Will this e-book reader changes the shape of publishing?

Will it transform what we understand as "the book?" Who knows. But yesterday, a Dutch company, iRex Technologies, announced a new product The iLiad.

It will be released in April, 2006. It is based on E-Ink.

This could be the technological advance for which I have been hoping.

Here's another promo shot:

 

My view is that some point there will be a device which for many (but not all) users and purposes will replace paper. I've blogged on this several times. (Use the Google search function on this page to find those posts.)

I say "but not all" because many people seem to react very negatively to the reduction in the use of paper as a medium of written communication. When this topic come us many people react in horror and say something like "Never! I love paper! I can't imagine reading on a screen!"

And in fact I agree in part. For all the time I spend on-line, I do not read anything longer than, say, 500 words on-screen. I don't like it. It's not a comfortable reading experience. So the whole point of the e-book reader (generically speaking) is that it won't be like reading a computer desktop screen. It will be an entirely new technological device with ergonomics entirely (or largely) new. If it isn't, it won't succeed.

Comments

[john massengale]

When I want to properly edit something, I print it out. There's no question for me that the printed page comes across more clearly.

[Michael Blowhard]

I used to be more that way than I am now. I used to print out anything longer than a page or so of text. These days, though, I'll read up to five or so consecutive pages on the computer screen. I wonder if others have seen their tastes change. LCD screens help, that's for sure.

Plus, so much online writing is short. I don't have to print out blog postings, for instance. But I might well spend an hour reading blogs -- and all of it on the screen. Make of that what you will, e-paper manufacturers!

[Affections-V]

My answer to the question is definite: no! I once had a reading experience with e-book which belongs to one of my roomates. He restored the whole Dreams in Red Mansion(I don't know whether I put the corret translation of the title)which is considered one of the four Chinese classical masterpieces in his e-book. Once I held the e-book,I lost all my interest in reading it. It conflicts with my traditional perception of materpieces. I am not that kind of guy who is out of fashion, or conservative.What I want to say is that sometimes we read those great works not only for their content,but want to get a sense of history. The paper will offer us those content-beyond feelings as we turn over every page, but e-book won't do at all.