eBooks, Blogs,Twitter and the Future of Digital Reading

My  favorite April Fool's joke this year was the announcement that The Guardian Newspaper was closing down their presses and set to start transmitting all news via Twitter.  The press release carefully noted that "experts" agree that you can tell any story in 140 characters. . .

I was still laughing about the Guardian faux press release when I stumbled upon an article by Gord Hotchkiss entitled The Wiring of the Digital Native. 

Mr. Hotchkiss argues young people are learning the language of digital technology from birth, the rest of us are trying to catch up as adults.  We may become quite proficient but will never have the fluency of the younger generation. In effect they are digital natives while the rest of us are immigrants. 

I know that my daughter and I have very different ways of finding and processing information.  She consumes her information in small rapid bursts. Google, blogs, tweets and wikis are her "go to" sources. She intuitively knows that all information is linked.  She also expects that she can easily find a community who knows something about anything she wants to know.  All she has to do is tweet.

I instinctively immerse myself in a topic and spend hours digging out the important bits. I know, intellectually, that information is linked but struggle to find out how.  Twittering doesn't occur to me because the idea that 140 characters is the key to communication is an anathema to me.

We look for, read and process information in very different ways. She has an ability to quickly grab information that I will never have. Her's was built in a connected world.  My abilities were honed in libraries with card catalogs, index cards and bibliographies. The pathways in our brains are incredibly different.

The implications for the future of education, publishing and reading are enormous.  In a world where readers believe that all information and people are linked, you can't help but wonder how long, one dimensional and analytical books will survive. 

del.icio.us Tags: ebook,e-book,digital reading,twitter

Smartphones in the Classroom

This morning, the New York Times has a great piece on smartphones in the classroom.

One one side is the cellphone industry saying that using a smartphone improves math skills. The claim is based on a study conducted in four North Carolina schools. The schools were all located in low-income neighborhoods; and 9th and 10th-grade math students were given high-end cellphones. The phone were each preloaded with special algebra learning programs.

The students used the phones to study -- recording them solving problems and even posting videos of their work for other students to watch. Evidently the school had set up a private network just for these students. Now how cool is that!

But there's more. . . the students were allowed talk and texting minutes to use during their off time. And just to keep things safe, the messages were monitored by teachers to make sure that they were appropriate.

At the end of the year the students were given an algebra exam and the results showed that students with the phones performed 25 percent better than those without the devices.

Of course, there is the other side. This side includes the usual suspects, teacher unions such as the American Federation of Teachers, school administrators and some individual teachers who believe that cellphones are just a distraction from the real business of learning. Which explains why many states and school districts ban cellphones on school campuses.

I would be willing to bet that most of these detractors have never even used a smart phone. . .

After watching the teens around me, I have to say that giving them a cellphone sounds like a winner idea. They are smaller and cheaper than computers; they can be insured for very little money and the kids love them.

Most of the teens I know remind me Charleton Heston -- you will have to pry the cell phone out of their cold dead hands. It seems to me a winning strategy to use their passion for the devices and leverage it into an educational tool.

The cost of a smartphone, especially when bought in bulk, can't be much more expensive than the outrageous amount of money spent on textbooks and supplies.

From what I have seen in our local school system there is a lot of room for experimentation. When you have one third of the children in the district "left behind", the status quo is clearly NOT working.

del.icio.us Tags: ebooks,e-books,cellphones in the classroom,education

eBook and eReader update

Last September. Waterstone's, the British bookseller, began selling the Sony eReader. Last week they released sales information.

The chain claims to have sold almost 30,000 readers and their downloads have passed the 75,000 mark. Which works out to about 2 1/2 books per reader. Very interesting. . .

Particularly interesting since Amazon refuses to give out any sales numbers on the Kindle other than Jeff Bezos' statement that "sales are great." And an estimate that 12% of book sales are for the Kindle editions.

