View source for E-reader

{{Short description|Device for reading e-books}}
{{Other uses}}
[[File:Amazon Kindle 3.JPG|thumb|Amazon's [[Amazon Kindle|Kindle]] Keyboard e-reader displaying a page of an e-book]]
An '''e-reader''', also called an '''e reader''' or '''e device''', is a [[Mobile computing|mobile electronic device]] that is designed primarily for the purpose of reading digital [[e-book]]s and [[Periodical literature|periodicals]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnet.com/topics/ereaders/best-e-book-readers/|title=Best E-Book Readers of 2017|work=CNET|access-date=2017-05-26|language=en|archive-date=2017-05-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170527025111/https://www.cnet.com/topics/ereaders/best-e-book-readers/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=K.N |first=Shoba |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZoLkBQAAQBAJ&dq=An+e-reader,+also+called+an+e-book+reader+or+e-book+device,+is+a+mobile+electronic+device&pg=PT68 |title=Vocabulary 2.0: Smart Words of the 21st Century |publisher=Notion Press |isbn=978-93-84049-15-7 |language=en |access-date=2022-05-17 |archive-date=2023-01-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230117053103/https://books.google.com/books?id=ZoLkBQAAQBAJ&dq=An+e-reader,+also+called+an+e-book+reader+or+e-book+device,+is+a+mobile+electronic+device&pg=PT68 |url-status=live }}</ref>
Any device that can display text on a screen may act as an e-reader; however, specialized e-reader devices may optimize portability, readability, and battery life for this purpose. Their main advantage over printed books is portability: an e-reader is capable of holding thousands of books while weighing less than one.<ref>{{Cite news |title=The Weight of Memory |first=C. Claiborne |last=Ray |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/25/science/25qna.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |agency=Q&A (column) |page=D2 |date=October 24, 2011 |access-date=February 24, 2017 |archive-date=February 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227031902/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/25/science/25qna.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Bhojaraju |first=Gunjal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dTfVDQAAQBAJ&dq=Any+device+that+can+display+text+on+a+screen+may+act+as+an+e-reader&pg=PA169 |title=Managing Knowledge and Scholarly Assets in Academic Libraries |date=2016-12-28 |publisher=IGI Global |isbn=978-1-5225-1742-9 |language=en |access-date=2022-05-17 |archive-date=2023-01-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230117053104/https://books.google.com/books?id=dTfVDQAAQBAJ&dq=Any+device+that+can+display+text+on+a+screen+may+act+as+an+e-reader&pg=PA169 |url-status=live }}</ref> Another advantage is the convenience provided by add-on features.
==Overview==
An e-reader is a device designed as a convenient way to read e-books. It is similar in [[Form factor (design)|form factor]] to a [[tablet computer]],<ref>[https://www.wired.com/2010/11/and-the-most-popular-way-to-read-an-e-book-is/ And the most popular way to read an e-book is] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170925230212/https://www.wired.com/2010/11/and-the-most-popular-way-to-read-an-e-book-is |date=2017-09-25 }}. [[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]. November 2010.</ref> but often features [[electronic paper]] ("e-ink") rather than an LCD screen. This yields much longer battery life — the battery can last for several weeks — and better readability, similar to that of paper even in sunlight.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20009738-1/kindle-vs-nook-vs-ipad-which-e-book-reader-should-you-buy/ |title = Kindle vs. Nook vs. iPad: Which e-book reader should you buy? |last = Falcone |first = John |date = July 6, 2010 |publisher = [[CNet]] |access-date = January 26, 2013 |archive-date = January 21, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130121115052/http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20009738-1/kindle-vs-nook-vs-ipad-which-e-book-reader-should-you-buy/ |url-status = live }}</ref> Drawbacks of this kind of display include a slow refresh rate and (usually) a grayscale-only display, which makes it unsuitable for sophisticated interactive applications such as those found on tablets. This may be perceived as an advantage, however, as the user may more easily focus on reading.<ref>[http://www.techzim.co.zw/2017/05/gadget-cant-live-without-kindle/ The one gadget I can't live without… is not my phone] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170516223219/http://www.techzim.co.zw/2017/05/gadget-cant-live-without-kindle/ |date=2017-05-16 }} Techzim. Retrieved May 17, 2017</ref> The Sony Librie, released in 2004 and the precursor to the [[Sony Reader]], was the first e-reader to use electronic paper.<ref>{{cite news |date = 2004-03-25 |title = Sony LIBRIe – The first ever E-ink e-book Reader |newspaper = Mobile mag |url = http://www.mobilemag.com/2004/03/25/sony-librie-the-first-ever-e-ink-e-book-reader/ |access-date = 21 March 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130514132046/http://www.mobilemag.com/2004/03/25/sony-librie-the-first-ever-e-ink-e-book-reader/ |archive-date = 14 May 2013 |url-status = dead }}</ref>
