Those of you who have had the opportunity to use your e-reader for some time are familiar with the advantages of using those devices to consume content. Platforms such as Kindle let readers get more out of their reading experience and share content and highlights with others too. Richard MacManus @rrw summarizes these positive points beautifully. But not all is rosy when it comes to e-books. The industry is yet to hit maturity, and there are major issues e-reader manufacturers, publishers, and authors need to deal with.

eBook Prices Are Too High

This goes without saying. Asking folks to pay $9.99 (or $14.99) for e-books just seems too much. It’s not as if Amazon Kindle or Apple iPad are free e-book readers. Besides, you do not really own your e-book when you can’t sell it or share it with others easily. I would not be complaining if all e-books were priced in an affordable fashion. Unfortunately, some e-books are selling for almost as high as their paperback version. Is that fair?

You Can’t Sell Your E-books

Going back to the previous point, e-book buyers simply can not sell their e-books. That means you are stuck with what you have bought forever. That is going to be a huge turn off especially for college students.

Can Your E-Reader Last

Kindle, iPad, and Nook are all great devices. But they all have a limited life-time. Your device may last you 1 year or 5 years. But you will have to keep buying e-readers to continue enjoying your e-books (unless you do not mind reading your e-books on your computer).

There was a time when Amazon had big plans for Kindle DX. The device was expected to be a hit among college students and in professional schools. Unfortunately for Amazon, those plans have not panned out. When Kindle DX was announced, there was no device like an iPad to put competitive pressure on it. In a few months, there are going to be a few more iPad-like tablets available to consumers. That means Amazon probably had no choice but to stop the bleeding and reduce Kindle DX’s price to keep it competitive for now.

Amazon seems to be stuck with Kindle DX at this point. The device is still too expensive for the average reader. At the same time, it does not offer the features people have come to love on devices such as iPad. The next generation E-ink screen is nice to have, but it does not justify the price.

I am a Kindle case junkie. Even though I have tried almost any case one can find on the market, I do not hesitate to pick up new cases for my e-reader. Moleskine® Kindle Cover is a new protective case worth looking at. It not only aims to protect Kindle, it also includes a reporter-style notebook for those who intend to take notes on the road (e.g. reporters, bloggers, …). It’s a very interesting concept. Moleskine realizes that while some people may be ready to read their books in digital format, there is still a need for paper notebooks. Or is there?

Our team has not reviewed Moleskine’s case, but it is not too hard to figure out what Amazon Kindle is missing just by looking at this case. If a company wants its customers to go digital, it should provide them with the tools to make the transition much easier. People can read e-books on a Kindle. However, since Kindle is not a touch-screen device, one can’t take hand-written notes on it (something that is very much possible using an iPad).

Father’s day is almost upon us. That means there is no better time to look for those deals and discounts. Many companies are offering huge discounts and free shipping to make life easier for shoppers. That is the case with Amazon and B&N too. Amazon is offering 2 day expedited shipping to those who order Amazon Kindle for Father’s day. B&N’s offer is much more tempting as it includes free shipping and a $50 gift certificate with each nook ordered for this occasion.

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Internet sales tax and more Internet regulation are on the horizon. As much as experts want to believe that the Internet could stay as it is today, the financial struggles of the U.S. government and the states could force the lawmakers’ hands and make them open to regulating the Internet. Amazon.com is one of the best e-tailers around due to its large selection of items and its low prices. Most Amazon customers do not pay sales tax to Amazon. That means they have a better chance of finding lower prices on Amazon than on websites that do collect sales tax. There is no question that Amazon has some of the lowest prices around when it comes to e-books. That is going to change with the agreements that Amazon struck with a few top publishers (the agency model debacle):

Several publishers have recently changed the nature of their relationship with Amazon, moving to a business model whereby the publisher, not Amazon, is the seller of record for their books. Kindle books sold under this model are subject to sales tax based on the publisher’s state tax reporting obligations and the taxability of digital books in those states. Books where the publisher is the seller of record say “This price was set by the publisher.” Nothing has changed with respect to sales taxes on Kindle books where Amazon is the seller of record.

We are no tax experts, but in many states buyers are supposed to pay sales taxes for their online purchases even if the e-tailers do not charge it. So this announcement does not change anything in that regard. What it does is increase e-book prices a bit more for some customers. That’s another reason why some Kindle customers are not happy with the agency model adopted by a few top publishers on Amazon.

The iPad has generated a lot of buzz among e-book fans in the past week or so. Apple was always expected to introduce a device that could make the company competitive in multiple markets. Apple iPad does that and more. The device is expected to have monstrous sales numbers, and the fact that we all have to wait up to 60 days to get our hands on one can only build anticipation. Many e-book reader company may jump to discount the effect that the iPad will have on this industry. But let’s face it. Apple can sell its products, and it can do it well. So it’s no wonder that e-book reader manufacturers are worried. With its recent slide in shares prices, Amazon may have to up its game as well.

Many argue that the iPad is not really an e-book reader, and it doesn’t offer features important to e-b00k junkies. Some mention that the device does not take advantage of E-ink technology and does not have a long battery life in comparison to Kindle or Nook. But those arguments don’t cut it for me. For me, it all comes down to one thing: Apple iPad will be too distracting. If you don’t believe me, just imagine how your life has changed after purchasing an iPhone. That’s often the problem with devices that are capable of doing thousands of things.