Darryl Mocek

Sony announced that it's Reader Daily Edition electronic book will be available in December of this year. Amongst the features of this book are wireless connectivity (ala the Kindle, to be able to download books wirelessly), a taller profile (so you can read it more like a newspaper or magazine), support for the ePub format (which lets you read many free books and purchasable books in this format), and the ability to borrow a book from the library.

Apparently, libraries will start purchasing electronic books to loan, much the same way they do with physical books today. The environmental benefit is that publishers won't be cutting down any trees to manufacture and ship the books (though electronic books do come at an environmental cost...the cost to store them on a machine somewhere and make them available (though this can be minimized), the cost to manufacture the electronic readers, and, more importantly, the cost to power the readers over time (though the eInk technology doesn't use much power and the wireless network in the reader is pretty efficient). Of course, the biggest benefit for the reader is convenience (though there is an additional environmental benefit of not having to travel to the library to pick up and return a physical book). Being able to browse the library and check-out a book through the reader will probably let me use the library much more then I do now.

What I find interesting is that, though a single electronic book can be easily loaned any number of times, there will be a limited number of electronic books available from the library, just like there's a limited number of physical books available. The libraries will have to purchase a number of electronic books to loan. The library can only electronically loan out the same number of electronic books as it has "purchased". Each book can be loaned out for a period of time and when the time expires, if the library needs the book "back", they will automatically remove it from your electronic reader so it can be loaned to someone else (I wonder what would happen if my electronic reader didn't have wireless access for longer then the loan period). This, of course, is to ensure the authors and publishers are compensated for their efforts. At first, I'm sure there will be a limited number of books available to borrow. However, I would think that number would go up relatively quickly.

I'm sure most, if not all books are created electronically these days. It's just a matter of getting it into the correct format. I find the prospect of being able to borrow a book without even having to go to the library enticing (see my earlier post on Your Public Library and Book Rentals).

Well, it looks like now I'm forced to try my local library, at least in the short-term. Somehow, I'm still not quite sure exactly how, I broke my Sony eReader. I had been using it the day before it broke. The next day I turned it on and was greeted with a white screen with grey streaks running through it. Damn. The screen itself isn't broken, but I believe the eInk layer just beneath it is. I took the eReader out of the holder to find a rather large dent in the back. Something must have hit it with a fair amount of force as the entire Sony was slightly bent at the point of impact. The good news is that Sony provides a warranty on the device to help me get a replacement, which has been ordered and is in route. Thank you Sony. In the mean time, I guess I'll resort to checking out my local library for some old-fashioned paper-based information.

I was recently discussing a book I've been reading (The World Is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman, which I highly recommend) on my Sony eReader with a friend and suggested he borrow my eReader to try it out (and of course, read the book). His reply was "Sure, I'd like to try out the eReader, but I no longer buys books, except for the tried and true reference books you should always have at arms reach, I'll just check it out from my local library.". This got me thinking. I haven't actually used my local library in quite a while. Mainly because I thought it was more of a pain then it was worth. For me, it's like the difference between taking mass transit and owning your own car. I like the idea of mass transit, the lower cost, and the fact that it saves the environment more then owning your own car does, but I just can't get passed the freedom that comes with having your own car. Owning your own car is worth the price you pay. Borrowing a book from the library means you first have to find out if they even have it. Then you have to find out if it is available. If not, you have to wait until it becomes available. Then you have to read it and get it back to the library within the allotted time, or possibly you can re-check it out for longer. Finally you have to deal with the library if the book is late or if you happen to lose it. On the plus side, the book is free to borrow...at least that's cheaper then mass transit!

It occurred to me that it might be nice to be able to rent book, like NetFlix. I found several 'rent a book' websites including Book Swim, Paper Spine, and Books Free. They include both paper and audio books. This actually looks like an attractive option as many of them ship books both ways for free. If you read enough books, this is well worth the price. And like NetFlix, you create a list of books you want to read and when you send one back, they send the next one in your list. Pretty nice.

Before I jump into paying a subscription for book rentals, though, I'm going to give my local library a try. There's one *really* close to my house, actually, two. I'd like to find out for myself just how much of a pain (or not) it really is. And who knows, if I like it, I might actually give mass transit a try too!

