musicbutton

 

 

 

Designs

Design 5: The electronic book-reader (E-Bookman)

 

This page dates back to 1998 and offers a design which finally has been realized in 2007 by Sony and Irex-technologies, and was in 2010 perfected by Apple with their Ipad. Nevertheless the text below is interesting from a historical point of view.

 

"It is ironic that one of the biggest successes on the internet sells books, a product that the medium was supposed to make obsolete. We still might see the rise of devices that download novels like software ...." (TIME nov. 9 1998 cyberelite TD11)

For the purpose of reading electronic books this e-bookman provides for the future of the information-culture. This device will replace the existent books in printed format by books that can be downloaded by means of a computer in zip-files to be stored on regular floppy discs. These floppy discs will be processed by the bookman which is capable of reproducing complete Internet-pages (including images) or any HTML-marked up text-pages (as big as the room on the floppy-disc permits: normally 1.4 Mb). Thus each internet-site can offer zip-files of its essential information so that everyone who does not want the computer-complications (and prizes) can appreciate the information from the internet. Also for computer-owners it can be a relief not to have to start up the computer just to read page-files off-line. No electric fan or screen-effect will disturb. Nice reading from your lap with a device as handy as a book. Easy controls for paging forward and back (the big buttons), viewing the previous screen and next screen (the small p- and n- buttons left to the right forward button) going instantly to the top top and bottom ot the document (by the t- and b-buttons right to the left backwards-button). It offers also the advantages of HTML-linking. Eventually the normal citizen interested in read-only media (digital television for as well zapping as surfing e.g.) and not so much in the creative challenge of an evolved processing station as a full computer, may want to download by such media files on a floppy disc. One then can read them off-line when the set or computer is used by others for t.v.-programms and such, or buy them in a bookstore against a much lower cost of production (a quarter of the actual book-prizes or less), or get them from a download-facility in libraries e.g. that will have all books and internet-information always available instead of the half of it being lend out or not in stock. One may get an e-book from a library thus without any obligation of bringing it back or paying a fine for neglecting that. In sum: greater efficiency of information transference against lower cost with a for the public more afordable (approx. 100 dollars) accessible and controlable device as a full computer. The e-bookman can manage the file-operations by a means of a touchpad or touchscreen or with buttons. Thus the basic idea is met to provide for an acceptable alternative for existing printed books, which is just as easy and pleasant to use but is offering many extra advantages.

The following companies are developing e-books that do not answer though to this power-to-the-people-design: they read no floppy-discs (and thus cannot be used to transfer files without a computer), have trouble with standards, are expensive guarding against 'illegal copying' and some even require a monthly subscription!: Comdex (Everybook), Librius, Novomedia (Rocketbook) and Softbook. A failing precurser was: Dynabook.

e-bookman-gif

 

Anyone interested in this design for the sake of publishing or manufacturing is kindly requested to contact The Order of Time.


Links:

 

 

Links to e-books on the Internet 

E-Books offered at this site



 

back to designs-main