The Joss Group

Did you get a tablet or e-reader this past holiday season?

Sadly, I did not, but then again I already have a tablet and two e-readers. And, I guess, potential gift givers would have decided if I wanted a new one or the other I could always buy it and mark it down as a business expense. However, according to a recent report by the Pew Research folks, lots of people here in the United States did get one or the other, and according to early numbers from Amazon a lot of those people promptly downloaded a book or two or three from Amazon. No word on how many of the downloads were free books, though.

Steve Jobs Changes the Game by Changing Expectations

I read a really thought-provoking column in the Guardian today, written by John Naughton.

He is in love with his iPad, which is not surprising. So many people are. In this column, though, entitled Publishers take note: the iPad is altering the very concept of a 'book: If the success of Amazon's Kindle has made print publishers relax, they're in for a nasty surprise, he says book publishers that expect to carry on doing the same old, same old are not going to be in business for much longer. The iPad will change what people come to expect from a book (I agree), and publishers that feel they can get by just putting words on paper or a screen will go out of business.

I do not think I am stating Naughton's case too strongly. Besides, columists traditionally take strong stands on issues. Nobody reads mealymouth columns!

Anyway, Naughton got me to thinking about what Jobs is doing with the iPad, and I realized he is doing what he has always done. And I have been around the computer industry long enough to have seen everything he has done. Never mind the Kindle might be selling in the millions of units. The iPad is, too. Never mind that people still like to read books on paper (I do). What really counts is Jobs is changing expectations about books and all kinds of content. And Jobs succeeds in changing entire industries by changing expectations. Who needs market dominance when you can do that?

Let's Expose an Amazon Flaw

You have probably heard about this commercial or even seen it. What I think is that the folks in the publishing and printing industries who still believe in the power of print (count me in that group) should get together and do a YouTube ad featuring a very pretty or very handsome man who pops up as the third person in an ad like this one and says, in response to the question of how one can read in the bright light, should be a saucy, "It's a book. I got it at the library and didn't pay anything." And then hold up a paperback.

Different Kinds of Reading Styles?

As you may know, there are different kinds of learning styles. Some people like to learn by reading. Some like to hear (as in a lecture or speech), and some people just have to get their hands on something or move while learning using the other methods. This is not to say that people cannot learn using any of these methods, but simply that people often prefer one way over another or one way is more effective for them than other ways.

I have found the work of Dr. Mel Levine to be very helpful to me in learning how people learn.

When I read this NYT article about a husband and wife who share a love of reading, but not a love of reading platform (she likes books, he likes reading on his new iPad), I thought about learning styles. I am a firm believer that, used properly and creatively, technology such as the iPad can offer new worlds of learning to more people. Perhaps there are different reading styles--a notion particularly appealing if you consider reading a form of learning--and the more ways (technologies) we have for people to read, the number of people reading will increase and the amount they read will increase.

So, do not give up on printed books just yet. I love printed books and always will. With print-on-demand technology such as the Espresso from On DemandBooks LLC, some day I could go into the local book shop and order up a copy of a book and sip a cup of green tea while they get my book ready. And maybe I just might take my iPad along so I can read the e-book version while I sip. Why not? It might be the best of both worlds for me and the publishing industry.

Now that is what I am talking about--enhanced e-books

Instead of wondering how e-books are going to eat into their print book sales, publishers should be looking for ways they can make the most money from both. Here is an idea that looks good to me: enhanced e-books. From the NYT article that describes them, "Grand Central Publishing, part of Hachette, released an “enriched” e-book version of Mr. Baldacci’s latest novel, “Deliver Us From Evil,” in April to coincide with the hardcover release. The e-book producers borrowed from the film industry and included “research photos taken by the author, deleted scenes from the manuscript, an alternate ending and other special features,” Hachette announced in March. Penguin’s edition of Mr. Follett’s “Pillars of the Earth” comes with video clips from an eight-part television series based on the book."

Stop worrying and start leveraging!

Cheaper Won't Make the Kindle a Better Deal

This just in: Amazon has dropped the prices on Kindles--you can get one for as little as $139 (do you want WiFi with that?).

Read the WSJ article about the new, less expensive devices by clicking here. The WSJ quotes Amazon's Bezos as saying the new pricing will spark lots of new sales: "People will buy them for their kids. People won't share Kindles any more."

Yeah, huh. Seriously, now. It's not enough. Giving the Kindle away with the purchase of $100 in books won't be enough. Sorry Mr. Bezos.

Publishers Want a Standard e-Book Format

According to Wired, book publishers want a standard e-book format. Not that the publishers say such a format would make them more likely to publish books in electronic form, but having to produce only one file that works on multiple readers would make their production tasks easier. I do not think we are close to that yet, although there are glimmers of hope.

LibreDigital Raises Eight Million and Change

Somebody believes the publishing business has a future. At least they believe it enough to give LibreDigital eight million dollars in new funding. The Austin, TX based company provides multi-channel and digital publishing services to some of the biggest names in the publishing world, including the major book publisher HarperCollins and the New York Times Company. Both publishing companies have invested in LibreDigital in the past.

Read the news story by clicking here.