E-Readers Versus Tablets
By: Spencer Williams
Updated: November 12, 2012
Just a few years after they became a favorite of those who love to read, some are ready to write the obituary on e-readers.
Neither Amazon nor Barnes and Noble will release figures on their Kindles or Nooks, but sales of both are said to have noticeably fallen off. "I wouldn't say it hasn't gone off a cliff or a fiscal cliff, if you will, but it's definitely leveled off," said David Carnoy, executive editor of CNET.com.
David Carnoy thinks e-reader sales will pick right up again come the holidays because of the plummeting price tag. "These dedicated e-readers are becoming so cheap, it's just another item that people are gonna buy," said Carnoy.
However, others in the tech-world say e-readers are being rendered redundant, even obsolete, by tablet computers that offer so much more than just reading. Carnoy believes that's the e-reader's appeal.
"The one thing that people complain about is that they're distracted when they use these tablets. There are games on them, there are movies and really if you're going to do reading, a lot of people just like having that dedicated e-reading device," Carnoy said.
He says the LCD screens of tablets aren't as easy to read, especially outside, plus e-reader batteries lasts so much longer. So, to borrow a thought from Mark Twain, maybe the rumors of the e-reader's demise are greatly exaggerated.
Neither Amazon nor Barnes and Noble will release figures on their Kindles or Nooks, but sales of both are said to have noticeably fallen off. "I wouldn't say it hasn't gone off a cliff or a fiscal cliff, if you will, but it's definitely leveled off," said David Carnoy, executive editor of CNET.com.
David Carnoy thinks e-reader sales will pick right up again come the holidays because of the plummeting price tag. "These dedicated e-readers are becoming so cheap, it's just another item that people are gonna buy," said Carnoy.
However, others in the tech-world say e-readers are being rendered redundant, even obsolete, by tablet computers that offer so much more than just reading. Carnoy believes that's the e-reader's appeal.
"The one thing that people complain about is that they're distracted when they use these tablets. There are games on them, there are movies and really if you're going to do reading, a lot of people just like having that dedicated e-reading device," Carnoy said.
He says the LCD screens of tablets aren't as easy to read, especially outside, plus e-reader batteries lasts so much longer. So, to borrow a thought from Mark Twain, maybe the rumors of the e-reader's demise are greatly exaggerated.
