Do eBooks Deliver the Goods?

By Elodie Adams

As new electronic gadgets continue to appear on the market, it was only a matter of time before it would be possible to buy and read a book electronically, a"novel" idea to say the least.

When the world's first online bookstore came up with the AmazonKindle^TM, and Chapters began distributing its Kobo^TM, a revolutionary movement came about in the electronic book world. Starting at only $139, the All-New Kindle (with built in Wi-Fi) claims to be a "revolutionary, breathtaking wireless reading device", while the Kobo eReader ($149) offers two free books and free shipping.

Now there are as many brands, types and sizes of electronic books to accommodate every pocket book and every need. If you are considering this kind of purchase, there is a website that provides information sources on the technology ().

Common to most models is an electronic display that looks and reads like real paper. In fact they call it - electronic paper! It displays ink particles electronically, and the selling feature - for those who are wont to taking chewed-up paperbacks to the beach during vacation time - is the no-glare function so that you can read in direct sunlight. What's more, the screen never gets hot!

But how many books can the average ebook stock? The answer varies: with the Rocket eBook^TM, you can store about 10 novels or some 4,000 pages of text and images, while the Sony Reader (Touch Edition, $249.99) claims it can carry up to 50,000 books at a time - your own veritable library in your pocket.

I was indifferent to the idea of reading a book on a computer screen until I started to research and read some of the comments posted by consumers who own and use them. It was something of a revelation, as people seemed to be quite sold on their merits.

Judging from the online postings though, one of the drawbacks of ebook technology today seems to be akin to our video cassette days, when Beta and VHS developed systems that weren't compatible. Each brand has developed its own or uses a specific host web bookstore for downloading material.

These additional cost factors are to be taken into consideration when considering an eBook purchase. Besides the initial output, which seems to run around the $200 mark but may go as high as $1500 for EveryDay Dedicated Reader, the price of buying books or subscription fees must be added, as well as the fee for connecting to the web. The average price for "buying" a book online is $9.99.

In some instances, with AmazonKindle for example, Amazon pays for Kindle's wireless connectivity - so there is no monthly bill for the Kindle Store, which has a massive book library and newspaper and magazine access. A book that is ordered online will be "delivered" within about one minute.

Still, if you can justify the extra costs, there is a convenience in the eBook that cannot be matched, and will no doubt be the reason for its gain in popularity over time! eBooks are not only for reading books, but for reading newspapers, corporate documents, and periodicals too.

We talk about the world of newspapers changing: we can now read articles from papers across the country without having to go to the kiosk to buy them while foreigners can keep up to date with events in their own country online,

At the moment, the eBook is still something of a luxury item; time will tell if the advantages outweigh the costs. For now it is just a new way of accessing information and carrying it around with you. Can you imagine snuggling into a chair by the fire with your eBook? Well, why not?