eBooks still some way away from students

The Article


Something I am fascinated about is eBook readers. As someone who has a huge collection of eBooks, I am reading product reviews monthly in hope to one day find one that meets my demands. The idea that eBook Readers will one day replace the traditional textbook is very exciting. I remember in university the extremely high cost of textbooks for each subject, some in excess of AUD$100. This cost usually was so high, that the need for the book was outweighed by the cost.

This article I found to be an interesting insight into the "digital age" within China. The cost of eBooks is much higher then the budget of common Chinese families allows. However, with economies of scale, overtime the cost will be reduced. With China's massive bootlegging market, the availabilty of eBooks will mean even less cost to Chinese families. However, going by the current development of the Chinese manufactured eBooks Readers, it appears it will be years before one is made that is suitable for use. Fortunately, the American made eBooks Readers, from Amazon or Sony, provide models that meet the needs of students (taking notes, preview pages, audio).