The eBook Reader market exploded over the Christmas Season. eBook Readers at CES had their own pavilion and drew a huge amount of media! I think it is worthwhile to look at some statistics.
Total eBook Reader sales were $2.92 Million in 2009. They will double to $6 Million in 2010. By 2013, eBook Readers will generate $20 Million!! This is almost doubling growth every year.
Why? Features have come up and prices are dropping. The Astak Pocket PRO is now at $199 cost to the public at: www.theEZreader.com. This is for a full-featured beauty in 6 colors with 20 formats and Text-To-Speech!! It has a scroll wheel, can hold a whopping 8,000 eBooks and your music, and it weighs under 6 ounces! You can fit it in a jacket pocket!!
What effect are items like the Pocket PRO having on the public? Those who only scoffed before are seeing they must have one. They are light, fast, hold an entire library, and even read to you!! From an environmental standpoint... people are realizing that they make total sense.
Now, the latest is that prices may approach a sweet spot of $150 in the next five years (Yankee Group). Old roadblocks like cloudy touchscreens are giving way to clear-as-a-bell touchscreens.
Where does this leave Astak? It leaves Astak leading the way! Astak was the first eBook Device to break the $200 barrier and is leading the charge toward more features at a lower price. People like the fact that Astak has 20 formats on their devices. People like being free to buy from 400 websites. People like buying "free" eBooks for free (do not laugh, many competitors charge for free eBooks).
It leaves Astak with so many new devices coming. In the hopper is an MID (7 inch Mobile Internet Device). In the hopper is a clear touchscreen with Wi-Fi. 9 inch devices are coming soon. 3G devices are a few months from now. And... all the time Astak is leading the charge to lower costs and far more value. Are you aware that Astak devices come WITH a crush-resistant leather case with magnetic clasp INCLUDED? And now Astak is going to have a website where you can purchase eBooks, Newspapers, Periodicals, Lyrics to Songs, and get free eBooks for free!
Every time I'm on a plane, at least one week a month, I notice more and more people with ereaders. Now, when the flight attendants ask you to "turn off all electronic devices" I've noticed some state "this includes all ebook reading devices" or something to that effect.
ReplyDeleteCan you post a note as soon as Astak darkens the fonts on it's Pocket Pro? Right now they're too light when reading epubs.
ReplyDeleteThe company told me they're working on a firmware update.
That's all that's holding me back from a purchase of the Pocket Pro.
Thanks for your info-packed web blog.
I saw videos of you speaking during an interview at CES and couldn't help but notice that you were stuttering and appeared to be wasted. This made me immediately go to the ezreader.com website and purchase 5 ebook readers to give out as gifts for friends and family this past Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThe Yankee Group is way out of touch with their $150 prediction.
ReplyDeleteMore like $99 for ereaders, as soon as people get a look at the Apple iSlate. Like today!
If I were CEO of Astak, I'd be cutting the price in half immediately.
It's called survival.
Where is the industry going? Down in price.
ReplyDeleteAluratek's Libre lite is now $149.00. It's already sold out in New Jersey.
Please call Astak and clue them in. They could sell 3 times as many Pocket Pros if they'd just reduce the price! Otherwise they're going to be stuck with a load of them.