I have been interested in electronic books (eBooks) ever since I saw the Nuvomedia's Rocket eBook many years back. eBooks are devices, designed to fit comfortably in your hands, which let you download and store books in electronic form. Similar to downloading and reading a PDF document onto your computer. However, eBooks are designed to be portable, easy to read, and again, comfortable in your hands. In short, a replacement for your paperback or hardback book. The advantages are that you don't kill trees, you don't need a place to store them, and you can carry many books with you without the bulk. I didn't buy the Rocket eBook at the time because the price was more then I was willing to spend and the number of books available on it was limited.



I recently purchased a Sony eReader...an electronic book. I bought the book because the price was right (I found the price at a discount because Sony released a new version of their eReader), because I figured there would be a lot of content for it considering Sony is behind it, because it came with a few "new" books, and because it came with a *lot* of "classic" books (I was able to get Beowulf, in its original form).



What I like about the eReader is:

• The eInk technology, which I won't go into in detail, allows the eReader to display information without using any battery. Energy is used only when first displaying information.


• The form factor feels right. The size and weight of the eReader is just right for me.


• Sony has a reputation for building solid products

What I don't like about the eReader is:

• The main file format it uses is Sony-proprietary. This isn't a surprise coming from Sony.


• No access to the network. This one is a bit of a double-edged sword for me. While I'd like to be able to download books and periodicals wirelessly, I don't really want to have to pay 1) a high price for the eBook itself (ala other eBooks which have wireless support) and 2) a price for wireless access. I like that the Amazon Kindle uses a cell network so you can use it anywhere, I don't like that I'm paying for that wireless access by being charged for converting files. WiFi support, although not available everywhere, would suffice for me.


• The user interface leaves something to be desired. The new version of the eReader moved some buttons around for a better user experience, but the UI on the new model is pretty much the same as on mine.

It is this last point which brings me to write this entry...when will I get my iBook? An eBook is just screaming for someone like Apple to slap a touch screen on it so I can swipe my hand from right to left over it to turn the page. I should be able to swipe my finger in the top right and left corners diagonally to create a bookmark. The virtual keyboard on the iPhone would be perfect for entering in URL's so I could read websites. Where's my easy to use iBook? Adding WiFi which would let me access web pages, read periodicals, and download books easily.



Maybe since eBooks are on the uptake, I'll have my iBook soon.

Well, this will be my last blog entry before the new year. I hope everyone had a good year in 2005 and I wish you good luck in the coming year.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

I read Martin Fowlers book entitled "Refactoring - Improving The Design Of Existing Code". Refactoring, as defined by Fowler, is "a change made to the internal structure of software to make it easier to understand and cheaper to modify without changing its observable behavior". As software is written, it normally "decays", that is, the code becomes harder to read and more difficult to maintain. Refactoring, is doing the opposite. It is making the code easier to read and easier to maintain. It also can mean an improvement in the code itself, say a better algorithm. Refactoring can be done in large or small chunks. One of the issues with refactoring in large chunks is that it opens up the possibility of regressions. If you change a large chunk of code, you'd better ensure your tests will catch any change in behavior. Of course, sometimes you need to refactor in large chunks, so this isn't necessarily bad, it just touches more code and therefore, is more likely to change the behavior of the code. Refactoring in small chunks tends to have less of an effect on behavior, but it also can mean less of an improvement. Sometimes trying to change a small amount of code leads to refactoring which really requires changes elsewhere. This cascade effect may cause large changes in code and behavior. Whatever refactoring you do, you should make sure you have sufficient testing in place to ensure there are no unwanted behavioral changes in your refactored code.

I recently read Animal Farm for the first time (no, I was never required to read this book in school). This book was written about 50 years ago but it does not show its age. The book is pretty short, about 130 pages, and it's a quick read. The book is really about communism and was inspired by the Soviet Union. The animals create an uprising on the Manor Farm because they're not happy with the way they're being treated. The farm name gets changed to Animal Farm. At first, the work was hard, but worth it as the prize is freedom and a better life. However, lies start being told by the people trusted to be in charge. Slowly, life changes and the rules instated after the uprising start changing as well (to benefit those in charge). Propaganda sets in and those in charge start taking advantage of the disadvantaged. This book is a recommended read.

