Since their release in 2007 e-readers have steadily grown in popularity for the way they replicate the book but with the benefits of a digital device, using features including large memory storage, e-ink, and being light-weight and portable.
Although it is only more recently tablets have taken off in both an educational setting (with e-textbook prices being considerably lower than US textbook prices (Hall, 2003, p:102) perhaps contributing to this) as well as retail, people were predicting the rise of the tablet long before now. Apple CEO Tom Cook stated in January 2012 'I truly believe, and many others in the company believe, that there will come a day that the tablet market in units is larger than the PC market' (Cook, cited in Wing Kosner, 2012).
Recent figures suggest the tablet is the dark horse of the digital world. 17.9 million Britons now own a tablet, a figure that increased 63% year on year from 2013, and over one third of people accessing the internet do so from their tablet. (Elkington, 2014). Looking at the newest tablets out there, it's not surprising why. The tablet, with its shiny touch screen and high quality, colour images and moving texts and pictures it almost makes the older versions of the black and white Kindle look archaic. If you want to know more about a character or plot, you can swap apps and be searching through the rich data of the internet in seconds. Being more interactive, they are certainly the more child friendly option, and being available from many different retailers, there are size and price options for everyone.
On top of this, the Kindle can only support the e-book format Mobi, whereas the tablet can support ePub -the software Apples iAuthor uses – amongst others. This cuts out the hassle of converting files on your computer before you can download them to your Kindle, although it seems that Kindle are aware of the competition as they created their own version with the Kindle Fire HDX, which they actually define as a tablet rather than an e-reader.
However it's the publishers who need to keep up as Evelegh, a publisher from InPublishing.co.uk, suggests publishers are 'bamboozled' by choice [of what to create for tablets], and that they 'need to be mindful of the greater threat posed to their business by doing nothing, as waiting for the clouds of indecision to clear will mean you losing valuable time, both in terms of competitive advantage and also, as importantly, in terms of your own learning' (2014).
Evelegh (2014) suggests big brand, big circulation titles should consider dedicating resources to a bespoke edition, suggesting the market is there for it. However, if you are a smaller circulation title, he recommends a digital replica of the print editions to be a safer option. I have to agree with this; with the number of tablet users doubling year on year it seems sensible to make some kind of digital edition available, whether it be big or small.
I believe different platforms work best for different purposes, and that apps for tablets work especially well for interactive storytelling, especially for children as seen with Nosy Crow (Kate, 2014). Publishers can take advantage of the interactivity tablets offer, creating new ways to read through apps.
word count: 546
Amazon.com (2014). Kindle Compare. Amazon.com. Available at: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I15SB16/ref=topnav_storetab_kinh/189-2886895-5812529#kindle-compare (accessed 6.10.14)
Elkington, J. (2014). Tablet Ownership Up, InPublishing.co.uk, Available at: http://www.inpublishing.co.uk/news/articles/tablet_ownership_up_63_7351.aspx (accessed 6.10.14)
Evelegh, J. (2012). InPublishing tip 4 – Get on the iPad. InPublishing.co.uk. Available at: http://www.inpublishing.co.uk/kb/articles/inpublishing_tip_4_get_on_the_ipad.aspx (accessed 6.10.14)
Hall, F. (2013). The Business of Publishing in a Digital Age: An Introduction to the Digital Book and Journal Industries. Routledge: Oxford
Kate. (2014). Nosy Crow Wins Two FutureBook Awards: Children's Fiction Digital Book Of The Year And Inspiring Digital Publishing Person Of The Year. Nosy Crow. [online] Available at:
http://nosycrow.com/blog/nosy-crow-wins-two-futurebook-awards-children-s-fiction-digital-book-of-the-year-and-inspiring-digital-publishing-person (accessed 18.11.14)
Wing Kosner, A. (2012). Tablets will take over sooner than you think. Forbes.com. Available at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonykosner/2012/03/04/tablets-will-take-over-sooner-than-you-think-five-telling-trends/ (accessed 6.10.14)
Although it is only more recently tablets have taken off in both an educational setting (with e-textbook prices being considerably lower than US textbook prices (Hall, 2003, p:102) perhaps contributing to this) as well as retail, people were predicting the rise of the tablet long before now. Apple CEO Tom Cook stated in January 2012 'I truly believe, and many others in the company believe, that there will come a day that the tablet market in units is larger than the PC market' (Cook, cited in Wing Kosner, 2012).
