Books are generally considered “old media” – they are not very current, don’t update very easily, and are generally an antique way to transfer and store knowledge. However, technology is infiltrating the book market, just like everything else, and is changing the way we read books. The idea of storing large amounts of text digitally is not particularly new or innovative, but storing and reading whole books digitally is a recently new trend.
The development of eBook readers is what has really allowed this. Digital book readers, which have special screens that don’t cause eye strain, are the recent innovation that allow for eBooks to really become popular and penetrate the market. Amazon has reported that it sells more eBooks than hardcover books, which is a huge indicator of just how big the eBook market is.
Most eBook readers use a special eInk screen which is black and white and doesn’t refresh very fast. This limits the display on those devices to traditional text-only books. However newer full color devices like the iPad have full color displays that can allow for the display of other types of content. This has the potential to allow for new features like embedding pictures or even video into a book. Right most eBooks are books that are published primarily in print form, and simply copied into eBook form. As eBook readers become more popular, it may be possible to design eBooks specifically with the computer in mind.
New features could include embedded photos are videos that accompany the text, or even how to guides or applications that could help you do something else on your computer. Social media integration seems almost inevitable in the future of eBooks. The digitization of books provides a promising feature filled with new technology.
James Mowery is a computer geek that writes about technology and related topics. To read more blog posts by him, go to led tv.
