Electronic paper (or e-paper) technology is finally reaching a point where it’s actually becoming a viable alternative to regular paper formats. The readability in many types of light has improved immensely, the variety of available reading material has increased to a usable amount and the pricing for both the units and the electronic format books is finally coming down from the stratosphere…
As an environmentalist, I say, YEAH to electronic paper / ebooks! Think of how many forests won’t have to die, gallons of ink and chemicals won’t end up in our rivers, and how much fuel will be saved by not having to transport millions of tons of books cross-country just to start. However, as a rabid book collector, someone who likes to hold a physical volume in my hands as I read and who collects them for their book jacket art, too, I rue the day all books become only electronic… (Of course, that will just make my ‘real’ books’ just that more valuable, eh? ;)
In the meantime, though, one of the new e-paper / electronic book readers that is floating to the top of the popular heap is the new Amazon Kindle. It has some amazing features:
The screen is as sharp and natural as reading ink on paper—and nothing like the strain and glare of a computer screen. Kindle is also friendly on the fingertips. It never gets hot (unlike many laptops!) and is designed for ambidextrous use so both “lefties” and “righties” can read comfortably at any angle for long periods of time, perfect for those long flights or car rides or while waiting for any kind of appointment.
It has a 6″ diagonal E-Ink® electronic paper display with 600 x 800 pixel resolution at 167 ppi, 4-level gray scale. As you can see from the picture, it’s about the size and thickness of a book club edition or paperback book, a good size for carrying in a briefcase or purse and still have room for other stuff.
And check out how easy it is to use:
- No computer, no cables, no syncing.
- Wireless connectivity (EVDO) enables you to shop the Kindle Store directly from your Kindle—whether you’re in the back of a taxi, at the airport, or in bed. (Limited or no access currently in Alaska or Montana, though)
- No monthly wireless bills, service plans, or commitments—Kindle takes care of the wireless delivery so you can simply click, buy, and read.
- Buy a book and it is auto-delivered wirelessly in less than one minute.
- More than 90,000 books available, including more than 95 of 112 current New York Times® Best Sellers.
- New York Times® Best Sellers and all New Releases $9.99, unless marked otherwise. (Compare that to $24.99 or more for the hardcover nowadays!)
- Free book samples. Download and read first chapters for free before you decide to buy.
- Top U.S. newspapers including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post; top magazines including TIME, Atlantic Monthly, and Forbes—all auto-delivered wirelessly.
- Includes free wireless access to the planet’s most exhaustive and up-to-date encyclopedia—Wikipedia.org.
- Holds up to 200 titles, so you can have a whole library available at your fingertips
- Long battery life. Leave wireless on and recharge approximately every other day. Turn wireless off and read for a week or more before recharging. Fully recharges in 2 hours.
- Email your Word documents and pictures (.JPG, .GIF, .BMP, .PNG) to Kindle for easy on-the-go viewing
Now, if only they could have some way to store the dust jacket art and info (in color and hi res) along with the books themselves, this would go a long way to making it practically perfect… =)
For more details on the Amazon Kindle or to buy one of your own directly from Amazon, click here.