The one sure thing is that eBook sales are on the upswing, whatever anyone says about individual eReader sales. The IDPF (International Digital Publishing Foundation) reports that between January and November, 2008 sales were up 63.8%. The disclaimer on this is that the IDPF number reflects only the sales for 13 of the many trade book publishers.

Alternatively, Ingram's Education Solutions unit reported that eBook sales from January to May, 2008 surpassed the 2007 figures by 400 percent!

Both of these stats sound really great until you realize that eBooks sales are about .5% of all book sales. And when you consider the number of smart phones (including the iPhone) in use .5% is shockingly low.

My original supposition was that much of the reading on these devices are downloads from project Gutenberg on other free eBook sites. But if Juniper Research is correct, my supposition is dead wrong.

The Juniper analyst predicts that the worldwide mobile adult market will hit $4.9 Billion within the next five years. Hmmm. I suppose that is good news for Larry Flynt, but not so good for Amazon and the major publishers.

No matter what you choice of reading material is I want to remind you that Read an eBook Week starts March 8th. We will have more info about how you can help promote this week and make it a success.

Short post today -- have to spend the week getting all my tax info to the accountant. I do hate this time of the year!

del.icio.us Tags: ereading,digital reading,ebooks,kindle,sony prc,IDPF,ebook statistics

Digital Reading and the Human Brain

There are times when I think that technology and living in the 21st century is just too cool for words.  Last week, I had once of those times. 

UCLA just completed a study about Internet usage and the human brain.  Specifically it was a study designed to see "if regular Internet usage was more effective than other intellectually stimulating tasks in keep the brain limber in aging test subjects."

Because they are a medical educational institution they have access  to the most amazing technology around --  fMRI (Functional Magnetic Imaging Resonance).  I won't pretend to understand why this is so cool.  All I know is that it gives researchers and amazing window into the human brain.  The fMRI actually lets us see activity in the human brain.   Very pretty pictures!

In terms I understand, this study tracked brain activity while adults did various online tasks including reading and "googling."  They wanted to find out if regular internet usage effectively keeps an aging brain more limber, more able to flex and and bend freely.

Evidently digital reading does keep the brain limber for those who do it often.  Interestingly, internet neophytes (people without previous Internet experience) showed little change on brain activity when reading vs when using the internet.

But real changes were seen in those who habitually use the Internet. Those subjects were evidently exercising their brains in a big way.  They showed a significant increase in activity in the frontal, temporal and cingulated areas of the brain.  These are the areas associated with complex reasoning.

The digital readers weren't just passively taking in information, they were actively engaged.  Online activity evidently engages multiple parts of the brain.

This is significant for the aging, but it has real, everyday value growing children and adults.  Consider this study as a piece of evidence that using the internet keeps us learning new things which in turn help us build new skill sets.This intellectual exercise keeps our brains flexible and able to adapt to our increasingly complex world. 

I have watched my world get larger and more complex with every passing year.  The flood of information can be almost overwhelming.  I used to read one or two newspapers each day and a half dozen trade journals in a month.  Now I read three or four newspapers a day, have several RSS feeds bringing me hourly news and information and read hundreds of blog pieces a week plus I have access to literally hundreds of journals.  Sometimes I wonder if my brain is up to the challenge.  AND I wonder what all this means for my children and their children.  It is conceivable that we will all just implode from too much info.

Evidently this is a rather foolish notion on my part.  Seems that the human brain is infinitely adaptable and the more we use it the more it expands.  I don't know about you, but I find this an enormously reassuring world view.  

del.icio.us Tags: digital reading,digital books,book technology

eBooks and Publishing News 2/21/08

First a correction!

I got email from Jenny Murphy at Guerilla PR. She wrote:

Thanks for writing about the “Plant a Tree” drive. I just wanted to take a moment to clarify the purpose of the $5 gift certificate to iChapters.com. Our intention was to give you an opportunity to try out the site for yourself, before representing it to your readers. I’m sorry if that was unclear.

