[MGP-Forum Announce] Sony starts selling the Soney eBook reader: $349.00

[Aldon Hynes]

As an old guard, hardcore geek, nestled between the over-50 crowd and the
under 30's (although rapidly approaching the over-50 crowd), I've always
been interested in eBooks.

I do wonder who the target demographic really will be.  As a techie tool, it
would seem as if it would appeal more to the under 30 crowd.  Yet Jane is
right in talking about how the under 30 demographic wants more multimedia
and interaction.  Now, if you can cross an iPod, an eBook, a Gameboy and
interface it with FaceBook, you might have something.

As to the over 50 demographic, I am dubious.  My mother loves to reads, but
won't use much for new technology.  Her palsy is bad enough so that she can
still hold hardcovers, but trying to push some buttons or touch the screen
in the right place to select a book, etc, just won't happen.

On top of that, earlier this month, my wife, no where near the over-50
crowd, contracted Lyme disease.  For the past few weeks, she has not had the
energy to do much other than sit in bed and read.  She's tried to use the
computer, but it hurt her eyes.  I imagine she wouldn't have had much use
for an eBook.

Beyond that, when I've used my laptop at the beach, like I said, I'm an old
guard hardcore geek, I've often found the screen hard to read, and beach
reading is one of those special reading times, so I worry about eBooks
there.

Yeah, I might be wrong, but it seems like eBooks needs to find its niche,
and it hasn't yet.

My two cents.

Aldon

P.S.  My wife is doing a lot better now.

P.P.S. That said, we are going to run out and pickup Second Hand Smoke by
Karen E. Olson for her to read this weekend.  Check out Paul Bass' review at
http://www.newhavenindependent.org/Arts/archives/arts_entertainment/books/re
porter_wooed.html