Reading, in the Digital Age

Before books, stories were told. They were spread and handed down verbally. Then came books, and then the printing press came along and provided grounds to mass distribute knowledge. One thing changed though – while oral storytelling was in itself a very interactive activity, reading didn’t involve much human interaction… until the digital age. Digital technology has been reviving the interactivity of reading.

So, what are your thoughts on E-Books and E-Readers? At the Frankfurt Book Fair, Samsung showed that it has been working to address how to expand the reading experience for today’s changing generation of readers. In light of that…

The definition of the “book” is changing

It used to be that a book was words (and sometimes pictures) on a printed page.  But that’s not the case anymore.  Samsung has been innovating the idea of what a book is, and it’s all to the benefit of a unique and innovative experience for the user.  For example, at IFA 2014, we’ve seen Samsung working with Marvel to create exclusive Gear VR content that showcases the new ways to bring storytelling to life across Samsung gadgets.

Technology is expanding the digital reading experience

First of all, with the growing popularity of mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets and e-readers, Samsung has been paying attention to the steady and inevitable growth of e-publications, such as e-books, online magazine, articles and more. While early e-publications were merely typed or scanned versions of the paper books, nowadays, e-publications can not only enhance the traditional reading experience, but also offer another dimension to it.

For example, generally, with e-publications you can do a full text search in a single book or a whole library of books. E-publications also can offer multimedia elements, such as audio and video that are not available with traditional book. Moreover, they allow you to have your complete library on the go at a cheaper cost and lower environmental impact.

Another point is that these content are usually easily shareable. Share quotes on social media and thoughts on forums. These technologies not only brings fellow readers (like those you would have met in book meetings) closer, but also brings back the interactivity to story-sharing.

And obviously, there are still many possibilities in the digital reading experience to be explored.

The screens are getting better and better for reading

Samsung has been working to address the needs for improvement in the digital reading experience even more. For example, the Adaptive Display feature on Samsung’s Super AMOLED screens lets users read effectively in any environment, with settings that adjust based on surrounding light to reduce glare and strain on the eyes. Samsung also has introduced the Galaxy Note 8.0, which features a specific mode for digital reading called “reading mode” that adjusts and optimizes the display to enhance the reading experience.

▲Galaxy Note 8.0 – Reading Mode

Having the screens on longer is another aspect. (Paper books usually don’t have batteries, you know.) Samsung has worked on increasing battery life to reduce the frequency of charging, which we can see in the Ultra Power Saving Mode and the power efficiency of Super AMOLED display of Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Tab S.

Collaborations are happening as we speak

One of the most important things for readers is the availability of the publications to read, which has drawn some concern across the industry and consumers. Some.  However, Samsung has never been shy about collaborating with industry leaders to provide unique yet practical content experiences.

▲Samsung’s Partnership with Marvel

The most recent example would be the partnership with Frankfurt Book Fair, which gave Samsung the opportunity to demonstrate the value that their partnerships with Marvel, Barnes & Noble, Kindle and more are bringing to both consumers and publishers. Samsung’s Papergarden is also a great example of showing its commitment to bring real value to readers.

For the time being, it seems like many readers are finding a balance between traditional books and e-books.  However, the growth of the e-book really seems like an inevitable trend considering its unique characteristics and possibilities. Samsung has been working hard to provide people with better digital reading experience and been partnering up with major publications to bring real value to readers. It will be exciting to see where we are in the near future. Where do you see your reading experience going? Let us know in the comments below.