Many e-readers can use the [[internet]] through [[Wi-Fi]] and the built-in software can provide a link to a digital [[Open Publication Distribution system|Open Publication Distribution System (OPDS)]] library or an e-book retailer, allowing the user to buy, borrow, and receive digital e-books.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.moneycrashers.com/rent-borrow-ebooks-online/|title=How to Rent or Borrow eBooks Online|website=Money crashers|language=en-US|access-date=2017-05-26|archive-date=2017-05-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510144444/http://www.moneycrashers.com/rent-borrow-ebooks-online|url-status=live}}</ref> An e-reader may also download e-books from a computer or read them from a [[memory card]].<ref>{{Cite news|work=How to geek|url=https://www.howtogeek.com/233492/everything-you-need-to-know-about-using-a-microsd-card-with-your-amazon-fire-tablet/|title=Everything You Need to Know About Using a MicroSD Card With Your Amazon Fire Tablet|access-date=2017-05-26|archive-date=2017-08-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809214949/https://www.howtogeek.com/233492/everything-you-need-to-know-about-using-a-microsd-card-with-your-amazon-fire-tablet/|url-status=live}}</ref> However, the use of memory cards is decreasing as most of the 2010s era e-readers lack a card slot.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/2017/03/31/will-memory-cards-be-phase-out-for-ereaders-altogether/ |title=Will Memory Cards Be Phase Out for eReaders Altogether? |website=The eBook Reader Blog |date=31 March 2017 |access-date=2017-05-26 |archive-date=2017-06-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170604183630/http://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/2017/03/31/will-memory-cards-be-phase-out-for-ereaders-altogether/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
==History==
{{See also|E-book#History}}
An idea similar to that of an e-reader is described in a 1930 manifesto written by [[Bob Brown (writer, poet, publisher)|Bob Brown]] titled ''The Readies'',<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jn6PQAAACAAJ |title=The Readies | first = Robert "Bob" | last = Brown |editor1-first=Craig J. |editor1-last=Saper |publisher=Rice University Press |location=Houston |year=2009 |series=Literature by Design: British and American Books 1880–1930 |isbn=9780892630226 |oclc=428926430 |access-date=2012-12-06}}</ref> which describes "a simple reading machine which I can carry or move around, attach to any old electric light plug and read hundred-thousand-word novels in 10 minutes". His hypothetical machine would use a [[microfilm]]-style ribbon of miniaturized text which could be scrolled past a magnifying glass, and would allow the reader to adjust the type size.  He envisioned that eventually words could be "recorded directly on the palpitating ether".<ref>{{cite web |last=Schuessler |first=Jennifer |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/11/books/review/Schuessler-t.html?pagewanted=all |title=Bob Brown, Godfather of the E-Reader |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=2010-04-08 |access-date=2012-12-06 |archive-date=2021-03-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320043000/https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/11/books/review/Schuessler-t.html?pagewanted=all. |url-status=live }}</ref>
The establishment of the [[E Ink Corporation]] in 1997 led to the development of [[electronic paper]], a technology which allows a display screen to reflect light like ordinary paper without the need for a backlight. Among the first commercial e-readers were Sony's [[Data Discman]] (which was using [[Mini CD]]s with special caddies) and the [[Rocket eBook]].<ref name="rocket">[http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Rocket_eBook MobileRead Wiki – Rocket eBook] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415060203/http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Rocket_eBook |date=2016-04-15 }}. Wiki.mobileread.com (2011-11-20). Retrieved on 2012-04-12.</ref> Several others were introduced around 1998, but did not gain widespread acceptance. Electronic paper was incorporated first into the [[Sony Librie]] that was released in 2004 and [[Sony Reader]] in 2006, followed by the [[Amazon Kindle]], a device which, upon its release in 2007, sold out within five and a half hours.<ref name="Patel">{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2007/11/21/kindle-sells-out-in-two-days/|title=Kindle Sells Out in 5.5 Hours|access-date=November 21, 2007|work=Engadget.com|date=November 21, 2007|first=Nilay|last=Patel| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071123084048/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/21/kindle-sells-out-in-two-days/| archive-date= November 23, 2007 | url-status= live}}</ref> The Kindle includes access to the [[Kindle Store]] for e-book sales and delivery.
