We’ve been following stories about the Sony Librie for quite some time. As early adopters of ebook technology (the defunct Rocket ebook, specifically), we firmly believe these devices will help with some of life’s more pressing problems: inability to move through the house due to endless piles of books, justifying said piles to the husband, justifying the extra suitcase for vacactions because one should never leave town without sufficient reading supplies, and, because we don’t keep every book that crosses our palm (sacrilege in some circles, but it really is a very small house), reducing the anguish that inevitably accompanies Salvation Army runs.
Early reviews, including this one from SiliconValley.com, have been lavish in their praise of the Librie. They often focus on the ink-on-paper-like quality of the reader. For us, that has never been a particular requirement, but we understand this selling point. As with all new technology, there are drawbacks, specifically limited battery life (10,000 pages? That’s nothing!) and “expiration” of content. Oh, and the fact that it’s not yet marketed in the United States.
Please don’t explain to us how devices like the Librie will never hold a place in your heart because you adore the feel of paper, etc. in your hand. We know. We understand. And we believe you don’t have to sacrifice one for the other…reading should never be predicated on absolutes.
