A Dymocks bookstore across the Tasman is trialling touch-screen kiosks, at which customers can download books to a USB stick, DVD or portable device such as an iPod. Dymocks even has their own ebook reader, the iLiad (a nifty electronic notebook and a clever name!). Demand for the ebook devices has been much higher than expected, a trend which bodes well for a digital revolution (or at least an evolution) in book reading.

Kiosks where shoppers can buy ebooks are planned for all Dymocks bookshops in New Zealand, Australia and Hong Kong, although when this will happen is uncertain. In the meantime, browse New Zealand bookshops online for a great read.

Image from Flickr.

I love a good book: printed on leaves of real paper, bound with hard or soft cover, typeface carefully chosen, page layout designed to please the eye, and that smell of just-printed newness. The tactile nature of books is part of their appeal for me, as well as the stories they tell and the information they impart.

But is digital fiction the way of the future? Now there’s a New Zealand online bookstore peddling digital eBooks, covering business, marketing, sports, computing, health and entertainment genres. And while eBookworms don’t sell fiction titles (eBookmarks is geared more towards practical guides and DIY books), they do offer food for thought on the future of hard-copy books.

Ebooks are books in electronic format that can be easily purchased and downloaded to your PC, Mac, laptop or PDA. For luddite readers, ebooks can be printed out to be enjoyed on paper. In digital form, they’re great because:

• You can read them anytime, anywhere
• Trees don’t have to be cut down to make them
• No physical storage space is required
• They can be carried easily and safely from place to place
• Links can be included from the text to useful websites or related information
• Audio and video material can be contained within a book

Check out digital and old-fashioned books in our New Zealand bookshops category.