8 Features for the Perfect Ebook Reading Device
As ebooks become more popular, so do the devices used to read them. The Amazon Kindle is just the latest attempt to capture this growing market. Lately I began to think about all the devices currently on the market. They each have their own unique features and drawbacks. I have also been asking myself what would the perfect ebook reader be like?
Obviously, everyone has different tastes and preferences, so even a perfect device for me might be a piece of junk for someone else. For example, if someone only loves to read novels, but shuns blogs, then an RSS feature would be useless for him/her on a reading device. However there are, I think, some universal features that most of us can agree on.
Here’s a list I compiled of some features that would make the perfect ebook reader:
1. Ultra portability: This is a must. The reading device must be small enough so it can easily fit into an average sized book bag without adding any extra bulk or weight. This alone rules out most laptop computers.
2. User replaceable battery/ long battery life: These go hand-in-hand. If a battery is no longer rechargeable, I want to be able to replace it myself without having to send it to the factory. Furthermore, any reading device must have a battery that can hold a charge for a long time.
3. A tough screen: The ebook reader is going to be taken to a lot of different places in different environments so the screen must be resistant to little scratches and not break if dropped. Yes, there are limits to how tough a screen can be, but just don’t give us something that will break if I stare at it funny.
4. Compatible with several ebook formats: This is easier said than done as publishers usually determine the format the ebook will be published in, whether or not it is DRMed, etc. My Sony Reader is very disappointing in this area, as it renders most PDFs virtually unreadable. I think the new version has fixed that though.
5. Open source software (or close to it): This will allow improvements to made quickly and even let people in the community create apps for the device. This feature alone would make any reading device a much more valuable tool as it can be "customized" to fit the taste of the reader.
6. WiFi connectivity: This will allow for people to wirelessly download ebooks and other content directly to the device. It would also be nice to use it to surf the internet, or, at the very least, get the latest RSS feeds I subscribe to.
7. Affordability: Maybe this is asking too much. But if people are going to be asked to shell out hundreds of dollars for a reading device, then it probably won’t gain a large mainstream following. This also applies to the ebooks themselves: keep the price as low as possible. One of the big selling points for ebooks is that without printed paper, the price should be greatly reduced.
8. I keep and control the books I buy: This means that the ebooks on my device can also be stored on my computer (making it easier to back-up your library). I think this is where the Amazon Kindle falls short. I also want the ability to "group" books into different folders: By genre, favorites, etc. for easy reference.
These are the most important features I look for in an ebook reading device. I’m not sure if there’s anything on the market right now that satisfies all these criteria. Maybe I’m just being too picky. Or maybe, and I hope this is the case, that ebook reading devices are still in their infancy, and we’re going to see a lot of innovation in the next few years.
What do you look for in an ebook reading device? Is there anything on the market today that you consider perfect, or close to it? Leave a comment and let us know your opinion.
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