In 2009, new marketing models for e-books were being developed and a new generation of reading hardware was produced. E-books (as opposed to e-readers) had yet to achieve global distribution. In  the United States, the Amazon Kindle model and [[Sony]]'s [[PRS-500]] were the dominant e-reading devices.<ref>{{cite web |last=Take |first=First |url=http://community.zdnet.co.uk/blog/0,1000000567,10014045o-2000667842b,00.htm |title=Bookeen Cybook OPUS &#124; ZDNet UK |publisher=Community.zdnet.co.uk |date=2010-09-11 |access-date=2011-10-24 |archive-date=2009-10-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091004191641/http://community.zdnet.co.uk/blog/0,1000000567,10014045o-2000667842b,00.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> By March 2010, some reported that the [[Barnes & Noble Nook]] may have been selling more units than the Kindle in the US.<ref>Rodney Chan [http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20100426VL204.html Nook outnumbers Kindle in March, says Digitimes Research] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150315030133/http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20100426VL204.html |date=2015-03-15 }}, DIGITIMES, Taipei, 26 April 2010</ref> The [[Ectaco jetBook#JetBook Color|Ectaco jetBook Color]] was the first color e-reader on the market, but its muted colors were criticized.<ref>{{cite web |title = Ectaco jetBook Color E-ink reader |date = 18 January 2012 |url = http://www.trustedreviews.com/ectaco-jetbook-color-e-ink-reader_Peripheral_review |publisher = Trusted Reviews |access-date = June 17, 2013 |archive-date = January 4, 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140104015733/http://www.trustedreviews.com/ectaco-jetbook-color-e-ink-reader_Peripheral_review |url-status = live }}</ref> Since 2021, color E-ink readers have been introduced into the market.<ref>{{cite web |title=Turning the tables, the electronic ink screen updated from only black and white to rich colors |url=https://www.boox.hk/en/article/color-eink-epaper-introduce-for-ereader-ebook-user.html |website=boox.hk |access-date=4 May 2021 |archive-date=1 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501163616/https://boox.hk/en/article/color-eink-epaper-introduce-for-ereader-ebook-user.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
Research released in March 2011 indicated that e-books and e-readers were more popular with the older generation than the younger generation in the UK. The survey, carried out by Silver Poll, found that around 6% of people over 55 owned an e-reader, compared with just 5% of 18- to 24-year-olds.<ref>{{cite web |title = E-book popularity set to increase this year |url = http://www.redsauce.com/e-book-popularity-set-to-increase-this-year-5653 |access-date = 4 March 2011 |archive-date = 8 March 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110308020808/http://www.redsauce.com/e-book-popularity-set-to-increase-this-year-5653 |url-status = live }}</ref> According to an [[International Data Corporation|IDC]] study from March 2011, sales for all e-readers worldwide rose to 12.8 million in 2010; 48% of them were [[Amazon Kindle]]s, followed by [[Barnes & Noble Nook]]s, [[Pandigital (company)|Pandigital]], and [[Sony Reader]]s (about 800,000 units for 2010).<ref name = idc_03-2011>{{Cite press release |url = http://www.idc.com/about/viewpressrelease.jsp?containerId=prUS22737611 |title = Nearly 18 Million Media Tablets Shipped in 2010 with Apple Capturing 83% Share; eReader Shipments Quadrupled to More Than 12 Million |publisher = [[International Data Corporation|IDC]] |date = 10 March 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141028205245/http://www.idc.com/about/viewpressrelease.jsp?containerId=prUS22737611 |archive-date = 2014-10-28 }}</ref>
On January 27, 2010 [[Apple Inc.]] launched a multi-function [[tablet computer]] called the [[iPad]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.apple.com/ipad/ |title=iPad – See the web, email, and photos like never before |publisher=Apple |access-date=2011-10-24 |archive-date=2013-10-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020181038/http://www.apple.com/ipad/design/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and announced agreements with five of the six largest publishers<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/01/28/ipad_ibooks_app_us_only_mcgraw_hill_absent_from_apple_event.html|title=iPad iBooks app US-only, McGraw-Hill absent from Apple event|work=AppleInsider|date=January 28, 2010|access-date=February 14, 2010|archive-date=June 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627111405/https://appleinsider.com/articles/10/01/28/ipad_ibooks_app_us_only_mcgraw_hill_absent_from_apple_event.html|url-status=live}}</ref> that would allow Apple to distribute e-books.