I agree with you on the PDA being a better platform. I have a difficult time thinking that the future of small devices like this is in multiple devices that perform one task only. The integration of several functions (software, media playback, and potentially yes e-books) is what gives the PDA a slight advantage over any standalone mp3 player/e-book reader; it's just more convenient for a device to have more than one function. I think Apple realized this when they integrated video capabilities into their mp3 players. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple, instead of coming out with an independent e-book reader, simply added the feature to their iPod essentially turning it into a crippled PDA (because of the obvious lack of a standard OS and 3rd party software capabilities). Consoles are heading in the same direction, with the new XBox looking more like a standard PC than ever before. Will the e-book survive? Who knows, I just don't think it can survive on its own as Sony has done.
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I agree with you on the PDA being a better platform. I have a difficult time thinking that the future of small devices like this is in multiple devices that perform one task only. The integration of several functions (software, media playback, and potentially yes e-books) is what gives the PDA a slight advantage over any standalone mp3 player/e-book reader; it's just more convenient for a device to have more than one function. I think Apple realized this when they integrated video capabilities into their mp3 players. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple, instead of coming out with an independent e-book reader, simply added the feature to their iPod essentially turning it into a crippled PDA (because of the obvious lack of a standard OS and 3rd party software capabilities). Consoles are heading in the same direction, with the new XBox looking more like a standard PC than ever before. Will the e-book survive? Who knows, I just don't think it can survive on its own as Sony has done.