It's true: demand for e-book readers outstrips supply!
E-books capture imagination of holiday shoppers
By John Simerman and Scott Duke HarrisBay Area News GroupPosted: 12/10/2009 04:43:45 PM PSTUpdated: 12/10/2009 05:35:25 PM PSTJim Henry, of Lafayette, leans on the classics: Rudyard Kipling. Jonathan Swift. John Kennedy Toole.
But he must admit: His love of good books, like a long fervid affair, is starting to suffocate.
"I've just got too many. They're all over the place," he confessed. "It's probably a fire hazard."
Which is one reason Henry found himself at the Barnes & Noble store in downtown Walnut Creek on Thursday, quickly smitten with a Nook.
The slim, 11-ounce tablet is the huge bookseller's entry into a swelling field for sleek electronic book readers — competing with Amazon's Kindle, Sony's Reader and other brands for a thick slice of this holiday season's hot gadget pie.
Henry held a demo Nook in his hands, scrolled the pages, fooled with the font. And, while he couldn't download a word — oddly, the store was unable to set up its own Barnes & Noble account — a clerk promised a swift, wireless glide from ether to screen.
"It's between this and the Kindle," Henry said. "I like the idea of being able to read a book review and download something I want right now. Immediate gratification: Is that too much to ask for?"
In the case of the Nook, yes, it is.
Customers who buy the $259 Nook now wouldn't get it shipped before Jan. 18, long after most Christmas trees turn to mulch. Assistant manager Cyndi Shimansky suggested buying a case with a purchase certificate for under the tree — a kind of wrapped bookmark, or Nookmark.
"We all want to have it in our hands. It's exceeded all expectations for the company," said assistant manager Cyndi Shimansky, standing below a "Sold Out! Due to overwhelming demand" sign.
Likewise, Amazon and Sony claim strong holiday interest in their e-readers, with demand outpacing supply for both the Kindle and Nook.
More entries are coming to the e-reader market, where readability, easy controls and the level of access to inexpensive or free titles compete as the key factors for shoppers. Apple is the 800-pound Granny Smith in the room, with the consumer techmeister cagey over rumored plans to drop a pricey tablet on the market in spring.
Publishers of books, magazines and newspapers — and Google, which aims to build a massive online store of e-books — are keen to see how boldly readers go from paper to pixels. Some analysts see a transformation in publishing akin to the iPod's blast on the music industry.
A recent report by Credit Suisse suggested that e-reader sales would soar from 1 million last year to 32 million in 2014. By then, the report suggested, Amazon would be reaping $1.8 billion from the Kindle.
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