Photo: cloudsoup / Flickr

You know a market is exploding when you sell three times as many products around the world as you did the year prior. The ebooks (and e-reader) market are doing exactly that, with reports emerging saying worldwide ebook sales increased an insane 200%!

Those are big numbers

The figures, calculated by Futuresource Consulting, pegs the sales of ebooks around the world at over 90 million units purchased in 2010, reports Ebook Newser.

Fiona Hoy, who is a market analyst with Futuresource Consulting, said in a statement that: ‘This equates to a value of more $900 million and was largely attributable to growth in the US region, which represented more than 80 per cent of global revenues last year.’ Given we had previously reported that ebooks were on course to become a billion dollar business, Hoy’s $900 million doesn’t seem that far off.

US growth

The biggest driver of growth in the industry was the North America, where over 80 per cent of all ebook revenue was generated. Western Europe, the second largest market, represent 10 per cent of worldwide ebook sales, with the UK being the primary driver in that region.

Global adoption occurring, too

However, Hoy is quick to point out that e-readers and ebooks adoption is on the up around the world, even outside of the key markets, and these sales are driven by local ebook businesses springing up, in addition to the major players like the Amazon Kindles of the world. Come 2014, Hoy predicts ebook revenue generated in the US will only be 50 per cent of the market, with the rest of the globe sharing the remaining numbers.

Hoy also says that ‘Western Europe’s share of global ebook revenues will grow significantly, contributing in excess of $6 billion towards global revenue in 2014.’ The basic point is ebook sales are showing no signs of slowing, and e-reader sales will likely continue their rapid growth instep.

Photo: juhansonin / Flickr

With the Amazon Kindle 3 finally retailing in the UK, as well as the many other brilliant tablet PCs joining the market, many people have been asking us whether they should buy an eBook reader. This questionnaire looks to take the mystery out of the purchasing process, with three simple questions to point you in the right direction.

Question 1: Do you read a lot?

This first question may sound snarky, but really, it’s important. With good eBooks readers costing north of £100, you better be reading a considerable volume of content to offset the price tag. Do the maths real quick – a best-seller costs in around £15, meaning for the price of the e-reader alone you could have bought 7 books. Now add the price of each digital title, you realise that it’s only cost conscious if you actually pour through a lot of books annually. If you do, buying an e-reader is not only more cost conscious, it’s also practical since they’re so much easier to carry around.

Question 2: Have you considered a tablet computer?

The great tablet vs. e-reader debate is in full swing, with advocates of both slugging it out, while those of us who know the benefits of each simply purchase both and enjoy what they’re good at. At present, pound for pound, an Amazon Kindle, as well as the myriad of other e-readers, is notably better than the iPad for reading content. But, the iPad can do so much more. And that price discrepancy is favourable if you’re on a budget, but if you can afford Apple’s device, the decision becomes so much more challenging.

For our money, reading on a tablet PC isn’t as pleasurable as it is on an e-reader, and if readings all you’re going to be doing, buying an e-reader makes so much more sense.

Question 3: Do you travel a lot?

Photo: Constance Wiebrands / Flickr

E-readers are particularly brilliant for those of us who enjoy reading, but are rarely home due to an occupation that keeps us on the road. If you’re one of these people, carrying five books on a round-a-bout trip is impractical. An e-reader, mercifully, solves this problem. What’s particularly brilliant about eBooks readers is their impossibly long battery life – lasting close to a month with no need for a charge. This way, not only do you negate the carriage problem by buying an e-reader, you also don’t have the concern of needing to constantly recharge your device – unlike a tablet PC (see question 2).

Do it, or don’t

In this case, if you answered affirmatively to question 1 and question 2, an e-reader may be a wise purchase. If you also answered affirmatively to question 3, an e-reader is a must. However, and this is critical, if you answered no to question one, regardless of what you answered to questions 2 and 3, we recommend you steer clear of the eBook readers, since your money will be better spent elsewhere.

Photo: Que

Plastic Logic has launched a device that’s perfect for the corporate life – the Que e-reader. The device only has one button (the home button), making it completely touch orientated. The device also called a Pro Reader supports all the formats needed in the business world including PDF files, Microsoft Office documents and ePub publications. The Que is made with plastic electronic technology, allowing the Que e-reader to lightweight, sleek and simple to use.

