I’m indeed a  big fan of e-book readers, and I’ve been doing a lot more reading ever since I got my Kindle 3 earlier this year. Regardless of the fact, I think these devices still have much room for improvement before they are truly perfect. As such, this post will deliver my personal vision of what the e-book reader of the future will be like.

Generally speaking, I believe the internal capabilities will keep improving in line with what we’ve seen so far, such as the ability to store entire progressively larger libraries in a single device, the built-in dictionaries and thesaurus, and the option to add notes and bookmarks and share them over your favorite social bookmarks.

The biggest changes though, will probably happen on a surface level, as future readers will become exactly like regular books, down to the touch and feel and even smell of it. How is that for a best of both worlds kind of deal? Let’s now see some of the features I’m hoping to see e-book readers evolve into, within the next couple of decades.

Color support: most books don’t really use much color in them, it’s granted. But magazines, comic books and school books certainly do! And these kinds of publications arguably amount for a significant chunk of murdered tress, so as soon as electronic paper allows displaying, it will be a step in the right direction. Also, this development is likely to occur before 2012, as the technology is already available.

Video support: while this isn’t a critical feature, it would certainly come in handy, especially for reference materials and school books. It would allow adding a new dimension to the information in a manual while keeping its bookish qualities. At the moment, electronic paper technology is not sufficiently advanced as to permit the rendering of videos, but it’s probably a matter of time before that changes.

Speech recognition: since these devices are fundamentally meant for reading, why would they ever need to recognize speech, you may wonder? So that you could dictate your annotations, of course! Or even your essays, your novels, personal letters or any other type of writing. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could do that with no need to type or even take your hands off the reading device?

“Unlimited” battery life: One of the greatest benefits of e-ink technology is the impressively low power consumption, which allows for an autonomy that’s so amazing, it’s not even measured in hours, but actually in page turns. This feature is likely to be improved upon to allow even more off-the-grid reading. Eventually, e-book readers may come with embedded solar panels and kinetic chargers, which could mean that at some point, they may require no electrical outlet to draw energy from.

Multiple pages: Electronic paper is still fairly expensive at this time, so e-book readers are nowadays a slate-like device with a flat screen. You “leaf” around pages by clicking a button, and that’s that. But when these materials get less expensive to manufacture, there will surely be a time when e-book readers will become just like actual books, with hundreds of blank pages that can be populated and refreshed at the click of a button, so the reading experience will indeed be like using an actual book, in which you can flip back and forth between pages with no need to click.

At such point, the manufacturers may even figure out a way to impress a cellulose scent upon the e-book reader of the future, as to make it in every aspect equal (and in many aspects superior) to traditional books. What do you think? Does that sound like science fiction to you, or is it just a matter of time?

The post Imagining the e-book reader of the future. appeared first on Tech Tips.

Make no mistake: this isn’t (yet) a perfect device; there are still a number of design flaws going on, which will surely be brushed up one at a time in subsequent revisions. All the while, the Kindle 3 is undeniably a successful blueprint for the book of the future. And that’s indeed a good thing!

Let’s go over the specifics of why it will indeed make the world a better place:

1) Reading will be brought back to the masses!
Books on the Kindle are substantially inexpensive compared to printed versions, and they will likely get even less expensive in time – as digital book distribution grows in popularity. Since e-books can be replicated at zero cost, it means that millions of books will be available free! In fact, every book that was written more than 70 years ago and thus entered public domain is already available free of charge at the Kindle store. How is that for a literary revolution?

2) Dissemination of knowledge will increase!
There are already libraries in which (virtual) lending of e-books is a reality. In the future, you’ll likely be allowed to lend the books you’ve purchased as well (currently it’s not possible, mostly due to marketplace restrictions). Since public domain books are freely available… it goes without saying that dissemination of knowledge will be immensely facilitated. Additionally, this handy device can easily display PDF and DOC files, which means you can share your own writing, reports, reflections, school notes at the click of a button… by wireless means, even. It just couldn’t be simpler than that.

3) Back strain will be averted!
As much as books are wonderful and nostalgia inducing objects, they’re bound to become obsolete. They are certainly loveable, but they are not practical at all. Don’t believe me? Try carrying around a half dozen books with you everywhere you go, and you’ll easily realize the point. Now, get your hands on the Kindle and you will be able to carry more than three thousand books anywhere you go, in your purse… even in your pocket if you wear baggy pants! And the device weights as much as a single paperback of yesteryear. Your back will be much obliged when you go Kindle.

4) People will spend more time outdoors!
One of the coolest features about the book of the future is how it was designed to mimic the look and feel of regular paper. Many people who have never seen a Kindle up close assume it’s a tiny computer screen, but it’s nothing to do with that. There’s no back-light in it, and it works better in broad daylight! The letters are actually clearer if you’re standing under direct sunlight. They say technology is keeping the average person from spending more time outdoors… well, this technology sure isn’t!

5) Millions of trees will be saved!
The major opposition to the electronic book is mostly about nostalgia. Most adults are so accustomed to traditional books, they have trouble embracing the e-book reader as a real substitute. Well, it’s a matter of time until that notion becomes as obsolete as conventional books. It won’t be long until these devices genuinely look less like a slate, and more like an actual book with several pages that you can leaf through and repopulate at the click of a button. When this day comes, millions of trees will have already been saved, and no further tree slaughter will be required to keep our reading habits attended to!

What do you think? Is this a solid and agreeable argument? Whether you’re passionate about the e-book or spiteful of it, make sure to express your opinion via the comments box down below. We look forward to read your thoughts on this subject matter.

The post 5 Reasons why the Amazon Kindle Makes a Better World appeared first on Tech Tips.