File this under “things I pray for but will never happen”.
I do not understand why everybody is so shocked that Android outsold iPhone OS last quarter. It seems like a no brainer to me. Here’s why:
- Device agnosticism: There are no less than 10 Android devices on the market in the US alone. I would hope 10 devices could outsell 1.
- iPhone 4: We know, thanks to the big iPhone leak a few weeks ago, that a substantial hardware upgrade for the iPhone is pending.
- Aging hardware vs cutting edge: The iPhone’s screen is the same one they put in in 2007. Compare that to the higher resolution, sometimes OLED displays in new Android phones
Look at those numbers two quarters from now. I guarantee the iPhone will be well back on top.
This eBookNewser article is about how the growing Android market share is good for the ebook offerings on that platform. That’s true, but all of the major ebook distributors have apps on all desktop and mobile platforms, making this particular sales blip completely moot. Bring on the next iPhone!
Following in California’s footsteps, Ohio is spurring on the switch to digital educational content. Two down, forty eight to go.
I don’t necessarily share this opinion, but reading through this article the first thing that came to mind was the tag line for the atrocious Alien Vs. Predator movies:
“Whoever wins, we lose.”
It’s true, to a certain extent: in order for consumers to really win here, there needs to be equal adoption of all the major bookstores opening up on the iPad in order to create credible competition and drive down prices.
As much as I had high hopes for the Sony Reader Daily Edition, it’s fun to see a device just get ripped on every once in a while. Read this for a fun review!
No windowing! ++
Hardcover ebooks! —
Still, it’s nice to see a publisher taking ebooks seriously.
A small part of me loves it when a sci fi writer becomes an influential force in real world matters. Cory Doctorow has done just that with his insightful assessment of publishing legalities.
What I want to know is why couldn’t they make well written explanations of this stuff four years ago when we were first researching it? *shake fist*
ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
The devices, they may be a-changin’, but will interoperability really follow? There are a lot of ereader standards out there with no clear winner. Apple went with Epub for their iBooks store, but will it take off? Only time will tell.
I wouldn’t say it’s fair to summarize this as “ereaders fail in college” as much as “Kindle DX fails in college.” The fact is that the Kindle (DX or 2) isn’t made for studying on; just displaying the content correctly doesn’t guarantee success. Until we have devices that are engineered specifically for the education market, we may not see the full benefits of digital content.
Come ooooon DynamicBooks!
