by Perry Toone

Created on: January 28, 2008   Last Updated: January 29, 2008

eBooks...I for one foresee this phase to be as big as the ipod/mp3 boom, may be larger. The hold up has lasted many years with technology firms unable to reach the masses with an accessible and user friendly device. Some big names in the technology have tried and miserably failed to produced a low light, e-ink screen to display ebook's. It may seem hard to believe in 2008 as companies invest billions into getting in the mind of the consumer. How can they miss what is important in an eBook reader?

The first problem with many big name readers such the Amazon's Kindle and Sony's long list of failed eBook readers is ACCESSIBILITY. People do not want to pay $300 for a reader, plus cost of the content (e.g. eBook) and an additional usage cost for each time you download, save or move your already paid for content around. The added and hidden costs only deter people from investing in a new age of media. Especially a new age of media in desperate need of a kick-start.

Accessibility and ease of use is number one to reach full market potential. CEO's are already foreseeing this as the next big earner, a way to earn huge profits from doing very little - restrict the market. It is a shame these companies have been so blinded by greed before they even do the research or hit the drawing board.

Alike communist dictator's, these SEO's are so worried about how people use these readers. They are restricting them to only open a particular file of eBook. One that has to be converted, at a cost. The cost is then past on to the consumer as they are now locked into reading only what the company allows them to read. Each time paying a fee for downloading, saving and converting the file. Three steps that are unnecessary and preventing a lot of people (myself included) from investing in the industry.

Some small publishing firms have foreseen which way the wind is blowing and developed their own reader with no restrictions. Hardly brain surgery you might think, others have gone further into implementing the much loved and easy to use 'SD card," as a way of saving and transferring files. This is the same chip you may find in your digital camera, it can securely save video clips, music, pdf's and any other document. A step forward for moving information from your phone/camera to your computer.

Once companies get over their restrictive greed, you can be certain some will fail over the next hurdle...The internet. Nothing new on a hand held device although only one company that I know provides

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