So, looks like I misunderstood and I stand corrected; they weren't trying to bribe me after all and I shouldn't have crumbed on them. My apologies to iChapter and Guerilla PR.

Keep up the good work!

Fairfield Research Make eBook Predictions

Publishers Weekly is reporting on a research report that estimates that somewhere between 6.8 and 16 million adults will download a digital book in the next few (?) years. I consider this WONDERFUL news!

The report also finds that 17% of current book buyers say that would seriously consider purchasing a digital book. 55% of books buyers are planning to stick to paper, thank you very much; but there are 27% who are "ambivalent"; they just might be persuaded.

The finding that fascinates me the most, however, is their of the profile of the most likely buyers: employed males ages 25–34 with income over $100,000.

I emailed fairfield@navix.net for an executive summary and am anxiously awaiting it.

Heads Up -- It's almost here!

Read an eBook week is almost here. This particular week's celebration was created by Rita Toews. For some amazing facts about eBooks and pBooks visit her site -- www.domokos.com/readebookweek.html. Mark your calendar for March 9-15.

del.icio.us Tags: ebook,e-book,read and ebook week,fairfield research,iChapters

A real eReader -- What This Woman Wants.

I have spent five (long) years looking for a really good eBook reader. Not perfect; just good. And yet I keep looking.

Lately I have become convinced that that eReaders are pretty much irrelevant given current technology.

I have lot of gadgets! Why do I want one more?

What it comes down to it, I don't want a new eReader no matter now fancy. What I want is a robust device that I can use for a variety of things including, reading eBooks.

The new devices needs to have these characteristics:

A logical hardware package:

• Light (5-8 oz.) ergonomic design. The ability to EASILY hold the device in one hand. AND to be able to comfortably do basic navigation with the same hand. Doesn't matter if it uses buttons, flip bar, finger or pointer.
• Enough processor speed and RAM to make it snappy -- this changes so fast I won't bother with specification.
• A 6-8 inch TOUCH screen with internal lighting.
• High resolution screen for text, graphics, and video.
• Clear audio capabilities for both listening and recording.
• Always-on connectivity -- WiFi works great
• Generous storage 40-80GB; I personally like the solid state hard drives.
• Long battery life and easy battery replacement.
• All the standard hardware things you would expect like SD card slot(s) and USB ports.

A robust operating environment:

• A full operating system (Palm, Windows Mobil or Linux come to mind)
• Basic functional software -- Internet browser, email, contacts, calendar, notes, photo gallery etc.
• A full compliment of readily available productivity software, GPS capabilities, and games.
• Easy writing/note taking ability with real annotation ability -- handwriting recognition and on screen keyboard plus the ability to use a keyboard and mouse if desired.

eBook-specific software included:

• The ability to read least 2 of the common protected eBook formats: PDF, MS Lit, Palm and Mobipocket
• The ability to buy books "over the air" from any source, anytime, anywhere.
• Great search capability that includes not only searching of the eBook text but all annotations as well.
• The ability to share my annotations with others.
• All the obvious software features you would expect: changing font type, font size, highlighting and bookmarking, dictionary lookup.

And I want it all for a decent price -- less than $500.

OK, that might be a little optimistic but certainly the capability can be had for close to $800. And as far as add-on capability (more RAM, larger hard drive, more slot); that can be as pricey as the manufacturer can get away with.

The most intriguing possibilities on the horizon are the tablet and ultra-mobile devices. Here are a couple of possibilities shown by Engadget in the last month.

The iriver prototype tablet

or the Inventec UMPC 7A

 

I keep wondering why Sony and Amazon have just introduced single purpose brain-dead devices. Presumably they studied the market before creating their readers.

The the only conclusion I can draw is that they are invested in protecting a divided marketplace -- keeping listening device, video device, eBook device and GPS system device users in separate little ghettos for their marketing convenience.