Features to use at work

With the Que e-reader you can subscribe to all the leading newspapers and magazines including the Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribunal, Sporting News Today and many more. The Pro Reader is aimed at people who need to read for a work more than leisure. Instead of wasting money and time on printing costs, transfer files onto the Que and display them with clarity on the high quality LCD screen. The 8.5 by 11 inch screen is easy to read, and documents can be edited with a stylus. The home page reveals important applications like a calendar spreadsheet and drop-down menus. The Pro reader software allows its users to move files from PC, Mac and BlackBerry content straight onto the Que.

Choose your connection

Photo: Que

Plastic Logic has made two Que e-readers differing in Internet connection. One is connected via wi-fi, but only supports 4GB of internal memory, which can hold up to 35,000 documents. The other has a 3G connection and has more storage space at 8GB, which will be able to store an impressive 75,000 files. The wireless support offers the same features, subscriptions to publications and extremely quick download options. The Pro reader supports Que TruVue standard – which uses Adobe Reader, and gives the device the look and feel of a real newspaper, making it look more professional and modern.

What to expect

The fact that the Que e-reader is aimed at corporate types may decrease the appeal for some, and most people may prefer a regular e-reader. The Que isn’t colour screen, and may be a bit slow when ‘turning the page,’ and with all the smart features and sleek design, the Que is expected to be rather expensive. Besides that, the Que is a smart, elegant Pro Reader with loads of features and wireless options. The nice part of the Que is that it’s modest. It doesn’t appear flashy and looks just like a normal piece of paper. The Que e-reader was supposed to be hitting the shelves in April, but the company has had to push the release date to sometime this summer.

Photo: Amazon

The eBook pricing upheaval has occured at an astonishing pace. Last week Amazon removed book publishing giant MacMillan’s entire catalogue off of its website due to MacMillan demanding the right to price their bestsellers at $12.99 and $14.99 on the Amazon Kindle store. A few days later, presumably crumbling to the sheer weight of MacMillan’s catalogue, Amazon reposted the publisher’s books to its site as well as sent out an accompanying passive-aggressive statement to its readers about the decision.

When It Rains It Pours

Once the Macmillan concession occurred, Harper-Collins soon followed suit and now Hachette has become the third book publishing juggernaut to adopt the agency model for eBook pricing instead of the Amazon’s pricing.  The remaining book publishers, Simon & Shuster and Penguin, will inevitably follow suit soon.

What Went Wrong

For Amazon, clearly something went wrong. The Amazon Kindle team, long riding the wave toward eBook hegemony, has been tasked with figuring out what that is. The Internet’s collective wisdom is Apple happened.  Apple, with its iPad and iBook store and given its track record with iTunes, is the only company (other than Google) that can compete with Amazon at this type of scale and in this type of game. The rumour mill suggests Steve Jobs first suggested this pricing model to book publishing executives during negotiations in the buildup to the unveiling of the iPad. The publishers, in turn, felt this was an opportunity to either pressure Amazon into changing its pricing structure or abandon Amazon altogether. Once collective action was coordinated, it only took one publisher’s boldness to force Amazon’s hand, and then the floodgates opened.

The Big Gamble

What is clear is Amazon’s plan of achieving the success iTunes had in the music business with the Amazon Kindle store in the book publishing business is under threat. Not only is Apple intent on making eBooks its next major cash cow, it is already undermining Amazon’s strategy before the iPad is even released. Sadly, in the short term at least, the biggest loser is the consumer. A price increase of 30 to 50% for bestsellers is quite a leap. Amazon, however, has first mover’s advantage as well as an install base of millions and if Apple’s latest crapshoot fails publishers may find themselves at the whim of a very unhappy, very powerful retailing monopolist. An outcome the publishers would gladly trade back for the old days when $9.99 was the known going rate.

The Kindle eBook Reader is an amazing device that is manufactured by amazon.com. It is an e-reader which helps you to read online books without connecting any other device with it. It is one of the most famous e-book readers available in the market. It is available in a stylish white colour which makes it look sophisticated and attractive. It is very compact as well and you can easily carry and store it. The device is provided with a wide screen which offers crystal clear graphics.

The Kindle eBook Reader is actually a 3G wireless device which enables you to download books from the internet. It is supported in over 100 different countries which enhances the functionality. The device is 1/3rd of an inch in width and is very thin which makes it look pretty attractive. It is very light in weight and only measures around 10.2 ounces. The eBook reader can be set up in less than 60 seconds and there is no computer required for setting it up. The best thing is that you don’t have to pay any monthly fees or download charges. Another very helpful feature is that you can read the e-book reader even in the sunlight.

The Kindle eBook Reader is a library in itself as it can carry over 1500 books at once. The device is fitted with a spectacular rechargeable battery which offers a long battery back up and a hassle free performance. You also have an amazing text to speech feature and you can even read newspaper and magazines on it.

