[WEB4LIB] RE: why ebooks and when?

[Jenny Levine]

    Well, speaking as a consumer, I'm waiting for the E-Map.  That will be
my first real foray into eBooks.  It's still a concept device so it's
probably a few years away, but the concept is basically a screen that uses
electronic ink to display any map you program into it.  Embedded in the
device is a GPS receiver so that the map moves as you do.  I would hope that
you can also touch the screen with a stylus to find out more information
about a town or point of interest.  So an electronic map/travel book that
changes information based on my location sounds like a killer app for me.
    Along these same lines, I can see nonfiction titles jump-starting the
industry before fiction.  There is a different expectation when reading the
two, and medical and other reference titles (like maps and travel books) may
hit it big first.

http://www.theapplecollection.com/design/pcproto/eMap.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jenny Levine                                          125 Tower Drive
Internet Development Specialist              Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Suburban Library System                       +1 (630) 734 5141
http://www.sls.lib.il.us/                            levinej at sls.lib.il.us
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark T. Bay" <mbay at cc.cumber.edu>
To: "Multiple recipients of list" <web4lib at webjunction.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2001 2:16 PM
Subject: [WEB4LIB] RE: why ebooks and when?


> I still say e-books won't ever catch on until you can leave one on the bus
> or drop it over the side of a tour boat without worrying about getting it
> back - i.e., an investment of less than 10 dollars vs. whatever readers
cost
> now.  Then there's the eye strain of reader screen vs. paper, the need to
> worry about batteries, etc.  It'll be a while yet before e-books make a
real
> penetration of the market.
>
> Mark
>
> ************************************
> Mark Bay
> Electronic Resources Librarian
> Hagan Memorial Library
> Cumberland College
> 7329 College Station Drive
> Williamsburg, KY 40769
> (606) 5394464
>
>