A new report called "e-Reader Owners: Attitudes and Usage" from The NPD Group indicates that owners of ebook readers are very satisfied. The report found that almost all owners (93%) said they were "very satisfied" or "somewhat satisfied" with their device. Only 2 percent of owners expressed any level of dissatisfaction. The study, conducated online in late November 2009, queried over 1000 owners of ebook reading devices.
The study also found that some specific features are important to owners of electronic reading devices. 60% of ebook reader owners said wireless access was their favorite feature. Touch was a feature mentioned by 23 percent of owners.
"Both the display technology and available content on e-Readers are optimized for those interested in books," said Ross Rubin, executive director of industry analysis at NPD. "Pairing these optimizations with wireless technology for transparent access and touch screens for easy navigation has resonated with the avid readers that have been early e-Reader adopters."
Some of the recommended improvements from ebook reader owners include more book title availability (42%), longer battery life (39%), and color screens (34%). Most ebook readers could find the book they wanted. 46% of ebook reader owners said they were mostly satisfied with the selection of titles while 39% said they could find every title they were looking for.
While most ebook reading device owners are satisfied some would like an additional device. The study found about three-in-ten owners use at least one another device for reading electronic books, such as a PC or a smartphone. This suggests that if Apple wants to lure Kindle owners into buying an iPad they should allow Amazon to create an iPad app even if it competes with Apple's iBooks sofwate.
"As we have seen with music, photos and video, books and other printed matter are slated to appear on a wide array of devices that offer tradeoffs in such factors as screen size and battery life," said Rubin. "As the recent introduction of Apple's iPad demonstrates, applications now on smartphones benefit from larger screens, and industry leaders are recognizing the importance of supporting multiple platforms by supporting multiple clients and open standards."
A new report called "e-Reader Owners: Attitudes and Usage" from The NPD Group indicates that owners of ebook readers are very satisfied. The report found that almost all owners (93%) said they were "very satisfied" or "somewhat satisfied" with their device. Only 2 percent of owners expressed any level of dissatisfaction. The study, conducated online in late November 2009, queried over 1000 owners of ebook reading devices.
