Word to the wise, today’s discussion isn’t really about games. In fact it’s not about games at all, so if you were expecting some of that I’m sorry. I promise I’ll write something about games tomorrow. Today I want to take a look at digital books and comics. You can get these on the PSP and Apple’s iOS devices (iPhone etc.) which also play games, so feel happy that it’s at least vaguely related. I mean it’s not like I’m writing about Huskies or anything.
What got me thinking of this? Well firstly I love comics, so it was always going to crop up at some point. On top of that I’ve been playing with eReader apps on my Palm Pre. I’ve got a pretty nice one called pReader that’s free and I can import stuff from Project Gutenberg into, meaning that the whole experience is completely free as long as I want to read books that are out of copyright.
Unfortunately there isn’t a comic reader app for the Pre, so mostly I’ll be focusing on books. I’ve always been apprehensive about the transfer of printed media to a digital format, books are more interactive for me than a CD or game. I don’t mind digital distribution of media that’s already electronic, if I have to put it into a reader to use it then it doesn’t really make much difference; you’re not really losing anything from the experience. With a book or comic holding it in your hand is part of the process, it’s how you experience the content.
At least that’s what I thought until I started using pReader. I honestly thought I couldn’t be converted to one, but even on a small screen I like it. It’s certainly more convenient than carrying a book with me wherever I go, and I don’t feel I’ve lost that much of the experience. However if it I was to chose between buying a book or buying an eBook I’d still chose the physical copy, I think a core part of why I like using pReader is that everything is free. If I actually purchase the book I’d prefer it in my hand.
As for comics I just don’t like reading them in digital form at all. The digital readers that are out do look simply brilliant, but personally a comic is an even more tactile experience than reading a book. I want to be able to flick back and forth over pages, look at the artwork up close, take my time looking it over. Digital versions really just don’t work as well for any of these things, let alone layout. With a book the layout rarely matters, with a comic the layout is everything. Panels are rarely a regular shape, they might overlap or flow into each other. Most comic readers need you take a panel by panel view if you want to get any of the detail, which pretty much removes all of the layout.
So that’s my thoughts on the matter. Looking to the future I honestly don’t think we’ll see printed media vanish completely. Music, games and films may go completely digital, as I said before the media they come on isn’t really part of the process for most people. You can see these in how often the media they come on shifts. In contrast I think books may be here to stay, although digital versions will be pretty much universal for all new titles. How about you?
Harinero
I’ve been using a Palm PDA for reading ebooks for the better part of ten years and, quite frankly, wouldn’t have it any other way. (Well, it was more like TWO Palm PDAs, plus a WindowsCE one in the middle – I kept replacing them as their batteries died). By the time I bought it, my current Palm TX was already a lump of obsolete technology (even the yuppie-oriented pictures on the box looked kind of comical), but it is the right size, the right weight, has great battery life even after a few years’ use, and runs eReader beautifully.
I really can’t remember which was the last paper book I read, or when I read it.
jenkosz
Damn no Huskies.
gideon1451
I don’t like reading on screens much to be honest – it makes my eyes ache after a while.
There’s nothing like a good book in the sun, & that’s difficult to get with a screen which isn’t superhyperextra bright.
superjag86
Well since I got my iPad I absolutely love reading comics on there. It’s not as good as the real thing (the tactile feedback is important) but the convenience of having your whole collection in one place is just brilliant.
I use the “CloudReader” reader app and have managed to find most of the CBR files for all the important comics in my collection. I know it’s not 100% legit but I only download what I already own because I do believe in paying for what you get.
Also there’s a rather large selection to buy from Comixology and I do really enjoy the PSP comics reader which I have bought loads from. Before DC hopped on board I used it as a chance to get into some Marvel stuff like the awesome Civil War saga and Captain America.
KeRaSh
I bough a Kindle about three month ago and don’t regret that purchase one second. It’s so convenient to have all your books on one device. It’s much more portable than paper books, is much lighter than harcovers, I can buy books via 3G and have them on my Kindle within 60 seconds, I can listen to audiobooks with the same device, there is no eyestrain from a backlit screen, the eInk screen works excellent in broad daylight… I could go on…
bunimomike
That’s a great point. It’s not so much about what you’re missing out on with real books but what you gain with eBook devices.
