You may not be surprised to learn that the current downward spiraling economy has created many cutbacks in the publishing industry.  But, did you know that all these cutbacks are actually INCREASING profits for publishing companies?  In fact, one of the biggest profitable niches being used by more and more publishing companies is an increase in e-publishing and eBook sales.  At many publishing houses, the increases have been as high as 300% to 400% per year despite all the cuts made in other areas.  Many publishing companies are even cutting out the middleman and selling eBooks directly from their website.  And guess what – eBooks are as much as 20% cheaper than printed books and authors get higher royalties. 

So what does this mean for you – the aspiring author or avid reader?  It means the books you write and read may not be coming out in hard copy any time soon.  More likely than not, they will be E-published only.  And if you don’t have an eBook reader, you are missing out on a fabulous new trend that is quickly overtaking the publishing industry – as well as saving money on future books. 

As an author and/or reader, I’m sure you’ve probably already looked into eBook readers and have been shocked at the high prices.  Which is better:  the $300 Kindle or the $280 Sony?  While the Kindle can automatically download any eBook purchased at Amazon from anywhere and at anytime, it cannot save pictures like the Sony can.  And while the Sony can save more books than the Kindle, you must manually hook up to the Internet whenever you want to download your eBooks.  So which to choose?

My answer – long and short – is the iPod Touch or the iPhone.  You see, I did the research into both the Kindle and the Sony, and I was merely waiting for the prices to come down, when I came across a Blog by Agent Nathan Bransford.  He had written about how much he loved reading eBooks on his iPhone, and how convenient it was considering he always had his iPhone with him and often forgot to bring his Kindle.  So, when you are looking into an eBook reader, seriously consider the iPhone or iPod Touch since they have MANY benefits. 

The iPod Touch / iPhone eBook Benefits:

1. These can be as much as $100 cheaper than the Kindle or Sony depending on where you buy it, if it’s on sale, and if you’re getting rebates from your phone company.
2. They both have backlighting so you can read at night – something that NEITHER the Sony or Kindle offer yet. 
3. They come with WiFi capabilities – which means you can download books anywhere WiFi is offered without plugging into a computer. 
4. There are dozens of different FREE eBook reader downloads you can put on your iPod or iPhone.  This means that you can buy your books from ANY company, whether Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or direct from the publishing company. 
5. There is a Kindle application for the iPod / iPhone which will automatically send any eBooks you purchase from Amazon directly to your iPod / iPhone. 
6. You can reduce or enlarge the font size for easier reading.
7. You can read your text in black lettering with a white background, white lettering with a black background, or even Sepia. 
8. And turning the page is less annoying than on a Kindle or Sony.  When you flip the page, you see it immediately shuttle out of range where on the Kindle or Sony, you get a much slower fade out / fade in effect – which can be irritating.

On top of that you also get these benefits (which make it the ultimate travel companion):

1. You can download hundreds of games to play wherever you go.
2. You can download movies and TV shows.
3. You can download pictures (just like with the Sony).
4. You can download music that you can listen to WHILE you read your eBook or play your games.
5. You can surf the internet – as long as you are in a WiFi zone.
6. You can quickly and easily access and respond to your email. 
7. Plus, hundreds of other applications you can use or download like the Calculator, Calendar, the “Bump” feature (a must-have for easy transferring of files and contacts), and your Contacts. 
8. Lastly, you don’t need a Mac to transfer files.  (This is a HUGE plus in my eyes since I am – 100% – a PC girl.)

Keeping all of the above in mind, here are the last few things you need to know before you decide if you are going to buy one or the other:

1. The iPhone is only sold by AT&T – which means you have to have their service to get the full use of the phone.
2. The iPhone is going to add about $50 a month to whatever phone plan you choose since unlimited texting, unlimited internet, and whatever else are included in the iPhone package.
3. The iPod Touch is exactly like the iPhone EXCEPT:
   • It does NOT have a camera.  All pictures you download are just that… downloaded.
   • It is NOT a phone – so it will become a second item to carry with you. 
   • And, there is NO monthly service charge to use it. 

So, considering all these things, you can see why I’m now a HUGE fan of the iPod.  And having used the iPod Touch for only two incredibly-exciting weeks, I now know that my next phone is going to be an iPhone.  (There is just so much it can do that a regular phone can’t.)  If you want to try it for yourself, Target offers a 90-day money back guarantee where you can buy it and try it, then return it if you hate it. 

Happy reading.