Recent figures suggest the tablet is the dark horse of the digital world. 17.9 million Britons now own a tablet, a figure that increased 63% year on year from 2013, and over one third of people accessing the internet do so from their tablet. (Elkington, 2014). Looking at the newest tablets out there, it's not surprising why. The tablet, with its shiny touch screen and high quality, colour images and moving texts and pictures it almost makes the older versions of the black and white Kindle look archaic. If you want to know more about a character or plot, you can swap apps and be searching through the rich data of the internet in seconds. Being more interactive, they are certainly the more child friendly option, and being available from many different retailers, there are size and price options for everyone.
On top of this, the Kindle can only support the e-book format Mobi, whereas the tablet can support ePub -the software Apples iAuthor uses – amongst others. This cuts out the hassle of converting files on your computer before you can download them to your Kindle, although it seems that Kindle are aware of the competition as they created their own version with the Kindle Fire HDX, which they actually define as a tablet rather than an e-reader.
However it's the publishers who need to keep up as Evelegh, a publisher from InPublishing.co.uk, suggests publishers are 'bamboozled' by choice [of what to create for tablets], and that they 'need to be mindful of the greater threat posed to their business by doing nothing, as waiting for the clouds of indecision to clear will mean you losing valuable time, both in terms of competitive advantage and also, as importantly, in terms of your own learning' (2014).
Evelegh (2014) suggests big brand, big circulation titles should consider dedicating resources to a bespoke edition, suggesting the market is there for it. However, if you are a smaller circulation title, he recommends a digital replica of the print editions to be a safer option. I have to agree with this; with the number of tablet users doubling year on year it seems sensible to make some kind of digital edition available, whether it be big or small.
I believe different platforms work best for different purposes, and that apps for tablets work especially well for interactive storytelling, especially for children as seen with Nosy Crow (Kate, 2014). Publishers can take advantage of the interactivity tablets offer, creating new ways to read through apps.
word count: 546
Amazon.com (2014). Kindle Compare. Amazon.com. Available at: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I15SB16/ref=topnav_storetab_kinh/189-2886895-5812529#kindle-compare (accessed 6.10.14)
Elkington, J. (2014). Tablet Ownership Up, InPublishing.co.uk, Available at: http://www.inpublishing.co.uk/news/articles/tablet_ownership_up_63_7351.aspx (accessed 6.10.14)
Evelegh, J. (2012). InPublishing tip 4 – Get on the iPad. InPublishing.co.uk. Available at: http://www.inpublishing.co.uk/kb/articles/inpublishing_tip_4_get_on_the_ipad.aspx (accessed 6.10.14)
Hall, F. (2013). The Business of Publishing in a Digital Age: An Introduction to the Digital Book and Journal Industries. Routledge: Oxford
Kate. (2014). Nosy Crow Wins Two FutureBook Awards: Children's Fiction Digital Book Of The Year And Inspiring Digital Publishing Person Of The Year. Nosy Crow. [online] Available at:
http://nosycrow.com/blog/nosy-crow-wins-two-futurebook-awards-children-s-fiction-digital-book-of-the-year-and-inspiring-digital-publishing-person (accessed 18.11.14)
Wing Kosner, A. (2012). Tablets will take over sooner than you think. Forbes.com. Available at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonykosner/2012/03/04/tablets-will-take-over-sooner-than-you-think-five-telling-trends/ (accessed 6.10.14)