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.apple.com/pr/library/2010/01/27ipad.html |title=Apple Launches iPad |publisher=Apple |date=2010-01-27 |access-date=2011-10-24 |archive-date=2010-01-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100130164228/http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2010/01/27ipad.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The iPad includes a built-in app for e-book reading called [[Apple Books|iBooks]] and had the [[iBookstore]] for content sales and delivery. The iPad, the first commercially profitable tablet, was followed in 2011 by the release of the first [[Android (operating system)|Android]]-based tablets as well as LCD tablet versions of the Nook and Kindle. Unlike previous dedicated e-readers, tablet computers are multi-functional, utilize LCD touchscreen displays, and are more agnostic to e-book vendor apps, allowing for the installation of multiple e-book reading apps. Many Android tablets accept external media and allow uploading files directly onto the tablet's file system without resorting to online stores or cloud services. Many tablet-based and smartphone-based readers are capable of displaying PDF and DJVU files, which few of the dedicated e-book readers can handle. This opens a possibility to read publications originally published on paper and later scanned into a digital format. While these files may not be considered e-books in their strict sense, they preserve the original look of printed editions. The growth in general-purpose tablet use allowed for further growth in the popularity of e-books in the 2010s.
In 2012, there was a 26% decline in e-reader sales worldwide from a maximum of 23.2 million in 2011. The reason was given for this "alarmingly precipitous decline" was the rise of more general-purpose tablets that provided e-book reading apps along with many other abilities in a similar form factor.<ref>{{Cite web |publisher = [[CNet]] |url = http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57558710-94/rip-e-book-readers-rise-of-tablets-drives-e-reader-drop/ |first = Shara |last = Tibken |title = RIP e-book readers? Rise of tablets drives e-reader drop |date = December 12, 2012 |access-date = March 6, 2013 |archive-date = January 21, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130121234017/http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57558710-94/rip-e-book-readers-rise-of-tablets-drives-e-reader-drop/ |url-status = live }}</ref> In 2013, ABI Research claimed that the decline in the e-reader market was due to the aging of the customer base.<ref>{{Cite news |newspaper = [[The Register]] |date = 25 January 2013 |first = Tony |last = Smith |url = https://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/01/25/e_reader_market/ |title = Tablets aren't killing e-readers, it's clog-popping wrinklies – analyst |access-date = 26 August 2017 |archive-date = 16 August 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170816233117/https://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/01/25/e_reader_market/ |url-status = live }}</ref> In 2014, the industry reported e-reader sales worldwide to be around 12 million, with only [[Amazon.com]] and [[Kobo Inc.]] distributing e-readers globally and various regional distribution by [[Barnes & Noble]] (US/UK), Tolino (Germany), Icarus (Netherlands), [[PocketBook International]] (Eastern Europe and Russia) and Onyx [[Boox]] (China and Vietnam).<ref>[http://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/the-state-of-e-reader-industry-in-2015 The State of the e-Reader Industry in 2015] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119223719/http://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/the-state-of-e-reader-industry-in-2015 |date=2015-11-19 }} September 24, 2015</ref> At the end of 2015, eMarketer estimated that there were 83.4 million e-reader users in the US, with the number predicted to grow by 3.5% in 2016.<ref>[http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Many-Thought-Tablet-Would-Kill-Ereader-Why-Didnt-Happen/1013638 Many Thought the Tablet Would Kill the Ereader. Why It Didn't Happen.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160302222732/http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Many-Thought-Tablet-Would-Kill-Ereader-Why-Didnt-Happen/1013638 |date=2016-03-02 }} eMarketer, February 29, 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2016.</ref> In late 2014, [[PricewaterhouseCoopers]] predicted that by 2018 e-books would make up over 50% of total consumer publishing revenue in the U.S. and UK, while at that time, e-books were over 30% of the share of the revenue.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/13/arts/international/in-europe-slower-growth-for-e-books.html "In Europe, Slower Growth for e-Books"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151026163621/http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/13/arts/international/in-europe-slower-growth-for-e-books.html |date=2015-10-26 }}. ''[[The New York Times]]'' (2014-11-12). Retrieved on 2014-12-05.</ref>
