A regular cell phone is fine for reading straight novels. You can try for yourself at http://www.booksinmyphone.com If you have the internet on your phone you can browse and install directly, otherwise via a PC. I had read many of their books and not having to worry about carrying a book/reader means that whenever a reading opportunity arises I can just flip out my phone and carry on..

....Apple must also be working on subscription-based iTunes accounts, and DRM-free movies since Steve J has discounted their feasibility.

I'm not saying he's completely wrong, but my bet is that he is a comic-book fan with a very subjective view of what Apple is working on. If they did come out with a reader, it would have to have more of an audience than a few balding on top, pony-tail wearing middle age guys.

This doesn't make sense to me at all. While I can believe that Apple is working on a larger iPod like device, I do not believe that it will be a one-trick pony. It will be similar to the iPod Touch and just happen to allow you to read books. This way you get music, web-browsing, email, calendar, address book, maps, etc and the ability to read a book on a screen size that makes sense. While I am not sure I would give up my books for this, I might switch some of my magazines to electronic versions and read them on this. Curling up with a book is still too satisfying a thing to trade for an electronic device.

I disagree completely that e-books need a larger device. I currently use a Dell Axim X50v and find e-books are GREAT on that device. So I would expect that the current iPhone form factor will be just fine. In fact the narrower 'column' for the text means less eye-scanning back and forth over the page, and very quick reading.

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Guest wrote:
While I am not sure I would give up my books for this, I might switch some of my magazines to electronic versions and read them on this. Curling up with a book is still too satisfying a thing to trade for an electronic device.

I agree with Guest “e-book on iPhone/Touch” that a narrower screen is more comfortable on the eyes than a book of any size.

Reading has been one of my passions for nearly 50 years but I like to challenge my long acquired habits so I began reading novels on a Palm TX about two years ago. I have amassed nearly 400 e-books, 15 per cent of which I have purchased and the rest downloaded freely and legally. The first book I read on my TX was a bit of a slog but I was impressed enough with the small screen to purchase my first e-book.

I like the reference options to highlight selections, make page marks, copy sections and make notes. I used to like curling up with a good paperback or hard covered book but now I do so only when I can’t purchase an e-book for my TX or when reading poetry which, for me, still reads better from the printed page.

What a pleasure it would be to be able to do my reading on my iPod Touch especially with its clarity of print and the ability to incrementally change font size. I hope Steve Jobs can learn to Think Different and see the potential for selling e-books from the iTune’s Store.

Cheers,
mhikl

Quote

mhikl wrote:
I agree with Guest “e-book on iPhone/Touch” that a narrower screen is more comfortable on the eyes than a book of any size.

Reading has been one of my passions for nearly 50 years but I like to challenge my long acquired habits so I began reading novels on a Palm TX about two years ago. I have amassed nearly 400 e-books, 15 per cent of which I have purchased and the rest downloaded freely and legally. The first book I read on my TX was a bit of a slog but I was impressed enough with the small screen to purchase my first e-book.

I like the reference options to highlight selections, make page marks, copy sections and make notes. I used to like curling up with a good paperback or hard covered book but now I do so only when I can’t purchase an e-book for my TX or when reading poetry which, for me, still reads better from the printed page.

What a pleasure it would be to be able to do my reading on my iPod Touch especially with its clarity of print and the ability to incrementally change font size. I hope Steve Jobs can learn to Think Different and see the potential for selling e-books from the iTune’s Store.

Cheers,
mhikl