One of the many “benefits” of eBooks I heard about is that eBooks will make books “more social”. What with the ability to post what you’re reading online (not an actual feature yet), or being able to see where you friends are within a book (not an actual feature yet), or see the comments and highlights of others within a text (ah, that is an actual feature of the Kindle right now), books will become “more social”. Or will they?
This strikes me as implying that books aren’t social enough already. Great I can look to see what someone has highlighted online. Instead why don’t I just ask them what they thought of the book.
But more importantly there’s this observation:
But until then, I confess, I will be a little depressed. I don’t want to think about all the great books I’m going to miss, simply because I can’t see what everyone around me is reading. I don’t want to envision the drab, colorless plastic future ahead of us.
Seriously, as a reader which of these two photos would bring more of a smile to day?
Granted, not being able to do this does increase reader privacy. Hence the large number of erotica purchases in e-format.
