I am somewhat of a Techno Geek so I always look forward to news coming out of the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) each year. As expected, eBook Readers were one of the spotlights at this years' show. Clearly eBooks are catching on, due in large part to the success of the Kindle and the Sony Reader. Being the Geek I am, I was interested in a new reader from Spring Design named the Alex. Its unique design includes 2 screens; one for reading the book and the smaller one for browsing the web. The designers of the Alex are betting that authors will want to integrate the text of the book with other multimedia content and the web through hyper linking from the eBook.
I have been very tempted to order a Kindle in the past year, but have come to the conclusion that I don't need nor want yet another device to carry around. Do I really need another device that reads just like a book. Don't get me wrong, I like reading eBooks. I just don't like the idea of carrying another device. Now with the introduction of readers like the Alex, authors and publishers will have to take another look at enhanced eBooks with video, audio and web links. I only hope that these new enhanced eBooks truly add value to the book and not just multimedia bling.
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