Plunging into New Technology

Published by tom.singer at 9:13 AM under Technology

I am officially an eReader user. I didn’t make the plunge into this technology because I wanted to be an early adopter. As it happened, I got a Nook as a birthday gift last year from my wife.

I had made a couple of innocuous comments to her on the potential convenience of an eReader for the business traveler and the amount of books that we have boxed in the garage. I wasn’t angling for the device. Actually, I thought the convenience of electronic gadget could not overcome my desire to feel a book in hand, and I assumed that eReaders would provide a similar experience to reading PDFs on a PC, which can be a bit painful.

If I hadn’t received my Nook as a gift, I might still be sitting on the eBook sidelines, contemplating when to buy the device. Although, by now, I might be looking at the new full-color touch screen model as proof that my waiting to take the plunge was justified and be ready to make the purchase.

If I didn’t get my Nook when I did, I would have missed out on some interesting discoveries. First, I found that the eReader provides a comparable experience to reading paperback books. Once I started reading an eBook, I didn’t find myself longing to hold an actual book.

Secondly, while the Nook was certainly a more compact travel companion than a hardcover book, it takes almost as much room in my laptop carrying case as a typical paperback when combined with its protective leather cover.

The real convenience of the Nook comes from the ability to provide a book on demand. No more having to go to the bookstore or wait for a delivery of an online purchase when I want a new book to read right away.

At the same time, I don’t find the Nook experience flawless. Detailed maps or diagrams on this eReader can be illegible. And using the internal dictionary and highlight mode is a bit cumbersome. There are also many titles that are still unavailable in eBook format.

But these issues are negligible when compared with the benefits. So, as 2010 winds down, I haven’t bought a printed book yet this year and have no plans to do so in the future.

Being one of the converted, I find comments on the lack of merits from eBooks skeptics somewhat amusing. Essentially, they are saying the same things about this emerging technology that was said about downloadable music when hard-drive-based portable media players first became available.

I wonder, when was the last time these eBook cynics bought a music CD? Just like music distributors in the late 90s, major book retailers see the writing on the wall. Not only are they fervently pursuing the eBook marketplace, but brick and mortar bookstores seem to be focusing more and more on café traffic and gifts and curios sales.

It wasn’t until I got my Nook that I knew the technology would work well for me. I don’t think I am unique or that eReaders derive from a radically new concept.

Frequently, we really don’t know what a new technology can or can’t do for us until we get our hands on it.

That’s why many companies pursue pilot projects with new technologies. If a pilot is impractical, then companies can always do a thorough evaluation that benefits from the previous experience of others. Once we implement, the smart organization knows that it should do a post-stabilization assessment to determine what, if any, adjustments should be made.

In dealing with new technology, many folks naturally shy away from being on the front wave. They like to let others face the challenges inherent in the first or second generation.

Price and performance tend to smile on those who wait in the technology world. But waiting around doesn’t allow the possibility that a new technology can provide substantial value right now, before the more advanced generations of the product emerge. Deciding when to take the plunge requires putting aside preconceived notions and determining if taking the plunge may be the best bet.

I’m glad my wife forced my hand on the Nook. Otherwise, I would still be sitting on the sidelines finding all sorts of reasons why I shouldn’t buy one instead of enjoying the convenience that the technology provides.

-- Tom