Until late 2013, the use of an e-reader was not allowed on airplanes during takeoff and landing.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kindle DX: Must You Turn it Off for Takeoff and Landing? |author=Matt Phillips |url=https://blogs.wsj.com/middleseat/2009/05/07/kindle-dx-must-you-turn-it-off-for-takeoff-and-landing/ |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=2009-05-07 |access-date=2011-07-28 |archive-date=2011-08-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110830045905/http://blogs.wsj.com/middleseat/2009/05/07/kindle-dx-must-you-turn-it-off-for-takeoff-and-landing/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In November 2013, the FAA allowed use of e-readers on airplanes at all times if set to [[Airplane Mode]]. European authorities followed this guidance the following month.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/cleared-for-takeoff-europe-allows-use-of-ereaders-on-planes-from-gate-to-gate-8993384.html|title=Cleared for take-off: Europe allows use of e-readers on planes from gate to gate|work=The Independent|date=9 December 2013|location=London|access-date=26 August 2017|archive-date=25 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925235336/http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/cleared-for-takeoff-europe-allows-use-of-ereaders-on-planes-from-gate-to-gate-8993384.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
==E-reader applications==
[[File:Calibre-2.12-en.png|thumb|[[Calibre (software)|Calibre]] 2.12 on [[Arch Linux]] with the [[KDE Plasma|KDE]] desktop environment.]]
Many of the major book retailers and third-party developers offer e-reader applications for desktops, tablets, and mobile devices, to allow the reading of e-books and other documents independent of dedicated e-book devices.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/ebook-readers/article/how-to-buy-the-best-ebook-reader|title=How to buy the best ebook reader – Which?|website=www.which.co.uk|language=en|access-date=2017-05-26|archive-date=2017-07-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170718114010/http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/ebook-readers/article/how-to-buy-the-best-ebook-reader|url-status=live}}</ref> E-reader applications are available for computers running [[Linux]], [[MacOS]], and [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], as well as for smartphones running [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[iOS]] and [[Windows Phone]].
==Impact==
The introduction of e-readers brought substantial changes to the publishing industry, also awakening fears and predictions about the possible disappearance of books and print periodicals.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Ballatore|first1=Andrea|last2=Natale|first2=Simone|date=2015-05-18|title=E-readers and the death of the book: Or, new media and the myth of the disappearing medium|url=http://nms.sagepub.com/content/early/2015/05/18/1461444815586984|journal=New Media & Society|volume=18|issue=10|language=en|pages=2379–2394|doi=10.1177/1461444815586984|issn=1461-4448|hdl=2318/1768949|s2cid=39026072|hdl-access=free|access-date=2016-03-10|archive-date=2016-03-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315084006/http://nms.sagepub.com/content/early/2015/05/18/1461444815586984|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Criticism ==
=== Disadvantages of epaper display ===
The graphical design of ebooks underlies the format and technical limits of e-readers because till recently the vast majority of E-ink readers did not support color displays and had a limited resolution and size.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last1=Benedetto|first1=Simone|last2=Drai-Zerbib|first2=Véronique|last3=Pedrotti|first3=Marco|last4=Tissier|first4=Geoffrey|last5=Baccino|first5=Thierry|date=2013-12-27|title=E-Readers and Visual Fatigue|journal=PLOS ONE|volume=8|issue=12|pages=e83676|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0083676|pmid=24386252|issn=1932-6203|pmc=3873942|bibcode=2013PLoSO...883676B|doi-access=free}}</ref> As of 2024, however, colour e-readers aren't that rare and there are many colour devices in the market like [[BOOX Go Color 7]] and [[Kobo Libra Colour]] which both utilize [[Kaleido|Kaleido 3]] epaper screens supporting up to 4096 colours. The reading experience  on epaper displays which are not illuminated depends on the environment lighting condition.<ref name=":2" />