After reading The DaVinci Code, by Dan Brown, I was looking forward to reading Digital Fortress. Although The DaVici Code is a work of fiction, I found it refreshing and interesting...something different. I was hoping to find some of the same qualities in Digital Fortress. Digital Fortress is a pretty quick read. There isn't a lot in the book which forces you to read a bit slower for comprehension. What disappointed me most, however, was the predictiability of the book. For those of you who haven't read the book and want to read it, don't read anymore of this blog. The main "gotcha" in the book is the fact that the head of the security group was tricked into letting a "cryptographical code" past the virus checker so they could try to decrypt it. However, the cryptographical code was really a virus itself. Also, you have a University professor pitted against a world-renouned assassin and, of course, the professor ends up killing the assasin. There were few surprises in this book. It held my interest because of the topic, but it didn't impress me due to the lack of originality.

I received 'The Ultimate Guide The Hithchiker's Guide To The Galaxy' as a gift. I had heard a bit about it from others and decided to ask for the book which encapsulates the entire THGTTG saga. I heard how good the book was from several people (and I've read some great reviews on it). I found after reading it that the book didn't click with me. I enjoy English humor and I found some of the story mildly funny, but that's about it. I didn't find this book interesting enough to elevate it to cult status for me. I found THGTTG readable, but for those of you who know the "other" THGTTG stories (included in the saga book I purchased), I found those other stories increasingly unable to hold my attention. I continued through 'The Ultimate Guide The Hithchiker's Guide To The Galaxy' until I could no longer bring myself to pick up the book and continue. Maybe it's because I really enjoy science fiction and am somewhat critical of SciFi, not sure. I grew up reading Asimov and Clarke, both who seemed to infuse a sense of real possibility within their stories. These are the SciFi stories I like best.

I recently finished reading "Pale Blue Dot : A Vision of the Human Future in Space" by Carl Sagan (OK, so it's been over a month since I finished it and this blog has been sitting in my draft box for about that long). This is actually a follow up to his bestseller "Cosmos", which I haven't read yet. This book was more interesting then I expected. Carl not only discusses the various planets, moons, and other objects floating around in our solar system, but he also discusses humanity in the context of the Universe. He raises an interesting point that the human race *must* venture out into the Universe if it is to survive. Not only because we will have a better chance of survival if we're scattered throughout the Universe, much in the same way we've had a better chance of survival because we've been scattered throughout several continents here on Earth, but because in about 5 billion years, the Sun will expand into a red giant, consuming several of its close planets (including Earth), then die. I venture to guess we'll be roving around in the Universe by that time. He doesn't speculate too much on how we will venture to other solar systems and other galaxies, but he does spend a fair amount of time discussing the prospect of a Mars landing and how it will most likely be a multi-national effort. He also raises interesting points on detection of life on other planets and speculates on how difficult it would be for an alien species to detect life here on Earth today.

I think one of the reasons I enjoyed this book so much is that I read it while in a labor and delivery waiting room, waiting for one of my best friends' wife to deliver their first child. It was humbling reading about the fate of humanity while waiting for a life to be born.

By the way, they delivered a healthy baby boy named Tyler.

I just finished reading Handheld Usability by Scott Weiss (ISBN: 0470844469) and I have to say I was initially disappointed. Scott's book should have been named "The Process to Handheld Usability". Don't get me wrong, the book goes into some good detail on what you should do to create the best user interface you can for your handheld product. The problem is I had a pre-conceived notion that this book would tell me how to create a usable UI for my handheld application.

The first section of the book discusses the differences between handheld devices and the desktop, and the various handheld devices out on the market. The middle of Chapter 3 gives some good guidelines for handheld UI design. Chapter 4 'Information Architecture: Practice' goes into some detail on what are good handheld elements (e.g. menus) on specific types of devices (e.g. phones) and how to use them (e.g. use no more then 8 menu items and 1 "More" menu item). This chapter is more along the lines of what I expected. The second, almost half, of the book discusses the best ways to conduct usability testing. I agree with Scott that this is a *very* important step that many companies skip when creating their products, not just handheld products. He discusses two specific types of usability testing: paper prototyping and online prototyping and how to get the best out of each of them.

