Image via WikipediaExactly how will eBooks affect paper usage? There have been many emotional as well as factual responses to this question for several years now. The latest eBook technology is actually quite interesting. The hardest thing about electronic reading had been eye strain. Reading on a backlit screen, even the very cool iPad, will tire your eyes and cause some strain. That is one of the reasons why many people prefer to read printed books. eReaders solve that issue in that it takes some type of external lighting to read the screen just like print. The current readers are all monochrome and are best for reading books. Not very good yet for reading magazines, comic books and such.
I actually own a Nook. My bride gave it to me for father's day. I have to say that my reading rate has gone up because of it. Maybe it is the novelty of it, but it is true nonetheless. The cost of a book is reduced so I have less of a monetary hurdle to acquiring books. The Nook does not seem to strain my eyes. Carrying my library is now extremely possible. You can truly get thousands of books into one of those devices. It has WiFi and 3G connectivity at no charge so downloading new books is easy. And there are plenty of free book offers as well to help add to your library.
How does this affect paper? The first obvious affect will be on book grades of paper. If I were a college student again I wouldn't buy paper based text books. I would save my back and my pocket book depletion rate that is for sure. If the quality improves, as in color displays, that animate well under external lighting then magazines will start to get hit. Books, magazine and printed comics will be left to just the collectors I think.
This all does not bode well for my future as I am paid to make paper better. How do I do that and compete with these new communication devices?
I actually own a Nook. My bride gave it to me for father's day. I have to say that my reading rate has gone up because of it. Maybe it is the novelty of it, but it is true nonetheless. The cost of a book is reduced so I have less of a monetary hurdle to acquiring books. The Nook does not seem to strain my eyes. Carrying my library is now extremely possible. You can truly get thousands of books into one of those devices. It has WiFi and 3G connectivity at no charge so downloading new books is easy. And there are plenty of free book offers as well to help add to your library.
How does this affect paper? The first obvious affect will be on book grades of paper. If I were a college student again I wouldn't buy paper based text books. I would save my back and my pocket book depletion rate that is for sure. If the quality improves, as in color displays, that animate well under external lighting then magazines will start to get hit. Books, magazine and printed comics will be left to just the collectors I think.
This all does not bode well for my future as I am paid to make paper better. How do I do that and compete with these new communication devices?
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