The benefits of e-books

1. No inventory: No inventory, no storage, delivery and management costs. I only need to have a server to manage.

2. Reduce the damage to the ecological environment: buying electronic books can reduce the use of paper and cause environmental damage.

3. Lower prices: less paper and shipping costs.

4. Functionality and convenience: In combination with other software, it becomes more powerful and more convenient.

5. Easy to update: The author or publisher can easily update or edit books.

6. Personalization: Approaching the idea of ​​POD, you can create different content according to your personal needs in a special layout such as the front cover or back cover.

7. Personal publishing: Through the connection with the Internet, personal books can be distributed using e-books.

This picture is Japan's practice in developing Ebook

After the publisher converted the publication into an e-book, the e-book was transmitted to subscribers or bookstores through the third and fourth transmission tools. Finally, humans read e-books using handheld reading devices.

The following value chain extends from the above figure

1. Content Providers: For example, publishers, authors themselves.

2. Tool technology providers: such as PC, Palm and other reading tools.

3. Internet connection providers: such as WAP, 3G.

4. Channel providers: such as online bookstores, retailers, and convenience stores.

However, I believe that e-commerce still has to cooperate with traditional channels, because the user's habits are difficult to change. On the contrary, the habits of shopping malls are even less likely to change. Therefore, to retain the behavior of traditional books, there are sending and borrowing. The e-books can only be promoted by the library's borrowing and distribution system.

Doubts about the development process

There must be doubts when starting to use e-books. For example, the Wall Street Journal in the United States started issuing e-newsletters in 1996. The contents of these e-books are exactly the same as the original newspapers they originally issued. During the trial period, there were about 650,000 subscribers to this e-newsletter, and about 30,000 subscribers when it officially charged. By 1997, it had grown to 80,000, and in 1998 it was 200,000. By the year 2000, the data has not yet come out. I estimate that there are at least 350,000 or more.

In other words, more than half of these subscribers during the trial period have already returned, and most of these returning subscribers are relatively young and active, and an estimated 65% are new subscribers. These new subscribers are never The readers of the Wall Street Journal who have subscribed to print papers, that is to say their newsletters have additionally developed 65% of new subscribers.

However, despite the increase in the number of e-newsletters, the amount of fees charged is similar to that of traditional newspapers, and the Wall Street Journal's traditional newspaper subscribers have not been reduced. After the publication of the newsletter, the traditional Wall Street newspapers increased from 1.7 million to 1.8 million in 1995-96. That is, the emergence of e-books will not let the printing industry disappear.

Analyze readers' behavior

At present, 72% of people still use the PC to read electronic information, and about 28% use Device, such as Palm, WinCE, etc. However, this figure will change with the rapid growth of the global Palm this year. The relative will also drive the development of e-books. In 1998, the number of users of Device was 7.4 million, and in 1999 it was 17 million. It is estimated that the number will reach 2002. There are 55 million people. Where do the contents of these devices come from? It is news, e-books, etc. Because of the development of these devices, there is a high demand for electronic files.

Here we take Founder Information as an example. The services we provide are:

. Ebook solution.

. ASP service.

. Electronic file conversion.

. Copyright management.

. Digital eBook City.

. Digital library.

. Instant printing.

Architecture diagram

Starting from the left, content is provided. After the information on the platform is converted into an e-book, it can be read on the Palm or computer. For example, now the Chinese mainland wants to buy pictures of the 921 earthquake, but it can't be bought, and the Central News Agency in Taiwan has exactly this picture. The two sides can use the platform of Founder to trade.

Four suggestions:

1. Enter the development of e-books as soon as possible.

2. Develop new products. The so-called new product refers to the fact that when a publishing house was converted from a physical book to an e-book, it took a focus from the original product of the physical book and devoted itself to it. For example, if there is publishing in the world, there is now an e-book city for business books. If readers want to check all Business books in this area can be found in their bookstores. In other words, Tianxia Publishing House focuses on the business books that they are best at, and after establishing a position on the Internet with the physical book industry, it can develop into other types of books.

3. Give the product a good name. Because e-books are conceptual, having a good name makes them easier to accept in marketing.

4. Bold action.

Q&A

Q: Do you think the future of Ebook reading tools can be improved?

A: Now that there is a new type of e-book reading tool abroad called Smart Hand hold Device, the screen can reach the size of a notebook computer.

In addition, the production technology of liquid crystal displays is now more and more advanced, Eink and Epaper are also, and Microsoft has also exhibited a Realtype, the development of these technologies is to let humans have the same feeling of reading physical books.

Question: Now that most of the PDAs are used in English-Chinese dictionaries, reading emails, etc. Is it possible to read books like novels?

A: Actually, it has been going on for years at home and abroad. For example, Taiwan now has a PDA website that allows people to download novels and other e-books to read.

Q: How is the electronic content of textbooks in mainland China?

A: The electronicization of Chinese textbooks is faster than we imagined. It is just that the content has not yet passed. Therefore, the production of content is the opportunity for Taiwan.