Electronic Reading Or Yes, I know you told me long ago, my geek friends
I've been watching the Sony e-reader/Kindle/etc. market like a hawk for a while now[1] - I really like the idea of a nice electronic book for certain things, my commute especially.
I did get to manhandle a Sony e-reader a while back and it definitely seemed not quire cooked yet. (The lack of touch screen which has now remedied, was one of the biggest problems. But the flicker when it changed pages was also a bit annoying - I assume problems with the Kindle are similar.)
And I certainly wasn't going to shell out $350 for one. However, since I am now in possession of the eensiest computer and also a huge pile of electronic copies of magazines recently fell in my lap, I have been reading them on the Tube for a bit now.
I've always thought magazines (and newspapers) are the perfect medium for e-reading, and I was right - this is a great way to transport my daily reading.
I think with novels I'm always going to want to flip back and forth too much. I always do and so far an e-reading method isn't very good for that.
Maybe they can program in a virtual page flip. Maybe with the fwp-fwp-fwp-fwp noise.[2]
It does still rather burn me that a year's subscription to F&SF costs more in an e-version than dead tree. Of course David Truesdale is still not off their payroll, so I can't give them money anyway.[3]
I also started a new story called Twitch - I think it is partly inspired by haddayr (Who by the way just got awesome new crutches today! CONGRATULATIONS!) but it is too soon to tell if it will go somewhere or just noodle about.
[1]And hey, not coincidentally sdn just hosted a long discussion on the kindle
[2] But until they can make with the proper book smell, I'll never really convert. I see ebooks as a utility thing.
[3] no, I really cannot. (and at least he seems to be since he is still prominently featured on the homepage.)
I did get to manhandle a Sony e-reader a while back and it definitely seemed not quire cooked yet. (The lack of touch screen which has now remedied, was one of the biggest problems. But the flicker when it changed pages was also a bit annoying - I assume problems with the Kindle are similar.)
And I certainly wasn't going to shell out $350 for one. However, since I am now in possession of the eensiest computer and also a huge pile of electronic copies of magazines recently fell in my lap, I have been reading them on the Tube for a bit now.
I've always thought magazines (and newspapers) are the perfect medium for e-reading, and I was right - this is a great way to transport my daily reading.
I think with novels I'm always going to want to flip back and forth too much. I always do and so far an e-reading method isn't very good for that.
Maybe they can program in a virtual page flip. Maybe with the fwp-fwp-fwp-fwp noise.[2]
It does still rather burn me that a year's subscription to F&SF costs more in an e-version than dead tree. Of course David Truesdale is still not off their payroll, so I can't give them money anyway.[3]
I also started a new story called Twitch - I think it is partly inspired by haddayr (Who by the way just got awesome new crutches today! CONGRATULATIONS!) but it is too soon to tell if it will go somewhere or just noodle about.
[1]And hey, not coincidentally sdn just hosted a long discussion on the kindle
[2] But until they can make with the proper book smell, I'll never really convert. I see ebooks as a utility thing.
[3] no, I really cannot. (and at least he seems to be since he is still prominently featured on the homepage.)