=== Closed ecosystems for retrieving ebooks and lack of freedom ===
E-readers are usually designed to only offer access to the online shop of one provider. This structure is referred to as [[Digital ecosystem|(digital) ecosystem]] and helps smaller companies (e.g. Kibano Digireader) to compete against multinational companies (like [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]], [[Apple Inc.|Apple]], etc.).<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Colbjørnsen|first=Terje|date=2014-06-10|title=Digital divergence: analysing strategy, interpretation and controversy in the case of the introduction of an ebook reader technology|journal=Information, Communication & Society|volume=18|issue=1|pages=32–47|doi=10.1080/1369118x.2014.924982|s2cid=144104890|issn=1369-118X}}</ref> On the other hand, customers only have the possibility of purchasing books from a limited selection of ebooks in the online shop (accessible via the e-reader) and therefore do not have the possibility of purchasing e-books from the open market.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Colbjørnsen|first=Terje|date=2014-04-07|title=What is the VAT? The policies and practices of value added tax on ebooks in Europe|journal=International Journal of Cultural Policy|volume=21|issue=3|pages=326–343|doi=10.1080/10286632.2014.904298|s2cid=154763274|issn=1028-6632}}</ref> Because of the use of ecosystems, companies are not forced to compete against each other and therefore the cost of e-books do not decrease. With only the option of using an online shop, the social interaction of buying or borrowing a book disappears.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Sangwan|first1=Sunanda|last2=Siguaw|first2=Judy A.|last3=Guan|first3=Chong|date=2009-10-30|title=A comparative study of motivational differences for online shopping|journal=ACM SIGMIS Database|volume=40|issue=4|pages=28|doi=10.1145/1644953.1644957|s2cid=16479656|issn=0095-0033}}</ref>  There are, however, notable exceptions such as [[Onyx Boox]] and [[Meebook]] devices which run an open [[Android (operating system)|Android]] system. Then the users can download and read ebooks from whichever source they prefer either by installing a bookstore app(e.g. [[Amazon Kindle|Kindle]], [[Kobo eReader|Kobo]] and the like), use a web browser or directly download the ebook file. There are also ebook readers with an open [[Linux]] system. A notable example is [[PineNote]] from [[Pine64]]. However, the software ecosystem of these ebook readers usually aren't mature as mainstream options in the market.
In the [[European Union|EU]], media products, including paper books, often have a tax reduction. Therefore, the [[Value-added tax|VAT]] for conventional books was often lower than that of e-books. In legal terms, e-books were considered a service since it was regarded as a temporary lease of the product. Therefore, ebook prices were often similar to paper book prices, even if the production of ebooks has a lower cost.<ref name=":1" /> In October 2018, the EU allowed its member countries to charge the same VAT for ebooks as for paper books.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ha|first1=Thu-Huong|title=The European Union has decided that ebooks are really books, after all|url=https://qz.com/1411845/eu-lowers-vat-for-ebooks-to-match-print-books/|date=October 3, 2018|access-date=February 20, 2020|archive-date=February 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220063141/https://qz.com/1411845/eu-lowers-vat-for-ebooks-to-match-print-books/|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[Richard Stallman]] has expressed concern about the perceived loss of freedom or privacy that comes with e-readers, namely the inability to read whatever a reader prefers without the possibility of being tracked.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/the-danger-of-ebooks.en.html|title=The Danger of E-Books - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation|access-date=2019-05-14|archive-date=2011-12-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111226230112/https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/the-danger-of-ebooks.en.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/ebooks.html |title=E-Books: Freedom or Copyright - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation |access-date=2019-05-14 |archive-date=2013-05-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510222942/https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/ebooks.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Positive aspects ==
