Will e-books ever be a best seller?

Motorola F3 adalah satu-satunya HP yang menerapkan teknologi LCD hitam putih ala eBook Reader. Berbeda dengan LCD biasa yang berbinar kala gelap namun kalah terang jika berhadapan dengan sinar matahari, maka LCD eBook tidak banyak dipengaruhi cahaya dari luar. Dalam gelap LCD eBook tidak berpendar menyilaukan dan tetap jelas walau di bawah terang sinar matahari. Itu sebabnya para produsen tetap optimis mengeluarkan produk khusus untuk membaca eBook menyusul rintisan Amazon yang telah lebih dulu menjual buku dalam format elektronik.

Just recently, Amazon and Sony released e-book (electronic book) readers to the public. These specialty handheld devices allow people to download hundreds of digital books, newspapers, and magazines from the Internet and read them on the go. Among their many features: they are ultraportabe, of course; they can hold enough books for any bookworm to read for weeks; they feature E Ink technology screens that read like paper; they include Wi-Fi to allow downloads on the go; and they allow you to increase the size of text for ease of reading.

These e-books/readers are really nothing new to the market, but they have failed in the past to gain popularity. So why are Amazon and Sony releasing e-book readers now? Are people today ready to make the shift from paper to electronic devices for reading? These devices aren’t exactly cheap, either–Amazon Kindle goes for $399, and Sony’s Reader Digital Book can be found for $299. While e-book downloads cost less than the price of their paper counterparts, is this something that would interest you?

Personally there’s a certain kind of feel to holding a paper book when reading it. Sometimes reading a book under a tree or on the beach without being reminded that I’m living in the digital age is appealing. However, these devices and the features they offer are something I would consider for long road trips and my daily commute from home to work and back. But then again, that means there’s another electronic device to carry in addition to my cell phone, portable gaming device, and MP3 player. Anyway, enough of what I have to say. What do you think of e-books/readers? Is this a device you would buy into? (cnet.com)