I'd LOVE to adopt e-books...but so far they don't have what I want....here's what I'd like...most of my requests are from the point of view of someone who routinely takes 5-6 books on vacation, always has one in the car & on the bedside table, reads a couple at a time, and likes to pass them on when I'm done.
It has to be:
Portable, lightweight, flexible media that is comfortable to hold in your lap - a flexible screen with a little thumb-pad for controls would be awesome. The controls don't have to be extensive. The equivalent of a bookmark & highlighting are fine. For 95% of the reading I do - a bookmark does the trick.
Lightweight so you can take it in your carry-on, backpack, or pocketbook easily.
USB port (or similar) so that I can download books at home, copy them to a 1 or 2 GB USB drive, then have a library with me. Of course, a licensing scheme that supports this.
Water resistant.
Low power needs. Easy to recharge, uses over the counter batteries, or solar charger.
Current popular books and standard references.
I would even consider a proprietary chit sort of thing that has the book on it - if I can buy, say, a credit card sized thing that is actually a book, and I own it as I would a regular book, then I can also give/loan it to my friends as I would a regular book. It IS a copy of the book. I can still carry & store them easily, so it doesn't defeat the purpose of the ebook. I wouldn't mind ordering these cards from an online retailer or buying them at a local bookstore. There has to be a way to make something like that work.
Would like to read books, magazines, & newspaper on it.
Who's gonna build it?
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I'd LOVE to adopt e-books...but so far they don't have what I want....here's what I'd like...most of my requests are from the point of view of someone who routinely takes 5-6 books on vacation, always has one in the car & on the bedside table, reads a couple at a time, and likes to pass them on when I'm done. It has to be: Portable, lightweight, flexible media that is comfortable to hold in your lap - a flexible screen with a little thumb-pad for controls would be awesome. The controls don't have to be extensive. The equivalent of a bookmark & highlighting are fine. For 95% of the reading I do - a bookmark does the trick. Lightweight so you can take it in your carry-on, backpack, or pocketbook easily. USB port (or similar) so that I can download books at home, copy them to a 1 or 2 GB USB drive, then have a library with me. Of course, a licensing scheme that supports this. Water resistant. Low power needs. Easy to recharge, uses over the counter batteries, or solar charger. Current popular books and standard references. I would even consider a proprietary chit sort of thing that has the book on it - if I can buy, say, a credit card sized thing that is actually a book, and I own it as I would a regular book, then I can also give/loan it to my friends as I would a regular book. It IS a copy of the book. I can still carry & store them easily, so it doesn't defeat the purpose of the ebook. I wouldn't mind ordering these cards from an online retailer or buying them at a local bookstore. There has to be a way to make something like that work. Would like to read books, magazines, & newspaper on it. Who's gonna build it?