Bringing Books into the 21st Century

I myself still like to curl up with a good old fashioned book, hard-backed and steeped in that old book smell. Mmmmm, old book smell. Many a night when I was younger I burnt through several light-based toys and even using my alarm clock to read under the sheets when my mom had taken my flashlight.

Looking at that video, I was rather intrigued but at the same time overwhelmed. Given that I was the last person in high school to get a cell phone (A Motorola Razr that I still have. It's old enough that 'texting' was the hip and happening thing when I bought it) and a facebook page, I'd probably be the last to invest any sort of money into an electronic book, much less the money up front to purchase an iPhone for those with poor dexterity iPad.

Given what I've seen of reading and tablet tech so far, each device has one feature or another that I'd like, but not all together as one thing. I like the interactivity potential of the iPad. However my qualm, other than pricing, is that most of these devices are hard on the eye after awhile. I like how the Kindle works its voodoo magic in being readable in sunlight as well as being easy on the eyes. What I would add to this wondrous device in the making would be a soft LED light up option. Not a backlight, but put into the side of the screen like those $5 electronic card games you see in the back of the toy isle at Target or something.

As far as visuals, I much like the presentation of PDF's in Adobe Reader, how the pages flow like a contiguous whole (or if you want, flip like pages for this theoretical device) with a pull-out menu on the side for the table of contents or any bookmarks you have made. As a user-friendly feature, I'd add something that will let you highlight a word and have it's definition or translation pop up when you ask for it. All in all, this device is just a battery powered book with a search button, but I'm much a fan of keeping it simple.

Now if only I could make this device have the scent of a large library...