What Are E-Books and How Are They Read?
Electronic and Digital Books Are Increasing in Popularity
E-books are growing in popularity. Recent high profile launches of new-generation e-book reading devices are making access to these books easier and more 'user friendly'.
What Are E-Books?
E-books are simply digital or electronic versions of paper books. Instead of being printed onto paper and bound into books, the text is formatted into a digital file and read via a special e-book reader, computer or other electronic device.
Specialist software such as Mobipocket or eReader allow e-books to be accessed on a wide variety of devices including pda´s and mobile phones. E-books are available in a large number of formats ranging from simple pdf files to formats with sophisticated in build functionality. While basic formats simply allow the text to be read on the screen, added functionality such as the ability to annotate text or add bookmarks gives greater flexibility to the reader
Types of E-Book Available
There are a wide range of e-books available ranging from the latest bestseller to books written and published by an aspiring author. All genres are covered including non-fiction and fiction, and a growing number of newspapers and magazines are available in an electronic format. The ease of publishing e-books means that books on specialist or niche subjects which might not previously been viable can now be published electronically.
Pro's and Con's of E-Books
Although e-books have been available for many years, it is only now with the high profile launch of the Amazon Kindle and other e-book reading devices that they have started to enter the mainstream. There are many positive features of e-books as well as some negative features. The pro's and con's include:
Positives
- E-books are instantly available for download
- E-Books are often cheaper than the paper editions as there is no printing and delivery involved
- The wide range of formats means that e-books can be read on most devices
- Several e-books can be stored on a single device meaning that this is a practical way to carry lots of books
- E-book reading devices allow for the size of text to be altered
- The ability to annotate and bookmark text means that this is a useful way to access academic books as well as bestsellers
Negatives
- Many people don't like the fact that there is no paper and that readers can't 'snuggle up in bed with an electronic screen'
- E-books are sometimes protected and the terms of use often prohibit the sharing of books
- While the battery life of many e-book reading devices is good, access to a mains electric supply will be required after several hours of use
- Some e-books are the same price as paper versions
E-books and new-generation reading devices make a powerful combination and the importance of e-books is likely to play an increasingly important part in the book world in coming years.
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