A universal device is inevitable. So the real question is this: Are they going to start listening to the consumer or will some Chinese company come along and eat their markets?

Technorati Tags: ebook,e-book,tablet computers,iriver,inventec UMPC 7A,eBook Reader,eReader

Publishers don't get it -- An eBook should be more. . .

My 9 year old neighbor is a wired kid.  She loves computers and gadgets.  I got to wondering if she would have been more interested in The Daring Book for Girls if I had showed her the eBook edition on my Cybook.

Before suggesting it, however, I thought I would like to see what the eBook version was really like. I actually went to the store and bought it. 

After about five minutes, I came to the conclusion that it wouldn't have made one iota of difference.  Since the eBook version is no more compelling than the print version. 

All I could think was "What a waste!"

The Daring Book is basically an instruction manual. Unfortunately, the eBook version is a faithful rendition of the print version. 

The Mobipocket reader, which I was using, is a fairly sophisticated piece of eReader software.  When utilized fully it enhances the digital reading experience.  And yet, the publishers choose to create a flat, one dimensional product.  The eBook version has all the drawbacks of the paper edition and not one of the advantages of the digital experience.

Remember, this is a book specifically aimed at kids.  You know, those alien creatures around the house plugged into their phones, iPods, Gameboys and xBoxes. The ones that have been raised with computers, gadgets and multimedia. They know that life is a multimedia experience. 

And then there are books.  Books are a unimedia (print) or possibly a duamedia experience (print and graphic).  How can they possibly compete?

Guys, this is important:  An eBook is digital. 

The beauty of a digital book is that it has the capacity to be a multimedia experience that can compete.

Instead of line drawings of how to create a cootie catcher you can insert at the very least a link to a video.  Better yet, just insert a video clip.  It took me less than 5 seconds to find this YouTube piece. And you can't tell me that the creator of this video would not be happy to licence his creation to Harper Collins. 

Instead of just showing Spanish or French Terms of Endearment. Expressions and Other Items of Note you could easily attach a audio file that actually pronounces the words.  Who's to know that nuit is pronounced "knee we"?

Instead of listing thirty four living princesses, why not link to a picture of them?  And for those of you wondering where the hell Lesotho is -- add a map or a link to Google earth.

When you look at it dispassionately, you have to come to the conclusion that a unimedia experience is pretty bland.  Which makes me think that it is no wonder kids don't read.

Plain ole print is boring!

Technorati Tags: ebooks,e-books,Mobipocket,multimedia,kids books,The Daring Book for Giirls,Harper Collins,cybooks

eBook Odds and Ends

eBooks are a dynamic and ever evolving market.  Everyday I find new and interesting items, ideas and information.  These are my favorite for this week.

Publisher's Weekly 2008 Trends

Mike Shatzkin has been around the publishing industry for a long time. There are even those who refer to him as a guru.  Guru or not, he is a savvy guy and knows publishing.  When Mike makes predictions about industry trends, I pay attention. 

This week he wrote up his 2008 predictions for Publisher's weekly piece: 15 Trends to Watch.  Some of them are really only interesting to "industry insiders" but not all.  This year he had a lot to say about the Internet and digital publishing.  In fact, one third (five for the math adverse) of his predictions have something to do with eBooks:

• The popularity of e-books will increase
• Sales of books in electronic form to public libraries will continue to grow
• Christmas 2008 will be the first year in which there will be sales of customized books as eBooks and POD titles
• Apple will move to turn the iPhone and iPod into e-book readers
• “Read and listen” bundles of e-books will become available as digital downloads

eBook Reader Comparisons

Seems like every month there is a new eBook reader on the market.  My friends keep asking me to recommend one.  Always a dicey proposition. 

I have now found a way to dodge that particular bullet.  I simply refer them to this excellent synopsis:  Book Readers At a Glance from the Wired Blog.  Unfortunately, I may have to change tactics soon since this piece is only three months old and there are new readers to consider.

