News US eBook sales double in one year

Sales of printed books decline as eBook sales double in one year.

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2011/03/21/us-ebook-sales-double-in-one-year/1

 

your picture on the article isn't a kindle 3, its a kindle 2.
Can't see ebooks decimating paper back sales like digital cameras did to film, more like the switch to digital downloads from cds. some people still like having the physical product. Although personally I haven't picked up a paperback since I got my kindle in November.

 

Just a side note: decimating = reducing to 10%
Anyway, I just buy books to studying purposes. Since high school (17 years ago) I never read a book that was a ficticious one.
As for studying, I personally have the need to use a text marker and some notes. I just can't see how an e-book would help me there. And I am aware of the pdf capabilities of marking and taking notes. It is just not for me.

 

Actually, decimating = reducing BY 10%. Decimation was the punishment for cowardice in the face of the enemy in the Roman army. Every 10th man would be taken out of ranks and beaten to death by their commrades. Hence, decimation, to be reduced by a tenth.

I agree that I think the impact is going to be more akin to digital download vs CDs, but it is still going to be a big impact. I must say I have very mixed opinions on the subject. I plan on getting a kindle in a couple of months for my birthday and it'll be nice to reduce my paper library by a hundred or so books (about how many I have as eBook copies, still leaving me with another hundred or so on paper). However, I just love having a paper copy.

The many, many, many free "classics" combined with the smaller size and convenience of being able to carry basically all of my books with me is a big plus though. I can't tell you how many times I've been reading a book at work on my lunch only to finish it with half my lunch left to go.

 

Nope, Kindle 3 - this is a kindle 2: http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/kindle-2.jpg (note the different keyboard layout (not to mention colour, I don't think you could get the K2 in anything other than white)

 

Yes originally it did indeed mean reduce by 10%, but language changes and evolves, hence why the Oxford English dictionary now defines decimates as

but you can happily be smug in the fact that if we were having this discussion a few centuries ago you'd be correct.

Apart from the fact that your an couple of hours late and they've since changed the pic (around 12 gmt) to a kindle 3 hence the post from Combatus saying thanks, you'd be correct

 

Wow, I learnt a lot from this discussion.
And I should not rely on the TV series "Monk" about what is decimating...
Perhaps a translation issue...

 

The pedants are revolting!

 

Well yes, I use decimate as Oxford uses it for their first deffinition, to drastically reduce something.

However, you did specifically site reducing it to one tenth, which under no deffinition (currently used, or originally used) is what it means. Now I'd say you are right, that reducing to a tenth certainly would be decimating under the normal use of the word, but not as a specfic. Where as a specific would be to reduce by one tenth.

Its not my smuggness, it is my desire that, if you are going to get in to specifics of a deffinition, that you get them right.

 

I'm with azazel1024

 

I would rather read a physical book than use an ebook reader. I can see the appeal of being able to store loads of books on a little device though. But I still like reading a physical book, then again I haven't used an ebook reader before.

I imagine if I were to get one I would still buy paperbacks. In my idea world I'd have all my books on a Kindle and in physical form so I could do whichever I wanted.

On a side note, I now fancy watching a bit of Monk.

 

I would imagine that the Kindle is probably also one of the only things that Amazon sells in as many countries as it can... Most other items are probably more country specific...

 

I've not used an ebook reader before but for me, when I'm reading something, the physical shape of the thing I'm reading isn't so important as the words. If someone bought me a Kindle, I'd happily use it.

 

Nothing wrong with feeling smug, happens to the best of us.

And another thing...

I think you'll find it's spelt* smugness, with just the singular g.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/smugness

*A hexaploid species of wheat

 

producers need to learn lower cost=better percieved value=more willingness to spend.

What I mean is, I looked through the Amazon Kindle Store thinking about using the Android Kindle app.
But then I see often the ebook is the SAME price as the physical. Now wait a sec. So, there is no tree cut down, no paper produced, no printing and binding, and no delivery, shelf space or store clerk to pay for... and they want the SAME price?? I'd rather just buy the book and get it shipped free.

On the other hand, say a book is 10$. now lower the ebook to $5. I've got 15 bucks to spend this week. Now my choice is: one physical book for $10 or three ebooks for $15. I choose the ebooks. Now the publisher has 5 more dollars than he would have if the ebook was the same price. More percieved value OFTEN causes me to spend more as I feel I may be getting more for my money. This is also why mp3 purchasing largely fails for me: I can get one song in lossy quality for 99 cents or... one 12 song cd with the best quality available for $7. How does that work? lower the prices of mp3's to 50 cents and the music industry boom.