Recent talk about Kindle as another entry in the electronic book reader category has given occasion for Mr. Obie Joe's thoughts on the perfect e-reader:
• Include book design as an essential element. Cover design is important, but the flow of the book is granted by the book design. Kindle delivers every book in the same font and point size. C'mon. The technology can't be that much of a jump up to include a variety of fonts, spacing, and point sizes.
• The e-book currently under development by the Library of Congress for their sight and mobility-impaired readers places an emphasis on lighting and sound. Any e-reader should have a variety of sound functions. I know Sony's Reader has it, but not as flavored as preferred.
• Cut out the nonsense with the proprietary approach. Sony has placed a 60-day expiration date on their books; other e-readers have similar "rent-to-not-own" features. One of the reasons iPod took off so surely and quickly as it did came from the merging of content with hardware. Wouldn't it be great if a publisher like HarperCollins (surely a publisher on the forefront of digitalizing its books) collaborated with a tech company to design their own ereader?
• For the existing ereaders, Mr. Obie Joe wonders if celebrity editions might move things along. Just as celebrities boosted sneaker sales, make a Stephen King ereader (black, optional scream button, extra lights for reading in the dark), or a Jayne Ann Krentz edition (purple, curvy, capable of storing way more text than the average ereader), or even an Ian McEwan edition (emphasis on the high tech look, small text).
• Libraries will soon rent out ereaders from the Library of Congress' disability program. Those companies with ereaders looking for their audience would be wise to donate hundreds to libraries for regular readers to take for a turn.
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