E-readers can hold thousands of books limited only by their memory and use the same physical space as a conventional book. Most [[Electronic paper|E-ink]] displays are not back-illuminated and therefore seem to cause no more eye strain than a traditional book and less eye strain than [[Liquid-crystal display|LCD screens]], with a longer battery life.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Maxim|first1=Andrei|last2=Maxim|first2= Alexandru |date=2012|title=The Role of e-books in Reshaping the Publishing Industry|journal=Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences|volume= 62|pages=1046–50|doi=10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.09.178|issn=1877-0428|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Baccino|first1=Thierry|last2=Tissier|first2=Geoffrey|last3=Pedrotti|first3=Marco|last4=Drai-Zerbib |first4=Véronique|last5=Benedetto|first5=Simone|date=2013-12-27|title=E-Readers and Visual Fatigue|journal=PLOS ONE |volume=8|issue=12|page =e83676|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0083676|issn=1932-6203|pmc=3873942|pmid=24386252|bibcode=2013PLoSO...883676B|doi-access=free}}</ref> Features such as the ability to adjust font size and spacing can help people who have difficulty reading or [[dyslexia]]. Some e-readers link to definitions or translations of key words.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1= Barzillai|first1=Mirit|last2=Thomson|first2=Jenny M.|date= 2018-09-30|title= Children learning to read in a digital world|journal=First Monday|volume=23|issue=10|doi=10.5210/fm.v23i10.9437|s2cid=52928911|issn= 1396-0466 |doi-access= free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=17717476011|title=Kindle Features: Search, X-Ray, Wikipedia and Dictionary Lookup, Instant Translations|website=Amazon|access-date=2019-04-25|archive-date=2020-03-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200304070202/https://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=17717476011|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]] notes that 85% of its e-reader users look up a word while reading.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/what-are-the-most-looked-up-words-on-the-kindle|title=What are the most looked up words on the Kindle?|last=Kozlowski|first=Michael|date=2015-10-14|website=Good e-Reader|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-07|archive-date=2019-05-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190507153441/https://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/what-are-the-most-looked-up-words-on-the-kindle|url-status=live}}</ref>
E-readers can instantly download content from supported public libraries by using apps like [[OverDrive, Inc.|OverDrive]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/05/guidemaster-ars-tests-and-picks-the-best-e-readers-for-every-budget/|title=Guidemaster: Ars tests and picks the best e-readers for every budget|date=23 May 2019|access-date=2019-05-28|archive-date=2019-05-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528141849/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/05/guidemaster-ars-tests-and-picks-the-best-e-readers-for-every-budget/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Popular e-readers==
* [[Amazon.com|Amazon]] (Global): [[Amazon Kindle|Kindle]], [[Amazon Kindle#Kindle Paperwhite|Kindle Paperwhite]], [[Amazon Kindle#Kindle Voyage|Kindle Voyage]], [[Amazon Kindle#Kindle Oasis (first iteration)|Kindle Oasis]], [[Amazon Kindle#Kindle Oasis (second iteration)|Kindle Oasis 2]], [[Kindle Scribe]]
* [[Barnes & Noble Nook|Barnes & Noble]] (US/UK): [[Barnes & Noble Nook 1st Edition|Nook]], [[Nook GlowLight]], [[Nook GlowLight Plus]]
* [[Bookeen]] (France): Cybook Opus, Cybook Orizon, Cybook Odyssey, Cybook Odyssey HD FrontLight
* [[Kobo eReader|Kobo]] (Global): [[Kobo Touch]], [[Kobo Glo]], [[Kobo Mini]], [[Kobo Aura]], [[Kobo Aura HD]]
* [[Onyx Boox]] (Europe, Russia, China and Vietnam): Onyx Boox Max2, Onyx Boox Note
* [[PocketBook International|PocketBook]] (Europe and Russia): PocketBook Touch, PocketBook Mini, PocketBook Touch Lux, PocketBook Color Lux, PocketBook Aqua
* Tolino (Germany): Tolino Shine, Tolino Shine 2 HD, Tolino Vision, Tolino Vision 2
==Alternative e-readers devices or platform==
* [[Apple Inc.|Apple]]: [[iPad]] and [[iPad Mini]]
* [[Amazon.com|Amazon]]: [[Amazon Fire|Fire Tablet]]
* [[Android (operating system)|Android]] based tablet
==See also==
* [[Comparison of e-readers]]
* [[Comparison of e-book formats#Supporting platforms|Supporting platforms for e-book formats]]
* [[Open Publication Distribution System]]
==References==
{{Reflist|37em}}
== External links ==
* {{Commons category-inline|Dedicated ebook devices}}
* {{Merriam-Webster|E-reader}}
{{Ebooks}}
{{Computer sizes}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Dedicated ebook devices]]
[[Category:Ebooks]]
[[Category:Electronic paper technology]]