Technology has placed a huge question mark on the future of printed books. After a number of attempts, the "e-reader" has caught hold. While there are a number of models in the market and Apple's iPad, all computers and even today's high-tech telephones (is that what one calls them?) can read "e-books," the big guns in the pure e-reader market are Amazon's Kindle and Barnes & Noble's Nook. As I elaborate in my current column The Future of Books, Barnes & Noble has just scored some serious points in it's competitive match with Amazon's Kindle.
The new "e-ink" Nook (its second iteration of this product) has caught-up with the Kindle 3 and merits a serious look before you make an e-reader decision. Both products have their own distinct differences and advantages. The new Nook uses a touch-screen technology while the Kindle 3 offers a "real" keyboard (although very small) and page-turn buttons that click. Read more about some of these product distinctions in the column.
This battle of the e-readers raises some serious questions about the printed book, a proven technology I don't want to lose and I think the world needs going forward. Traditional books are a solid link from our literary past to the future. In this week's piece, my friend Brad Stephenson, owner of B. D. S. Books in downtown Fargo, raises some other issues regarding e-books that give one pause.
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