So what does one make of the new Apple tablet? I think one thing we know for sure is that a device like this will have an impact. We believe one of these will be to further accelerate the trend of digital publishing to eReaders.
While we have already stated that we believe a new kind of electronic book is required, we want to ensure we are clear on what we mean by that. While integrated multi-media content is sexy and may be the book of the future, we believe the more immediate need is for books of properly chunked information. Micro-targeted content is one term we have thrown around.
No doubt tablet-specific multimedia novels may soon blur the distinction between books and movies, but the printed word will likely survive. We also think printed books will continue on for a while too! However, there is already a demand for a new kind of book targeted to a specific topic for digital devices. (Think business how-to presentation essentials on an iPhone or Kindle for $1.99.)
In closing, think about the impact iTunes had on music. One could easily and cheaply buy any single if they did not want the entire album. In the eBook world, a new kind of author will create the singles and provide them as highly targeted, valuable and concise content for a small price. And that same author might write ten books instead of one “album-sized” book.
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