Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Presently, it is just another invention, another step ahead in modern technology. Glancing at this briefly, it could just be another modern invention that never catches on. Yet, when examining it, this could change the way we buy books forever.
The most impressive feature is the fact that it can print out in standard-format a softcover book in three to five minutes. Think of how this could change a business such as Chapters. Presently Chapters is losing money, mostly due to their fast expansion and un-realistic goals. However, if they were to impliment this invention, they could cut store size down in half, offer a wider selection, orders filled quickly, hire less people. So, at the end of the day they could expand their candle section, and coffee shop, and when you walk in to get a book, you will have to wait lets say 10 minutes. During which you will buy a coffee, and of course you can't leave without a candle:) Thus, at the end of the day, the potential of increasing business and making more money. I like it.
***Bookmachine self-contained printer
Posted Jul 20, 2004, 4:31 AM ET by Simon Spagnoletti
Related entries: Misc. Gadgets
Yet another technology that could potentially render actual bookstores obsolete, the Book Machine is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. A user browses through books by “author, title, subject matter or publisher.” Once they have made a selection the book text is sent to the machine via satellite and the whole thing is printed out in standard-format softcover in three to five minutes, basically turning the whole book browsing and purchasing process into an ATM transaction. This kinda solves a lot of problems posed by the current model, (nothing really ever goes out of print, since it’s all digitally stored on a server somewhere) without ebook “problems” such as DRM, piracy and the fact that an ebook still isn’t a “book” but seems kind of radical for either book purists or publishers to get behind.
The most impressive feature is the fact that it can print out in standard-format a softcover book in three to five minutes. Think of how this could change a business such as Chapters. Presently Chapters is losing money, mostly due to their fast expansion and un-realistic goals. However, if they were to impliment this invention, they could cut store size down in half, offer a wider selection, orders filled quickly, hire less people. So, at the end of the day they could expand their candle section, and coffee shop, and when you walk in to get a book, you will have to wait lets say 10 minutes. During which you will buy a coffee, and of course you can't leave without a candle:) Thus, at the end of the day, the potential of increasing business and making more money. I like it.
***Bookmachine self-contained printer
Posted Jul 20, 2004, 4:31 AM ET by Simon Spagnoletti
Related entries: Misc. Gadgets
Yet another technology that could potentially render actual bookstores obsolete, the Book Machine is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. A user browses through books by “author, title, subject matter or publisher.” Once they have made a selection the book text is sent to the machine via satellite and the whole thing is printed out in standard-format softcover in three to five minutes, basically turning the whole book browsing and purchasing process into an ATM transaction. This kinda solves a lot of problems posed by the current model, (nothing really ever goes out of print, since it’s all digitally stored on a server somewhere) without ebook “problems” such as DRM, piracy and the fact that an ebook still isn’t a “book” but seems kind of radical for either book purists or publishers to get behind.