Tags for this article: ebook reader, eBook Readers, kindle ebook

With everything going digital and on the move, the eBook readers are also being manufactured on the same track. The latest tend which is to be seen is of Portable eBook Reader which will be an ideal travelling partner for all those who love reading books. This king of eBook reader allows you to enjoy your journey and spend some leisure time reading books electronically.

The Portable eBook Reader is being manufactured by leading brands and is widely available in markets with great variety to offer. It offers great way of relaxation combined with excitement and craze to all the eBook readers. Some of the most sought after Portable eBook Reader include the Sony PRS-505S with 6.0 inch display. Compatible with formats like TXT, RTF, PDF, DOC, MPS and JPG, this reader offers hard drive space of 20MB and internal memory of 128MB.

The Endless Ideas BeBook is another Portable eBook Reader offering a resolution of 600 x 800 pixels. This stylish reader is compatible with JPF, GIF, RAR, ZIP and MP3 formats. It also allows you to save data up to 512 MB and is actually a rather cheap eBook reader. If you are looking for more expensive models with bigger displays, then you can choose from the iRex Digital Reader 1000s featuring 10.2 inch display with an excellent resolution of 1024 x 1280 pixels and supports formats including PDF, TXT, HTML, PNG, GIF and TIF. Another great product in this range is iRex iLiad Book Edition.

You can make your choice from the wide range of Portable eBook Reader available and add more excitement and relaxation to your journey. Other choices can be Interead Cool-ER 2009, Bookeen CyBook OPUS,
Sony Reader PRS-300 and many more. The leading brands manufacturing portable readers are Sony, Interead, Bookeen, Endless Idea and iRex.

The e-book reader from Sony uses an electronic paper display that has 166 dpi resolution, eight levels of greyscale and is viewable in direct sunlight. It allows the user to connect to an e-book store and displays Adobe PDFs, ePub format, personal documents, blogs, RSS news feeds, JPEGs, and Sony’s proprietary BBeB (“BroadBand eBook”) format. The e-book Reader can also play unencrypted MP3 and AAC audio files. The Sony PRS-505S E-Book Reader has a protective cover and has a sleek, muted metallic finish that is pleasing to the eye. Weighing as much as a DVD case-sized unit, it is durability and value for money. The PRS-505 has a standard USB 2.0 connector that can be used for both data transfer as well as charging.

The e-book Reader from Sony also accepts pictures in JPG, GIF, PNG, and BMP formats and it can play back MP3s and unencrypted AAC files, thus you can listen to music as you read. However playing music drains the battery quite a bit. However, the Reader doesn’t have a speaker, but it has a headphone jack and two types of memory card slots. The Sony PRS-505S has 200MB of internal storage space that shows as an externally manageable device in Windows. When a song is popped into the drive, it shows up on the Reader in a single long list. When the user begins to play the song, it plays through the list completely and then over again until the battery has been drained completely. As an e-book reader, reading text on the Reader is pleasant experience. The background is not white like in real books but a light shade of grey. There is a choice of three font sizes that allow the user to scale the text to the most comfortable level. It also has bookmark feature that helps the user continue reading from where he had left off without having to remember the page number.

The war for the next generation DVD format ended when Toshiba announced the withdrawal of support for the HD DVD format. After that, supporters of the HD format shifted slowly to Blu-ray, essentially leading to its victory.

People, however, couldn’t freely migrate to BluRay because of the high prices of players and discs alike. Digital media downloads started becoming popular, as upconverting DVD players already satisfied the needs of those who wanted to fully utilize their HDTVs.

The DVD format war was over, but other wars were brewing, like the ones for the smartphone market. Apple created a revolution with the iPhone, and extended it with the release of iPhone 3G. Significant competitors emerged to take the place of the iPhone killer. T-Mobile G1 with Google Android, the Nokia N97 and RIM BlackBerry Storm are some of the main contenders for that title. Netbooks are also seeing an increase in popularity, with more people jumping in to grab them as small, cheap PCs.

Economic recession hit some gadget makers and sellers hard, resulting in price drops in many markets including the Sony products and TiVo’s. There were many retailers who had to close down, notable among which was Circuit City, the retail giant. This meant, much to the customer’s delight, liquidation sales.

People looking for MP3 players got some good deals on Microsoft’s Zune. HDTVs also saw some good price cuts. Other gadgets such as cameras also saw some major price drop. Depending on your perspective, this could be good or bad news for you, so it’s how you look at the economic recession that matters.

Tags for this article: mobile, netbooks, iPhone