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In November last year, the Kindle e-reader was launched. It sold out within a week – definitely a success story, not least because of the device’s bookshop facility. Amazon and publishers worked together to make 88,000 titles available for the Kindle. Will e-readers be this successful in the Netherlands?
As part of its knowledge-building programme, TNO conducted a study into e-readers and reached the conclusion that, within two and a half years, e-readers will be a household item in the Netherlands. By 2013, probably 27% of people in the Netherlands will own one. TNO is working with publishers to set up a follow-up standardisation project. Companies are very welcome to participate in this.
The e-reader is easy on the eyes. Because it is not backlit, the screen looks and reads like real paper. The special technology provides a sharp high-resolution display, and the text remains visible without using power. The e-book reader is capable of storing up to 200 books, newspapers and other content. Magazines are still presenting problems for the e-reader because they often contain many advertisements, full colour and more images. However, the e-reader does not display colours, and advertisements cannot yet be scaled down.
TNO will present the findings of the study and launch the follow-up during the National Publishers'Congress on 11 June in Haarlem. A workshop will be organised after the summer.