Raen
Can you turn a page? No. That’s what it’s all about for me. The new Kindle at £109 has me tempted, but it just doesn’t beat an actual book. I do know the Kindle is a great device, but it just doesn’t beat the real thing for me.
KeRaSh
Really? You buy books to turn pages? I actually enjoy reading them. But hey… who am I to judge? :P
Raen
Turning the page is part of the experience of reading a good book in my opinion. The tactile sensation is part of what makes a book a book.
cc_star
eBook pricing is way off
Until I can pick up an eBook for the same price as a few year old paperback I’m not even tempted to look into devices… for the same reason that I’d never buy a PSPgo.
The Kindle is also a closed device so you’re at the whims of what books are available for it depending on what deals Amazon sign… Lots of really popular authors aren’t available.
Plus, as good as either Kindles eInk is or the iPads flexibility nothing compares to the experience of having, holding & reading a book.
It is very very different to an unlovable optical disc like a CD, DVD or game making the transition to digital formats
KeRaSh
Well the thing for me is I live in germany but only read books in english which means I order them trhough amazon anyways. Up until now I have kept an .xls file in which I compare the price of the eBook I bought with the price of the same paperback book at the time of the purchase. I saved more than 20$ already. If you compare new hardcover releases to new eBook releases your are looking at a 15$+ price difference for every book. I’m not someone who waits a few years to pick up cheap old books. I buy book that I want to read right now or in the near future. If I pick up a cheap/free eBook that I actually want to read – great – but that’s not what I’m looking for 24/7.
As for the experience of holding / reading a real book. I’m interested in the story of the book. Not the feel of it in my hand.
cc_star
I never buy hardback novels, they’re purely the domain of the foolish gift buyer at Christmas, as mentioned above I buy a lot of my novels from charity shops.
I do buy hardback books that I want to keep forever, like;
historical military, sports, music/band biographies etc the large format and the classic pictures.
I appreciate all the convenience of digital and almost exclusively buy digital music, consume large amounts of digital games & movies, I also read a lot of digital format news.
But the digital medium just offers a lot poorer ownership experience than books for me, the same goes for Sunday Papers. Stealing a quick look at a website is nowhere near as satisfactory of spending a leisurely Sunday morning reading quality articles.
For some things the real thing will always be superior to its virtual counterpart
KeRaSh
That is until there is only the digital format left…
Ownership experience. Hmm… I don’t have that much space where I live and while I am keeping the books that I have already read they are only collecting dust on top of my closet. I don’t cherish owning them. It’s cheap paper with black printing on it. You just wait until we run out of trees! :P
Raen
I think you greatly underestimate the importance of experience. It’s why people go to the cinema over waiting for the DVD, why live music is huge even though recorded music is widely available, why I go to the pub even though drinking with friends at home is cheaper and why graphics go further and further forwards even if games are telling similar stories. Everything is all about the experience.
KeRaSh
The thing about your comparisons is that they really provide very different experiences and I agree with most of them (I go to the movies because I don’t want to wait 6 month for the bluray…) but with books and eBooks I really don’t think it’s all that different… They experience is very similar if you ask me. I’m holding something in my hand while reading, I can use a leather cover for my Kindle to give it an oldish look/feel.
GeorgeRobo
I work in Waterstones so maybe my judgement is clouded but we sell ereaders at a rate of about 1 a century. Maybe people buy them online or something but I don’t see many around.
I will be buying the new Amazon Kindle and now that its being made properly available in the UK (as in we won’t be needing to import from the US) and there will be a proper UK Kindle bookstore they might become more popular.
Its all up in the air at the moment.
Grey_Ghost13
ecomics are good and I like the idea of an e-reader, say for on holidays etc… but I like having a big book shelf full of my books. And I don’t think I would enjoy reading at night on an e-reader it would probably keep me awake longer each night.
Severn2j
I use the android ebook app on my Galaxy quite a lot on the train to work, it’s works really well and there’s tons of free books on there (I’m reading Tokyo Zero at the mo), haven’t tried digital comics tho, so can’t comment on that, but books are fine, imo..