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E-Readers: the future of reading or short-lived gadget?

E-Readers: the future of reading or short-lived gadget?. Isabel McMann & Hilla Wait Nov 2010. What is an e-Reader?. A device to display electronic texts in certain specific formats Generally using ‘e-ink’ reflective rather than transmissive screen technology

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E-Readers: the future of reading or short-lived gadget?

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  1. E-Readers: the future of reading or short-lived gadget? Isabel McMann & Hilla Wait Nov 2010

  2. What is an e-Reader? • A device to display electronic texts in certain specific formats • Generally using ‘e-ink’ reflective rather than transmissive screen technology • May have wireless link to allow download/upload of texts direct from/to e-book shop or other sources • New Amazon Kindle model allows web browsing • May allow upload of files in pdf, txt or other formats, including sound and image formats (but not movies) • May have touch screen or navigation keys/keyboard • I-Pad is the exception

  3. What formats do e-Readers support? • The Tower of e-Babel: WikiPedia lists 25 different formats for e-book publishing • Most readers support only a few • Most e-books only available in a few • Different formats support different features • EPUB (International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF )) may become standard

  4. So • Your choice of e-reader determines: • the range of content available to you • the way that content is displayed • the ways you can interact with that content (annotations etc)

  5. Choices • Dedicated e-readers – Kindle, Sony etc. • Netbooks/laptops • PC’s • Smartphones • And now the iPad – and future tablets

  6. FAQs • Can I search text? • Can I cut-and-paste? • Can I print? • Can I load pdf’s? • Can I download OU e-books? • Where can I buy e-books? • Where can I get free e-books? • I want an e-reader, but which one should I buy?

  7. How to choose your e-reader • Budget • Purpose • Range of sources available • Dealbreakers • Real page numbers • Display preferences • Formulae, graphs and diagrams • Options for importing texts • Ease of use • Speed reading • Try out a Kindle or Sony at the RSL

  8. Text loading Wireless (Amazon only), usb (Windows/Mac) Screen 16 shades grey No backlight Navigation Keys Keyboard NO PAGE NOs Orientation Manual P or L Zoom 6 sizes (not pdf’s), Text-to-speech Annotation Via keyboard, not pdf’s Formats Kindle (AZW) Battery 7 days (current models) Charge via mains or usb Weight/Screen Size 10.2 oz /6 inches Text loading Usb only : from PC; uses Adobe Digital Editions Screen 8 shades grey No backlight Navigation Keys Touch screen Virtual keyboard ‘Real’ page nos. Orientation Manual P or L Zoom 5 sizes–not pdfs) No text-to-speech Annotation Via virtual keyboard or handwritten with stylus Any document Formats EPUB, PDF, JPEG etc Battery 7,500 page turns Charge via mains or usb Weight/Screen Size 12.75 oz./7.1 inches Kindle 2 Sony Touch Ipad • Text loading • Wi-fi download • Transfer from PC • Uses I-tunes • Screen • Backlit IPS Colour • Navigation • Touch screen • Virtual keyboard • ‘Real’ page nos. • Orientation • Auto P or L • Zoom • Includes PDFs • Text-to-speech • Annotation • Touchscreen keyboard • Separate notes app • Formats • EPUB; Audible; Kindle; PDF etc. • Battery • 11 hours • Charge via mains • Weight/ SCreenSize • 1.5 lbs./9.7 inches • http://paidcontent.org/table/e-reader-comparison-chart/

  9. ROAD TEST AN E-READER! Amazon Kindle 2 Sony Reader Touch [PRS-600]

  10. Kindle 3 • Read in bright sunlight • Improved, built-in PDF Reader • Free 3-G wireless • Support for non-Latin characters • Faster page-turning

  11. Now lending e-readers at RSL • Ask at Enquiries • Details: • www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/science/services/e-readers • Loan period 1 week • May be a waiting list! • E-Reader survey • http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Z55LBVN

  12. I-Pad: the best of both worlds? Stanza

  13. How to get content for your e-reader • Buy through your supplier or bookseller • Amazon, Apple I-Store; Waterstone's; WH Smith • Download from Bodleian Libraries via OxLIP+ • Now: PDF journal articles; Oxford Scholarship On-Line chapters; • Soon: EBL e-books; Oxford’s Google Collection • Read On-Line- IPad; PC or Laptop • Download free content

  14. Downloads from Oxford Scholarship On-Line

  15. Public libraries and e-books

  16. Free content for E-readers • Project Gutenberg • Google Project • Internet Archive • Intute • peer-reviewed • Other internet resources • Not peer-reviewed • Basic scanned older editions • Not always legal in the UK • Sample chapters

  17. Internet Archive

  18. Finding a book in the IA

  19. Dracula by Bram Stoker

  20. Public libraries and e-books

  21. Further information hilla.wait@philosophy.ox.ac.uk

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