This book describes the process designers should use to develop a good UI...and this is what you really want because it lets UI designers go beyond the current thinking and develop a new way for users to interact with your product (the Applet iPod UI was most likely developed by this, or a similar process).

If you're looking for a book to tell you how to create your UI (does such a book exist? can one be written?) this book will give you some good tips. If, on the other hand, your looking for a book to give you a process by which you can figure out what your handheld UI should look like, this is a good, quick read.

Over the past couple of years, I've been interested in electronic books, mainly keeping abreast of the technology, waiting for prices to come down and the number of available electronic books to go up. I was really looking forward to the transformation of paperback books into electronic form (read saving trees). There are, of course, both advantages and disadvantages to electronic books.

The disadvantages of electronic books:

- Choice. Most books are not in electronic form yet, especially technical ones.
- The sense of being ripped off by not leaving the store with a 1 lb. hunk of paper. This is the same sense we all get from purchasing $99 software only to open it up to a single CD, registration card, and a lot of air.
- The loss of not holding a book in your hand, with the ability to feel the pages as you turn them...of being able to flip the corner of the page to mark your place (this was something I never did)...of using your favorite bookmark.
- The ability to pass a good book on to your friends and get good books from them.
- Being able to read a book wherever there was light without having to worry about your battery going dead.
- Walking into a library and checking out any book you like.

The advantages of electronic books:

- The biggest advantage is being able to carry multiple books in a device the size of a hardcover book (or smaller).
- Being able to save trees.
- The coolness factor.
- Reading a book in the dark without a book light.
- Searching for any text in the book you want.

I was disappointed to learn of the demise of the Gemstar eBook. The Gemstar eBook was, I thought, going to be the first true electronic book. A revolution in bringing electronic books to the mainstream. I even saw it for sale in my local bookstore. I never actually purchased an eBook and my interest in electronic books waned. I fell back into the habit of browsing my local bookstore in the Science Fiction section (my favorite), picking up books with interesting names and covers, or ones which were displayed in the center aisle.

Trying to rectify the situation, I recently decided to make a concerted effort to try electronic books. The easiest thing for me to do was look for electronic book software for the Palm OS. I have a Kyocera 7135 SmartPhone which I love. This is my second Kyocera Palm phone. My first was the Kyocera QCP 6035 Smartphone. Both have J2ME loaded on them BTW. I did some browsing on the web and found an electronic book reader for the Palm OS, eReader. They offer software for reading books on my Palm phone - eReader Pro for $9.95. So I purchased and downloaded it. Now, I just needed a book to read (and here comes the real reason for writing this). So I went to eReader.com to look for a book. I chose AirFrame by Michael Crichton (I'll write about this book later). To my disappointment however, I found that the electronic version of Airframe is priced the same as paper the version of Airframe. If you want to buy a book which is only out in hard cover, then the electronic book is priced at hard cover prices. This is ridiculous. A big chunk of making a book is the paper, ink, printing press, shipping, etc. Downloading an eBook incurs none of that cost. I can see paying the author, the company which converts the book into electronic format, and the company which sells the electronic book (the website), but that's about it. There is no cost for printing, no paper, no ink, no printing presses. The eReader software takes care of formatting the book for the device. In short, I expected the reduced cost of creating an electronic book would be passed onto the customer...you and I. I guess I was wrong.

My experience with reading a book using my Palm phone was a good one. The book has 1719 pages, in electronic format formatted for my Palm phone. I found I ran through the pages pretty quickly. It's easy when the pages contain no more then about 80 words. Setting bookmarks was easy, although I almost never use more then one bookmark at a time. The software would force me to delete the previous bookmark if I wanted to keep only one around.

All in all, I like having several books sitting in my phone. I find myself reading more often as I always have my phone with me and finding a few spare moments to read a page or two happens often. However, I will not be a true convert until the prices of electronic books come down. I just purchased another book, this one a paper book. The reason? It's $21.83 in electronic form (the book is only out in hard cover) and I found it new for $5.62 in paper form. Oh well.