Next iPod an eBook reader?

Some kind of text to speech system would be amazing ... if it worked well, that is. Yeah, active back lit screens aren't too comfortable for long periods but listening to someone read the book to you on headphones would be brilliant. The problem with most of the text to speech is that the synthetic voice might sound quite realistic but the tonality of the words, the pace, stress of particular words - all the subtleties of voice communication are lost and makes the experience feel weirdly artificial. The only way around that would be to mark up the text with tags (like html or something) to give the text to speech system clues as to how to interpret the words in a more natural way. I guess, anyway. That would cost a lot less than using an actor probably too.

This is great news! Although my iPod saves me from plunging into boredom during my daily bus or train ride, it still doesn't spare me from showing that lost or dumb look whenever I'm listening to music. It also doesn't save me from that awkward situation where I can't avoid looking at the person infront of me in the train since only my ears are busy whenever I'm playing my iPod. My eyes could really use an iPod with a bigger screen that also has an ebook reading feature.

Apple should now change the name of the iTunes Music Store to "Apple Online Store" or something since it's not only music now...

I hope Apple does go into the eBook market.

Even with the current iPod's screen size, the Notes feature on iPods is great, but has its limitations (namely 4000 chars per text file, max 1000 files).

This year could be the year eBooks start happening... with genuine e-ink display devices such as iRex's iLiad now shipping, and Sony's Reader coming soon. They are bound to enhance interest in electronic book storage and display devices.

Some innovative news publishers have already started using eBook-like features on the iPod, such as Slate magazine's "textcasts"

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=153900786

These give a printed summary of news in the day's papers: Just a glimpse of the potential of eBook publishing.

It's a clever hack that puts the text in the notes field of a "silent" MP3, timed long enough to read the book. If Apple actually made a proper eBook mode, the value would be much greater.

I guess if the right device was on the market, then maybe. Most people I've talked to about it, especially when PDAs were the hot thing, just couldn't a) get into reading on such a small screen and 2) needed the actually book. THere was jsut something about the actual holding of a book made of paper that they couldn't get used to. Kind of like how people print out their emails!!

I personally, would love it, but I found that not enough titles were available and sales were way low. That is why I think that it won't fly. For RSS feeds and short stories/articles -yeah, but for reading actual novels -nope.

John,

Sure the eBook market is very tiny. But then, the MP3 player market wasn't exactly of monolithic proportions until the iPod hit the market.

John, I'll probably mention that I am an avid reader whenever I write about something concering books. Makes sense to me. ;)

Mark (#5), iRex and Sony are releasing devices that are better suited to your desires. If you really have no use for music on the go, why opt for an iPod to read when you can take advantage of a better reading solution like Sony's Reader or iRex's iLiad, both of which will use eInk technology to reduce eye strain and battery consumption? Both will also have media stores to sell you that book you want or the day's newspaper.

See here for video review of the Sony Reader:
http://reviews.cnet.com/Handhelds/4660-3127_7-0.html

See here for images of the iRex Iliad:
http://www.infosyncworld.com/mobility/handheld/irex_iliad_er_0100.html

Personally, I'm excited about a new wide-screen iPod for watching movies/tv shows. I would not use it as my ebook reader, however.

oops, meant to say I listen to my audiobooks on my iPod.

um, hello? Audiobooks anyone? I bought a 2 year subscription to Audible and get 2 books a month. I listen to them on long trips and while I'm working in my studio.

As a budding geezer I find my eyes straining to read text on screen after more than 30 minutes. I have purchased a couple of ebooks from Amazon and read them via Adobe reader. I like being able to increase the font size so I don't have to press my nose against the screen AND still being able to have a full two pages of text visible (well, mostly visible, just a little up and down scrolling is necessary).

If they come up with a portable reader the size of a paperback AND if the greedy so-and-so's in the publishing industry will adjust the COST of the books accordingly, then I'd be buying ebooks like mad. OTOH, all the books I currently buy wind up being given to a friend who then gives them to the library when she's done so there's still a lot to be said for paper. I'm a big fan of my local library and I don't think they can accept my audiobooks if I burn them to a cd. Too bad because I like to share.