Mathew's comments - Latest Comments in Can Google make e-books work?

Re: Can Google make e-books work?

Monika — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 14:00:06 -0000

Although I'm a geek at heart I fail to see the point of e-books beyond a niche market. Eye strain issues aside, reading books on a screen cuts out the tactile pleasures of books--the feel of paper in your fingers, the satisfaction of turnin a page, that awesome smell of new books. A big loss IMO especially when the benefits of e-books are...what exactly? I can't imagine reading War and Peace on your Blackberry would be that much fun.
I know some of us get anxiety attacks whenever we have to step away from a screen, but really, it's okay to unplug sometimes.

Re: Can Google make e-books work?

webomatica — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 10:53:06 -0000

One probable feature in an Apple iPod (with added eBook functionaility) would be text to speech. Apple already sells audio books for the iPod. That might save tired eyes for a while.

Re: Can Google make e-books work?

AL — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 10:17:21 -0000

Leigh, your point is valid. But if you we can make the text on those devices big enough our eyes won't have much trouble on the long run, provided of course those devices don't expose bad radiation like those old CRTs.

We should start with our online reading anyway. Whenever you're trying to read something, make the text as big as your eyes would like it to be. This works for me and I use Firefox for that.

Re: Can Google make e-books work?

Leigh — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 04:57:51 -0000

I wonder what the actual physical affects of this are going to be. Someone was recently telling me that the statistics for various forms of blindness are dramatically on the rise. While we all sit on our computers all day long with a glowing screen reflecting back at us, and with devices going smaller and smaller - it's seems that at some point our eyes might start to revolt.

Re: Can Google make e-books work?

AL — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 04:30:43 -0000

Very interesting. I would like to see how that turns out.