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April 15, 2001
Getting a Read on E-Books (cont'd)
Delivery Options
Comparing the E-Book Readers
Delivery Options
While great strides have been made in the past decade in getting computers and Internet access to schools, for e-books to become ubiquitous, each student would need his or her own device-be it a desktop, laptop, handheld computer, or e-book reader. Most people agree that in order for digital books to reach their full potential, they must be portable, just as print books are.
Of these portable devices, each has its advantages and disadvantages. With laptops, you have the power and multifunctionality of a full-fledged computer. The disadvantages, in terms of e-books, are bulkiness and low-contrast screens for reading. And, at over $1,000 each, one laptop per student is an expensive proposition. On the other end, Palm OS devices from Palm and Handspring are the least expensive option-ranging from $150-$300-and they offer a growing amount of third-party educational applications in addition to e-book capabilities. The downsides are their small screen size and low resolutions-conditions not ideal for reading longer works. Somewhere in the middle, starting at around $450, are the Windows-based Pocket PCs offered by Casio, Compaq, and Hewlett-Packard. These have higher screen resolutions than the Palm OS devices and come with some of the functionality you would find in a computer: "pocket" versions of Microsoft Windows and Excel, for example.
Then there are the dedicated e-book readers, which use content downloaded through an internal modem or a computer. The advantage of e-book readers is that they are ergonomically designed for reading, can be carried around easily like a book, and offer good screen resolutions. They are also much more cost-effective than laptops.
The most commonly cited knocks against e-book readers are that they do not have the versatility of the other devices, they cost too much for what they are (currently, prices vary wildly from $130 to $700), and today's offerings have not been tailored for the K-12 market. (See Comparing the E-Book Readers for details.)
Another major point of discussion is about the level of networking needed for getting the most from digitized books. Many believe wireless connectivity to the Web, which allows for real-time communication and data transfer, is essential. Providing every student with a Web-enabled computer or handheld device (plus the infrastructure to go along with it), however, is expensive. Getting the broadband connections needed for rich and easily accessible content is even more costly.
On the other end of the spectrum are those who think lower-cost, non-networked devices with downloaded content are the way to go. While these devices don't support the types of interactivity that come with connectivity-e-mail, instant messaging, and chat rooms, for instance-they still are able to "cache" Web multimedia such as hyperlinks, audio, and graphics. Many devices have add-ons (Compaq calls them "sleeves"; Handspring calls them "modules") to give the product more functionality.
Comparing the E-Book Readers
Educators may already be familiar with the features computers and handheld devices offer (for a closer look at Pocket PC and Palm OS devices, see T&L's October 2000 issue), but what about dedicated e-book readers?
Gemstar's RCA-branded REB 1100 ($299), formerly the Rocket eBook, has a 320 x 480 monochrome screen, weighs 17 ounces, boasts a 15-35-hour battery life, and has an internal modem. The 33-ounce REB 1200 ($699), formerly the Softbook Reader, has a 480 x 640 color screen, plus built-in modem and Ethernet connection. Both allow for note taking, bookmarks, and highlighting.
Bottom line: While the REB 1100 is based on the Rocket eBook, a popular choice for pioneering educators testing e-books, the internal modems don't make sense for phone line-deprived schools. Another drawback: users aren't able to load the devices with their own content.
The goReader, which is slated for release this summer, has a high-resolution (800 x 600) color screen, a five-hour battery life, and weighs five pounds. Features include highlighting, annotation, XML-based tables, graphs, and pictures.
Bottom line: goReader is focused on higher education textbooks with an eye on K-12 once the model has evolved and there is sufficient demand. At the current price of $400 to $600, widespread adoption seems unlikely.
Franklin's 7-ounce eBookMan features a 200 x 240 grayscale screen, an MP3 music player, and digital assistant functions (calendar and address book). Books are displayed in a version of Microsoft Reader and can be downloaded from a PC via a cable.
Bottom line: Affordable prices ($130 to $230) but with lower resolution. Open OS aimed at attracting third-party developers, which could spur educational applications in the future.
Considerations for Educators > > >
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