Geek Toys

And finally, one I just can't resist.

This is for those of you worried about reading eBooks anywhere.  The Myvu goggles may be just the ticket.  They are sold as "a personal media viewer."  Put them on, kick back and prepare for total immersion.

 

Technorati Tags: ebooks,e-books,myvu,ebook comparisions,Shatzkin

Books, DVDs and eBooks

Declining Sales and Pricing

And no, I'm not talking about books for a change. Seems that analyst predict a historic decline in sales for DVDs. Sales are down by about half to 10 million copies a year. And perhaps more startling is the fact that the unit price is down 15%.

I say startling, because I come out of the book world where publishers meet a decline in unit sales with an increase in price. . .

No one knows exactly why DVD sales are down -- digital downloads, pay per view and the economy certainly play a part. I suspect, however, that the real reason is because most of the movies produced in the last three years have been crap!

And Speaking of DVDs

There is a new kid on the block -- Paperspine which is the brain child of ex-Microsoftie Dustan Hubbard. He has created a Netflix for book. The service has 150,000 paperback (no hardbacks yet) titles available for checkout.

Subscribers can check out up to five books at a time. Like Netflix there are no late fees, and members return books in a prepaid envelope. They also can browse by category. There are the four subscription plans that cost between $9.95 and $24.95 a month.

Huh?

Wait a minute! Last time I checked there was this thing called a library where you can check out a book, return it when you were finished, and get another—all for free.

The Best Entertainment of the Week

This is one of the things that is basically to good to pass up; a word game that is the ultimate time waster. The great thing is that you can rationalize this one by saying that you/re contributing to a good cause.

Technorati Tags: DVD,Paperspine,electronic reading,free rice

Electronic Reading vs Print Reading

The National Endowment for the Arts has concluded a three year study on reading trends in the US. The study, entitled To Read or Not to Read was released earlier this month.

The reports concludes that

• voluntary reading rates are dropping
• reading skills are "worsening" among teens
• adults are becoming less proficient readers

Pretty grim news for people like me who's life is all about books and reading.

It was with some trepidation that I downloaded the 98 very dry, dull pages and began to read them. Just as I was beginning to nod off I came across this little gem:

Opinions aside, there is a shortage of scientific research on the effects of screen reading—not only on long-term patterns of news consumption, but more importantly, on the development of young minds and young readers. (A good research question is whether the hyperlinks, pop-up windows, and other extra-textual features of screen reading can sharpen a child’s ability to perform sustained reading, or whether they impose unhelpful distractions.) (To Read or Not to Read p53)

That woke me up. I decided I didn't need to torture myself anymore and deleted the report from my machine.

There is an assumption here that I violently disagree with -- the only reading worth studying or reporting on is a printed page in a book.

So not true!

My email, RSS feeds and blogs provide me with more reading material in one day than I used to get in an entire month.

I could tell that this is all work related and not in any sense voluntary. I would be lying.

Everyday, I follow links that take me to very strange places. Who hasn't had the experience of becoming intrigued with some weird factoid and going off on a reading tangent totally unrelated to anything! In my particular case if someone sends me a Facebook link it is very possible that an hour later I am making new friends - after reading all about them. I don't even want to discuss YouTube!

Are they unhelpful distractions? Who knows for sure. What we do know (from experience) is that those distractions very often keep us doing sustained reading. AND we are in fact reading things we probably never would have had access to or read any other way. Say what you will, it is still reading. And it is not exactly unpopular.

Look around any Starbucks and count the number of people typing on laptops, PDAs and cellphones. Count those reading newspapers. If they are not reading, what exactly are they doing?

The NEA is alarmed and gloomy about reading in America. I am not. Call me a crazy optimist; but the evidence of my own eyes suggests that reading is alive and well and maybe even on the upstroke.

Technorati Tags: ebooks,electronic books,electronic reading,PDA,laptop reading. National Endowment for the Arts,NEA,To Read or Not to Read