery, put in a coffee machine with a few computers, tables and chairs and become a meeting point like milkbars of the fifties and sixties.