Mar 25, 2010
Why There Will Never Be Children’s Picture E-books.
Don’t worry about kids’ books going electronic, because, despite what Penguin claims, this is definitely not a book—It’s a video game:
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© 2012 Abuyo. All rights reserved.
Abraham,
Do you see that as a bad thing?
I guess the important thing to ask is: what are the important properties and functions of a book?
Is it possible that there is a more engaging way for those properties and functions to be executed?
I don’t have the answer, but I do know that we’re at a point of change in how we engage with the written word.
Reason #4 :: From someone who has an iPad on order.
Children’s eBooks can’t do what only board books can … NOTHING!
The joy of a board book is the child is the one that makes demands on the book. The slavery of the eBook is that the programmer makes demands on the child.
is the title meant to be, “why there will never be children’s picture e-books”? or something else?
Yep, that’s what it’s supposed to be. Thanks.
Man! This has been a week made of blog mistakes.
For those of us with kids in the 6-12 month category, there’s another reason: iPad picture books can’t double as chew toys.
Reason #3 … I love my little girl, but $500 is a little steep … I mean, I think board books are expensive.
Aren’t there already kids picture e-books? And why couldn’t someone make one?
I’m not saying attempts at making children’s ebooks don’t exist or aren’t good.
I’m just saying that they aren’t books anymore.
Yes! Those other guys don’t know what they’re talking about. The tactile element of children’s books is just as important as the visual.
And I totally agree with Brian Gee. Any time my one year old gets his hand on a book, the first place it goes is straight into his mouth. I’m not shelling out hundreds of dollars to Amazon or Apple to buy that kid a fancy chew toy.
Exactly! I saw this video weeks ago and thought the same thing.
Hmm.. first, tell me what a book is.
yep…need some definitions before I know what you even mean by your post. What’s the primary difference between a book and a game? Interactivity? Passive reception vs. active goal-seeking?
I disagree strongly.
SO COOL!
I agree, definitely not a “book” a completely different genre. I’d say halfway between a book and a video game. In fact I’d say “e-book” is it’s own genre. Either way, very cool and I’m excited to see what else people can do with it! Any interactivity you can get out of books is a huge plus. :)
I’d take torn pages over smashed screens any day.
exactly what I thought! I have many kids books that attest to the fact that kids should NOT be reading books on a $400 piece of equipment.
Hey!! Isn’t this supposed to be 22 words… It’s cheating to have a 22 word post and then put a 3:39 minute youtube video. I’m saying that this is a 22 word FAIL!!
…and I am refusing to put in time for the 3:39 video, so I have no idea what you are talking about…. even though I most likely put that into typing these replies… It’s the principle of the thing, ya know!
Like many other posters, all I could think when looking at that video was, who’s going to let their toddler put their mucky hands on a $500 iPad? You’d better hope you have accidental damage insurance if you do!
Back when I was young, my mother bought (on a whim, I think) a $1300 encyclopedia set. Of course, we weren’t allowed to use them though because they were much too expensive. ;-)
My kids use my iPhone regularly and that was more than the iPad. They’ve been taught to be very careful with it. And I have ever intention of buying an iPad for my family for many of the same reasons that my mother bought an encyclopedia set.