To e-book, or not to e-book ?
Posted on: October 22, 2009
Is it the question ?
It was for Les Echos, the first French newspaper to launch an online version of the economic daily on an e-book, in 2007. The device, made by IRex, came with a subscription to Les Echos’ website (365 euros/year), for the modest sum of 600 euros.
Despite its price, Les Echos’ offer was promising : the reader had the opportunity to read the newspaper on a digital book, that did not consume any traditional ink or paper. The digital text could be search automatically and crossed-referenced using hyperlinks. With an e-book, no need to stop by a newsstand : from 6am to 21 pm, the users could download the latest version of the diary.
A video presentation was made by Les Echos‘ team to introduce the technology.
Unfortunately,by the end of 2008, only 1000 subscribers adopted the device, forcing the media company to quit the adventure. The happy few expected other French newspapers to launch their e-book version… But they didn’t… Contrary to their European neighbours, like the Flemish newspaper De Tijd.
Today, if you want to read a newspaper on an e-book, the market offers many different possibilities. You can pick IRex’s version, but their is also Amazon’s Kindle, or Sony’s eReader RS-505…
For now, I would maybe choose Amazon’s kindle, as I was seduced by this presentation made by Ben Higginbotham on Twin City Live
Blog it yourself 
November 5, 2009 at 9:38 am
Cou cou !
Very interesting article, I didn’t even know that Les Echos tried to launch an e-newspaper !
I will always remember a passage of Minority Report where Tom Cruise, a fugitive, steps in the subway and that everybody is reading e-newspaper. He sits in front of a woman, and the page of her e-newspaper changes to show an APB with his face…
But apparently it is not for now !
By the way, I love your favicone ! How did you do to change it ?
Keep up the great work !
Camille